Customer Reviews

Genie ISD990-2X Excelerator 1/2-Horsepower DC Screw Drive Garage Door Opener

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Installed the Genie Excelerator, 1/2 HP, DC Motor, with the fast open feature to replace my old screw drive Genie that lasted 15 plus years (the plastic gear on the carrier device wore out). Although I could have replaced this part, I wanted a full replacement to get the newer Intellicode feature (rolling code for security), better infra-red light system, as well as better overall operation. This newer Excelerator is GREAT. It is very, very quiet. The screw drive works well and, as I said, quietly. Only real noise comes from a little creaking of the garage door itself as it travels in the metal channels (something you really can't eliminate totally). This Genie Excelerator is noticeably more quiet than my old model. I really don't think you could get a quieter motor or opener with the dependability of the screw drive.

The screw drive is the same reliable system but with improvements to the mecahnism. The directions were very specific, but there was an enclosed yellow form notating a change in the wiring connections. Nothing complicated, just an update to the printed instructions and poster. At first I didn't think the screw type wiring connnections were as good as the old plug ins on my previouis system, but I decided they were really more dependable and easier to fix if need be. Although, I doubt it will be necessary as my last Genie was good for over 15 years! It takes a a few hours to get everything installed, run the wires to the auto-reverse lights, assemble the rails, and to get your ceiling mount lined up properly. But it is all well worth it.

My install worked flawlessly the very first time I tried the wall switch for the first operation. It was also very easy to program the remote controls by pressing the learning button and pressing the remote twice. And programming the HomeLink System in my cars was just as easy. The car owner's manual has the directions to program the homelink using the Genie remote that you've already set up, and then going through the "learn" process using the learn button on the Genie Excelerator. It was really very easy, and now I have the HomeLink buttons to use in my overhead car console plus the two remotes that come with the system for others. Also, the system comes with a coded outside opener to attach to the house. This has always been something we've used and the new remote worked easily with the same programming feature. This device is also better as it has a fold down cover for greater protection.

There are some fine new features like the wall switch with the red glowing lights to show the wall switches, the accelerated opening speed is very nice, the magnetic limit switches are a definite improvement over the old mechanical switches, the new carrier device uses a metal (aluminum?) gear instead of plastic, the slow down speed on closing makes for a quiet gentle closing process, and as I mentioned the remote programming with the newer Intellicode system is easy and much more secure than the old one code system I replaced. Genie really has enhanced the already strong quality and performance of its garage door openers with this Excelerator Model.

Overall the Genie Excelerator is the BEST garage door opener I've ever had and I recommend it to you highly.

Highly recommended ... the chainless screw drive is indeed quiet and the install was relatively painless - it can be adjusted to open quickly and close slowly - Great product.

Genie Excelerator 1/2-Horsepower DC Screw Drive Garage Door Opener #ISD990

I installed one of these openers on our 7' high x 16' wide garage door in 2000.

Pros:

- After a power outage, the door raises VERY slowly, but otherwise, it takes just over 5 seconds.

- The infrared "safety beam sensors" at the garage door bottom were very susceptible to damage, being out in the open, so I protected them as shown in Customer Images.

- This opener has worked reliably for eight years (except as noted below).

- If I press the opener in my car when entering our 55' long driveway, the door is open by the time I get to the garage.

Cons:

- After about a year, the door would only go up a couple of feet, then stop. The 3-piece aluminum rail, which is a major weakness of this product, had been oscillating as the door rose; i.e., it would bounce up and down quite a bit. The rail just isn't strong enough. As a result, the rail sections eventually sagged where they join, and the screw drive sometimes didn't make contact due to that "bounce". The problem was solved by my installing mid-point bracing, which stabilized the rail so that it doesn't vibrate. See Customer Images.

- After 2 years, the "security" slide switch on the wall console stopped working. I called Genie and without asking how the switch was used, they said it was designed for vacations only, and not to be used on a daily basis. They've apparently had lots of switch failures due to "over use". However, Genie sent a free replacement wall "console", which includes that switch. After talking with them, I took the old console apart, and found a broken solder connection. I resoldered it, and that old switch is still working. I now have a spare console.

Other:

- If a garage door spring breaks, pull the door's rip cord to release the stain on the lifting mechanism, and have someone keep the door from slamming down if it's partially up. Forcing the opener to try to open a door with a broken spring could permanently bend or twist the aluminum drive bar, strip the gears, etc.

- If you have problems with the door getting stuck on the way up, liberally spread lithium grease on the drive screw. You should do that anyway, yearly.

Summary:

With mid-point bracing, I'd give it 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4). Without that bracing, since a customer shouldn't have to reinforce a new product, it's a 1 star device.

I bought this product due to its lifetime warranty. When the product began to malfunction I called for service, and I found out the true worth of the Genie company. All they do is have you talk to a call center person, who will keep asking you questions until they can tell you that your garage door is "unbalanced." After they told me this, I had a professional garage door installer come out and he examined the door and stated it was perfectly balanced. Genie refused to honor their warranty because they stated it was documented that my door was unbalanced. They never looked at my door, and refused to accept the evaluation by a professional garage door installer. The installer told me he gets numerous calls every week about the Genie Excellerator, and the poor customers are always told that the door was unbalanced. My opener ONLY malfunctioned during the heat, and had nothing to do with the unbalanced door. DO NOT BUY A GENIE PRODUCT!!!!!!

I recently installed the Excelerator Series 8000 as a replacement for my old Genie 880 which I installed in 1976 and which has worked faultlessly for 32 years and 7 months. A soldered-in relay finally began to stick, so it was time for a new opener (although it probably could have been repaired inexpensively).

I have a solid wood 16-ft. door that is very heavy and this opener handles it with ease. The old Model 880 (1/2 HP AC motor & external remote control receiver) was relatively quiet, but it could always be heard in the rooms near our attached garage. The DC motor Excelerator is virtually silent. The only audible noise in the garage is from the door track rollers. The opener can't be heard at all in the house. The super quick opening speed (more than twice as fast as the old AC motor model) is a plus and the sealed magnetic reed limit switches look like an improvement over the fragile-looking, open frame switches on the cheaper Genie openers. This model (the 8000 Series) includes a lifetime guarantee on all parts which is amazing for a user-installed, electro-mechanical device these days. BRAVO Genie!

Installation instructions were easy to follow, well illustrated, and were adequate for anyone with good, basic mechanical and electrical skills. You do need a good assortment of tools to do a proper installation. My installation took about 4 hours (with wife helping) and that included removing the previous opener, and making new hanging brackets to support the new model.

I've helped install 3 or 4 openers for friends, and this was relatively quick and certainly easier than most because of Genie's color coded parts packages and very detailed instructions. Although one person can do the whole job if necessary, there are a few places in the install where another pair of hands are very helpful.

All in all, this unit is better built than I expected at this price point, and it works better than expected. So far I'm delighted with this Genie product. Just hope it works as long as my old one did!

Installed this item 7 years ago and is stil in service -- however did need several repairs along the way -- see below

Very quiet -- really like the ability to have several remotes and they are a much better price than other brands - with same code features

At about 4 years into the life the Wireless receiver board in the Head went out -- Genie sent a new one under warrenty

At 5 years the slider became woren and started to "bind" -- bought a new one locally for $75 --- good as new operation

at 7 years the wireless board went out again --- ( started raising the door by itself ) got a new board locally for $39 -- ( Genie wanted $60 ) again good as new

You might think of getting the One piece bar model ( local guy told me this makes the slider last MUCH longer ) and if you can get a lifetime warrenty -- it would help with the electronic boards ) ( my warrenty is just 5 years ) ( I think the local guys have the one-piece bar version )

Great product -- still in use -- would get the one piece version with lifetime however

Purchased the Genie Excelerator from Home Depot (think they sell under a different model number) but it is the same unit essentially. I was replacing a 1/2 Craftsman after about 10 years and hopefully this unit will last longer. The Genie Excelerator is a great garage door opener as it is easy to install, runs quietly and has the very cool excelerator feature which opens the door twice as fast (door comes down at the same slower speed as other garage door openers). The head unit/motor is surprisingly light and small. The screw rail is light aluminum. That being said, the other parts are light and cheaply designed and made. For example, the remote controls come with a bracket/holder (what you use to attach to your sun visor), these are the cheapest, worst designed things ever made as they quickly lose their ability to hold the remote and it falls out of the holder unexpectedly potentially causing a lost remote (falls out the car door, etc). The remote's range is very short also - you almost need to be right in front of the garage door to get the remote to work.

Another issue with this package is the number entry keypad (you place on the outside of the garage); It has the cheapest plastic cover you have ever seen - apparently designed by a three year old as it has very cheap plastic tabs which hold the cover on causing the cover to constantly come unclipped - what a pain everytime you use it. Also, the plastic infrared eyes (which are used for safety forming a beam across the doorway preventing walking under the closing door) are also cheap plastic and are attached poorly to the brackets. I am hoping these accessories hold up under daily use but I do not think they will. It is disappointing that such a seemingly good opener would not have decent accessories - it would not have been that hard to do things right but it seems Genie just did the bare minimum on these parts - which makes me wonder how well the opener itself will last. My previous Craftsman had none of these issues with cheap accessories (other than something that went wrong with the opener itself) and I wish Genie would have at at least matched that standard since their opener is billed as one of the best around. The Excelerator feature and the screw drive seem great - I just hope the whole unit is not as cheap as the accessories - it makes you wonder.

I guess the remote range, remote holder and keypad door are minor issues but are still a pain considering they could have been solved so easily. Things like this make you wonder how reliable the unit itself will be. I wonder if the Genie people even use thier own products as these issues would have been very apparent to anyone. Poor design? poor quality? poor QC? who knows - I would recommend the opener but realize there are small issues that may bug you over time but shuold not dissuade you from considering the unit.

UPDATE 03/2011 - Opener is still working great - Cover for exterior remote keypadd is missing and fell off sometime - lost one remote after it sell out of its holder (poor design), had to use electrical tape to hold my other remote into its holder. Moving it from 3 to 4 stars due to opener operation.

I ordered this as a replacement for the same type unit that had malfunctioned after six years of use. I ordered a new opener and spent a few hours installing it. After everything was in place and ready to go, I went to push the button to "train" the remote controls and the switch did not function. I contacted Amazon who very quickly sent out a new one with upgraded shipping at no charge. The second opener worked just fine. I am a bit disappointed at having to install then uninstall then install again but I am very happy with how Amazon handled the issue.

Genie Excelerator Model Number ISD990, bought 3/21/2004

It was relatively easy to install and worked pretty well for 5 years. Almost daily use. Then after 5 years it started to have problems opening. It would only open half way and stop. It always closed properly. After a week or so of intermitent problems, it started not opening at all. I had to reset it (pull power) to get it to work. Then it just quit altogether. All the lights work, it just wont open. The green status light flashes continuously.
I called tech support and they say the circuit board needs to be replaced. 5 year warrenty on parts is expired. Cost of about $130 if i replace the head unit or replace the circuit board. Either way.
I just expect things to last longer. 5 years is way too short for a garage door. Not impressed with Genie. Looking for a replacement with a better brand vs. fixing the old board.

I received the door opener on time and in great shape! I bought the [ Genie 1/2 HP screw driven opener ] model 1/2 hp-ISD 990. My old garage opener was a chain driven opener and "noisy" and slow. This opener was easy to install and works the best. And the price was great too.