question for gate opener owners

[Bartley]

I want to install a gate opener on my front entrance to my property. Presently I have no gate at this opening so the style of gate is an open option.

I have perimeter fencing around my entire property (barbwire), and electric tape fencing for the horse pastures. The sole reason for having a gate at this opening is that on two occasion in the past couple of years the horses have gotten out of pasture, one time something spooked them and they ran through it, the other time I forgot to turn the fence back on.

This is going to be my last line of defense for keeping them off the road. The gate does not have to be strong, they won’t be pushing on it, there just has to be something to stop them from just walking out. Most anything would stop them because there is plenty of room and grass between the pasture fence and perimeter fence.

What I am trying to get at is the fact the gate can be very light. Maybe just two pipes with a couple of supports in the middle. The opening is 18 feet wide and every gate opener I look at is rated by weight and length, such as 500lbs and not longer than 16 feet.

If I make a two-pipe gate with supports, it won’t even be 100lbs. What I don’t understand is how the length of the gate makes a difference on the model. Can anyone explain how this would matter? There is a large cost difference between a 6ft to 18ft opener and a 6ft to 16fter. On a swing type opener why would this two feet make a difference, isn’t 90 degrees, 90 degrees any way you cut it. Am I totally thinking about this wrong?

Thanks

 

[schmism]

gennerally the lenght=mass and you need a lot beafer opener to handle the mass way out in front of the opener..

if its superlight weight i see no reason why you could use a smaller opener on a larger gate.

what you speak of are swing style... any reason not to use the slide style with just a motor that pulls along a roller chain?

 

[Jimbrown]

The activator arm is longer on the bigger openers to give them more leverage. The weight of the gate does not matter too much but any slight object including the wind will effect the longer gate. i have one and the wind simply stripped out the actuator.

 

[Bartley]

I should have added that I have no power anywhere close so I need to stay solar with a battery. A slide type would work as long as they work on solar. I am not sure I have seen one that will run on battery power, do the make them? Most of the slide types I have looked at are a lot more costly when you factor in the rollers and other items you need.

 

[schmism]

r u looking for an off the shelf solution?

it would seem that you could fab up the rollers fairly easly out of some wheel rims (for say a wheel barrow or simular)

a top and bottom pipe (chainlink top rail) with some diag braceing welded up.

Then a 12v motor that runs on a bat with solar charger to run the chain back and forth....

 

[anojones]

I'm using a Mighty Mule 350 with a 12' aluminum tube gate with the same goal of keeping critters inside. The gate I have can't weigh more than 100# and probably much less but I still run into problems with wind or occasionaly small obstructons if it is on the latch side of the gate. It would open a longer gate, but vertical motion of the gate is exagerated at the latch end (opposite the opener). This is a problem for me as I needed the have the bottom of the gate close to the ground when it's closed as it opens out down a hill and am trying to keep in at least one small dog. I also use the electronic lock which keeps the wind from blowing the gate open but had to modify the latch so that the vertical movement wouldn't effect it latching shut. The do make dual opener gates which might be an option for a wider gate.

 

[heehaw]

you can sorta figure a gate like a sail: the bigger it is, the more wind its going to catch: whether taller or longer: plus, we all think our gates are really light: but try to operate the gate, from the location the opener will be fastened: of as one person explained to me: start the gate moving, and then get in its path, at the location the opener will fasten: and try to stop it with your head: you'll see pretty quick what the opener is working against. GTO makes swing and slide openers that operate off solar/batteries, i am sure others do too.
heehaw

 

[wickedinhere]

I second the mighty mule opener i have had one in use for 1.5 years and it gets used everyday. Mine is battery operated with the solar panel and i use it on a 12 foot tube gate.

 

[Keoke]

I'm using a Mighty Mule 350 with a 12' aluminum tube gate with the same goal of keeping critters inside. The gate I have can't weigh more than 100# and probably much less but I still run into problems with wind or occasionaly small obstructons if it is on the latch side of the gate. It would open a longer gate, but vertical motion of the gate is exagerated at the latch end (opposite the opener). This is a problem for me as I needed the have the bottom of the gate close to the ground when it's closed as it opens out down a hill and am trying to keep in at least one small dog. I also use the electronic lock which keeps the wind from blowing the gate open but had to modify the latch so that the vertical movement wouldn't effect it latching shut. The do make dual opener gates which might be an option for a wider gate.

Hi, also have a Mighty Mule gate opener and had the same problem as you have with the jaw of the solenoid gate lock being to narrow to accommodate vertical movement of gate or post. Yeah, a wider jaw was the answer for me too.

cheers,

 

[heehaw]

someone has a gate opener on ebay for about $250 right now, supposedly compares to a GTO or MM model 1000 i think they said?? the only thing wrong with the MM350 is the cost of repairs if it goes out, TSC has them for @ $300 and the ckt board cost about $175, so i guess, like everything else, its about a throwaway item..
heehaw