[Shop-talk] Automatic driveway gates

[Jim Stone]

The driveway opening is just over 13’, so two 6 1/2’ gates.  The gates are about 40’ from the garage and I plan on burying a section of pvc conduit from the gate to the garage to run the wire and put the controls in the garage.  I’ll probably use a battery backup, but our power is pretty reliable and I have a back-up generator wired into the main panel (manual transfer switch) so losing power wouldn’t be too big a deal.  The back is pretty shaded and running wire to a sunny area for solar panel wouldn’t be any easier than just running it to the garage, so I’ll probably skip that.  Weather-wise we are on Eastern Long Island and our climate isn’t too extreme, especially compared to Michigan!

As for a keypad, whether or not I add one will depend on when I get this all done.  We’re just starting an addition to our house and contractors and construction vehicles need access to the back driveway (our house is a thru lot).  After that, it is pretty much just my wife and me and the main entrance to the house is in the front, so guests won’t often need access to the back.

My main interest at this point is brand recommendations.  It is hard to make exact comparisons, but it looks like the basic system (minus back up batteries, solar panels, etc.) will run me anywhere from around $700 to $2000, which is a pretty wide range.  Common, readily available brands I’ve seen appear to be Mighty Mule, Ghost Controls, Topens.  Doug on this list recommended a GTO until that looks really nice, but is about $1700 for dual gates and might be overkill for my needs.  That said, having a trusted satisfied customer recommendation is worth a lot, so that remains in the consideration set.

I’m still in the researching phase, so any input will be greatly appreciated.

Jim

> On Feb 13, 2023, at 3:43 PM, <alfuller194 at gmail.com> <alfuller194 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi Jim:
> 
> Do you have any particular needs as far as gate configuration go?
> 
> My step-mother has a swing gate, but the clearance to the street means you
> have to [1] when entering wait on the street for it to open, with added risk
> of oncoming traffic, and [2] when leaving - wait on the street to ensure it
> closed.
> 
> A condo complex in California had a lift-up gate, which constantly broke the
> belts that held up the gate. We really didn't need a lit gate, as there was
> never an snow...
> 
> Places in Michigan had gates that swung or retracted, but they would get
> hung up in the snow or ice in the winter...
> 
> If you are in a place where the electric power is unreliable, you might want
> to consider solar power and/or backup.  Do you need or want to integrate a
> keypad into the controls? Same for an intercom?
> 
> I'm sure there are more considerations, but those are what come immediately
> to mind.
> 
> ----------------
> All the best,
> 
> Al Fuller
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Shop-talk <shop-talk-bounces at autox.team.net> On Behalf Of Jim Stone
> Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2023 11:30 AM
> To: Shop Talk <shop-talk at Autox.Team.Net>
> Subject: [Shop-talk] Automatic driveway gates
> 
> Does anyone have any experience installing automatic driveway gate openers?
> It looks pretty straight-forward, but any advice and/or brand
> recommendations would be greatly appreciated.  I will be installing a dual
> gate opener for the driveway to my shop.
> 
> Thanks,
> Jim
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