Installing a automatic gate opener

Russell King

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Got tired of getting out to open and close the gate so have started to install a Liftmaster gate opener.

That expanded into putting in new gate posts, then that expanded into putting in a wider gate 10 foot to 14 foot change so I don’t have to be quite as exact when pulling the utility trailer through.

The original gate was hung on cedar split rail posts but the wider gate is hung on 4 inch galvanized steel tube posts. Figured that 8 foot long posts would be good enough but store only had 10 foot available so the challenge was to get the hinge side set about 5 feet 6 inches in the ground to utilize as much of the post as possible under ground. The area is river bottom so fairly easy to dig by hand. First few inches are road base (limestone and caliche and clay mixture) then about four feet of black clay, then harder brown clay. Since the hand diggers are only 5 feet the last foot was a bit of a challenge to get out. Pour water in to soften it and make it like a ball of play doh and make the hole a bit wider at the top and I could get the hole to about 5 foot 10 inches before I decided that was good enough. That would get my post to about 56 inches above ground. But then I actually measured the 10 foot post and it was 10 feet and 6 extra inches! Too cruel on my old back to get that extra depth in the hole after around 6 hours of actual digging over two days. Pictures of holes are stupid so I didn’t take any. The hinge side post was set with 500 pounds of Sakrete mix (hand mixed). Luck has it they package it in 50 pound bags since the 80 pounders just suck to move around and always did so it isn’t that I’m getting older! The other side post was only put in about 4 feet deep since it is there just to be symmetrical. Another 350 pounds of concrete later and the posts are in.

I’ll post some pictures (when I take them)of the cut off tops of the steel tubes to show the leftovers not used
 
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North Idaho Wolfman

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But I like seeing other people's holes in the ground! :p

We did 4 of them today with the PHD... much simpler and easier on the body then doing them by hand.
 
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Nicfin36

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Pictures would be great. I'd like to know how it goes, what you think about it, etc. I have thought about doing something like that at some point.
 

tawood

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I just finished putting gate openers (dual) on my driveway gates. I went with a clearanced Mighty Mule...I'm not a fan of Mighty Mule but the price was right on clearance...I guess they are going to remote / smart home (by cell phone) accessible gate openers now. I'll post a pic:
gate4.jpg


Pic was actually taken right before I started the install. You really can't see the openers much...although I did also put in an intercom.
 
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Glassman13

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Jan 26, 2017
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I just finished putting gate openers (dual) on my driveway gates. I went with a clearanced Mighty Mule...I'm not a fan of Mighty Mule but the price was right on clearance...I guess they are going to remote / smart home (by cell phone) accessible gate openers now. I'll post a pic:
View attachment 44925

Pic was actually taken right before I started the install. You really can't see the openers much...although I did also put in an intercom.
 

Glassman13

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Jan 26, 2017
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wimauma fl.
Wow! That's looking great! I installed a metal gate here that I added some metal curved pieces too. i ended up using a garage door opener for the gate, worked out great.
 
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Russell King

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Jun 17, 2012
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Update from this weekend (Sunday only)

Here are the cut off parts of the 10 foot 6 inch long posts to get about 54 inches above the ground.

54801360-9685-4941-9E52-584140F9C481.jpeg
The gate posts are round and the brackets supplied with the opener are made from bar stock so to get it mounted I had a mounting bracket fabbed up and I welded that to the post (as best as I can weld!) and then welded the gate bracket to that. Other than my poor welds it worked out well.
47F78D4D-102E-4B50-82F1-8DA88DBFC7B5.jpeg
Here is the opener mounted to the post brace.
A34E5575-1DA8-45A3-80EA-C6C7F2549EDB.jpeg

I also had some plates cut to go onto the gate and bolted that onto the welded wire section of the gate. Welding to the light weight gate would be difficult for a real welder and impossible for my skill level.
E4AC13C4-4898-4BCA-B3B1-08BA78DBC0AD.jpeg
 
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Russell King

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More updates from this weekend (Sunday only)

Had to dig two more holes to build a short fence to mount the control box.
B5B57272-00D8-448B-96FB-03FA36A4E42F.jpeg
Since NIW likes pictures of holes here you go.
74927558-E442-416B-AE97-B596691575F1.jpeg
Had to install a ground rod so used the same post hole to save driving that 2 feet.
I used a Tpost driver to get it driven in.

Here is the opener, control box and solar panel installed.
9D242A25-2F97-4172-97E7-69062F403CF8.jpeg
Ran out of time and will wire it up next weekend hopefully. Still have to get the key pad and automatic exit sensor installed.
 
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Russell King

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Looking good. Are the cactus level?? ;)
They were when I first set the rock cairns up! But now they are leaning since I didn’t prepare the ground well enough. I’ll have to restack them this winter so the cactus can be happy and level again (like they really want to be)!
 

Russell King

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L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
Jun 17, 2012
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Looks good Russell. We fill hog panels with rocks and use them as corner post!
Thanks, we may do something with rock panels at the gate since we are sifting rocks out of a large pile of dirt.
 

NHSleddog

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This is a great build project. I am about to add an opener to my 16' side gate for the tractor to go through. I have power right at the gate so I won't need solar.
 

Russell King

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L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
Jun 17, 2012
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Austin, Texas
This is a great build project. I am about to add an opener to my 16' side gate for the tractor to go through. I have power right at the gate so I won't need solar.
Thank you. Since there is not power at the gate, I am setting it up for solar only to see how it works out. If I have to I will run power out which opens up more options on the accessories that would work like magnetic locks.

Being in Texas we have an abundance of sunshine to charge the battery.
 
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Russell King

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L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
Jun 17, 2012
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Actually I was ribbing you because the level was resting on the cactus pot.
Yea I saw that and appreciate a good ribbing, especially since it is mostly true. I like perfection but can not achieve it often enough.
 

Russell King

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L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
Jun 17, 2012
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Austin, Texas
Well just a short update. Too much going on with some other things to get much done on this project.

About two weeks ago I was just getting the opener operating and everything was working well. The last step was to test the closing forces by blocking the gate with something near the post (latch end of gate). That proved that my welding skills need to be improved greatly! The weld between the post and bracket failed.

So I found a local professional welder and today got the bracket welded back to the post which I should’ve done in the first place.

Hear is what the brace looks like today
 

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Russell King

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L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
Jun 17, 2012
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Austin, Texas
Getting nearly completed on this project so here is the latest on this.

Control box requires some conduit entrance and some are cords through cable glands. Conduit going to left is to the photo electric sensor across gate opening. The conduit running towards the front is to the free exit sensor which is a magnetic sensor.
643E9AEA-45F0-4963-9976-36D36B463351.jpeg
Bottom view of box. If you look closely at the left you see the ground wire going into a plug I used in the power in hole in the box (solar only so no power into box). The middle cord is to the opener and cord on right is to the solar panel.
169989B4-8B4A-4014-BC87-935413289B75.jpeg
View of the photo electric eye sensor cord going into conduit through a cable gland
10A2A5D0-9EAB-4B85-B04F-6942032CB71C.jpeg
Magnetic free exit sensor which needs to be buried

41D2A509-BE68-4142-BA24-9E1D544D6017.jpeg
Opener is now operational. The remaining things to do are to bury the conduit to the free exit sensor and install a keypad outside the gate to allow visitors in.
 
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