Opening bifold hangar with no power

[FloridaMan]

Hypothetical situation, let’s say a hurricane has passed through and your hangar and airplane survived, but the storm dropped A LOT of rain and rivers are passing flood stage. The water will continue to rise for days after the storm has passed and your hangar is at risk of flooding. You have no power to open the door. What is the best way to get the door open? Open the switch box and wire in a power cord and connect it to your harbor freight generator? How much power do those motors typically draw?

[EricJ]

You could get an idea from the circuit breakers on the motor circuit.   I'd be surprised if a portable generator couldn't handle it if that was all that it was running.   Be careful to isolate the door circuit from the rest of the world, though, or you'll be energizing a lot more stuff than just the door.

 

[exM20K]

8 minutes ago, FloridaMan said:

Hypothetical situation, let’s say a hurricane has passed through and your hangar and airplane survived, but the storm dropped A LOT of rain and rivers are passing flood stage. The water will continue to rise for days after the storm has passed and your hangar is at risk of flooding. You have no power to open the door. What is the best way to get the door open? Open the switch box and wire in a power cord and connect it to your harbor freight generator? How much power do those motors typically draw?

That is exactly what we did when installing the door and before the power was connected.  No biggy for a construction genny.  My door is a 46/14.5 Hydroswing, no bifold.

-dan

[Austintatious]

I have done the generator trick with my house... Just be sure to turn off the main coming in... then make a male male extension cord.... works like a champ

[Marauder]

We had a severe thunderstorm pass through our area and knocked out power. A couple of RV owners flew in after the storm had passed and couldn’t get into their hangar.

They tried to rig up a generator at the switch to power the door. I had to show them the label on the door motor it was a 240V motor and their 120V generator wasn’t the best solution.

One of the hangars I had over the years had a manual crank to move the door in case the electric failed.


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[EricJ]

2 hours ago, Marauder said:

One of the hangars I had over the years had a manual crank to move the door in case the electric failed.

On mine the motor is on the door and goes up with it, so there's not much way to hand crank it without a ladder or a scaffold or something.

[GeeBee]

The municipal hangar where I am at has a generator connect box to the CB panel. So you can open the door, but only one door at a time.

 

 

[1964-M20E]

Other than the voltage issue stated above any generator 2500 W  or larger should open the hangar door.  Most doors are gong to be 1hp or less motors.  However, be cautious with inverter type generators the inverter may not be able to start the motor.  This is where a good old fashioned rotor and stator generator comes in handy.  Think CB and dual purpose.  Get a 8kW portable generator for your house and then you can always bring it to the hangar if you need it but be careful how you connect it to the house and where you point the exhaust.

If you are truly concerned about this get the nameplate data off the motor post it here and we can assist.  Also make up all connector cords needed and keep them hand in the hangar so all you need to bring there is the generator.

I designed my own door so the motor control box plugs into a receptacle.  Should I find myself in this situation all I need to do is plug the door into the generator.