I’m looking for a more budget friendly alternative to the Batt-latch product. It’s at timed gate release designed for cattle; I would like to have access to a second pasture/feeding station opened on a timer when I’m not home.
Has anyone made something like this? Something simple like a timer and a pin, somehow?
what’s the budget? under $370? that is what the PA56-M costs
Batt-latch appears to be an English product… so just what country are you in as it makes a difference as to what is available (differing standards)
That price sounds pretty reasonable for a product like that!
and that includes the spring gate.
the set up is for an electric fence, normally used in cattle operations … and it appears to actually be a New Zealand product, I just found info in England
https://www.kiwikit.co.uk/product/ba…-gate-release/
correct the first time British with New Zealndish name
there is mention of a version that is cellular controlled using an app but no mention of the actual model number or cost
What’s your take on the suitability of that for use around horses? IIRC, it’s not advised to use those coil spring gates for equines, too much risk of getting caught up in it. Especially if it’s just lying on the ground after it springs? Seems like an accident waiting to happen :-/
Could go with an actual gate opener for the OPs request, but cha-ching! Sure going to be more than 300 for that.
yes but the very inexpensive models normally will not hold up to even light abuse but one could use one with a auto gate lock using the gate opener to control the lock release, By the time all the pieces are put together from random sources the cost will be greater than the $370 for the PA56-M
I looked ”‹at both Gallagher and Zareba (the two larger electric equipment manufacturers in the US) neither had a product anywhere like the Kiwikit thing
Zareba I worked for for very short time as a consultant when they were transferring their Rutland (England ) gate operators to the US
Seems like you could make something for a regular gate - just hang gate so it is balanced to always fall open unless held by lock. Put a cheap magnet where it opens to to hold it open.
Then all you need is some sort of timed lock or latch that will release. Sorry someone else will have to Google that but that seems like something that should exist for less than $300.
Put a cheap magnet where it opens to to hold it open.
OP wanted solar powered (or alternative power such as wind?)
nevertheless a mag lock requires constant power to remain energized,
but yes it could be done, costs would start adding up quickly
Yeah I learned that one the hard way! Looked out the window one day to see my trainer’s FEI horse (who I was keeping in shape while trainer was injured) galloping around my backyard. Went to catch her and almost got tangled up in the coil gate trailing from her tail, mostly uncoiled now and very very long. As far as I can tell, she swished her tail, got it caught in the coils, got zapped, tried to jump the pipe gate in a panic, mostly cleared it, and ended up in the backyard. Thankfully all she had was cuts and scrapes but I replaced all the coil gates with tape gates pronto. (I have 4-board fencing and proper gates on the perimeter but cross-fence with electric.)
OP, can you run 120 out there? Doesn’t have to be fancy, could be romex if you can keep the horses off it. Unless you’re a mile from the house, it wouldn’t cost much and then you could use a magnetic closure and a real gate.
No I meant a normal magnet (assuming it was a steel gate). No electricity required for that. Just to keep gate from blowing around when it was open. Plenty of strong, cheap ones at hardware stores.
A clockwork release mechanism on a gate. (per Wildifer) A rope and weight will work well to open the gate. A mechanical timer to trip a spring (Mouse trap) that releases the latch. Any number of ways to convert a small weak movement into a larger force to open a gate. Limited only by one’s imagination. All costing less than $50
Think … Rube Goldberg machine.
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