Ghost Controls Heavy-Duty Automatic Gate Opener Kit for Swing Gates with Long-Range Gate Opener Remote - Model TDS2

We installed the Ghost opener 2 weeks ago and love it…I mean love it. At the same time we also purchased 2 openers and the wi-fi kit. First the App works great. No issues. Openers easy to program too. A person probably does not need both, but more options better in our situation. Total install time, 5 hours. Post was poured 2 months ago. Needed to get a battery from Home Depot but all other parts needed were included to include bolts to attach gate. Purchased gate from local farm store. 260.00. So basically for 1,100 bucks after concrete and post for entire project. Ghost arm looks beefy and works well. Auto shuts after 15 seconds. App gives other options for quests etc. pleased.

Ghost gate controller is definitely an up-grade from similar other gate controllers, (If you are reading this you know the ones I'm referring to). I have owned and installed several name brands and find Ghost to be a true DYS product.I found customer service easy to get of hold of and very easy to work with.I would spend the extra small amount of money for a great opener.

I bought the gate opener, the lock, an extra remote and two cordless keypads for guests coming and going. It wasn't too bad installing. Here are some tips. First, i built my support columns out of 6x6 wooden posts buried 2 feet in concrete. They recommend installing the opener with posts but I wrapped the posts in salvaged stone I cut with a grinder. To affix the opener and lock I built out the posts with chunks of 4x4 as pictured. That way I could screw into wood rather than stone which I thought might not hold. The posts took about 12 hours and I am a general contractor. On the lock side i had to leave room in the stone for the zombie lock to grab hold of the stationary vertical bolt it grabs as it extends beyond the gate and my gate closes close to the stone. They say not to put a wheel on the gate which i understand in most situations. However, my driveway runs downhill and the wheel only touches ground just before the gate closes. With a wheel, my gate support post has the weight taken off it and the zombie lock glides in perfectly every time. Beneath the wheel right where the gate closes I poured some mortar flush to the ground into a small depression i dug. That way the wheel does not wear a groove into the ground defeating its purpose of gate support. Where the wheel attaches to the gate and where the arm attaches to the gate, you must bolt through everything or the wheel will rotate up and the arm will slide. If the arm slides just a little the gate will not keep shutting correctly. I thought the wiring would be hard but it was easy. The instructions were pretty good but i watched some videos on you tube. Programming remotes and keypads took longer than i would like. After you get it, its easy, but it does take a while.. The instructions they provided with the keyless pad for guests included an addendum i did not see at first. The addendum explained the programming of the keypad whereas the original instructions did not. That drove me mad for an hour and a half so i called customer service. They got back to me the next day but by then i had figured it out. It took a little while to find the buttons in the control box you must press when you first teach the opener how far to open and close. Also, that first week, my gate was smetimes just barely hitting the stone when it closed. So occasionaly it would have to stop short of closing. When it did that it would jump back a foot and stay there. It took me a while to figure out that's what it does when it hits an object while closing. Anyway, the gate was real work - mostly the stone I wanted and it took a while to iron out all of the above issues. But it has been working to perfection now for weeks and oh what a pleasure not to get out of the truck especially in the rain. I highly recommend it. A cut above the low end openers with fewer options.. Lastly, this gate, yours too, is simply a privacy feature. If somebody breaks through it I know what to do. It can easily be defeated with a wrench. You just have to unbolt the arm from the gate. Same with the lock. If somebody dislikes you they can snip the electrical control cord or steal your battery or smash the control box. All very unlikely but thats the reality.One year later or thereabouts the gate is still working great. I am.happy with it. On several occasions over the year, maybe 6 times, it has done something weird like close and then open back up partially when i have gone. At first I tried reprogramming it. Later, i just unhooked it from the battery and it seemed to reset itself and operate properly again. It just gives me peace of mind, and stops the door to door marketers and others i don't want from coming to my house especially when I am not home. So a couple glitches here and there is tolerable. Anybody can open this gate by removing a pin from the hydraulic piston that closes it, but if they do that, they understand why i have a gun in my hand when they show up. Haven't needed to do that, which is why i love the gate.

The media could not be loaded. I went the extra mile and welded ball bearing hinges on and the welding and metal work took me a bit. Instruction good if you dyi people want to install operator your self. the electrical part is plug and play a little bit of wiring in the control box but it’s all labeled and easy. It is so nice not too get in and out to open and close the gate. The kit I bought has many different functions. Time open gate key pad entry remote open from car and truck. Look at the video close the gate slows down right before full open and close nice feature that my Dads does not have. Quiet operation beep warning if you choose before gate opens and closes. You might want to get a few 1/2” CGB wire connectors or you can just drill holes box is plastic.Gate opens fairly fast and can be programmed to stay open for 6 seconds to a hour or party mode lets you keep gate open until you choose to close. Solar panel is compact and operator is fully included protecting motor from the elements. I wish I would have bought this a long time ago

Overall, i think it's a good system, especially for the money. Been using it about 6 months without too many problems. Easy to install but you must read the directions closely. They are clear and easy to follow, but you need to read them, or you will miss little programming steps that are important. Many of my problems were user error. If something isn't working right, carefully read the directions again. Buy the Ghost automatic gate lock or you will have problems. Don't buy cheaper aftermarket locks because this one has three wires, and it won't work without. Overall, the lock is very good.i have had problems with the exit drive sensor not working. it might be my fault but i haven't figured out the problem yet. Only other issue i have had is that sometimes (when windy) it does not lock and might even open back up, about 2 feet. Plenty of space for goats and cows to exit.Doesn't happen often, but it does happen. Possibly operator error but the wind can push bigger gates, so I watch it to make sure it locks. Good System that most people could install.