How Long Does a Gate Opener Battery Last?

Gate opener batteries are in many cases like car batteries. And the price isn’t so light just because of the use. So, making the best out of each battery is a common goal among homeowners. 

So, how long does a gate opener battery last? And why is this information important?

Well, a gate opener battery life depends on your usage. In general, it can survive around 250 cycles. So why do you need to know this? Well, the gate opener battery is like a car battery. You don’t know when it’ll hang on you. 

We believe most of the people wouldn’t like finding their gat half-opened after returning from a long day. 

So, it’s important to know how long your gate opener battery can last. 

However, the lifetime of a gate opener battery depends upon a few factors. Moreover, there are a few tips and tricks that can extend your gate opener battery life. 

Now, let’s jump right into the details-

Factors Affecting Gate Opener Battery Life

We believe there are a few things that affect the life of everything related. For example, in the case of humans, smoking cigarettes is a factor that works closely with human lifetime. Even good batteries can have a short lifespan because of these factors. 

So, let’s look at the factors that affect the garage door opener battery life–

Lack of Maintenance

Just because of this reason most of the tools or equipment start showing problems. Think of it like this. How many days do you think that a piece of wood lasts out in the open? The answer is not long. 

Just like that, if you don’t take care of your battery on a regular basis, then it won’t last long. In fact, it’ll reduce significantly. 

So, how do you take care of a gate opener battery?

No, a battery doesn’t ask you to sacrifice blood for its proper maintenance. Rather it asks for a bit of water. To understand even better, we have to know how a battery works. 

Your battery is a plastic box containing some liquid and a few metal plates. These plates are made out of lead or in some cases, lead dioxide. These plates float in water and Sulfuric acid mixture. This mixture allows electrons to flow in between the plates. And the plates are connected to the motors via the wires. 

It’s important to keep the whole setting in perfect shape. And in this place comes the need for maintenance. 

Weather

We have already discussed the inside settings of the gate opener batteries. So, we know that it’s super important to keep the insides in perfect shape. 

That being said, now let’s move on to the role of weather in keeping those insides intact. 

Operating temperature is one of the most important factors that affect battery life. The optimum temperature for best battery functionality is in between 66-degree Fahrenheit and 90-degree Fahrenheit. 

So, if your battery is out there in snow then you can say bye to its longevity. To be more specific, high temperatures can affect the batteries’ life cycle and low temperatures can affect the battery capacity. So, keep your battery indoors and at an optimal temperature. 

As a result, your garage door opener battery replacement frequency increases. 

Recharge Voltage

In this case, you have to keep an eye out in the voltmeter. However, the proper voltage in a fully charged battery depends upon the garage door opener battery type. 

In the case of gel batteries, make sure that the fully charged status is between 13.8 to 14.1 volts. And in the case of AGM batteries, make sure it’s between 14.4 to 16.6 volts. 

You might hear people saying that this doesn’t matter, etc. but in the long run, it matters. 

How to Make the Battery Last Longer

Now that you know which factors affect the battery life, it’s time we look at the tips that will increase your battery life. 

Routine Inspection

We suggest that you do a monthly routine inspection for your battery. As a result, you’ll be able to troubleshoot garage door opener battery problems. 

Here are a few checkpoints to make the inspection easier-

1. At first look at the terminals. These terminals tend to corrode over time. As a result, your connection gets hampered. Regular maintenance will slow down the buildup in this area.  
2. Next in is the casing. Look for swellings. Even if the swellings are little don’t ignore those. 
3. After that, look for smells of any kind. Especially if you find smells like rotten eggs, you have to change the internals. This smell means your battery has generated hydrogen sulfite. 
4. Lastly, check the liquid level inside. If the level goes too low, then you have to fill in some water. 

To handle the corrosion, you must take a different approach. Collect some anti-seize lubricant. You can make this lubricant on your own. It’s basically a mixture of baking soda with water. After applying the solution, wash the surface with water and dry it up with a cloth. And if you want to be extra secure, then you can rub some petroleum jelly too. 

About the water changing-

Change the water inside every three months. You can go for 6 months at best without watering your battery. After that, you’ll find your garage door opener battery dead. But remember the more you delay after 6 months the more it affects battery life. 

Solar Power

A lot many users have claimed that the battery goes longer when it’s used with a solar panel. In normal conditions, the gate opener battery lasts for about 2-3 years. And with the solar panel integrated, it can go for a few more months. In the best case, it can go up to 4 years. 

However, if you don’t open or close your battery that frequently, then it’ll go even longer with the use of solar panels. If you program your gate opener for wireless control and hand over the remote to some child then it won’t last long. 

Bottom Line

There’s no direct answer to the question, ‘How long does a gate opener battery last?’ Its number will depend upon a lot of factors and your utilization of tips. 

So, good luck with your battery