all odds against me today?

[SilverNodashi]

What are the odds. We wanted to goto the shops to get some material for my wife to make some stuff. It's after 3PM already and the material factory is a good 45minutes drive away with all the robots and traffic into town.

We can't drive my car cause it's empty and I know the garage will be a bit busy right now. Ok, no problem, use the other car.
Neither can we drive my wife's car since the battery is flat. oh boy...
Luckily my mom's 4x4 is still here, but doesn't want to start. what now? I pop open the bonnet and see the battery terminal came loose. Fixed it, started the car, ready to go.
The gate won't open. I'm sure I put in a new battery a few months ago, and the light comes on. Call the cleaning lady, her remote doesn't work either. I still used my remote yesterday. And to top it off, I can't find the key for the gate motor so I can't even override the motor. AARRRGG!!!! Something tells me we shouldn't go out today

[desA]

Hit a stywe doppie & chill.

Definitely not the day to be going out.

[tec0]

With all the things that went wrong for me and a few friends I announce today to be known as Murphy’s Law day. “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong� I am just thankful I don’t have a pacemaker

[Dave A]

On that form, tomorrow should be plain sailing by comparison.

[greghsa]

Not to be funny but it sounds like a guardian angel was pretecting you from something...

[SilverNodashi]

Does anyone know if a Centurion D3 gate motor has a generic key, or are they all unique? And what do I do if I can't find the key?
Has anyone ever had this problem?

[Dave A]

You're not still trapped inside your property, Rudi?

[SilverNodashi]

You're not still trapped inside your property, Rudi?

unfortunately, yes

[Dave S]

Unique keys

Does anyone know if a Centurion D3 gate motor has a generic key, or are they all unique? And what do I do if I can't find the key?
Has anyone ever had this problem?

Yes the keys are unique, you'll need to get a locksmith... oh wait... he'll need to get into your property to fix it. OH Boy Murphy sure has your number.

[SilverNodashi]

Yes the keys are unique, you'll need to get a locksmith... oh wait... he'll need to get into your property to fix it. OH Boy Murphy sure has your number.

yea, that also crossed my mind. I'm sure he could climb over the electric fence, but would probably not enjoy it that much

[Dave A]

This is starting to sound expensive. Ladder, insulated pliers to cut the electric fence, locksmith call-out, electric fence repair call-out, food deliveries...

Might be cheaper to force or break the lock at this rate.

[Dave A]

Or get someone to deliver batteries for the remote.

Another thought - have you checked the power to the gate isn't switched off somehow.

[wynn]

have you checked the power to the gate isn't switched off somehow.

I was about to mention that!!!

[SilverNodashi]

Or get someone to deliver batteries for the remote.

Another thought - have you checked the power to the gate isn't switched off somehow.

Remotes (all 4) are fine


Anyhow, I got out, eventually. It turns out the power to the gate motor was off, and the battery ran flat. I didn't know where the motor got its power from since it was installed by the time I got here and the owner was overseas. The power cable runs under the paving so I couldn't trace it.

Every switch I checked was on though but the one circuit breaker's lever is broken off so I couldn't really check it. Murphy's law, it was the one that fed power to the gate motor. It turns out that the garden lights and water fountain uses the same switch and I think it overloads when the water feature and lights are on at the same time, and the gate is being used. Chances are though it tripped a few days before and the battery only finally ran out now.

I used the gate 3 times today with no problems. Need to get the electrician to replace the circuit breaker with a bigger one, and possibly put in an isolator for the gate.

[Dave A]

Rudi - free at last