How to install a Liftmaster LA500 Gate Operator AND some tips on a good gate!

Welding, electronics, fabrication, fixing things all in one video! What more could a Guy want??? I take you through a typical day for me out in the field. Show you how I install operators and point out mistakes I see everyday....

[@michaelgoergen6702]

A lot of money in that trailer for a one man show and working part time God bless you are doing something right thanks

[@10swatkins]

Well I like to do things right and a man has to have the right tools! And plenty of them :)

[@TrPrecisionMachining]

very good video steve

[@10swatkins]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@mickralph4623]

Very informative Steve. That's a really nice setup.

[@10swatkins]

Glad it was helpful!

[@leonardsmith82]

The top hinge is correct. If both hinges are facing up, anyone can just come and lift the gate of the hinge.. So if you have the top hinge facing down, its locked into position.

[@10swatkins]

Nobody lifts these kinds of gates, they just drive through them. And if they tried to lift the gate they still have to disconnect the arms... If you put the bottom hinge upside down it collects water in the cup and rusts shut after time.. Plus the weight is carried by the ball on the top hinge alone, needs both...

[@phillipjones3342]

I’m too old to do that job now, but I wished I had known about it in my earlier years. Lots of knowledge there. Thanks for sharing.

[@10swatkins]

Any time!

[@wouldbepilot3988]

Another Masterclass - thanks Steve and a Happy Christmas and New Year

[@10swatkins]

Same to you!

[@carlwhite8225]

Thanks Steve, great video as always.

[@10swatkins]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@bernardwill7196]

I wish Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family.

[@10swatkins]

Same to you!

[@jeffhopper3526]

Thank you for filming your work. I can better appreciate the work & skill required to install a system properly. Since welding is not a current skill of mine, I will call a gate pro.

[@10swatkins]

And who says a gate pro can weld.... Some of the things I have seen !

[@ronmurphy9819]

Thanks for bringing us along. Ron

[@10swatkins]

Any time!

[@southmaplegarage]

🤣 the bananas reference is golden. Great in the field video, ton of great info.

[@10swatkins]

Thanks! 👍

[@grcerosa]

Fabulous job💪🏻👍🏻

[@10swatkins]

Thank you so much 😀

[@jeffnevius]

Merry Christmas Steve and Don

[@10swatkins]

Thanks Jeff.. You too!

[@robertbutler8004]

The top rail of that gate has a huge bow in it.

[@tangowhiskeytrailertranspo6662]

Thanks for the show Steve. Members of the "My parent's bubble wrapped everything" and "Everyone gets a trophy" generations will gasp in HORROR when they watch this video, while sitting on the couch in their mommy's basement.

[@10swatkins]

Thanks :)

[@leebriand5305]

Thanks interesting

[@10swatkins]

Glad you think so!

[@W4BIN]

I agree with the top hinge being upside down. I put the photo detector two or three feet further from the gate. The stripped and tinned wires, I bend them in half and smash with pliers with jaws with groves. I would paint the gate welds with "Kelly green" spray pant. The round insignia would be better installed with bolts and nuts, so it can be removed and re-painted when it fades. I would place the signs much higher so they can be read from the driver's seat of cars. I mount the closer on the bottom rail, looks better. (less obvious) Ron W4BIN

[@10swatkins]

You must eat a lot of carrots! Reading that sign from the front seat of anything other than a min-bike is going to be tough! Anyway I put them on the best way I can without damaging the gates and I will guarantee you that only about 1 in a 100 sets of those signs will be there 15 minutes after I leave, Homeowners hate them. Bottom rail is good sometimes.. Top rail is good sometimes... Middle is good sometimes...

[@Gjed16]

Great video. How much resistance to manually pushing the gate open do these openers provide? With a big long gate like that, considering the leverage factor, it would seem to be pretty easy to push the thing open, breaking the mounts or bolts, etc. Of course a sliding gate could deadbolt into a U shaped pocket. Can you incorporate some sort of deadbolt on the far end of gate in the controller as well?

[@10swatkins]

A lot... Any gate can be pushed open, just depends on what you push with :) In my Paramedic days "No Code, No Problem" was routine. Not a single gate stood up to the front push bumper of any ambulance or especially a Fire Department Pumpers Bumper. NEVER put a lock on a gate operated by a opener unless you disable the operator! You will end up tearing up the operator at some point and that will get expensive... The simple one I put on in this video was 1800.00 just for the parts in that box. You can put a Mag Lock on the far side of the gate IF you have 110 volt power, no solar. That is an electromagnetic lock that is controlled by the operator and is turned off and on when the gate functions. So since any gate can be defeated it is always nice to know when someone is defeating it! That Watchman 450 sends a email, text or phone call whenever the gate is opened, closed, propped open, someone enters a code or , more importantly someone is entering codes just guessing about them....

[@johnb5519]

Very interesting Steve. I've never really payed much attention to how those gates work, but now I know. Is there any latch mechanism, or does it just stay closed with the linear actuator.

[@10swatkins]

most all of them are strong enough to stay closed. Sometimes we put electromagnets on the post side that are controlled by the operator.

[@jorgeestrada382]

Good video

[@10swatkins]

Thanks for the visit

[@jorgeestrada382]

@10swatkins can this motors hold a 12 x6 gate with wood

[@northwestgaming4049]

Only openers i install now will be usautomatic or liftmaster. I alway did us automatic but just a la500 on a bigger set of custom gates i made and a la400 on the back smaller set. I really liked the set and will continue to use if they run problem free.

[@10swatkins]

Had too many problems with the us autos... Liftmaster only now... LA 500 lasts a lot longer than the 400's but if a gate is already setup for a 400 it's just not cost effective to switch it to a 400 :(

[@northwestgaming4049]

@10swatkins the gates are double 7ft and I didn't think I would need a 24v system is all the front where double 14ft gated and felt the 24v system would work better. They just wanted the myq to sync with garage door app.

[@10swatkins]

@@northwestgaming4049 It's not so much the voltage of the motors I see... The 500 has a different arm drive system that lasts a lot longer than the tube drive... I have seen about 3 of the tubes fail at the weld nut in the last couple of years : ( I only set up the CellGate access systems on gates so I bypass the Myq and have no opinions on that.. Thanks for watching..!

[@Bobs-Wrigles5555]

Hi Steve, very informative video, learned lots and would like a farm gate like that on our property, but I don't think you do site visits to Down Under( Yes, I caught the banana ref), will have to see what's available locally. A question, at 2:00 when you are showing us the catawampus gate across the road, I notice there's another bent pipe keypad out from the this gate, is that part of the gate setup and did you transfer it across to the new system or is it for something else, I'm wondering about the capabilities of the Liftmaster as a replacement(can you reuse other brands keypads etc)? BTW If we don't get a chance before it happens, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your loved ones(inc Don)

[@10swatkins]

You pay travel and I come ;) I do have customers all over the US .... In the last couple of years I have traveled to Oklahoma, New Mexico, Georgia, Louisiana. The keypad Pedestal you see in the video was existing... It is a good post and here in this video I explain why. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZaYcqBsp8aNaJo The Keypad on it was a 5 code wireless Liftmaster and the post was too low to get good pictures of people in pickup trucks.. So it would have had to be replaced and wires run to it so the owner just saved money and put it where we did.

[@Bobs-Wrigles5555]

@@10swatkins Thanks for the quick answer Steve. I don't think I could spring the pesos for a site visit. Thanks for the link, but have already watched it, very good points about snagging/shorting wires, I used to work for the big Telco here and any wiring going inside a metal pipe had to go inside flexy conduit, same as you used for down from the head unit, everywhere else was run in UPVC. I just thought maybe you had reused the keypad from the old unit, but as usual the $ speaks, thanks.

[@kgiweld]

They put the top hinge upside down to keep people from lifting the gate off the hinges to brake in. ( the lazy way) I agree it needs to be right side up and a stop plate can be welded to prevent them form lifting it off. I also use marine grade grease for outdoor hinges.

[@10swatkins]

Problem is they almost never lift a gate anymore... Driver right through with a car or truck is much easier! Lots of people also tell me that if they put one of my cameras on the gate it will get shot out.... In the History of Cell Gate they have had exactly 2 cameras shot in the last 20 years!

[@jma24]

I have a horrible Mighty Mule gate opener which is detached because it’s so unreliable. This video is a masterclass and a great product recommendation from someone who is clearly an expert. Question - how do you fasten the brackets to aluminum gates and posts?

[@10swatkins]

I won't even come to look at a gate with a Mule on it :( Thanks for watching...

[@jma24]

@@10swatkins Yeah it was a big mistake. I wish I had watched this video first because now I have to buy a second system and install it.

[@jeffhopper3526]

Can you recommend a gate installer that works in the Dripping Springs, TX area. If you do, that's even better.

[@10swatkins]

No sorry, I install Cellgate keypads in those areas but not gates...

[@heathlocke8714]

Hi Steve, I have a LA412 connected to solar. It never really worked due to lack of solar. I have now ran power down to the gate and need to connect it. Do I need a new board or will the one I have work? I was told I needed the LA500 board. Can these all be purchased so I can install it myself? Thanks

[@10swatkins]

Personaly I would buy a charger like this www.amazon.com/Schumacher-SC1300-Automatic-Battery-Maintainer/dp/B07894CFCR/ref=asc_df_B07894CFCR/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312632042117&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16873067870964577073&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027704&hvtargid=pla-490818043186&psc=1 Then get a larger battery and mount that and the charge in a box of some sort and feed your current board that way... Look up my email on the channel about page and send me a picture of your board.... The 412 is a 12 volt arm and all you need to do is supply 12 volt to the board...

[@Studio-jk1tv]

Good video. I’m installing a LA412DCS system. Can you give me an idea how much I should charge? The gate has already been installed. I’m just installing the 2 arms, control panel, solar panel and etc…

[@10swatkins]

I charge 125 and hour..

[@Studio-jk1tv]

@@10swatkins thx

[@cindynguyen6757]

Hi steve, is the set up for an out swing the same as an in swing gate?

[@10swatkins]

Just have to change a few things, the way the arm mounts to the Post and then program it....

[@cindynguyen6757]

Thank you for the awesome video

[@leebriand5305]

Where did you attach the grounding wire from the ground rod to the LA500…Thanks

[@10swatkins]

I have a bare copper grounding wire going through a small hole I drilled in the bottom left of the control box... I put a round eye on it and screw it to the metal plate where the other grounds are attached around the 110 volt plugs..

[@Retrosmack]

For some reason our gate arm keeps slipping the track and it clicks and skips and wont close. We’ve been having a hard time fixing and troubleshooting it. Any idea on what could be causing it?

[@10swatkins]

email me pictures and I'll have an idea of what you have...

[@Retrosmack]

@@10swatkins much appreciated. It is the same LA500 you’re installing. I’ve found that my child pulled the gate manually and it caused the nylon threaded screw to strip. Causing the gate to not be able to hold the load when closed. Much appreciated for your reply. I have a nylon nut on its way should be here Saturday.

[@Hoaxer51]

I’m not sure how you are pounding that ground rod In with, but a rotohammer with it set on hammer really works great without killing yourself swinging an eight pound sledgehammer. You probably already know this but someone else might be able to use the info.

[@engineerwrecker8153]

Interesting Video but where is Don suppose to lean?

[@10swatkins]

HE wants a gate.... :) But I have been sick as a dog and keeping away from him....

[@jasonsatterley4282]

That la 500 sure looks rinky dinky compared to that beefy one you took off.

[@10swatkins]

Oh contraire.... The one I took off is a piece of )$)#@($ I replace them a lot... The 500 is what I have on my 16 foot gate and hundreds of others.

[@cannon440]

Why the need for a gate? High crime?

[@10swatkins]

That and animals and good fences make good neighbors..