Solar powered security gates - Anyone got one?

[Juggler]

Anyone set up a security gate with key-fob or code entry at a site with no close by 240v?
I've seen these solar / battery gates and they look perfect, does anyone have any experience with them?

We keep getting people coming down our (long..) farm lane to have a nosy/ turn round/ have a pee... and often see unfamiliar vehicles in the yard on CCTV or parked in a spot on the lane where I have camera's and it's getting annoying, I don't want a gate to be a pain where we're continually opening and shutting it, especially for my kids coming home at night, but a remote or keycode type affair would be perfect.

Solar Powered Gates - The Electric Gates Shop Offers A Range Of Solar Powered Gate Opener (theelectricgateshop.co.uk)

 

[chaffcutter]

Yes we tried this with our drive gate years ago, it had a big solar panel to keep a battery topped up which drove the wheel on the head end of the gate. It was OK in summer up to harvest when constant use with trailers in and out killed it, so we used to leave it open then. When winter reduced the charge time it ran out part way across the drive which stopped everything. We added a second battery which improved things, then when it got windy, at a certain angle ( half open again) the gate became like a solid wall and stuck.
In the end we gave up, in that situation it was useless. We have three mains powered security gates, they do go wrong sometimes but are worth it.
Some idiot parcel courier tried to push one open against the ram a couple of weeks ago, wrecked the ram, £107 fix. All ours are ram operated, the yard is a pair of gates with two rams on each. The only disadvantage is that actually locking them is difficult as a pair.
We have clickers in each vehicle and they can be phone operated remotely (let someone in when you aren't there) etc only give the gate phone numbers to people you want to let in.

 

[Against_the_grain]

We have a dofygate which is perfect for this situation. Back entrance onto farm, wanted to stop nosy people but didn't want to spend big and no electricity nearby. Its more of a barrier but deters almost everybody. Runs of solar, key fobs/phone to open.

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dofygate.co.uk

 

[Juggler]

Yes we tried this with our drive gate years ago, it had a big solar panel to keep a battery topped up which drove the wheel on the head end of the gate. It was OK in summer up to harvest when constant use with trailers in and out killed it, so we used to leave it open then. When winter reduced the charge time it ran out part way across the drive which stopped everything. We added a second battery which improved things, then when it got windy, at a certain angle ( half open again) the gate became like a solid wall and stuck.
In the end we gave up, in that situation it was useless. We have three mains powered security gates, they do go wrong sometimes but are worth it.
Some idiot parcel courier tried to push one open against the ram a couple of weeks ago, wrecked the ram, £107 fix. All ours are ram operated, the yard is a pair of gates with two rams on each. The only disadvantage is that actually locking them is difficult as a pair.
We have clickers in each vehicle and they can be phone operated remotely (let someone in when you aren't there) etc only give the gate phone numbers to people you want to let in.

We have a dofygate which is perfect for this situation. Back entrance onto farm, wanted to stop nosy people but didn't want to spend big and no electricity nearby. Its more of a barrier but deters almost everybody. Runs of solar, key fobs/phone to open.

Automatic Traffic Barriers from Dofygate

Dofygate electric automatic traffic barrier. Contact us today 01263 493102.

dofygate.co.uk

That's great, thank you. It would cost thousands just to run mains power to where I would install the gate so this looks like the only option for powered gates, I'm pretty sure we'd all get fed up of physically opening and closing a normal gate umpteen times a day...

 

[solo]

That's great, thank you. It would cost thousands just to run mains power to where I would install the gate so this looks like the only option for powered gates, I'm pretty sure we'd all get fed up of physically opening and closing a normal gate umpteen times a day...

Ive been quoting for electric gates recently and the majority of companies recommend mains electric and aren't keen to go solar due to problems with cold etc as mentioned by others.
FYI 16mm armoured cable is about £2/m and cable trenching will cost about the same figure/m. 500m will be about £2000 so that will give you an idea to compare costs. Solar panels and batteries will add up too.

 

[Juggler]

Ive been quoting for electric gates recently and the majority of companies recommend mains electric and aren't keen to go solar due to problems with cold etc as mentioned by others.
FYI 16mm armoured cable is about £2/m and cable trenching will cost about the same figure/m. 500m will be about £2000 so that will give you an idea to compare costs. Solar panels and batteries will add up too.

Thanks, that's useful information, mine would be about 400m max so less cost than I thought.

 

[Badshot]

That's great, thank you. It would cost thousands just to run mains power to where I would install the gate so this looks like the only option for powered gates, I'm pretty sure we'd all get fed up of physically opening and closing a normal gate umpteen times a day...

Put a small windmill charger on it too, solar alone isn't good / consistent enough.
There's one in the village which is just solar, it spends half the time open, or half open.

 

[lim x]

We had solar gate opener, it was ok for our own use but as the yard got busier it wasn't up to the job, particularly winter time. Often staying half open or not opening at all.

On mains now, best thing we ever did, can control who comes in and out via phone.
Can open from anywhere which is great if you're not around, camera on it too so can have a good look at them before letting
them in.
Wish we'd done this in the first place.

 

[Juggler]

We had solar gate opener, it was ok for our own use but as the yard got busier it wasn't up to the job, particularly winter time. Often staying half open or not opening at all.

On mains now, best thing we ever did, can control who comes in and out via phone.
Can open from anywhere which is great if you're not around, camera on it too so can have a good look at them before letting
them in.
Wish we'd done this in the first place.

I'm glad I asked the question, I think I'll just go for electric from the off, haven't had any quotes yet but sounds like it may not be as expensive to run the power to it as I first thought.
Any recommendations for electric gate companies? Also rough costs for the gates themselves inc installation & camera etc?

 

[lim x]

I'm glad I asked the question, I think I'll just go for electric from the off, haven't had any quotes yet but sounds like it may not be as expensive to run the power to it as I first thought.
Any recommendations for electric gate companies? Also rough costs for the gates themselves inc installation & camera etc?

We've gone for a make called Roger. Local firm to us, Nottingham, Wollaston Gates did ours. Around 2k for it fitted, up and running to an existing gate, we did the trench.
Camera's done at later date but had wiring put in ready when the gate was done.

Edited to add, we had the Roger system as it's heavy duty as it gets very windy here.
It's got all the safety casings so can sense if there's a person there if the gates opening or closing and also on a windy day it works out if it's wind holding it back or a person, very clever.

 

[Juggler]

We've gone for a make called Roger. Local firm to us, Nottingham, Wollaston Gates did ours. Around 2k for it fitted, up and running to an existing gate, we did the trench.
Camera's done at later date but had wiring put in ready when the gate was done.

Edited to add, we had the Roger system as it's heavy duty as it gets very windy here.
It's got all the safety casings so can sense if there's a person there if the gates opening or closing and also on a windy day it works out if it's wind holding it back or a person, very clever.

Brilliant, thank you. Been wanting one for years but perceived cost put me off but never actually had a quote!

Really like the sound of the camera and remote opening as I'm not home most of the day.
How well do delivery drivers respond to a closed gate, is it likely to put them off? Is it as simple as pressing an intercom button or do they have to call a number? not sure how the app that controls the gate works in that respect.