Printable View
Ok, new member, first post. This is my existing gate. I do not want to spend the money for a Mighty Mule gate opener. I have several electric motors I can use. The one thing I imagine I will have to purchase is some type of solar power device(unless I can build that also?). I may have to re-design the gate altogether (don't want to do that, but I can). You may notice the gate itself is from an old awning. Soooooo, ideas????????????
Attachment 7601:headscratch:
I failed to mention my driveway is 1/4 mile long.
Welcome LESHUNT.
It's a little hard to help out when there's limited info. Like what kind of stuff do have laying around? Are you wanting remote control? With the gate open, it's kinda hard to see what it looks like. We are a lot about trying to repurpose so it sounds like you're off to a good start using an old truss.
Attachment 7643
I will send more tomorrow. Thank you
Attachment 7644Attachment 7645
sorry if they are sideways
Good pix, much clearer and I noted you edited the original post. So the motors you have are DC?
Also looked up Mighty Mule and it certainly looks like you could get away with the 350 model. But while its $300 it doesn't include the battery and solar panel, not to mention an enclosure for the battery. It also looks like you are going to need a pole or some more of the trusses to elevate your solar panel to get above the trees. It would be best if the pole could be retracted as you'll need to clean the panel in order to keep it efficient.
For me the hard part would be the wireless controls, which the mule already has sorted and is made to run on 12v and it already has the safety controls. It could be done with a Arduino but you've got to make a program. Don't know if that's any help.
Hey C-Bag. I just very grateful for you taking time to respond with some suggestions. Thank you so much. I've opened and closed that gate for 10 years. I'm intend to see this project through. I'll get the power to it even if it's with extension cords. You may think that ridiculous but I've done it before.
I ran probably 600' of coax cable (got at yard sale for10$) and multiple extension cords(hit every thrift store) so I could have a live feed camera on my deer food plot. There were other logistics involved I overcame. That was ten years.
I have an idea what to use for the swing arm and I'm thinking of maybe using a large threaded rod which the motor will spin. But thinking now that won't work because the motor does not have reverse. Ehhh. Gotta run. So remote is focus now.
LESHUNT, my idea of tackling a project is finding the biggest problems and seeing if I have the stuff laying around to address it with. If not, what's the cheapest thing I can adapt, then give in if I have to. I found this:
Chamberlain 1/2 HP Chain Drive Garage Door Opener-PD220 - The Home Depot
it's interesting in that it's chain drive and now that you are talking about running power that helps solve another problem. Your wireless and safety switches are there....and it's less than $90. I'd be hard pressed to come up with the controllers etc much less the gear motor etc. for that price, much less the wireless and safety eyes. Just a thought.
Great idea! I will keep you posted. Going to take a quick look at Craigs list for the garage door opener. I can handle a 100 bucks. Going to work on power first. Will take a few days. STAY TUNED.....................
First update. I made a once around trip on my property. And came up with maybe two hundred feet of wire/cords. Next stop is my folks place. Should get a couple hundred feet out of that trip. It's a start.
Yup, CL is the first step in any low budget engineering quest. It's too bad so many folks are scrapping wire because I used to find big runs of romex in remodels and teardowns. Not anymore. Good luck with your hunt for wire. In one of the picks it looks like your power and phone wires overhead.....too bad there's not a box to tap into closer to the gate.
I see my buddy PJ's is lurking this thread. I'm just the idiot recon, he's the engineer. If we get in too deep a yogurt the Wiz will get us out ;)
I know. I wish I could tap right to the power there.
Back in the day, my uncle somehow had the county run power to his deer camp! He knew lots people. I miss him.
I will be tapping into the power at my well house. That starts me at the edge of the woods.
hi my advice would be to convert your gate into a sliding gate as they are far easier to automate ideally you need a 12v or 24v
motor with deep cycle batteries running the motor and solar power topping the batteries up . if you can't get a low voltage motor you may have to purchase an inverter. good luck
Hey phil. My lot is a "flag lot". The property lines are the fences on both sides. You cant tell the distance that well in picture. With the current gate I have, there is not enough room on either side. Although I lease the property next to mine(on the left), its a year to year lease. And the property is for sale. I made a couple stops this morning after duck hunting and picked up about another 100' feet of wire. I'm getting there. I bet I can get a garage door opener FOC too. I know several builders and remodel guys.
But thought of a really (insert your own adjective) idea. C-Bag this goes back to trying to use my electric motors I have. For the remote control, what if I used "The Clapper" And somehow maybe muffle it so it takes to honks of the horn to turn on and two to turn off. ???!!!!! Now that's thinking outside the box!
I'm watching this one with interest. I put in a simple tube gate at the end of the driveway this summer. We love the gate, just not opening and closing it.
You keep watching GodFather. lol. I'm about to go use my range finder and determine how much wire I need. I know I'm a newbe, but I am very motivated once I make up my mind to get it done. Stay tunned.......................
The Clapper, LOL! Ever used one? They leave off the last part of the ad where the old lady claps and nothing happens over and over....then finally gets up and throws it out the window :)Quote:
Originally Posted by LESHUNT
I have never used one, but they are in every CVS and Walgreens I think. Worth a try. But I'm a ways out till that stage.
############ Maybe someone reading this has one. And can give me the 411 on it.##############??????????
I never made it to measure the length of wire I need. Got sidetracked. Went and set some coyote traps. My projects get more attention after February.
One thrift store today. 200 more feet 10 bucks.
I did measure today. uggg.. It is 1300 feet. Got a ways to go. Unlessssssssss I just thought about my neighbor. If he would be willing to help (by help I mean use his power) that would cut the distance in half! 50/50 chance of that happening
as of today i have about 1000 feet of wire. I have was given a lead on a garage door opener. Turns out the guy has two. one working and one not working. he is not sure witch is witch. Said I could have both for free. Im getting closer day by day!
Update.... Still working on AutoGateOpener (that's gonna be the name and spelling). Going to meet a guy today who has two garage door openers. He says one works and the other doesn't. Said I could have them both. Neither has a remote, but I'm sure that will be easy to overcome. I don't know, but I think you can get a universal?? Anyone know? First things first.. Let me get my hands on the units and see what shape they are in, what kind they are etc...
Even though the place we live in now has GDO, I can't say I'm an expert. I believe you can buy replacement remotes and there possibly are universals, but this is not like a tv remote. It's supposed to be secure so you can't just use any remote with any door. I've read of crooks who have scanners that can wait for you to use your GDO and " capture " your code. Then wait for you to leave then can open the GDO with it. I'm not trying to scare you, just some FYI. All this time on this planet, many houses and garages and this is my first with a GDO.
Mine is a roll up door and the GDO is a screw drive. The motor is attached to long screw with a nut with an arm running in a track. All this stuff is made to be inside a garage, out of the weather. If it gets wet, corrosion or dirt on it,, it gums up the works and really bogs the motor down. If not properly set up and maintained I'm sure the whole thing will quit as it also has sensors that if it pulls to many amps it thinks there something in the way and either shuts down or reverses.
I hope for your sake the freebies are complete because there's eyes, stops, sensors and all kinds of hardware that if it's not there will be a pain to find and could possibly be expensive to replace.
The good news is they are free. I doubt they have the sensors. Screw drive, now that I could possibly use the electric motors I have. Would have to use 2. I am about to lay out my cordage and see where I'm am at.
I have tried twice to post pics of gdo's I got..basically its just the motor and chain drive. They are Chamberlain 120v 6Amp 1/2 HP
Model HD200DM. My first step is to download pdf ownersmaual and see what I have and don't have. I know I don't have the senors, but I can come up with something
hmm, interesting....I'm guessing the red white and blue connectors are to power the eyes? Personally I would like chain drive better because it would seem more weather proof than screw drive. But that's just a peanut gallery opinion.
I really don't have a lot to say except there are some very talented members on this site. Well done, love it.
Just some ideas that you might like. Don‘t even consider running a long extension lead, it is dangerous and will give you trouble. A small 12v ATV or even smaller gel cell is all you need. Add a small solar trickle charger and you should have plenty of power. Some use windscreen wiper motors and some use the battery to release the latch only (no motor). Gate is hinged so that it naturally swings open when unlatched or can have a sliding weight that when unlatched opens the gate. Doesn't close gate but only having to get out of vehicle to close the gate is a plus. Have seen a system that uses a "pager" to release the latch and allow gate to open. If there is cell phone/pager coverage you can use this system to open gates to allow stock into fresh paddocks that may be many miles away. Some also have the pager turn on a flashing light/Bell so that shock are alerted to the gate opening and shift themselves. Other systems use weights and water. The falling weight in a cylinder pumps water to a ram to close the gate, with suitable delays of course. Simple is better. I once overheard two old farmers who were viewing a display of such gadgets say, "Can you believe it, some of these young guys are so lazy they cant even open a gate".
Sounds good, thanks for the info. BTW you can buy replacement GDOs at many Hardware stores. They have adjustable DIP switches you can reset to match your motor.
Thanks for the ideas guys. I've done extension cords almost that far before, but I understand. Will have to look at the cost of your solar suggestion. I'm a risk/reward kinda guy. Really I just take a heck of a lot of risk and so far (knock on all the times "wood" is mentioned on this forum) I have been rewarded. But I am aware the law of averages will catch up with me one day. I may choose to spend the entire day tomorrow researching and a little testing on this build (right after I deal with cell phone problems) . Because I will build it and the New Members will come. lol
OK, Les,
You've got a good idea, but you're going at it the hard way. I built this same project several years back, and it worked great!
Problem 1: Power - 1300' or so, is too far to make power for 110 VAC. Voltage drop over that distance is going to kill your motor, so, "alternative energy" is going to be the catch phrase you need to think on. Solar or Wind are the better choices in this instance. I am including 3 links on these subjects (all from the same person) which can guide you through the many steps necessary to get power to your GDO.
http://www.mdpub.com/ His home page
How I built an electricity producing wind turbine His Wind turbine build
http://www.mdpub.com/solar/index.html His solar cell build.
In these, he discusses the changing of DC power to AC power in the correct, safest, and lowest cost manner.
http://www.instructables.com has many other alternative energy resources you can read over, I found the sites above to be among the best in this area.
CAUTION: INSTRUCTABLES.COM CAN BECOME ADDICTIVE!
Problem 2: Opener sensors; most of the 'Box' stores now carry replacement sensors, and remote opener buttons (Getting your openers for free, you can afford to buy a few parts). Sensor placement; I didn't feel the need to have sensors on my gate application, so I mounted the sensors in a short piece of 1-1/2" PVC tubing (pipe) so they were facing each other (wired them up first and made sure they were working), mount the pipe anywhere convenient. Problem: SOLVED
Problem 2a: Opener buttons. simply put, buy a couple (one for each vehicle you might normally use to access the property), If you want easy access, the option of a push button is always there, and "bell wire" can be purchased in 1000' rolls usually at the Box store too. You only need 2 conductors for this (4 push buttons would be needed if you don't get any wireless opener buttons,[opening and closing, going both directions] but you would give up all security protection). 1 more button at your house would save steps or fuel if you leave the gate open, or want to open it before leaving home.
NOTE: this method negates any form of security beyond keeping animals in/out
If you are expecting others to drive through this gate, you might consider a key-pad operator mounted on a post near the driver’s side of the road
Problem 3: Operator installation. My opener was in a similar situation (outside, exposed to weather, etc.) it was a chain driven GDO. I solved this issue by putting a 1-1/2" PVC pipe over the track or rail and securing in position with 'L' brackets & protected it, and the operator, housing further by using a large ‘squarish’ plastic pail with a snap on lid. a 5 gallon round pail MAY work. (Hit a restaurant or donut shop for a square bucket, fruit fillings and veggies come in these kind of buckets with lids) The pipe has to be split to allow the connector to travel it's length. I mounted my opener inside the bucket, with the track going through the bottom ofr the bucket. this allows you to open the bucket for service or adjustment. I mounted the bucket on a steel framework made from an old real estate sign, and the other end to a smaller version of the same material.
You will have to build your own connections between the operator shaft, and the gate. (I used the swiveling connections from a load holding bar from Harbor Freight).
NOTE: Adjust the travel of the opener connection before you make the final attachment to the gate. Most GD Operators travel 7'. to open your gate as pictured, shouldn't require more than 4'-5' (if that much). I would suggest holding on to the gate and your opener bar connection, push the button to open the gate, and walk both items to check the travel. Do this in both opening and closing, then adjust until it's right. Once travel is adjusted, make the connection, and adjust closing and opening force.
That SHOULD cover everything. If you have any questions, I'll try to answer them.
My opener worked for several years until we got a dog that could escape, and I had to secure the gate better.
(It never gave me any grief once I had everything installed & adjusted). Also mine was next to my house so power wasn’t a problem.
Good luck, and keep us posted !
Holy moly Trooper! Thank you for taking the time to share! I'm gonna have to print that. I like the idea of running chain through pvc. And of course the many other tips and facts. Again thank you!! Just need to figure cost. I have the time, but if it's gonna push $200 I would have to reconsider.
More ideas from me, now that I have seen clearer pictures of your gate.
Could you pivot and tilt this gate upwards like a car park barrier arm instead of swinging it open. Seems like a chain driven GDO would lend itself to tilt it quite easily. Also consider doing a web search for non powered auto gates. See this link bump gate, Bump N' Drive Home for one such gate which looks easy and possible to copy. Lots of unpowered others out there too.
Glad to be of assistance, Les. I hope you didn't misunderstand me about the chain running inside the pipe; the entire track & chain are inside the PVC, I cut a slot about 1/2" wide the full length of the pipe so the hardware that previously connected to the door could stick down through it so an attachment could be made to connect to the gate. this kept the chain & track from rusting, and getting dirty. I'll try to get a couple drawings made up showing a rough idea of how it was made if you want them.Quote:
Originally Posted by LESHUNT
We talked early on about solar/alternative and by the pix it looks like the forest is right at the edge of the gate and looks like it's in the shade. It could have just the time of day the pic was taken, dunno. I suggested putting the PV at the top a pole to catch more sun or over to the sun side and I guess you could add a windmill with the added benefit of security. Here small remote PV's have started disappearing if the are accessible. YMMV depending on your area.
When I pictured using a GDO for this I envisioned mounting the GDO on the top of the fence next to the gate and mounting maybe a piece of plywood cut approx. 24" above and on axis of hinges of the gate. Then attach the chain to either side of this "hub". This would eliminate the rail and that whole mechanism. The GDO should be more than strong enough and with wood pieces for guides on the hub, the chain should neatly roll coil and uncoil around the hub. If it works replace it with something metal. Just a thought.
Man you guys are GREAT, there are not many people who would take time out of their day to not only suggest, but actually research on this project.
I will say this......I did not research or search for any auto gate opener but once several years ago. It was one where the weight of the vehicle opened the gate the way Moby mentioned (upwards) and closed with a counter weight. But I really appreciate all the information. I did not devote ANY time to project today. (shhh, had an all day date). And at the end of day dyed and waxed my traps one last time probably.
So thank you guys for all your input. I guess the ball is in my court to begin and then I should have plenty of question other than
" AUTO GATE OPENER WITH ELECTRIC MOTOR??" lol
C Bag, Moby Duck, and Stale Trooper thank you again for your time and consideration. I hope I can return the favor one day!
And if you are ever close to Atlanta on the east side. Hit me up for a visit!
PAT
oh yea, I did understand the track and chain inside the pvc. I kinda liked the bump gate thing, just not sure what pulls it close both ways. and it looks a little "violent" for lack of a better word.
I found this on my PC while browsing..
No power and I could probably still use the chain. I have an extra set of truck ramps.
http://<a href="https://www.pinteres...593822764/</a>
