| Driveway
Gate Operator Review
Updated 11-01-08
Overview:
This review offers candid and biased opinions of equipment I have
serviced and installed or have examined carefully and includes
consumer feedback. Most of the equipment that we have for sale
has proven over the years to be high quality and fairly maintenance
free.
If you are looking for a company to install a gate & automation
Check out our buyers
guide. The guide can help you make an informed choice
in selecting a contractor and avoid some of the inherent pitfalls.
Good rules to follow when selecting equipment is
buying from an established manufacturer that's has been in business
long enough to have developed their product and to assure that
they will be here tomorrow. The company should have tech support
and advanced replacement parts whenever possible. Having advance
replacement parts will cut your service calls in half by allowing
you not to have to go back and swap parts.
I was once contacted by an Italian company that
wanted me to become their distributors. I asked them who would
service their goods in the U.S., they did not have any service
available. That was the end of the conversation. You can probably
find their stuff for sale, but there won't be any service. It
may be cheaper, but it is no bargain.
Mechanical
Linear Arm Actuators:
Linear arms (sometimes call ram arms) are bolted directly to the
gate and post, or column and are the easiest to install. You want
to make sure that the unit you purchase has “soft stop”
Most units have this feature these days, but some still don't.
Soft stop operators slow down at the end of each open or close
cycle to minimize the jarring of the gate. Mechanical actuators
do have a little bit of play in them. I recommend a positive
stop to help prevent this play.
In the past 5 years there has been a lot of innovation
and introduction of new units to the market. My two favorite are
the Doorking
6002 and the Viking
Access G-5. Both units are engineered superbly and
are 24VDC powered by 2- 12 volt rechargeable gel cell batteries.
Many gate operators are moving to 24VDC and this is becoming the
standard for non hydraulic linear arm operators. Both of these
units offer a heavy steel enclosure for the control board and
batteries. The DoorKing’s cabinet is more refined with rubber
gaskets and a hinged door that is keyed. The Viking’s cabinet
is a standard heavy gauge electrical equipment box with a cover
accessed by 2 screws.
The "Elite Miracle One" has been one of
the best selling ram arm on the market and frankly, it’s
a dog, and I believe (hope) it is about to be discontinued. It
has had a terrible service record with up to 15% of units returned.
Elite with its excellent reputation could have done so much better.
I do have to say in their favor that this was the first unit to
offer soft stop, and was ground breaking at the time.
The Internet is full of GTO - Mighty Mule operators.
I do not recommend their light duty equipment line. Their heavier
operators appear to be OK, but do not compare favorably price
wise. I feel that you can get much better value for your money
with other operators. We recently added the Zeraba
line of economy operators which are an outstanding value
for the money. They are U.L. approved and have a decent warranty,
and are built solid.
Hydraulic
Linear Arm Actuators:
These units are very similar to their mechanical cousins. They
mount the same way and have their electronics controls out-boarded
in a separate cabinet. The main difference is the units have a
built in hydraulic pump and hydraulic piston that positions the
gate. All hydraulic operators need to have positive
stops either on the gate, or the operator. Some of
the units have built in stops, or can be added inside the shroud
that encloses the hydraulic piston.
Hydraulic operators need positive stops because
they do not have limit switches to control the position. Instead
they use a timer on the pump to turn it on and off. Typically
you can hear the motor running for a few seconds after the gate
has closed or opened.
Hydraulic units typically cost more than the mechanical
units. They offer some advantages for the cost increase as noted
below. Almost all Hydraulic units are manufactured in Italy. FAAC
is the leader in this category. SEA is another large company making
a similar line of operators. There are many smaller companies
in Italy that sell their re-branded units worldwide. There is
difficulty obtaining service and parts for many of these re-branded
units. Stick with the larger well known manufacturers when choosing
linear style hydraulic gate openers. As a rule, if a large manufacturer
carries a re-branded hydraulic unit, service and parts will be
available.
Three distinguishing
features of hydraulic actuators:
1: Availability of units such as the FAAC
400 that can handle heavier gates than their mechanical
counterparts.
2: Due to the rigidity of the hydraulic piston,
these operators can position the gate precisely and solidly. This
becomes an advantage in bi-parting (2 piece) gates where the gates
sections match up precisely for a clean appearance. No play in
the mechanics makes this possible.
3: These units offer outstanding safety because
the force of the gates movement is highly controllable by the
adjusting the hydraulic pressure.
Top
Arm Swing Gate Operators:
Elite (acquired by The Chamberlain Group) was the first company
to offer a heavy vertical frame chassis with chain driven oil
soaked gear reduction box (see the Elite
CSW-200). This is a nice piece of engineering. You
can expect 20 years of service from this type of design. This
great operator became deservedly well known and Elite became the
market leader for this type of operator. Other companies copied
their design. Ramset was the first and was sued by Elite. Ramset
won the copy infringement suit and this opened the market to competition.
Ramset
& Eagle
gate operators are built very similar to the Elite units but cost
less money. There are other units like the Osco SWC that also
mimic the Elite. The Eagle offers a 5 year residential warrantee.
Ramset
Operators are an exceptional value for the price. The
company is offering a 10 year warranty and has some of the best
customer support available. This company will send a technician
anywhere in the U.S. if your problem cannot be solved with phone
support.
Viking
Access Makes a 24VDC swing
arm (Viking
F-1) that is built to last with cutting edge technology
and is one of my most highly regarded manufactures. The entire
Viking line operates on 24VDC and therefore immune to power outages.
Pros & Cons:
P: Top arm units offer the heaviest construction and are ultra
dependable. There are many manufactures to choose from that make
excellent operators with great warrantees, and competitive pricing.
C: The covers are a little harder to off. You need
to remove the arm first, and then remove a couple of screws on
the shroud. The arm lands in the middle of the gate which I feel
detracts from the look if the gate.
Solar:
Solar capable units are a great alternative if you do not have
convenient power nearby. As a rule of thumb I do not consider
solar a viable alternative until power is over 200’ distance
to the gate. Solar will cost more and require a little more maintenance.
Elite makes the Roboswing
operator that is 12VDC and uses the same heavy vertical frame
design.
Bottom
Arm Swing Gate Operators:
Doorking
6100 series is one of my favorites. I have installed
several hundred of them and they typically have an 18-20 year
life cycle. It is also the fasted gate opener on the market. Gates
opens in 5-7 seconds as apposed to 12-15 seconds for almost all
other operators. This unit offers one the best clutches for setting
the gates motion force. Viking
X-9 is another unit with a bottom arm. This unit operates
on 24VDC and the electronics are out-boarded. This allows the
actual gate operator to be very small.
Pros &
Cons:
P: The units offer the best appearance with the arm located out
of view at the bottom of the gate. These units have a low profile
benefiting the appearance even further. The cover lifts off instantly
for complete access to the entire mechanics.
C: Bottom units are not as heavy constructed as
the Elite style operators. There is less selection; only a few
manufactures offer this style. The DoorKing emergency access lock
is a bit harder to operate. Re-engaging the after it has been
opened has a small learning curve to, but simple once you understand
it.
Slide
Gate Operators:
There is a great selection of this type operator. The same rule
applies as with the swing operators. Elite was the leader in the
industry for many years, but other brands have caught up, particularly
Ramset and Eagle. The Ramset
1000 is a great buy. It has all the standard features
at a great price. Viking Access makes an incredible 24VDC operator
(Viking
L-3) with a 1/2 HP DC motor attached to a heavy gear
reduction box. The DC
Solutions Mega-Slide
has a similar construction technique as the Viking.
Slide gate installation is more complicated than
a swing gates. They should be used when a swing gate is not an
option.
Most U.S. manufactured operators are chain driven.
The Italian and Chinese operators are mostly rack and pinion drive.
They are not very popular in the U.S. Although the rack and pinion
drive is more precise, it is more difficult to install. Most of
the Italian and Chinese manufactures offer chain drive units for
the U.S. market.
Solar:
Elite
Roboslide, and the Apollo
700 are battery operated units that can be used with
solar panels. Both units have a good reputation with the Elite
being more popular.
In-Ground Operators General
Info:
Also know as underground operators. These operators are the top
of the food chain. They are the best in appearance, and add a
statement of refinement to your entryway. They cost more to buy
and install. During installing be sure to install a drainage pipe
in each enclosure. These operators are usually installed on gates
with columns. The unit is installed directly below and in alignment
with the bottom pivot point. I recommend that the operator enclosure
be attached by heavy bracket to the column’s steel skeleton.
Gate Depot fabricates column
skeletons
for this purpose. For further refinement you can flush the
control cabinet into the column as well. A typical skeleton it
will have a top hinge arm, bottom arm with operator fastening
point, arms to hold top or front light fixtures, control cabinet
bracket with masonry ring, and possibly mechanical stops.
Mechanical In-ground Operators:
These operators are generally 24VDC. Currently most of the mechanical
underground units are made by one company and retrofitted and
re-branded by several companies. For instance DoorKing retrofits
the unit with its limit switches and uses the same control box
it uses on its 6002 linear arm operator with great success. You
can find this same unit with several types of electronics driving
it. The Doorking
6400 is one of my favorites because its electronics
are so dependable and easy to service. These units have a mechanical
lock at the bottom of the gate to open in case of equipment failure.
Gates can be removed for service without having to remove the
operator.
Pros
& Cons:
P: Less expensive than hydraulic units, and easier installation.
Positive stops are not required on gate.
C: These operators are limited to 10’ wide
gates up to 800lbs. This limits the unit to bi-parting (two piece)
gates. Due to the way these units connect to the bottom of the
gate, it is advisable for installations where there is not more
than 3 inches difference in side to side elevation of grade on
driveway.
Hydraulic
In-ground Operators:
FAAC and SEA are the lead manufactures in this field. There are
two types of in-ground hydraulic operators. The most common has
the pump and dual acting hydraulic piston in the same enclosure.
Usually operated by 120VAC. The other version has the pump out-boarded
in a cabinet. Both styles use a hydraulic lock to release the
gate during an equipment failure. Hydraulic operators need positive
stops because they do not have limit switches to control the position.
Instead they use a timer on the pump to turn it on and off. Typically
you can hear the motor running for a few seconds after the gate
has closed or opened.
Pros
& Cons:
P: Can handle a 14’ gate leaf weighing up to 1200lbs. Very
Smooth operation, Very quite, Very elegant
C: Needs positive stops and is more costly.
Residential
Telephone Entry Systems:
These telephone entry systems use the existing phone line on the
property. They are called “phone line-less entry systems”
The telephone company (CO) phone line is passed through the unit.
It rings your home phones when someone presses the call button.
You can converse with them, and open the gate. A double ring can
be programmed into it so you can differentiate an incoming call
from a visitor at your gate. Other features are being able to
auto dial 3 outside numbers. This allows visitors to contact you
on a cell phone or other remote location. They have built in timers
to open and close the gate at specific days and time during the
week. A feature I like is timed access codes where a specific
entry code is tied to a time and schedule. This allows enhanced
security to your property by keeping hired help off the property
at designated times. If you are technically inclined have a look
at this wiring
diagram utilizing residential phone entry.
Of the most popular residential telephone entry systems, my favorite
is the Doorking
1812. The Doorking
1812 is an industry standard, made in the USA and I
highly recommend this unit for single homes. I also recommend
the Linear
RE-1. The Linear RE-1 is made in China but is a well
made unit and economically priced.
Commercial
Telephone Entry Systems:
Used where a larger number of people access the gate such as:
gated communities, trailer parks, apartment buildings, and business.
These units can be stand alone or controlled by a remote computer
that manages the user data base and tracks the users as well.
These can be sophisticated systems that connect to card readers,
transponders, and even biometric readers. The peripheral reading
devices connect through the telephone entry system and use the
same data base. As a rule these units use a dedicated phone line
to call residents and communicate with a remote computer.
Several manufactures make outstanding equipment
in the category, here's a few : Doorking
1835, Doorking
1834, Elite
EL2000, Linear
AE-500
Wireless
Telephone Entry Systems:
A newer telephone entry system is the Chamberlain
Oracle wireless. This is the first affordable wireless
telephone entry system that works well. It should only be used
when there is no easy alternative to a hard wired system. The
hard wired system will always perform better.
FAAC, Doorking, Elite, Apollo, Viking Access, GTO
Mighty-Mule, Ramset, Linear, DC solutions, SEA, Zareba, and Eagle,
are registered trade marks.
Ken Martini
I will keep adding to, and organizing this
review as time allows |
