Safe Cycle is a device that can be used on both residential and commercial garage doors. The device simply counts the number of times the door opens and closes. One open and close is considered a life cycle. Garage door torsion springs are rated and warrantied by the number of life cycles the spring should be able to complete before failure. The life cycles do not account for outside conditions like rust or corrosion that can lead to premature failure. The life cycles for the spring are also dependent on the proper size spring being used for the weight of the garage door, and the proper number of winds on the spring(s).
The devices I am familiar with for residential garage doors are rated for three 10,000 cycle counts. The commercial devices are rated for three 100,000 cycle counts, three 50,000 cycle counts and three 25,000 cycle counts. These devices should cost between $100-$200 each dependant on the rating.
The device works by counting the number of open and close cycles. There is a counter box that mounts beside the garage door and a strip that sticks to the side off the garage door itself. Each time the strip passes the counter device opening and closing a life cycle is added to the counter. The device will give off an audible beep and show a visible meter on the counter notifying you that the spring is near the end of its life cycle rating and that it is time to replace the spring(s).
I do not know how accurate the device is in counting the cycles, and it cannot calculate outside conditions that could shorten the life of the spring(s). This is a tool you can utilize to help minimize the chances of a spring breaking or failing and the inconvenience of having to then wait for a technician to come out and replace the spring(s). Again this is just another way to keep track of how many times the garage door opens and closes and to estimate when the spring will need to be replaced, but it is not an absolute answer to when the spring(s) will fail. Many factors can affect how many life cycles an individual spring will actually last.
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