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Door Opener Troubleshooting & Advice
Error Messages
"Door Error" and "Door Obstruction" Troubleshooting
"Door Error" and "Door Obstruction" Troubleshooting

Learn about the Door Error and Door Obstruction messages and how to solve the problem(s) that cause them.

Updated over a week ago

You may sometimes notice a message on the screen that reads "Door Error / Recalibrate Door" or "Door Obstruction / Recalibrate the Door".

These error messages are usually caused by a problem with the door itself. Read on to learn what could cause the problem and how to fix it.

Door issues

Check that the door is not catching or too tight. Wooden doors and rails can swell and warp with changing weather conditions, which can cause friction/resistance when the unit tries to open or close the door. Any resistance can cause a door error.

Note: During winter, your door can become frozen in its runners in the mornings, to combat this, we suggest lining the rails with vaseline to prevent ice freezing there.

Chickens nudging the door

Check that the door is not opening too late in the morning. If chickens are eager to get out in the AM, they can rush out and inadvertently nudge the door, causing an error message.

If you suspect this is happening, it might benefit you to set the door to open a little earlier.

Tangled string

Check that the string is not tangled around the motor shaft or anything else inside the unit. If the string is tangled, please see our article on Fixing a Tangled String.


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