In these last couple of years, people are looking for more safety and security for their homes and their land. But, having to get out of your car every time you exit your land just because you need to open your gate can get pretty annoying in a short time.
So, you have probably been looking for a way to solve this problem, but it seems like there isn’t one. If your gate is too far away from your home or there aren’t any utility pole you could use to make your exit out of your land automatic gate opener. (learn more here)
You might have started giving up on the idea and accepted that you will have to get out of your vehicle every single time. Well, don’t give up just yet, because these last couple of years we have seen trends of people installing solar powered gate openers. Not only will these be completely electric and you will easily remote control them from anywhere, but they are also powered by the sun which means you won’t have to run hundreds of yards of cable just to get electricity to the entrance of your land.
However, this kind of solution is probably completely new to you, so how do you know which one is the best solar powered gate opener you could purchase? Which one works the longest? Which one needs the least amount of solar power? These are the questions you need to ask yourself before you make any kind of decision.
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Benefits of using a solar-powered gate opener
If you still have not decided whether this solution is the right one for you, then here are some of the benefits you can get out of using such a gate opener.
Very low maintenance cost
Naturally, just by reading that these openers are using solar power it instantly becomes obvious that there won’t be any maintenance costs needed. The device will run completely fine just by using the power of the sun’s energy. It will not have any trouble opening or closing the entrance no matter if its day or night.
Just the idea that you will not have to pay another electricity company is a great reason why you should get one and that you will not have to get another electricity bill in your already huge stack of bills.
Environmentally friendly
If you have been following the news lately about all the different fires around the world that are burning our biggest forests that provide us with oxygen, you probably understand how important it is to be environmentally friendly these days. Instead of relying on companies that leave a massive carbon footprint, you will now need to rely solely on the power of the sun.
They are not expensive at all
The biggest reason why a lot of people avoiding using solar collecting technology is because they assume that it is very expensive and unaffordable for most people. This is simply not true. Our knowledge about renewable energy has been growing these last couple of years which means the whole cost of the process of creating panels that will be able to efficiently collect the power of the sun has been reduced considerably. Photovoltaic panels were very expensive ten years ago, but that is not true today, so there is no need why you should avoid this technology.
Do you really need a solar-powered gate opener?
You realize that there clearly are great benefits of using such a gate, but you are still not convinced whether you need one. So what are some of the “requirements” you need to fulfill to determine whether such a device is right for you? If you have finally decided that you are in need of such an opener, read more here.
How much direct sunlight you have every day?
The first and most important thing you will have to consider before going fully solar is to determine whether you have enough daylight where you live. For the opener to work properly during the day and the night you will need to have at least 8 hours of direct sunlight. Those 8 hours are more than enough to keep the battery of the device filled to last at least 24 hours. Although the duration of the battery heavily depends on how many times you use the gate.
What are the best solar powered gate openers?
Now that you have become familiar with this technology, its uses, and its benefits, it is time to find out which openers are the best.
1. Ghost Controls TSS1XP
Ghost Controls is probably one of the leading companies that focuses on building solar powered gate openers. This one deserves the number one place on the list because of its amazing range of the remote controller. You can easily use the open and close functions from more than 1,000ft. So, if you have a huge land, you will not have trouble opening the gate to friends or family from your living room. You can also easily connect your smartphone to the opener, so if you lose the remote control device, you will still have an alternate way to control it.
2. ALEKO AC1400
The ALEKO AC1400 easily gets the second place on this list because of the quality of materials used on the device. The chain can handle gates that weigh well over 1000 lbs. and those that are even longer than 40 feet. The chassis is made from aluminum which means that you will be able to install the opener all by yourself since it is so light.
3. Mighty Mule FM500
The Mighty Mule FM500 comes with a chain that can handle anything that is around 850 lbs. and 18 feet long which is quite a downgrade from the AC1400, but the price is much more appealing. So, if you have no need for a device that handles more than 1000 lbs. why not just go with the cheaper choice that will fulfill all of your needs?
It also comes with a long-lasting warranty which is quite important.
4. Mighty Mule MM360
The MM360 is notable for its sensors that will detect your car while you are passing through. The open and close commands will not work until there is nothing that is obstructing the path.