Upgrading Old Gate Motors and Control Boards

Gate motors and control boards don't last forever, especially outdoors in our weather. When yours starts letting you down, upgrading can be a better investment than repairing it again and again.

When to upgrade the motors

• the gearbox is worn – the gate jerks, clunks or drifts
• the motor keeps overheating or tripping
• an underground motor has been flooded more than once
• it's an obsolete model and parts are no longer made
• the motor is undersized for the gate, and always has been

When to upgrade the control board

• water, lightning or a power surge has damaged it
• it doesn't support modern safety devices
• it can't take the extras you want – app control, battery backup, an intercom
• it uses old fixed-code remotes
• the gate can't be set up to pass force testing with it

What's involved

1. Check the gate first. New motors on a sagging gate will fail just like the old ones.
2. Choose the right kit. I fit DEA System motors and control boards for most gates, and Fadini hydraulics for heavy-duty gates, sized properly for the job.
3. Reuse what's good. Sound cabling, posts and sometimes accessories can stay; anything tired or unsafe gets replaced.
4. Bring the safety up to standard. The right safety devices and force testing to BS EN 12453.
5. Set up and hand over. New remotes coded, you're shown how it works, and you get the paperwork.

Swapping just the control board

Sometimes the motors are fine and just the board needs replacing. A new board can often run your existing motors – but it must be compatible with them, and the whole system then needs testing again. I'll tell you whether it's worth it.

Costs

Upgrading is usually much cheaper than new gates and automation. As a guide, full automation starts from £1,400 (sliding), £1,800 (overground) and around £2,400 (underground), and a partial upgrade can cost less. I'll give you a fixed price once I've seen the system.

Call, text or WhatsApp Adrian on 07855 781433 – a photo of the motors and any labels on the outside of the control box helps.

Questions people ask me