# Gate Operator



## gbenz (Jun 20, 2020)

Current AGS 900 operator no longer works and we believe it might be the board. 
We called around and discovered that mechanical parts to this operator are no longer available. Electronic parts such as boards are still available. 

Unfortunately, the boards themselves are expensive. 
I called a technician and he gave us a quote over the phone. He said that if the boards were damaged, at minimum 2 boards would have to be replaced and the cost would be $1,100 for the two boards plus an additional cost for labor. 

Another technician agreed to come down to evaluate the operator and the metal gate and he determined that we were better off buying a new operator.
His quote was $1,500 for a new operator plus $500 in labor. He did not indicate the type of operator that he would use but he did say he would install a new one.


We made a telephone call to one more technician and he requested photos of the gate with the inoperable operator. We provided photos and measurements.
The gate is steel and has wheels that slide on rails. 
Gate is 18 feet in length. Heavy door. Weight unknown. 

This technician quoted the following: 
$3,200 for a RAM 100 operator and $3,500 for a RAM 1000 operator.


I went to research brand new operators and they all vary in price. 
I found them to be around $900 to $3,500.

I was looking at some of these operators (automate gate openers) and they don't appear to be hard to install. I guess the wiring might be a challenge for us but I think the mechanical installation doesn't look all that threatening.


Just wondering if anyone here has any experience with gate operators and can maybe advise us on which type of operators to stay away from and which ones are pretty good.

Not sure if we should be posting this here. If needed, please move thread to appropriate forum.


Any advice is greatly appreciated


----------



## Chris616 (Dec 31, 2019)

You won’t find much traffic on this forum about automated gates, unfortunately. I’ve made a few modifications to the operation of ours and had to repair a few things. Ours is a swing gate operator so I can’t advise you on a replacement for your sliding gate operator. DoorKing, the manufacturer of our system, seems to be a big player in the market for both types of gates.

I had a look through the AGS 900 manual that I found online (from 1999). It doesn’t seem that AGS has an online presence anymore and the address shown in the manual is used by another business now, so it’s probable that they’re no longer operating. That might factor into your decision to repair or replace this unit.

Another point in your decision making between repair and replace may be the changes to UL 325, the standard that gate openers follow. It was updated in 2016 with the goal of increasing safety, but at the expense of making them more complicated, with more potential for things to go wrong.
http://www.gatekeepers.net/ARTUL325.htm

Depending on what is included in your system replacing it may give you some upgrades that you’d like to have, like in-ground loops to automate the opening of the gate if you’re expecting someone, or an intercom system at the gate so that visitors can contact you from there.

Are you past the point of trying to diagnose and repair the problem? Printed circuit boards (PCB) can be repaired, depending on what the fault is.

Chris


----------



## FalconFixer (Oct 10, 2019)

I've got similar issue with my DoorKing gate opener. It's a pain, and temperamental... Some times it opens, other times it doesn't. 

I've looked up potential repairs, with very little success. I'm too cheap to bring in a technician... I don't want to know it'll cost a few grand to repair or replace.


----------



## Chris616 (Dec 31, 2019)

Mine is a DoorKing swing gate system. I can help you to diagnose the problem, if you want to pursue this. The repair would likely be considerably less than what you’re anticipating.

If you want to continue, provide lots of data. 

A picture (or the model #) of the gate operator(s). That’s the thing attached to the gate (one or two gates?).
Several pictures of the inside of the boxes. There will probably be two boxes. An internal one from DoorKing containing their system, with that enclosed in a weatherproof box that might also contain some auxiliary systems.
A close-up of the sticker on the control board inside the DoorKing box showing the model number of the board.
When was the system installed? See my comment above about changes made to the UL standard in 2016.
If you know it, a description of all the devices that can trigger a gate opening. For example, our system has RF receiver, entrance loop, exit loop, reverse loop, intercom, fire dept SOS, electric eye between posts.
A description of how the system fails. Gates fail to open? Fail to close? Alarm sounds?

Chris


----------



## FalconFixer (Oct 10, 2019)

I will get all of this together...


----------



## TRI0N (Aug 9, 2020)

gbenz said:


> Current AGS 900 operator no longer works and we believe it might be the board.
> We called around and discovered that mechanical parts to this operator are no longer available. Electronic parts such as boards are still available.
> 
> Unfortunately, the boards themselves are expensive.
> ...


Gates Units are easy. Just make sure your mount holes are the same or you will need to drill new anchor bolts into your concrete base. Pretty much everything is labeled on the circuit board for incoming wiring for proximity coils, front gate keypad etc. Just take photos of the current wiring and research any different labeling on the new unit before installing it. It's pretty easy if you have a basic concept of doing even a Thermostat it shouldn't be hard at all.


Cheers!

TRI0N :vs_cool:


----------



## PuffsRuffsNStuf (Jul 24, 2020)

I can't speak for gate openers, but I know that one of the boards on my garage door opener died recently and I had to swap it out.

Found a refurbished board on Ebay for like $10. Might be worth a look.


----------



## matt__ (Aug 26, 2020)

The gate opener I own broke recently, which one should I get and where? Maybe Ebay or Amazon.


----------



## harley_rob (12 mo ago)

I'm a serial DIYer and bought a farm a few months ago in Tennessee with dual door king swinging gate controllers. model 6050 to be precise. 

these things have given me fits since we got here. I've read every word on the manual. I've tried most troubleshooting tips in the manuals (I think). I consistently get a week or two of success after tinkering with the different sensors and clutches, until random intermittent issues pop up. My latest issue is a soft shutdown. The gate closes successfully every few cycles, then it will close and immediately open itself and remain open. Until I trigger the cycle again where it stays closed for half dozen cycles, then repeats the issue. I've checked the sensors, and such, and it seems to be perfectly clear. I'll tinker with the magnetic sensor under the gate controllers a bit, and will get about 2 good weeks until it randomly triggers the same symptom. 

Anyone have any tips? I'm so frustrated! 


thank you!


----------



## Chris616 (Dec 31, 2019)

Welcome to the forum. More people will read your questions if you start a new thread instead of continuing a years old one.

I have a different dual swing gate DoorKing system, but the principles are similar. I also had a situation 18 months ago where the system would work properly for a while then fail, then work properly again. I became intimately familiar with how the sensors and other components of the system should work, to the point where I concluded that the problem had to be on the control board itself. A replacement was not inexpensive, but that has solved the problem. Every time that I watch the gate close behind me in the rear-view mirror I say a little “thank you” 

At the same time that I did this work I realized that the black box in which the control board and batteries were housed got up to some extreme summertime temperatures, so for the health of both I constructed something to shield them from the sun. The first control board lasted five years. I'm hopeful that will help this new board last longer.


----------



## harley_rob (12 mo ago)

Chris616 said:


> Welcome to the forum. More people will read your questions if you start a new thread instead of continuing a years old one.
> 
> I have a different dual swing gate DoorKing system, but the principles are similar. I also had a situation 18 months ago where the system would work properly for a while then fail, then work properly again. I became intimately familiar with how the sensors and other components of the system should work, to the point where I concluded that the problem had to be on the control board itself. A replacement was not inexpensive, but that has solved the problem. Every time that I watch the gate close behind me in the rear-view mirror I say a little “thank you”
> 
> At the same time that I did this work I realized that the black box in which the control board and batteries were housed got up to some extreme summertime temperatures, so for the health of both I constructed something to shield them from the sun. The first control board lasted five years. I'm hopeful that will help this new board last longer.


wow, thank you very much. I will certainly investigate the control board replacement. did you purchase them from a particular source?


----------



## Chris616 (Dec 31, 2019)

You’re welcome. I couldn’t find an online source in Canada, and shipping/duty from an American online source looked to be a hassle, so I ended up paying more to get it through a DoorKing dealer here.


----------

