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Liftmaster LA400, LA100 or something else for swing gate operator?

hevnbnd

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Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Messages
213
Location
Arkansas
I am planning on having a 10ft wide wood fence swing with an automatic operator. I will probally install a wheel on the end away from the operator and it will be rolling over concrete.

I have never bought a swing gate operator and am not sure what to get. I don't think I want a cheep one from the box stores as they don't have many good reviews. This thing will be opening and closing maybe 4 times a day.

Any suggestions? Thanks a lot.
 
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alabamavolvos

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Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
47
I don’t have an opener but when we move to the current property we were looking at one from TSC. It wasn’t the entry level one but next one up. We have several friends that have had good luck with their openers from TSC. I changed my mind because this is the main access to the property and my wife has too many visitors (horse facility) to be fooling with people trying to get in. Everyone has to open the gate and close it behind them. Definitely get the wheel for the gate.
 

Lynnhowlyn

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Joined
Feb 20, 2010
Messages
298
Location
St George, Utah
You ought to check out the Mighty Mule series of swing gate openers ....

http://www.mightymule.com/

I had one at a previous house and it worked like a champ for many years. Just moved and I installed one of the FM500 openers and love it. Will handle a gate up to 850# and 18 feet long. About $500 if I recall correctly - YMMV

My gate is chain link and the opener is currently running on a 5 watt solar panel (optional with the MM openers). And I'm looking at a 2nd opener from them (FM502) to handle the double gate on the other side of the property.
 
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38Chevy454

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Joined
Dec 26, 2006
Messages
4,036
Location
Cincinnati, OH
I have the Mighty Mule FM 500 on a 12 ft tubing swing gate covered in wire fencing. Been in place for about 1 year and operates on solar only, with a cheap 10 watt solar panel. I put an extra battery in the control box, and have not had any issues even in below zero winter. I had to add an electric lock as my dogs could push the gate open in closed position due to play in the system. Lock works on the same 12 volt.

I would not call the opener the most robust piece of machinery, but it does the job and gets opened 3-6 times per day. So far no problems, crossing my fingers............
 
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hevnbnd

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Messages
213
Location
Arkansas
I went the cheapest way out...I happen to have two genie screw drive garage door openers in the shop just sitting there...So i used them as gate openers...Still working 11 years at easy 10 times a day with no problem...Plows the snow away too...
short video.

I have some brand opener sitting in my garage too... How did you go about this setup?
 

wbrian63

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
843
Location
Houston, TX
The biggest issue you will face is the wind. A 10' wide x 6' tall (assuming height - you didn't say) is 60 square feet of - sail.

I had a Mighty Mule opener on a 10' wide gate for a couple of years. It was seldom used, but in even moderate winds, it took two people to operate. One to press the button and the other one to hold the gate in position once open.

The amount of force even a moderate wind can exhert on a 60 sq ft sail is more than enough to destroy the opener when it's fully extended (in the open position). In the closed position, no worries.

SteveFasano's installation is very clever, but it would appear his gates are only about 5' wide each, and the offset slats will do a lot of good towards letting wind through. The GDO's will be far more durable in this situation (and in yours) than a "stick type" opener.

My father had a house down in San Miguel de Allende Mexico that had an opener that was a thing of beauty. The entrance to the courtyard was through a set of double bi-fold doors. Solid T&G wood over a welded frame. Each panel was about 4 feet wide, giving a 16 foot opening. It used a chain-drive opener with a modified track system. There were two "trolleys", attached to opposite sides of the chain, so they would move apart to open the doors and together to close them. The attaching arms from the trolleys to the doors were set up so that as the doors started to open, they would impart a rotation to the leading edge of the door which would cause the center of each bi-fold panel to "pop" open.

There are many ways to skin this cat. Whatever you do - take wind into account in your design. A gate that you have to man-handle in windy situations is no better than a gate you have to get out of the car and open/close manually.

Post back and let us see what you come up with...

Regards
 
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hevnbnd

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Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Messages
213
Location
Arkansas
Door will be at least 6ft tall possibly a little taller. I will probally weld up a square frame and attach the wood to them. What did you where you trying to say here.

The GDO's will be far more durable in this situation (and in yours) than a "stick type" opener.
 
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Cardboard Man

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Aug 30, 2008
Messages
810
Location
NJ
Good. Make sure you also get a vehicle sensor and mount it inside the property so that folks can exit without you having to let them out. Saves a lot of grief. Also, set up a programmable keypad on the outside and you're in business.
 

HeyNow^

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 9, 2010
Messages
147
Location
Wv
I just had dual Apollo 1600's installed for my two ten foot chain link gates. Lots of bells and whistles, long range remotes (1500'), entry, shadow and exit loops, siren sensor for emergency vehicles...Love it, but it wasn't cheap. My gates are 600 feet from my house. Totally solar powered. I'm glad I had an installer do it, too.
 

1950ChevySuburban

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Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
147
Location
Tucson, AZ
I'm in the middle of this gate project too. Dual driveway swing gates, not solid. Metal construction. Any further info on openers? I have 110 volts at each side.
 

kbs2244

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Joined
Nov 11, 2006
Messages
14,065
I find that a lot of people think that gates just have to swing.
In most cases of anything over 5 feet wide a sliding gate would make more sense.
They take up less room and the mechanics are much simpler.
 

1950ChevySuburban

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
147
Location
Tucson, AZ
I had a slide gate at my last home. Looked cool, artistic and all. But I think swing gates look more appropriate in an established subdivision.
 

desertrat

Active member
Joined
Jan 20, 2010
Messages
41
Location
Central Cal Foothills
1950 Chevy Surburban - Did you ever complete your gate project? I've got an Apollo NT-T5 ETL and am tackling the project myself. I'm not opposed to looking at someone's how to editorial on how they did theirs. :)Hate re-inventing the wheel if someone has already documented their set up. If not, I'll try to take pics along the way as to how I did mine.
 
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