Chamberlain PD510 Review
There are a lot of garage door openers on the market which are loaded with features, and obviously expensive. Then we have models which are more than just affordable but don’t provide many features. The Chamberlain PD510 is either of those types. It is affordable, but it still comes with decent features and a quality worthy of the name.
Product overview
The Chamberlain PD510 is an industrial-grade garage door opener. It is based on the latest technology, so it truly has a lot to offer. First and foremost, the overall design is great. You will become an owner of a unit which looks great and can blend-in in most garages of today. The quality of the console and accessories is above the average in this price range.
Besides the looks, you will also get an impressive quality. The electric motor has a power of 1/2 HP, but it is industrial grade unit, as we have already mentioned. This means that it is capable of lifting heavier garage doors than equivalent models. Add the fact the chain-drive mechanism is industrial grade as well, and you will get a unit which is more than just capable of meeting most of your requirements.
When it comes to durability, we were pleasantly surprised. The entire unit is well-protected and comes in a case which can resists time. In essence, this means that the unit will last for a long period of time and stay reliable as long as you need it.
The model we have here is compatible with all garage doors of 7 feet. In a case you have 8 or 10 feet models, you will need an extension kit. Luckily, it is affordable as well, so we cannot categorize it as a drawback.
100 watts of illumination have been implemented as well. They provide a great visibility at all times and they have a positive effect on the safety. Of course, some models have more powerful lighting systems, but 100 watts are still treated as a middle which is more than just sufficient.
Product Advantages
The model we have here is a modern garage door opener developed by one of the best brands in the world. All of this should help you understand that it is a well-made unit with a lot to offer. It also has a lot of advantages, something we will mention below.
- Industrial grade
We have mentioned that the unit comes with industrial grade components, including the electric motor. Beside improved performances, the durability is great as well. It is hard to find a garage door opener from this price range which comes with industrial-grade components, so this is definitely an advantage.
- HomeLink compatibility
The Chamberlain PD510 offers a full compatibility with the HomeLink system. It means that you can open your garage doors from your car using three buttons. In other words, you will turn your home into a smart home thanks to this system. Chamberlain implemented a full support of the system, meaning that more than 50 car brands are supported. In a case your car isn’t, you will need a bridge device.
- Improved safety
This device is safer than equivalent models from the same price range. After all, being a new garage door opener, freshly developed has its advantages.
- Three-band remote controllers
As you may know, this feature means that the system uses three different frequencies to operate. In simple words, homeowners get a much better range, less interference, and much better performances. Till now, this system was reserved for more expensive units, therefore this is an advantage.
- 1-button remote controller
Seniors and homeowners who want simplicity will like this garage door opener. It comes with a remote controller which has only one button. It means that using it is easier than ever and especially beneficial when you must use only one hand to open the garage door, or in a case, there is no light, so you must press a correct button.
- Auto-force system
The system we have here is developed in order to make garage door opening and closing as perfect as possible at all times. It will analyze a lot of different parameters and apply the most suitable force needed for the door to be closed.
- Easy push wall button
With this unit, you won’t have any issues press a wall button when your hands are filled with bags or something else. It is a massive, easy-push button which is developed for this, specific purpose. We liked this advantage and you will like it as well.
Product Critique
On our tests, the unit performed well and we weren’t able to discover any severe downsides. There are no reliability issues whatsoever, so we believe that the model is safe, reliable and durable. In reality, we were surprised with value for money this small unit had to offer. Anyway, some drawbacks were discovered.
The first one on our list is associated to the extension rails. This garage door opener supports only 7-feet garage doors. In a case you have 8 or 10 feet doors, you will need an extension kit. Yes, other units require extension kit as well, but they usually support 7 and 8 feet garage doors with the standard package. They need kit only for the 10-feet door. This still isn’t a severe drawback, but you will have to know about it.
The second drawback we discovered is typical for Chamberlain and HomeLink technology. It means that some cars are not supported, in which case you will need a connection bridge. A good thing is that Chamberlain offers an official tool which allows you to check out the car compatibility. A downside is that a connection bridge isn’t very affordable. Because most homeowners prefer using this system, we had to reveal this drawback. It is advised to check the compatibility before you purchase this garage door opener.
Other than these two drawbacks, we were unable to find anything else worthy of being mentioned in this part of the review. The unit is sold a piece of technology which is more than just great for most users.
Safety and Security
Let’s begin with the safety sensors. They are obviously implemented in this device and they will scan the area beneath the garage door all the time. Ina case something is detected, while doors are being closed, the system will stop and reverse the process. This makes trapping beneath the door, an old problem, completely eliminated.
A rolling code technology is present as well. It is 2.0 version, meaning that it is the latest safety system Chamberlain implements into their units. In essence, this means that a new code would be used each time you use the garage door opener. It makes it impossible for others to penetrate your code protection.
In addition, this model also comes with old, well-known PosiLock system. It ensures that the garage doors are closed and will stay closed until a homeowner opens them. It isn’t possible to open the door in any other way. We liked this system and we believe it is one of the best and most sophisticated of this kind among garage door openers of today.
Installation and Programing
Here we have good news. First of all, the Chamberlain PD510 is extremely easy to install and you definitely don’t need a professional help. As a matter of fact, you will need one minute to assemble the entire system and around one hour to install it. The user manual is more than just useful and helpful. In addition, you have a lot of tutorials on the internet, so you can get additional help at any given moment.
Programming is simple as well. Basically, the system will do all the hard work instead of you, so all you have to do is to press a few buttons. In reality, this is one of the easiest garage door openers to program today. Keep in mind that user manual also assists you with programming, so pay attention to the instructions.
Overall, the unit is perfect for those who want to install it all by themselves and who don’t want to get additional help.
Warranty and Support
The warranty is 6 years for the electric motor and one year on other components. It isn’t especially long, but don’t forget that this garage door opener has industrial-grade components. As such, it is likely to last much, much longer than the warranty duration.
Support is the same and standard for Chamberlain. You can contact them at any time and you can do this using email or a phone. They are very helpful.
Conclusion
At the end, we must say that the Chamberlain PD510 is highly desirable garage door opener at the moment. We believe that it is just perfect for homeowners who want an affordable unit with above the average quality and a unit which can be installed and programmed without professional help. Let’s add the fact using this model is more than just simple, but it comes with all safety features you are going to need. All of this means that it is suitable for those who want affordable safety as well. Read our ultimate buying guide and see what are the best prices on garage door openers.
