I used a Coleman cooler to house mine in. It lasted for years. I mounted my motor to a railroad tie so the weight wouldn't cause the post to drift from level.
I love the thinking outside of the box approach. The Genie door openers I have seen with a battery backup are always about 1/2 speed when not connected to a 120v AC power source.
I love your video. I love it when people feel compelled to share their ideas...even the crazy ones. I would have never thought about doing this. Thank you!
Good stuff!!! Just a suggestion, instead of using any type of wood, you could get some composite deck boards for mounting. That way they are weather & UV safe and thicker for good mounting purchase.
@@downsouth333 With composite boards bolted between the bars on the gate, they won't warp. I think the comment was about the wood disintegrating, especially the OSB. The Flex seal helps, but it doesn't take very long before it gives up.
I put a $15 alexa/google compatible 2 channel relay on mine so I can get the gate started before I reach it and open it for deliveries. The 2nd channel was for a 12v magnetic lock. Works great!
The gutter is good. But blowing snow and ice will get on the chain. Keep that puller mech lubed with chain lube or spray lithium grease to prevent corrosion on the moving parts. Apply once befote winter and once after.
I had a commercial gate opener that survived being under water during Hurricane Harvey (it was a Linear opener.) some of the sensor modules for the loops didn’t survive, but the main controller board and power supply did fine. It appears that the controller board had conformal coating on it to make it waterproof. It also prevents condensation from causing electrical problems. I’d recommend conformally coating the circuit board(s) and covering the opener with a metal box. Other than that, you had a terrific idea!
This is great, I love it might use it myself. I don’t see a reason you couldn’t mount the actual opener on the fence and just have the arm go to the gate. Reduces a bit of weight and also allows you to build a case around the motor and electronics easier.
The opener has to swing in alignment with the chain rail mounted along the fence because the opener itself has a gear to drive the chain. It all has to stay in alignment.
It was satisfying getting to see someone that understands the importance of doing research and figuring something out for themselves. If you would have bought one for $289 and just did an installation video that would have been boring.
I like this. Awesome. Ever thought of mounting a container and then putting the motor in the container mount to the wood and then put the cover on. that way if you need to do maintenance just take the cover off.
Ha, if you know of or have an old satellite dish [the big ones ] They have a linear actuator that you can use to do the same thing. Most of them work on DC volts in the 24vdc range and is completely waterproof. Also if you see an old gate opener that's broken. 99% of the time it is the controller and not the actuator [which is still good and it works on 12vdc]. You can use almost any controller to open and close any actuator if the voltage is AC or DC. So when that garage door opener dies in 6 months, you have options. FYI, An old Boat lift controllers work perfectly and the ones with auto stop has a limiter switch which you can easily adjust to any project you need. Some of those even have battery backup.
I made electric gate opener out of a craftsman garage door opener. It’s slides my gate open over 14 foot because I use cables underground it’s a double 7 foot sliding gate I would like to send you a picture of it. I’m pretty proud of it it’s lasted 20 years so far and two cars have driven through it while it was closed
Suggestions: Use a piece of pipe to connect the two sensors that have to not get their beam broken. Should hold up better than simply tape; the mounting screws will be what holds that assembly together in place. To better weatherproof it, attach the plastic container’s lid to the wood, and snap the container and lid together; that will seal the top and sides better. Still will have to secure it with something additional as you have already done. Garage openers normally rely on the springs to do the heavy lifting, with gravity helping to lower things. So the opener normally does not have to apply big forces, and as such they can’t be / aren’t expected to do so. I am not sure if the opener’s plastic gears will hold up well in your gate application; on my garage doors, I had to replace gears inside the openers after about fifteen years, so they do wear out even operating in the expected manner.
Garage door openers are common in PR for gate operation, usually on sliding gates. The safeties built into residential door motors would be a good feature to prevent the injuries that can arise with power gates.(i did this on a grand scale for decades all over the place working for two of the largest manufacturers of automatic gate operators.)
could probably also get away with using a linear actuator from an old car wiper blade, they're 12 volt and quit powerful and a much more compact package!
Nifty idea! Some thoughts: 1. You could use aircraft cable running through conduit and around pulleys to have the other gate synced to the powered one. 2. Whether you are powering one gate or two, garage door openers aren't rated for moving that much mass. To keep it from wearing out prematurely, you'll need to add counterweights to reduce the force it will need to apply. 3. If you put the rail on a spring so that the gate hitting something will cause the rail to move and mount one of the lasers on the rail and one on the frame, then the sensors can still work as they are supposed to and stop the gate from trying to close when it can't. Cheers!
those openers have force sensing (usually adjustable) so if they hit an obstruction they reverse. BTW, you can move a swinging gate with 2 fingers. There's really not much power needed in either direction. I'd be more concerned with weather getting to them over time.
@@rupe53 1. "those openers have force sensing (usually adjustable) so if they hit an obstruction they reverse. " Good to know. 2. "BTW, you can move a swinging gate with 2 fingers. There's really not much power needed in either direction. " From how much the temporary pole was bending, the amount of force required wasn't insignificant. I'd still use a counterweight. 3. "I'd be more concerned with weather getting to them over time." Same. It needs to be in a properly sealed enclosure. That can be homemade, but not half-assed.
@@KeithOlson the only problem with a counterweight is we are not working against gravity so what do you do for the other direction? I mean, it's the same weight / resistance in both directions. (other than wind) BTW, that was a fiberglass pole at the first demonstration. (driveway marker?) They are made to bend.
I did something similar using pulleys and a counterweight, which closes the gate via gravity. Put you a Harbor Freight magnet where a latch would go. I did that, and it's strong enough to keep the wind (North Texas) from opening it.
So cool. I have a sorting pen I chase calves into when they escape from their pens. Seems I'm always alone or on the wrong side of that gate. That will be a game changer
Personally I wouldn't even install the Lazer I bet there's a way you can just use the power from one to trick get into thinking it's receiving the signal form in the other 2:43
I like it! I may have to put a fence across the front of my property because of the way my neighborhood is changing. If so I think I will try this with a roller type of sliding gate. My next door neighbor has had a steel tube fence for years and has a couple of swinging gates and they have had at least 3 different gate openers and currently they just gave up and do it manually. I don't know if they are just not mechanically inclined or what? They have spent plenty of money for nothing for sure.
I’ve been disappointed because of the lack of reliability in the Mighty Mule/GTO system I bought at Home Depot. I’ve replaced blown components. I’ve replaced main boards. I’ve replaced the linear arm and I’ve replaced the motor in the linear arm (I used a motor out of an old Makita cordless drill). The Mighty Mule/GTO has been a lot more expensive than its base price. All this time the Genie garage door opener’s only problem has been cobwebs blocking the optical sensor. The Genie only needed a quick wipe of the sensors. No additional cost. Both the MM/GTO gate opener and the Genie garage door opener are 15 years old. Hope this information is helpful to you.
I love projects like this. I would get rid of that osb and wouldn't rely on flex seal to protect it as it will eventually fail. Why not power it with DeWalt batteries. All you need are two and just alternate them when the opener slows down. I have been relying on DeWalt batteries to blow heated air throughout my house for 4 days since my furnace broke down and temporarily powered a ceiling light when I had to turn off power for an electrical repair. I get the solar idea though. No messing with it.
