Who has powered driveway gates?

[phylodog]

Finished up our fence and once I finish the chicken coop expansion I need to start looking in to installing a powered gate for the driveway. Currently I've got two lightweight 8' farm gates up which are fine but my own experiences have me not wanting to consider two openers for them and instead to go with a 16' cantilever gate. I worked for a billionaire and a good friend both have powered swing open gates and it seems like they're constantly fighting to keep them running.

I was talking with my BIL this afternoon and he and a friend of his have both had good luck with the powered swing open gates so I figured I'd ask for educated opinions here as part of my research. Anyone have powered swinging gates and had good luck with them?

 

[patience0830]

Wish I could help but my gate is powered by shanks mare.

 

[shibumiseeker]

I’ve had two different kinds and four different ones and none have lasted more than a year.

 

[BigRed]

I have gates with trip wires connected to charges involving powder.

Does that count?


ETA: My apologies. I misread the thread title. My gates require manual manipulation.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Rich, lazy people.


But seriously, go with the chain driven sliding style that runs on big rollers. Those are the lowest maintenance, highest durability if you have the room.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Rich, lazy people.


But seriously, go with the chain driven sliding style that runs on big rollers. Those are the lowest maintenance, highest durability if you have the room.

That's what kind the range I belong to has. And actually, much like a pocket door, it's a space saver.

 

[BugI02]

But seriously, go with the chain driven sliding style that runs on big rollers. Those are the lowest maintenance, highest durability if you have the room.

Second this. From experience, I can tell you the gates rotating to vertical from the inside corner are the least robust because of the force needed to be generated to swing the gate up from the corner of least mechanical advantage. The rotating in plane door-opening style are somewhat more reliable because they are swinging less weight but still doing so from the inside corner.The gates that trundle horizontally not only have to exert the least mechanical force but at full closure you can have them engage a horse-shoe style limiter that prevents ****ing with the gate very easily and the weight of the gate is supported by the rollers the entire cycle

 

[Hkindiana]

Whatever you do, don’t buy “gates that open” - total junk. My first one burst into flame, and my second one has never worked right - money down the toilet

 

[WebSnyper]

That's what kind the range I belong to has. And actually, much like a pocket door, it's a space saver.

They have these at Marion County Fish and Game. No idea if they have much maintenance or trouble with them but they always work when I have been there.

 

[wcd]

I have gates with trip wires connected to charges involving powder.

Does that count?


ETA: My apologies. I misread the thread title. My gates require manual manipulation.

Claymores?

 

[BigRed]

Claymores?

I heard massa says those are prohibited

 

[wcd]

We picked ours up at TSC, wired it to 3 solar panels and 12 volt deep cycle marine battery. It’s a 16 foot gate it’s been going strong for going on 6 years now.

 

[wcd]

I heard massa says those are prohibited

Home owners association perhaps?

 

[BigRed]

Home owners association perhaps?

 

[cg21]

I have a mighty mule single dealy 16’ gate working great as of today (knock on wood) going on 2 years now I believe and reasonably priced if it craps out…….. but if I had my choice and I was rich I’d go with the slider

 

[phylodog]

Appreciate it folks

 

[foszoe]

We picked ours up at TSC, wired it to 3 solar panels and 12 volt deep cycle marine battery. It’s a 16 foot gate it’s been going strong for going on 6 years now.

Pic!

 

[wcd]

Pic!

Unfortunately PIC would fall under the bad idea category.

 

[BugI02]

They have these at Marion County Fish and Game. No idea if they have much maintenance or trouble with them but they always work when I have been there.

Worst problems are chain jumps off the sprocket, due to slack, and after people hit the gate couple of times it is no longer straight enough to open and close smoothly

 

[snapping turtle]

At the compound we just park cars across the driveway like they did on the godfather