This week begins my new gate operator rental period

[Bob Borzelleri]

Nine years ago, we decided that we could no longer compete with herds of deer wandering through our property and decimating pretty much anything that looked remotely like garden plants.

We sought out bids to construct a 1,000 foot (linear, not high) fence with 7 foot lodge poles and wire fencing. In order to make it work for the intended purpose and allow cars to come and go, we included a gate that came with a Liftmaster gate operator. I think the gate operator ran about $1,500 at the time.

A couple of weeks ago, I went out and conducted my twice a year test of the manual release mechanism which allows us to escape with the vehicles in case of gate operator failure. For nine years, I inserted the key, turned the lock, twisted the manual release lever open and pushed the several hundred lb. gate open and called it good. This time, not so much. The ram mechanism was frozen solid.

I figured that the release was mechanical as in some sort of clamp around the screw in the operator; I was wrong. It seems that the lever actuates a switch that needs to see a specific voltage in order to release the mechanism when manual exits are needed. Liftmaster tech support told me that the two possibilities are the switch in the operator or a failure of the relevant circuit in the main board in the control box.

The operator has no user serviceable parts and the main board won’t work with a new operator, so I have spent the better part of the last few days swapping out the entire now retired gate operating system for a new one to the tune of $1,680.

It seems that the industry standard for a Liftmaster LA500 gate operator is 9-10 years although I know of folks who have had them for considerably longer.

So I figure I spent $13.88 a month for the life of the operator. I thought I bought it, but it kinda feels like I was renting it.

[Thomas McCurnin]

My LA500 swing gate also uses a key and does not require an electrical connection, battery or anything else to release the arm. I could be wrong, but I've released it without any power being present.

[Rick Potter]

Most gates I have seen, including sliders, and an 18' swinging one I have had about 10 years actually let you manually shove them open if you try hard enough. Mine does not have a latch on the end though. The latch you are describing sounds very familiar to my new Liftmaster sidewinder garage door opener, with battery backup.

20 years ago, at work we were called to assist the police with gaining entry to Snoop's back yard. They wanted us to ladder it, and climb over, and were a bit embarrassed when we simply shoved the slider open against the clutch. Again, no lock on it.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Your experiences sound very similar to those of the automatic gate owners that I have helped over the last 40 years. Except for the one that sits atop the highest spot in Boone County. It has been taken out by lightning at least 10 times.

[Tom M King]

We have some friends who have a deer fence around their property in Chapel Hill. At the entrance, rather than a gate, they have a very wide "cattle guard" in the ground. It's too wide for the deer to jump across, and they won't walk across it.

I have other friends with such cattle guards for cattle, and they're not anything like as wide as the one for deer.

I can ask them to send a picture and maybe say how wide it is. No gate needed.

edited to add: They've gone somewhere. I did find this: https://www.barnworld.com/cattle-guard/deer-guards/

[Ronald Blue]

We have some friends who have a deer fence around their property in Chapel Hill. At the entrance, rather than a gate, they have a very wide "cattle guard" in the ground. It's too wide for the deer to jump across, and they won't walk across it.

I have other friends with such cattle guards for cattle, and they're not anything like as wide as the one for deer.

I can ask them to send a picture and maybe say how wide it is. No gate needed.

edited to add: They've gone somewhere. I did find this: https://www.barnworld.com/cattle-guard/deer-guards/

The ranches in the West and Southwest use the cattle guards a lot to keep the livestock in or out depending on the intent. Unless you desire the added security of a gate they would certainly would have been a low maintenance option. That ship has sailed for now however. As Tom mentions wider (deeper) would keep them from trying to leap the span. Next time....

[Jim Becker]

The ranches in the West and Southwest use the cattle guards a lot to keep the livestock in or out depending on the intent. Unless you desire the added security of a gate they would certainly would have been a low maintenance option. That ship has sailed for now however. As Tom mentions wider (deeper) would keep them from trying to leap the span. Next time....

Cattle guards are effective for cattle and some other kinds of livestock because they don't "jump" very far for sure. Deer are wily creatures who can practically fly when they want to! That's why deer fence is typically 7-8' tall. So it really would have to be a really, really wide setup to be effective for deer I would think consistent with Tom's comment and the link. I think I'd stick with the gate in this situation, too...

[Bob Borzelleri]

My LA500 swing gate also uses a key and does not require an electrical connection, battery or anything else to release the arm. I could be wrong, but I've released it without any power being present.

I believe you are right. At several points in my discussion with Liftmaster tech support, I wondered if the guy was reading from a script than he didn’t really understand.

This morning, I went out and shut off both the AC and battery backup. Had no problem releasing the latch and opening the gate pushing with one finger.

I think that the operative statement from him was “no user serviceable parts” in the operator. Seems odd to be unable to open up the arm and swap out stuff.

[Thomas McCurnin]

OK Bob, thanks for the update, it would make no sense to have an emergency release key for times without power, that required power to work. My LA500 is going on ten years, and I do get it serviced once a year from a technician, who for $100 checks the battery on both gate units, checks the chain on the slider, and checks the operation of the swing gate.

[Bill Dufour]

Makes no sense to require power to get out of a burning property where the wires have already burned up. Sounds like a wrongful death lawsuit waiting to be lost and bankrupt the company.
BilL D.

[Bill Dufour]

Cattle guards. They have found cows have poor eye sight. Just paint the lines like a cattle guard and then cows will not risk crossing it. Of course this requires a paved road and cleaning and repainting every so often. It will not work in snow, ice or deep leaves.
I would guess deer have better eyesight and at least one would figure it out and the rest of the herd will follow.
Bill D.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I have relied on King Architectural Metals for all things automated gate, including free advice. $13.88 a month does not seem unreasonable that's 11 cents to open in the morning 11 cents to close, and the same for the evening.

[Tom M King]

My friends sent me an email saying their deer cattle guard was either 16 or 20 feet wide. They didn't remember since it had been in so long. They have a lot of fundraisers in there, so sometimes there is a lot of traffic, and they didn't want the hassle of a gate.

I think their fence is taller than 7', maybe even 10', but they say there has never been a deer in there.

[Patty Hann]

..... $13.88 a month does not seem unreasonable that's 11 cents to open in the morning 11 cents to close, and the same for the evening.

Ummm... yeah, but in February the price goes up ....