QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON INSTALLING
SOLAR-OPERATED AUTOMATIC GATES
IN NORTHERN ILLINOIS

Q. Can I install a solar-powered automatic gate system in the Chicago Area?

A. Yes! Although solar-power has long been thought of as only working in the desert where the sun shines almost every day, the fact is that solar-powered automatic gate systems can and do operate just as reliably in Northern Illinois as they do in Phoenix, Tucson, Albuquerque or anywhere else in the Desert Southwest.

Q. Don’t we have too many cloudy days in Chicago? And what happens in the winter when it is cloudy for several days or more?

A. No. Any solar-powered installation is designed to take into account the installation’s geographical location. We specifically design each of our solar-powered installations to fit the unique requirements of that particular site. Among the design criteria we consider when planning an installation is the site’s view of the southern sky, the size and weight of the gates themselves, the equipment that will power the gates, any added equipment that must also be powered such as gate telephones, opening and safety devices and in some cases lighting and even security cameras. Once we know the power requirements of all the equipment that will be installed at the site we can engineer a system to provide adequate solar power to operate that installation.

Q. Isn’t solar power expensive compared to using the electricity already available on site?

A. No. For example, if you wish to install an automatic gate system that is more than 500 feet from the on-site power source, solar will almost always be less expensive to install than trenching, laying conduit and pulling the power wiring from the power source to the actual gate location. Or if you just want to install a solar-powered automatic gate system without having to use another watt off of the power grid, solar-power will usually add around ten percent to an installation.

Q. Do I have to have a big solar panel located next to the gate?

A. No. We can usually conceal the solar panel so that it is hidden by landscaping but still has an unobstructed view of the southern sky.

Q. What other advantages are there to a solar-powered Automatic gate system?

A. Besides saving money on the electricity that you aren’t drawing from the electrical grid to power your automatic gate system, your gates will continue to operate during power outages.

Q. How long have you been installing solar-powered automatic gate equipment?

A. We installed our first solar-powered automatic gate system in September of 2001.  Solar power may be the new, hot technology but we have nearly a ten year history in solar-powered systems.