A good quality gate opener is important to having a reliable gate system.

Out of all the Manufacturers, swing gate openers will fall into two categories:

Actuator Type Openers

The Actuator category, shown below have become popular for home applications because they look smaller and they don't have the pinch points on the control arm like the box type does.

This is a big plus for safety reasons. Especially if there will be children around the gate area. There are a few that we recommend that have long drive tubes that grab the gate out close to the center, this helps prevent the gate from being pushed open. The longer Actuator also removes the need for an expensive electric latch.

There are two different ways the Actuator type can be powered.

A deep cycle battery, with a solar panel charger. No wiring to run, opens when power is out.

A deep cycle battery that charges from a built in battery charger, requires electricity from the house. This is recommended for low light areas where the solar panels are not efficient.

The box type openers shown to the left have been around many years and are available in many various types and power ranges. We recommend this type for residential gates that are larger or under higher usage.

We would also recommend this type for small businesses or industrial applications. The box type openers tend to open the gate a few seconds faster.

Recently a few of the companies have manufactured some with batteries with a solar panel option. However, we feel this type does best with standard 115 volt power running it.