Gate motors and automation in Botswana: what to choose and what to check

We fabricate and install gates from our workshop in Rasoko Ward, Gabane, and automate both new gates and existing ones across Greater Gaborone. We fit Centurion or equivalent motors. We are an independent installer, not an appointed dealer of any motor brand, so the advice below applies whichever make you choose.

1. Start with the gate: sliding or swing

The type of gate decides the type of motor.

• Sliding gate motors sit on a concrete plinth inside the property and drive the gate through a toothed rack fixed along its bottom rail. One motor moves the whole gate, which is why sliding gates are usually simpler to automate. See our sliding gates.
• Swing gate motors are arms (linear or articulated) fixed between the pillar and each leaf. A double-leaf gate needs two arms and a control box. The pillars must be solid enough to take the force, and the leaves need clear space to swing.

Not sure which gate suits your plot? Our sliding vs swing gate guide explains the trade-offs.

2. Match the motor to the gate’s weight and use

Every motor has a maximum gate mass and a recommended number of cycles (open and close) per day. Two mistakes are common:

• Under-sizing. Slat and laser-cut gates are heavy. A motor working at its limit overheats, wears gears and trips more often.
• Ignoring traffic. A family home might open the gate a dozen times a day. A complex, guest house, rental yard or business can do hundreds. Higher-use sites need a heavier-duty motor and a bigger battery.

When we quote, we estimate the gate’s weight from the frame and infill, ask how many cars use it, and size the motor with some headroom.

3. The gate must run freely before it is automated

This is the single most important check. Push the gate by hand. A sliding gate should roll smoothly along the whole run with no tight spots; a swing gate should hang level and not drop or bind. If the gate is bent, the track is uneven, the wheels are worn or a leaf has sagged, a motor will only hide the problem for a while and then strain or fail.

Before automating an existing gate we check:

• the track is straight, level and well anchored, with end stops;
• wheels and guide rollers turn freely and the gate cannot be lifted off the track;
• swing leaves are square, hinges are sound and the ground does not rise inside the opening;
• there is room for the motor plinth and a clear run for the cable.

Often a small fix (new wheels, re-levelling a track, re-hanging a leaf) makes an old gate suitable for a motor. Sometimes a new gate is better value, and we will say so.

4. Power cuts: battery backup and solar

Most residential gate motors run from a battery that a mains charger keeps topped up. When the power goes off, the motor keeps working from the battery for a number of cycles that depends on battery size, gate weight and the motor. That is why a battery backup is not an optional extra.

• Battery size: ask how many open–close cycles the system gives without mains power, and size up for heavy gates and busy driveways.
• Battery life: batteries wear out over time, and heat shortens their life. If the gate gets slow or stops after a short outage, the battery is the first thing to test.
• Solar charging: on new plots without a mains point near the gate, or where outages are long, a solar panel can charge the battery. It needs a sunny, unshaded spot and a correctly sized panel and battery; ask us to check your site.
• Manual release: every motor has a key release so the gate can be opened by hand. Make sure you know where the key is and how to use it.

5. Safety beams, remotes and access

• Safety beams (infrared sensors across the opening) stop or reverse a closing gate if a car, child or animal is in the way. We recommend them on every automated gate that closes across a driveway.
• Remotes: agree how many you need and whether they can be added later. Code-hopping remotes are harder to copy than fixed-code ones.
• Intercoms and keypads let visitors call the house or staff open the gate without a remote.
• GSM or app openers open the gate from a phone. They need mobile signal at the gate and a SIM or data plan.

6. Theft, lightning and anti-theft brackets

Motors and batteries do get stolen. A lockable anti-theft cage or bracket over the motor deters casual theft. Summer thunderstorms can also damage control boards through power surges, so ask about surge protection on the mains supply and a proper earth.

7. Plan automation before you pave

If you are building, decide early. A sliding motor needs a concrete plinth and a cable from the house in conduit; swing arms need cable to each pillar. Laying conduit before paving makes adding a motor later quick and tidy. Our Mmopane new-build notes cover this.

What to send for a gate motor quote

1. A photo of the gate straight on, and one of each end (track end or hinges).
2. The opening width and gate height, and whether it is sliding or swing.
3. How many cars use the gate on a normal day.
4. Where the nearest power point is, or whether you want solar.
5. Extras you want: safety beams, intercom, keypad, extra remotes, anti-theft cage.

New gates start from P6,000 for the gate itself. Motors and accessories are quoted on top, based on the gate and your site. See gates & automation for designs.