Which brand of electric gate opener should I buy?

With so many brands of electric gate opener on the market, it can be hard to pinpoint which brand is going to be best suited to your gates without first exploring its uses and requirements.

There are several factors to consider and it is worth bearing in mind that each manufacturer has it’s own specialities. These range from differing mechanical and hydraulic drive methods to enhanced electronic features. All of which could be a factor in determining which kit you need.

The very first thing to note is choosing the brand of electric gate opener is far less important than you might think! At Gate Auto, we only sell electric gate openers of a proven build quality. As gate manufacturers and installers ourselves, we would not be happy to sell an electric gate opener kit that we would not install on our own customers’ gates.

We have ranges to suit most budgets but the most important aspect is that they fit the following criteria:

• Suitably powered for your gate size and type
• Correct geometry for the hinge positions
• Take special factors in to account (e.g. high dust levels, very windy/ exposed area, commercial use)

To provide a few rough examples…

• If you own a standard set of open pattern iron driveway gates on a normal residential property then we may well advise one of our LiftMaster operators – this German manufacturer offers outstanding value for money with extended functionality available if required. Their gate openers are more than adequate to suit a residential property and have a range of electromechanical underground motors and arms to suit differing hinge positions.

• If you have regular driveway size close boarded wooden gates on a residential property then we could look at a few options such as the electromechanical underground motor from Beninca (the DU.350NV) which is fast, efficient and incredibly engineered or some hydraulic arms such as the BFT LUX.

• If we are looking at a large commercial gate which requires regular operations throughout the day and needs a motor which self locks we would be suggesting the hydraulic HyDom Goliath arms which are industrially rated, able to move very large, heavy gates with superb levels of reliability.

• If you have a 5 bar farm gate on a very dusty track, we might well advise an opener from the Beninca Bill range as these have a special worm drive which protects against dust ingress.

To summarise… far more important than the brand of the equipment is the suitability of it! We will look at all the factors which apply to your gates and recommend the most appropriate electric gate opener that will operate safely and reliably.

NOTE: Never ‘under spec’ your electric gate opener kit. By installing a kit which is not powerful enough or the right drive mechanism, you are creating a dangerous hazard with the potential to cause harm or death to people or pets. The manufacturers state clear guidelines as to what types & sizes of gates they will move, along with numbers of operations per day and mounting instructions (to get the correct geometry dependant on the hinge positions). Failure to adhere to their guidelines will not only be expensive in the long run as you will experience repeated breakdown, but will also invalidate your manufacturers warranty if the electric gate opener kit is used on gates outside of its operating parameters.