Definition
Photo-eye sensors (sometimes called "safety eyes" or just "photo eyes") are a paired infrared transmitter and receiver, mounted near the floor on each side of the garage door opening. The transmitter projects a continuous beam to the receiver; any object that interrupts that beam while the door is closing causes the opener to immediately reverse to fully open.
Federal CPSC 16 CFR Part 1211 has required photo-eye sensors on every garage door operator sold in the U.S. since January 1, 1993, following years of fatal entrapment incidents involving children and pets. Disabling or bypassing the sensors is unsafe and, in many jurisdictions, a code violation.
Sensor problems cause more "the door won't close" service calls than any other single issue.
Why it matters to Nashville-area homeowners
If your garage door starts to close and then immediately reverses, the photo-eye sensors are the first thing to check. Look at the indicator LEDs on each side, both should be solid. The most common causes are a sensor knocked out of alignment (a kid's bike bumped it), a sensor lens covered in spider web or dust, or one of the sensor brackets being slightly out of plumb after years of garage vibrations. Wipe the lenses with a soft cloth, gently realign the brackets so both LEDs are solid, and most homeowners' "door won't close" problem resolves in five minutes.
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Source
16 CFR Part 1211, Safety Standard for Automatic Residential Garage Door Operators (CPSC) →
How this definition is reviewed
Definitions reviewed against UL 325 (Underwriters Laboratories Standard for Door, Drapery, Gate, Louver, and Window Operators), CPSC 16 CFR Part 1211 (federal residential garage-door-operator safety rule), DASMA technical data sheets, and current manufacturer specs from LiftMaster, Chamberlain, Genie, Clopay, and Amarr. Locality notes draw on in-the-field experience in Middle and East Tennessee homes built between the 1960s and the present.
