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Q&A

Why is my Ornamental shaking?

Your Ornamental fence may be shaking for a multiple reasons. Some of those being, the holes are too shallow, concrete footings were under-sized, or the soil around the posts has settled from the freeze-thaw cycle. 

What power source do I need for an Automatic Gate Operator?

Most residential operators run on 120 VAC with a step-down transformer. Heavy-duty units may require 240 VAC or 24 V DC solar kits for off-grid sites. Check the amp draw—undersized circuits trip breakers.

Will my Gate Operator work if the power goes out?

Only if you add a battery-backup (usually an extra $150–$300). Without it, the gate stays put until power returns.

Will a 6ft Fence stop deer from coming into my yard?

No. Whitetails clear 6 ft without sweating—go 8 ft woven wire or stacked split-rail with wire mesh if you’re serious.

Solar gate opener vs. AC gate operator

Solar gate kits save you the trenching bill—about $300 for a panel, controller, and bigger battery beats a $ 1,000-plus power run—but they top out at roughly 6–10 cycles a winter day and slow down with heavy gates. Hard-wired 120/240 V operators blast big cantilever gates open twice as fast and shrug off hundreds of cycles, but you’ll pay for conduit, a dedicated GFCI line, and surge protection. If you just want a few opens on a remote driveway, go solar; if it’s a busy steel beast, pull AC.

Can I use Wi-Fi or phone control for my Gate Operator?

This is possible, though not recommended. If your router reaches the gate and the cloud server isn’t down, this can work, but it allows for many problems. Hard-wired keypads and clickers are still smarter for primary access.

How fast will my Automatic Gate open? 

Typical swing arms take 12–20 sec; slide gates 10–18 sec for a 12-ft opening. Faster means pricier motors and higher wear.

What’s better—aluminum or vinyl around a pool?

Aluminum wins: it never rusts, handles chlorine vapor, and needs only a rinse. Vinyl yellows and cracks under UV unless you baby it with cleaners and occasional polish.

Why is my automatic gate beeping?

When an automatic gate starts chirping every few seconds it’s almost always the internal low-voltage alarm telling you the backup battery can’t hold a charge. Most residential and light-commercial operators ship with a sealed lead-acid (SLA) battery—typically 12 V, 7 Ah—wired to the control board’s charger circuit. Ignore the beeper long enough and the control board will cut motor output entirely, leaving the gate stuck open. Swap the battery on schedule and that never happens.

Can I extend my existing fence?

Yes, if the original posts aren’t rotted: sleeve over steel, bolt new panel brackets, and match picket style for HOA approval.

Automatic gate opener won’t close in cold weather

When the mercury dives, ordinary petroleum grease thickens into something closer to cold taffy—your gate’s worm gear or chain can’t push through it, so the operator stalls or times out. Swap in a synthetic lithium-complex grease rated to –40°F; its viscosity barely changes, so the gearbox still spins freely. If your winters sit below 10°F for days, add the manufacturer’s stick-on heater pad or a 40-watt incandescent trouble-light inside the control box; keeping the gearbox above freezing prevents condensation and saves the motor from cooking itself on the first icy cycle.

Best fence for small dogs that dig

Go with a 5-ft black-coated chain-link fence, add a 12-in. buried dig-guard mesh skirt, and run a bottom tension wire to keep everything drum-tight—still costs less than vinyl and stops even the most determined digger from tunneling out.

Gate opener stops working when it rains—why?

Rain shuts a gate operator down for three predictable reasons:

  1. Fogged photo eyes – Moisture condenses inside the plastic lenses, blocking the IR beam and forcing the controller into “open” or “stop” mode. Crack them open, dry with compressed air, then run a bead of silicone around the case seam and the cable entry so they stay airtight.

  2.  Splice boxes bleeding voltage – If wire nuts sit in a non-gasketed junction box, water creeps in, and the 24 V control line finds a path to ground. That fake short tricks the board into thinking the gate hit an obstruction. Re-make every splice with gel-filled connectors, mount the box higher, and loop the cable so water drips off before it reaches the lid.

  3. Limit-switch seals gone mushy – Rubber boots on the open/close limits absorb water, corrode the micro-switch, and the gate loses track of its position. Replace the seal or the whole switch, then coat the boot with dielectric grease.

Finish by adding drip loops on every vertical run and sealing all housings with exterior-grade silicone; if water can’t pool, it can’t kill the circuit.

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