A gate motor battery is what lets a sliding or swing gate open and close when the power is off. Most residential gate motors run on a 12 V sealed lead acid battery of about 7 Ah, kept charged by a small charger inside the motor. When the gate slows down, stops halfway or refuses to open during an outage, the battery is usually the first suspect. This page covers sizes, warning signs, lithium options, the charger and protecting the battery from theft. Send one request for free, no-obligation quotes from local gate and battery suppliers.
Signs of a weak gate battery
A gate battery seldom fails all at once. Look out for:
- the gate moving slower than usual, especially when the power is off
- the gate stopping partway or reversing for no clear reason
- the motor beeping or flashing a battery warning light
- only one or two cycles in an outage before it gives up
- a swollen, cracked or leaking battery case
If a new battery does not fix it, the motor's charger, a blown fuse, a corroded terminal or a fault in the motor may be the real problem.
Sizes and how long they last
The common size is 12 V 7 Ah, with 8 Ah, 9 Ah and larger blocks used in some motors and in heavy estate gates. Some 24 V motors use two batteries in series. Fit the size and terminal type the motor was designed for and that will fit inside the box. Gate batteries usually last a few years, but heat inside a metal box in full sun, frequent outages and a busy gate shorten that. A battery that is a few years old and struggling is due.
Lithium gate batteries and the charger
Lithium versions of the 7 Ah block exist. They are lighter, handle more cycles and often carry the gate further during long outages. Check that the motor's charger suits lithium, or that the battery is sold as a drop-in for gate motors with a BMS that accepts the motor's charge voltage. Whichever you choose, ask the installer to test the charger output too: a faulty charger will kill a new battery quickly. Alarm panels use a similar battery: see CCTV and alarm backup.
Theft, estates and booms
Gate batteries are easy to steal. A lockable steel theft-proof box over the motor, an anti-theft bracket or a battery kept in a secure spot nearby with a longer lead all help. Estates, complexes and body corporates often run several gates, booms and pedestrian gates, which can be serviced together on one visit. Where outages are long, some estates add a small inverter or a larger battery to the gatehouse: see battery backup systems.
What to include in your request
- How many gates, booms or garage doors
- Motor type and the battery size it takes
- Lead acid or lithium
- Whether you want it fitted and tested
- Interest in a theft-proof box
Gate Motor Batteries for different clients
- Homeowners: a fresh 7 Ah battery so the driveway gate opens during outages
- Complexes, estates and body corporates: batteries for every gate, boom and pedestrian gate in the complex
- Offices and home offices: a gate battery so staff and deliveries get in when the power is off
- Shops, restaurants and salons: gate and roller door batteries for a shop yard and loading bay
- Farms and smallholdings: a larger gate battery for a long farm entrance gate on a solar charger
- Clinics, surgeries and care homes: gate batteries so ambulances and patients reach the clinic in outages
- Factories, warehouses, schools and churches: heavy gate and boom batteries for warehouse and factory entrances
- Electricians, installers and security companies: gate technicians and security companies buying 7 Ah batteries in quantity
Frequently asked questions
What is the gate motor battery price?
How long does a gate motor battery last?
Can I replace a gate motor battery myself?
Where can I find a gate motor battery near me?
Gate Motor Batteries by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg