We expect a full set of 4x AA batteries to last between 6-9 months, but you may find that they last even longer. (During winter, it is not uncommon for the battery life to be reduced to 3-6 months.)

A full set of AA batteries provides 6 volts of power, and the minimum your door opener requires in 5 volts.

When the batteries' voltage reaches 5v, you will see a solid red light appear. You may also see a message on the screen warning "Battery low!" and your screen's backlight may be much dimmer than usual.

Some models need more power to keep the motor running, so the first sign may be that you are receiving a "motor power error" when trying to open, close, or calibrate the door.

You can also check the voltage remaining in the batteries any time, by navigating to Misc Settings, then to the page which displays the model name on the top line, and "Battery OK" on the bottom line. The screen will look something like this:

If the battery life has shortened during winter, please see our article addressing a Short Battery Life during Winter first, as this may provide some helpful information.

If your batteries are running low very quickly outside of Winter months, there are a few things you can check on which might help to extend their lifespan.

Please work through the checklist below to discover the cause of the problem and learn how to solve it.

If you frequently see error messages on the screen, this could be a reason why the batteries are running out faster than expected.

Error messages will remain on the screen until action is taken to rectify them.

For example, imagine an error occurs when the closing cycle begins and an error message appears on the screen. If no action is taken, the screen will remain lit all night until somebody addresses the error in the morning.

The screen will use up a lot of battery power if left awake for extended periods. So, if you do frequently see error messages, you will need to address the cause of these error messages and this should solve the issue of a short battery life.

Please see our collection of articles about troubleshooting Error Messages.

Whenever you alter a setting on your device, you must make sure you exit the page and return to the "Chickenguard.com" screen.

If you are stuck inside a menu or a setting that you do not know how to exit, please read the below examples...

All of our door openers require 4x AA alkaline batteries. Make sure you are replacing all four with brand new batteries every time you change them.

Please also make sure you do not use rechargeable batteries, as these do not provide a consistent and reliable voltage. (The only exception to this rule is if you are using a Solar All-in-One which already has 4x NiMH batteries installed.)

Avoid using lithium batteries during the warmer months, as these can overpower the device.

Lithium batteries can be used to extend battery life during winter months, but these must be removed as soon as the weather begins to warm.

See the article on Short Battery Life during Winter for more information.

After 20-30 seconds of inactivity, your screen should turn off and go into a sleep mode.

If this is not happening, and the blue backlight remains lit either on the "Chickenguard.com" screen or with no text at all, there may be a fault in the circuit board.

Talk to the Customer Support team and send them some photos of your screen and circuit board.

If you have checked everything in the troubleshooting list and your door opener's battery life is still very short, please get in contact with the Customer Support team and they will endeavour to resolve the problem for you.

Please give the team as much detail as possible about the problem and explain all the steps you have already taken. You will also need to provide some form of proof-of-purchase to redeem your warranty.

Need to speak to the team?