Idea: Garage door opener as a sliding gate opener

[ric0chet06]

Family recently bought a house that needs a sliding gate next to the street. They're cheap, so i think i may have come up with a solution. I'll build a nice gate thats about 7-8 feet wide, with 2 or 3 caster/rollers on it. Then i'll need a garage door opener connected to it, with a custom enclosure to protect the vital parts from weathering. This is just like the commercial systems, minus the cost. You think it'll work or is there some gyrowhositwhatsit that makes the garage door opener not function to pull sideways?

 

[sjvlad]

It seems like it should work just fine. Just have to take care to keep it protected from the elements like you said.

 

[biggestmuff]

How will it close? To close the door on a normal setup, the weight of the door aids in allowing the door to descend, right? The motor doesn't push the door down.

EDIT: Wow, sliding gate openers are expensive!

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: biggestmuff
How will it close? To close the door on a normal setup, the weight of the door aids in allowing the door to descend, right? The motor doesn't push the door down.

EDIT: Wow, sliding gate openers are expensive!

Yeah, the garage door opener is just gonna pull it straight towards itself. You'll need pulleys to get it to pull it open. To close you'll probably need some heavy duty outdoor compression hinges or springs or something.

I think it might work, but my concern would be with the enclosure. You're going to need to run electrical there unless you place it along side the house and with the pulleys and compression hinges and enclosure and cables, it may look like crap and get in the way.

 

[0roo0roo]

garage door openers either run a sprocket gear that moves a chain or a long worm gear. i'm sure it can move something in any direction. the springs on a door are to compensate for its weight, its why you should be able to easily lift and open a well balanced door by hand. assuming the gate isn't too heavy it should work. but theres probably liability issues with crush hazard. garage doors tend to have sensors for detecting obstruction. not sure if u can rig that up for a sliding gate

 

[ric0chet06]

the electric wiring is no problem at all, it can be run easily. For the enclosure, I'll just do a weathertite box around everything possible, with only holes for the chain.

 

[NoShangriLa]

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[feralkid]

Nope, not without counterweights. Vertical openers are not designed to pull that much weight and will quickly fail.

edit: if you can easily slide the gate open and closed using one finger, then o.k.

OrooOroo was on to it when mentioning the springs (they are the equivalent of a counterweight).

Some good news:

Genie, Chamberlain and others make gate openers for household installation. Some Home Depot and Lowes stores carry them.

 

[feralkid]

Originally posted by: biggestmuff
How will it close? To close the door on a normal setup, the weight of the door aids in allowing the door to descend, right? The motor doesn't push the door down.

EDIT: Wow, sliding gate openers are expensive!

It DOES push it down. The weight of the door is near neutral, thanks to the springs.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

not very well. it may work initially, but will fail quickly.