Cheap or expensive gate motor? What to choose?

A motor for the gate that will meet my expectations.

I think everyone will agree with the thesis that entrance automation undoubtedly makes our lives easier. Mainly because we don’t have to bother to get out of the car when we come back from work. Not that it was a particularly hard job, because a little exercise is always something. Especially nowadays, where we often sit for 8 hours straight at work… However, going out into the rain or heat (when the air conditioning is on) or in winter is not very comfortable. It is also not suitable for our health. Sometimes we just don’t feel like it because we had a hard day and we want to go home and rest. With these benefits in mind, we start with the selection of an automation. And here comes the question: What do we really need? Some look at the price, others at the quality, others at the functions offered by the equipment. Today we will discuss the difference between cheap and expensive equipment by comparing construction and function. All this in order not to buy a pig in a poke. :)

Cheap gate motors

Let’s agree that with a small budget (I mean amounts up to PLN 500), it is impossible to provide high-quality equipment. Let’s think about what we care about first. Cheap gate openers can be used in rarely frequented places, such as a recreational plot or a summer house, where we go once a month. These devices most often have ordinary, budget actuators to give a substitute for the comfort of automation and simple control. The electric actuators from these sets most often have plastic gears, they are loud and slow. They are also not the easiest to assemble, so you have to sit with them for a while. Therefore, when you spend PLN 400 or PLN 500 on a motor, you should not expect quiet and fast operation. So if in six months you will be replacing the gate and you need an automation only for this time or you would like to automate the gate on your plot – a cheap motor will suffice. What if you are looking for an efficient motor for the entrance gate that you use every day? We advise you to add a few hundred zlotys to your budget and choose a better set.

Advantages:

• low price
• cheap spare parts

Disadvantages:

• low quality
• low work culture
• often heavy assembly
• little functionality
• long opening time
• unreliability

More expensive gate motors

If we have an amount in the range of PLN 900 to PLN 2,000, we can purchase a professional gate automation kit. A valuable note at the beginning: If something is more expensive, it doesn’t always have to be better. You have to take into account that the logo of a well-known company often costs its own, and it costs a lot. So it may turn out that we will pay PLN 1,800 for equipment that could cost PLN 1,000. A good quality motor should have metal gears, maintenance-free actuators and be easy to install and program. Needless to say, a very good work culture is also important. It is also worth paying attention to the functionality, but let’s not be blinded by the excess of functions that we will use maybe once or twice. At the beginning, let’s think about what we will really use? Is this extra function really necessary? For example, the soft start / stop function is a must if you need a gate that works flawlessly. The same applies to anti-collision functions, because of course it is about our safety. In turn, a gate that we can open by phone or geolocation is a nice thing, but not everyone needs such solutions

Advantages

• high quality and reliability
• high work culture
• metal gears 
• fast opening time
• works every day
• works well with frequent use

Disadvantages

• often higher prices due to the famous brand
• in many cases, it is not possible to install it by yourself because of the warranty

Cheap or expensive gate motor?

If you asked me which motor to choose, of course I would repeat my question from the first paragraph: “What do we really need”? Budget kit? Do not count on getting a Mercedes at the price of a Fiat. My assumption is that when choosing a motor, you have to pay attention to the best quality / price ratio. We should also choose proven and reliable motors. If we have PLN 600 to spend and we want something good, let’s give it up for a month or two and choose reliable motors such as the ETM or KSE series. Here is also an interesting life hack, because you will install Elektrobim motors by yourselves and keep the warranty. All you need is a little manual skill and reading and following what is written in the manual. We choose good and proven gate automation, but we do not pay a few hundred zlotys for assembly.

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