Before You Buy Any Gate Operator:

 

There is much more to automating your gate than just adding the operator! If your gate can not be easily moved by hand - fix it first!  

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It's Your Money! Ask questions! Preferably in writing via email or a chat that can be saved. This gives you a written reference to help with your purchase choice.

We suggest:

1. What kind of speed reduction is used?

2. Are there plastic parts that are subject to breaking when under extreme stress (ie:

    someone pushing on a closed gate that does not have a lock). If so, is it repairable? 

3. How much does it cost to replace the arm or the control circuit.

4. What happens if the remote receiver or solar charging segment stops working?

5. Can I use a 30w or higher solar panel to compensate for snow/short/dark days?

6. Are the batteries stored with the control circuit or do I buy an additional box?

7. How does the emergency release work?

 

Note: Batteries are an ongoing cost factor. Our philosophy is to provide a higher capacity solar panel included in our kit that can compensate for cloudy days and not to put you in a situation where you are replacing expensive higher capacity batteries.

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Plan ahead! Anything created by a human will fail. At some point in time you will need to open the gate by hand due to the operator not functioning and we can almost guarantee that you will be on the outside of your property during inclement weather!

We only know of one arm style swing gate operator that does not have a key release. For the rest of the operators, be sure the release key is always available for you and your family to use regardless of which side of the gate they are on. We suggest having one key permanently attached on every vehicle, horse, bicycle, and one that is hidden on the outside of the property and only known by those you wish to access your property. BE SURE TO INCLUDE EMS AND POLICE!

We strongly suggest that if you have a reporting alarm system that it is wired to open and hold open the gate operator to enable fast access by the 1st responders.

If you have a burglar on your property, help him get out! Your safety is the most important part of this equation. 

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Slide gate operators usually require that you are on the inside of the property to use a key or to remove the cover and operate the emergency release. You should include a pedestrian gate in your entry plans so you can get in or out of your property regardless of the functionality of your gate operator. Some gate operators don't even have an emergency release so if you have one of those, keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best. We are addressing these issues with our SL24 to be released soon.

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Why should you have a dedicated pedestrian gate?

Forced entry of your driveway gate and encouraging a person to share your driveway with an automobile are the main reasons for including a pedestrian gate to the front of your property. The pedestrian gate can be locked but should be designed so that it can be climbed over by a determined person. Hey, if someone wants to get to your property interior, they will find a way so let's try to keep the damage, and your liability,  to a minimum.

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​We will never suggest using your driveway gate for pedestrian access! 

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The driveway gate is for vehicles to access your property not pedestrians. Do not encourage a vehicle or gate vs. person accident! Not to mention your insurance may not cover the damages or injury! Be smart, be safe ~

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Don't Get Hung Up On Horse Power!

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1 horsepower = 746 watts.

Torque in inch pounds: hp x 63025

                                                     RPM

Our sprocket has a 3" diameter, a 200W motor, and a 55 rpm output.

746/200 = 0.373 x 63025/55 = 427 in lbs torque/3" sprocket dia = 142 lbs of force x 73% efficiency of the speed reducer = @100 lbs of force! Way more power than you need! IMHO: 100w - 200w motor is plenty of power as long as the gate is running flat and free! 

Lets look at torque or the amount of force it takes to open a properly installed sliding gate. You should be able to walk along side of the gate with only two fingers pushing on the gate in order to open or close it. The author is 70 years old and has no problem doing this. In reality it only takes a couple pounds of force to move that gate! If you need a winch to move the gate do not buy our operator! Actually you should not buy any gate operator - fix the gate! It will most likely be cheaper and improve the long term reliability. Contact us via email and we will be happy to help - no strings attached!

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​SINGLE SWING GATES:

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The swing gate operates in a different environment than a slide gate and therefore will require a different control dynamic. Please keep that in mind while learning about both style of gates.

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Areas of concern with a single swing gate are the gate style, hinges, weather, and an electric lock on the strike post.

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1. The gate should have minimal wind resistance. If the gate tries to drag you across

    the drive when the wind is blowing - don't attempt to use an arm style operator or   

    at least send us an email with a pic of the gate so we can discuss your options!

2. Hinges should never be the 'pin and plate' style. You will need a decent load

    bearing surface and it does not have to be expensive ball bearing hinges!

3. The gate should close to a post and have an electric lock as the pounding wind will

    reduce the life of the operator and when someone pushes on the gate (and

    someone will) that could even destroy the operator!

4. If the gate area is subject to flooding or snow be sure to elevate it!

5. If you feel that you need a single swing gate over 16' in width, lets chat. 

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This is a good example of a single inward opening 12' wide gate:

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a. The gate hinge post is substantial.

b. The gate is far enough above grade to open inward and snow/debris is not an issue.

c. The wind load is minimal due to picket spacing.

d. The attachment point for the operator is re-enforced using a creative cosmetic

     horizontal member and half spaced pickets.

e. Hinges are the pin and sleeve style that are reasonably priced and very effective.

f. The gate closes to a strike post where an electric lock would be used..

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DUAL SWING GATES:

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Same issues as above except that having the gates lock when closed can be a bit problematic. A single swing gate up to 14' is usually your best option although perhaps not as impressive as a dual gate. We can chat about that so just ask.

The above is an example of using an overlapping leaf on one of the gate panels and a center strike post that is set into the drive to give the gates a solid object to close to and to add an electric lock to a gate panel at the bottom.

The purpose for having the stubby 'strike post' is to give the gate a way to lock when closed but allowing a low vehicle like a Corvette or Porsche to drive over it. If the gates do not lock when closed they can be 'racked' to open enough to damage the arm(s) and possibly allow a person to enter. An overlapping leaf will help a lot and the 'trailing' gate should lock to the central stubby post. The operator control circuit can deal with which side should delay in opening and closing to accommodate the overlapping leaf. An overlapping leaf, the stubby post, and the lock is a good way to keep the gates secure, aligned, and visually appealing when closed. We do not suggest that any gate is a truly secure way to protect your property but they can be a good deterrent.

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SLIDE GATES: as of the publishing of this information site we are not providing a slide gate operator but feel free to use the info listed in the SL24 segment as well as contacting us with questions.

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Areas of concern with a slide gate operator are ease of operation, weather, the emergency release, and an electric lock.

 

1. First and foremost - the gate should be easily moved by using three fingers on one

    hand. If there are rough spots or if some effort is needed then repairs or changes to

    the installation should be made. 

2. Is there an emergency release?

3. Can you access that release without having to be on the inside of the property?

4. Can you access the release without having to remove any covers?

5. Can you access the release without having any special tools? 

6. Is the leading edge of the gate captivated when closed?

7. Is the gate area subject to flooding or snow?

8. Are there trees or brush near the gate to interfere with the gate while moving?

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DUAL SLIDE GATES:

 

Same issues as above except that having the gates lock when closed so they can not be lifted off the track is a simple fix that few have taken the time to take care of. A single slide gate up to 20' is usually your best option although perhaps not as impressive as a dual gate. We can chat about that so just ask.

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WHAT IF:

An important question we often ask ourselves.

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1. The output of the solar panel drops to less than 24v during an extended cloud cover? 

This can happen or you have not cleaned the dirt/debris/snow off of the panel. Normally you would have an issue. Knowing this kind of situation can happen, so our solar charge controller will compensate for the reduction in wattage and kick up the volts to our specification of 26v! Your battery pack will then keep its's charge. But, please keep the panel clean according to the instructions included with the panel.

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2. Why do the slide gate operators costing twice as much use mechanical limit switches instead of magnetic ones?

Long term reliability. The more expensive slide gate operators are usually designed for commercial use - a demanding market. We initially thought about and even tested the magnetic switch but found flaws regardless of the method of installation. We do not like flaws. We do not like to spend your money unless we feel it is absolutely necessary either. The mechanical limit switch assembly, IMHO, is one of those necessary items. Having been in the service industry for almost a quarter of a Century, I found it very rare to replace a mechanical switch, very rare. I did find magnets that were missing, had fallen off the gate, had slipped from the original location, the reed switch (non-hall effect sensor) had failed, or it just did not work due to the gate shifting. The mechanical switch assemblies are keyed to the operator and not the gate. One simple solution eliminated a problem. And we did it by spending just a tad more money than using a magnet and you have one less problem to deal with down the road.

  

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Please feel free to send questions via email along with any applicable images of your gate for our no obligation input. We promise not to violate your trust.

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