SB-969 California Law: Garage Door Opener Battery Backup Required
AUTHOR: Carlos ParasUPDATED: January 29, 2024
What is SB-969? Senate Bill No. 969 was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown on September 21, 2018.
The law requires that after July 1, 2019, any residential automatic garage door opener (GDO) that is manufactured, sold, or installed in the state of California must have a battery backup that can operate without interruption during an electrical outage.
It also prohibits any garage door installed after July 1, 2019 from being connected to an existing garage door opener without a battery backup.
Violations of the law are subject to a $1000 fine for every opener that is not in compliance.
Smart Home Deals @ AmazonWhy Did California Pass a Battery Backup Law?
The Northern California wildfires of October 2017 killed 44 people and injured 192 others. This was one of the deadliest wildfire events to occur in the U.S. in the past century. Victims ranged in age from 14 to 100, although most of the victims were elderly.
According to the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), from October 8th to October 14th, more than 350,000 of their customers lost electric services due to the fires. It was reported that at least 5 people died because they could not get out of their garages during the power outages.
Automatic garage door openers have a release mechanism which allows the garage door to be manually opened in case of a power outage. However, garage doors can be heavy and difficult to open, especially for the elderly or physically disabled.
Senator Bill Dodd, who authored SB-969, had trouble opening his own garage door while evacuating his home during the fires. He was able to get it open with the help of a friend, but said he wasn’t sure if he would’ve been able to get it open himself.
In January 2018, Senator Dodd introduced the bill which would require garage door openers to have a battery backup unit. SB-969 was quickly passed with unanimous votes in both the California Senate and the California Assembly. Governor Brown signed it into law soon thereafter.
What Is a Garage Door Opener Battery Backup Unit?
A battery backup unit (BBU) for a garage door opener contains a small, 12-volt battery that the opener can use for power in the event of an electrical power outage. It can be installed inside the motor housing of the opener or outside, near the top of the opener.
A BBU usually has 3 LED lights which indicate when the battery is fully charged and operational (green), charging (yellow), and not charged or needs replacement (red). Backup batteries are designed to provide at least 24 hours of power after an electrical outage.
The normal lifespan for a backup battery is 1 to 2 years and will vary by manufacturer.
What Does SB-969 Mean for California Homeowners?
After July 1, 2019, automatic garage door openers without a battery backup will no longer be available for purchase in the state of California.
Homeowners must install a garage door opener with a backup battery when replacing their existing opener. Homeowners cannot connect a newly installed garage door to a garage door opener without a backup battery.
SB-969 is not retroactive. Homeowners can continue to use their existing garage door opener. They can purchase parts for an existing opener and can have it repaired, but if the opener needs to be replaced, it must be replaced with an opener with a backup battery.
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