Driveway Gate - 'how to' questions and a challenge

[tractchores]

I'm starting work on a new project shortly and wanted to tap into the expertise of TBN.

The project
I am planning on installing a driveway gate, which will be between two stone pillars (3'x3'x6'). I'm hoping to do a swing open gate that's 12' wide. I haven't yet decided on a control system, but am thinking of either a remote + keypad type of system - though I'm nervous the keypad will be destroyed in the winter with plowing. The 12' width is a good match for the location as it is at the end of a .5 mi long private road, which is about 10' wide, so if something can't fit in the gate it's not going to fit down the road either (heavily forested). I'll use my B2920 BH to dig down 4' for a proper frost footing on the columns and run wrought iron fence off to either side of the columns for a finished look. The gate will likely be aluminum or iron and the goal is more privacy than hard core security (I get a lot of 'turn arounds' and people checking out my property looking for access to the pond / lake it's on).

The Challenges
The gate is to be located about 500' from the house. This presents two major challenges:
1) - How do I get power to the gate? The power service comes in on poles next to the driveway and then the last few hundred feet are buried. The meter is on the house, so to get power from my existing drop I believe that I need to trench 500' from the house or a slightly shorter distance from the garage in rocky wooded soil (a pain). Code is 18" deep. My other option is to get the power company to put an additional service drop on one of the poles and trench from the pole (< 100'), but the service will have some cost associated with it. I haven't found out if you can have two meters on one account and 'merge' the services to cut down on the minimum monthly costs of a service. Anyone ever done this? Any advice on the trenching? I'm thinking of buying an 8" bucket VS using my 16" installed now for the project.

2) The second challenge is directly related to the first. For a swing gate I believe I need electric power to both columns, which are on opposite sides of a paved driveway. The driveway was installed a year ago, so I REALLY don't want to dig it up. I can either trench back to the house on both sides of it (500+' on each side) or find a way to feed the wire under the driveway without disturbing the pavement. Anyone ever done anything like this? Pavement is about 10' wide at this point. In this scenario the power poles are only on one side of the drive.

Sorry for the long post!

 

[brin]

For cutting a trench for power lines I use a sub soiler...Agri Supply has a sub soiler and pipe layer combo in their recent cataglogue for $100 and change....

Have you considered solar power for your gate openers...?

 

[Jimbrown]

In my opinion your assumptions are wrong. You do not need power solar will run it just fine. The gate needs to be 16ft any smaller you will regret it. Here are a couple pictures of my gate. The opener is an Apollo 3600.

If it really bothers you to cut a 2inch slot in the pavement to run the control wires then you can open a 12ft single gate with an opener on just one side.

And you have to have control wires from the controller to both sides of the gate if you use double gates. You ain't gonna be able to run the control wires from the controller all the way to the house and then back down the other side.

I lightened up the controller pic so you can see the actuator better.

The white stuff on the controller box is some styro foam where I was trying to keep the Arizona sun off it when I thought it might be over heating.

Gate openers have been discussed a lot on here. They are another one of things that you get what you pay for.

 

[PumpingPete]

Jimbrown, that is one heck of a fence!

 

[Jimbrown]

It is not as big as it looks. I forgot how long it is about 250 ft I think But you can see it on google maps

 

[hawkeye08]

If you don't want to cut the pavement to cross and can't run back to the house due to the distance (for the control lines), then the other choice seems to be overhead. Perhaps a 16' pole (total height from ground) in the middle of your columns so you can run lines across? or put an arch across that has a conduit hidden on the back..

 

[Soundguy]

you can get electric gates with a 5-30w solar cell and a small battery.

I have an electric gate on my farm 16' tube gate and a GTO/MM 350 opener. never runs out of power even in the winter.

so there is your power issue.

they make a latch lock that needs power. if you need to go under the road. step back off the road a couple feet to get out of the stabilized shoulder dig straight down with a shovel, and then clear out in front of the small hole you have dug. you are now under the grade of the drive. get a pvc pipe and a garden hose .. adapt over and water jet a hole under the road... then run some low voltage line under to power the latch if you need a latch over there. optionall the latch could run off 1 5w panel and a battery as well.. and no digging.

for the keypad / plow issue.

make your keypa mount to an arm that stick out and s on a pipe swivel.

ie.. bury a pipe well back away from the plow.. slip another pipe over it, atop that pipe.. put an arm with keypad to aim where you need it.

you can use a trampoleen or screen door spring to auto center the arm. that way if it is knocked away, it will swing harmlessly then center. we do this at work at a rock pit in case a semi truck / trailer hits a keypad.

for more money you can upgrade to an apollo kit..

 

[Dr_Zinj]

I like Jimbrown's place. No nonsense gate that keeps the honest people honest, and anyone approaching the house not let through the gate is obviously persona non grata. Plenty of clear zone of fire for shooting drug runners. And doesn't look like too bad of a commute into Tucson for work. If I ever take MIDAS Inc.s offer of employment, I'd be looking for a similar place.

 

[tractchores]

For cutting a trench for power lines I use a sub soiler...Agri Supply has a sub soiler and pipe layer combo in their recent cataglogue for $100 and change....
Have you considered solar power for your gate openers...?

A sub soiler is an interesting idea, do you think it would get down 18" How about in rocky soil? I have a HUGE number of rocks (basically clay soil over glacial till with boulders).

For solar power I have considered that, but have a severe lack of sunlight at the location. It's in middle of a mature forest and the gate will be N/S facing, the area gets virtually no sunlight, so even solar LED lighting has trouble.

In my opinion your assumptions are wrong. You do not need power solar will run it just fine. The gate needs to be 16ft any smaller you will regret it. Here are a couple pictures of my gate. The opener is an Apollo 3600.
If it really bothers you to cut a 2inch slot in the pavement to run the control wires then you can open a 12ft single gate with an opener on just one side.
And you have to have control wires from the controller to both sides of the gate if you use double gates. You ain't gonna be able to run the control wires from the controller all the way to the house and then back down the other side.
I lightened up the controller pic so you can see the actuator better.
The white stuff on the controller box is some styro foam where I was trying to keep the Arizona sun off it when I thought it might be over heating.
Gate openers have been discussed a lot on here. They are another one of things that you get what you pay for.

Nice gates and fence! I can't go 16' or the gates will be in the trees and as per above the .5 mi road has trees close on the sides and 12' is probably the widest you could fit down it without undertaking a major logging operation. Your comment on the pavement actually makes me think... I could actually redo with a line of cobblestones or something similar so that I don't create a 'patch' look in the pavement. I just hate to cut it after having spent so much to get it redone last year! My hope was I may be able to drill from one hole to the other with a piece of conduit and route wires that way, though I'm not sure exactly how I can do that....

Do you know how much power your actuators require to operate by chance?

If you don't want to cut the pavement to cross and can't run back to the house due to the distance (for the control lines), then the other choice seems to be overhead. Perhaps a 16' pole (total height from ground) in the middle of your columns so you can run lines across? or put an arch across that has a conduit hidden on the back..

Interesting idea, I'd have to create some kind of overhead opening, I wouldn't want to just hang the wires as it would ruin the aesthetics. My big concern with that is them getting destroyed by falling trees or branches. The area is heavily forested and we've had some very severe storms the last 5 years, so falling debris is a real concern (we lose power a LOT and if our service wasn't underground would have had it destroyed every single year for the last 5 years)

 

[brin]

A sub soiler is an interesting idea, do you think it would get down 18" How about in rocky soil? I have a HUGE number of rocks (basically clay soil over glacial till with boulders).

For solar power I have considered that, but have a severe lack of sunlight at the location. It's in middle of a mature forest and the gate will be N/S facing, the area gets virtually no sunlight, so even solar LED lighting has trouble.



Nice gates and fence! I can't go 16' or the gates will be in the trees and as per above the .5 mi road has trees close on the sides and 12' is probably the widest you could fit down it without undertaking a major logging operation. Your comment on the pavement actually makes me think... I could actually redo with a line of cobblestones or something similar so that I don't create a 'patch' look in the pavement. I just hate to cut it after having spent so much to get it redone last year! My hope was I may be able to drill from one hole to the other with a piece of conduit and route wires that way, though I'm not sure exactly how I can do that....

Do you know how much power your actuators require to operate by chance?


Yes,,,, I have used my subsoiler to go down for water lines and power..you can go over it twice or three times if needed and I have heavy red clay...Georgia...here is a link for the attachment to lay pipe...scroll down and click on the sub soiler it goes with...
3 Point Pipelayer Fits ASC 73410 The rocks I ran into are just pushed aside..the subsoiler blade is such that the rocks push away unless they are boulders...LOL

If you don't have the sunlight then solar is out I suppose. too bad, but those can be stolen and damaged , whereas hard wired electric is not a problem.