The problem
The gate would open two or three times and then become too weak to complete its travel. Leaving it overnight restored a few more cycles. The owner had been told the motor was failing.
How we diagnosed it
- Load-tested the battery. It held voltage at rest and collapsed under load — the classic signature of a battery at end of life.
- Checked charge input. The solar panel had been progressively shaded by a tree that had grown since installation, so the battery had been running in permanent deficit and cycling deeply for a long time.
- The motor and board tested normally throughout.
What we did
- Replaced the battery and relocated the panel to a position with genuine unobstructed sun rather than convenient mounting.
- Verified charge current at the controller and confirmed the battery was recovering to full between cycles.
Watch this repair
No other gate repair company in Dallas–Fort Worth publishes video of their work.
The outcome
Consistent operation restored, and the new battery is no longer being deep-cycled — which is what shortened the life of the last one.
What you should take from this
On solar gates the power system is the first thing to test, not the last. A tired battery produces symptoms indistinguishable from a failing motor and costs a fraction as much to fix. It is also worth checking what has grown near the panel since installation.
