Why is your Automated Gate Running Slowly?

Winter is over but your gate is still slow

As we move into spring after all of the cold weather, you may notice that your gate is not moving as quickly as you think it should. Is your gate operator battery operated? You may think it’s not because you have AC power running to the operator. Even though you have AC power running to your operator, it may still be battery powered. The AC power that is run to a 12 volt or 24 volt operator is present to help keep the battery or batteries charged.

You may be thinking that if you have AC running to the operator it should still work. However, the reality is that it will not work for long. As the gate is opened and closed, the battery power will be worn down and need to be charged back up in order for the gate operator to keep working as it should. The motor(s) that are used in these operators are DC powered and are only operated with DC power.

In some cases, if you lose AC power due to storms, your gate may still work up to 100+ cycles before you see that the gate is running slower and slower. Of course, this all depends on how well the batteries were charged, the condition of the batteries, and how well your gate slides, swings or rolls into its open or closed position. It is recommended to replace the battery or batteries in your operator every two to three years. This does depend on many factors, including weather, use, and battery. The wear on the batteries can be reduced by maintaining your gate and making sure it is rolling or swinging without too much resistance.

Gate operator’s small battery causes big problems

A few weeks ago, a customer called in and said that their gates were running more slowly and sticking open. These details seem to indicate a lubrication issue or a faulty operator. After the incoming power was checked and the gates were not binding as they opened or closed, it was time to check the batteries out, even though the battery voltage checked out okay. We then dug into the operator box to retrieve the batteries. Note: You may need to call in a professional to access your operator. The batteries from the outside of the cover tested fine, but there was still a problem. One of the ground terminals had corroded enough to stay on the battery until the cover was removed.

After replacing both of the batteries, the operation of the gates was flawless. Opening and closing as they should. When replacing the batteries in an operator it is a good idea to replace both of the batteries at the same time. Often times the batteries do not have an installation date on them. So, it is a good idea to write the date of installation on the battery for the next time you may need to troubleshoot the operator in a few years.