Solar Powered or Electric Gates?
The question often arises should I buy a solar gate opener system or an electric gate opener system? There is however many correct answers, within this article you will find definitive answers on multiple scenarios in which choosing the best gate power method can be determined.
- Do you have power at the gate?
This is the root of the typical solar gate opener vs. electric gate opener question, often we see scenarios where there is no mains power available at the gate, being the automatic gate may be an afterthought in the excitement of building or the property was established before automatic gates were readily available. If power is available, it should be utilized, to go solar the price difference is negligible considering the long lifetime of our gate systems and solar equipment however the consumability of batteries generally does not warrant the use of a green energy solution for power saving as our systems draw power in standby making them highly energy efficient.
Is a solar automatic gate system reliable?
The answer here strongly depends on the shading, solar panel size, battery size and of course the site and region itself. Lets break it down:
Solar Panel Sizing: ALWAYS start with a minimum of a 40 Watt panel, its often seen many suppliers will skimp on this point. Regardless of your state we do not know what the weather forecast holds for the future, going less than 40 Watts is a point of concern.
Shading: The above is assuming there is no shading on the solar panel, if there is then relocate the panel further down the fence line or give the branches a trim. Stay on top of this point to ensure no efficiency is lost in charging, this is a must.
Battery size: As a general rule of thumb you should always have plenty in reserve, most driveway gates at homes are only used a few times a day but a point that’s often overlooked is standby time. Standby times is generally almost 24 hours of the day x the low standby draw current of the systems, it is inevitable that this will add up to consumption on a solar system. Furthermore, if there are any accessories such as APP control WiFi or Bluetooth controllers this will increase the drain. Site and Region will explain further on the importance of standby.
Site and Region: Aside from the shading covered earlier, where you are located in Australia plays a major part. We should always consider the time of worst weather (winter/wet season) as this is the time without sun for the longest duration. For example, where solar gates in Queensland, Western Australia and Northern Territory may only see 2-3 days of continuous poor weather at a given time til conditions clear it can be the opposite end of the spectrum for Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia and the ACT with an allowance of up to two weeks of continuous poor conditions. This is why it is crucial that as mentioned earlier the battery size must have enough capacity for the standby time.
The bottom line
The biggest typical governing factor here is the cost of bringing power to the gate system. We should consider the distance from closest established power point to the gate or switchboard if closer (as the further away the more the cost will increase).
The difficulty in bringing mains power to the motorized gate; As mains power requires trenching is that is it plausible? If trenching across the lawn the costs will be lower and less labour intensive as to an area which is concreted and requires cutting, trenching and then repair (or boring underneath it).
If there is power available at the gate use an electric gate system.
If it is a site with lots of shading from trees- can the solar panel be relocated to a clear area within 20 metres of cable distance? If not use an electric gate system and have power brought to the gates.
If this is not plausible due to distance and costs consider using multiple panels to increase the charging wattage.
If a solar option is chosen always use the minimum or a GREATER battery size than we have specified in all our products based on your region and bundle type. You can find these specifications in all our solar gate opener packages.
See the complete range of quality Italian automation kits click here or visit the residential gate automation category at the top of the website.