Solar suits the dry tropics
Townsville has good sun for a solar gate. Townsville Aero averages 120.8 clear days a year, and its mean daily solar exposure is 21.1 MJ per square metre, peaking at 25.7 in November. June is the low point at 15.5, so a panel and battery should be sized for winter rather than the average.
Many motors take solar. CENTSYS says its V-Series SMART swing gate motors can run off a solar supply, and so can its D5-Evo sliding gate motor.
When a cyclone takes the power
Cyclone Kirrily left nearly 34,000 homes and buildings without power in January 2024, most of them in Townsville, and the Queensland Reconstruction Authority lists a risk of power failure from a Category 2 cyclone.
Battery backup keeps a gate working through that. CENTSYS says the D5-Evo carries 2 x 7Ah batteries and keeps going in a power cut, and the V-Series runs on a 7.2Ah battery. Ask how to release the gate by hand as well.
Swing gates and sliding gates
For a swing gate, CENTSYS makes piston-driven V-Series operators with a 400mm or 500mm stroke, sold as a single kit for one leaf or a double kit for two. A sliding gate on a track needs a motor rated for its weight: CENTSYS rates the D5-Evo for gates up to 500kg.
New power to the gate is electrical work in Queensland. Queensland's Electrical Safety Office says to check the electrical contractor licence number on its online search before agreeing to any work.
Safety beams and sensing
CENTSYS says the D5-Evo detects obstructions for anti-crushing protection, and its alarm functions need gate safety beams installed. The V-Series has electronic collision sensing. Even so, keep children and pets clear of a moving gate.
Around Townsville
Dry season installs
September averages 9.9 mm of rain at Townsville Aero. The dry months make trenching for power and setting a track easier to plan.
Near the bay
Salty, moist air corrodes metal connections quickly near the coast, the Reconstruction Authority says, so ask about the finish on the gate hardware.
More than one gate
Steel-Line says one of its key ring remotes can work up to three garage doors or gates, which is handy if the house has both.
What we would do
Before the cyclone season, ask the door specialist to show you how to release the gate and run it by hand. Practise once in daylight, so you are not learning it in the dark with the power out.