Will my gate motor work during load-shedding?

Updated September 2026 by Florin Ristea, General Manager.

Yes, if the motor runs on a battery and the battery is healthy. Robo Door fits Centurion motors, and Centurion's specification for them includes battery backup (D5-Evo SMART, D10 SMART). With it, the gate keeps opening through an outage; without it, the motor stops when the power does. Cycles per outage depend on battery capacity and age, gate weight and how freely it runs. Test the battery twice a year.

How the backup works

The motor draws from a battery that the mains keeps topped up. When the power goes, the gate runs on the battery until the mains returns and recharges it. A gate that cycles four times a day will last far longer on the same battery than a complex gate cycling forty times. A heavy gate, a sloping driveway or a dragging wheel all shorten the runtime.

Batteries are consumables

A battery loses capacity with age and heat. Robo Door recommends having it tested on the six-monthly maintenance visit rather than finding out it is flat at stage six. Larger batteries and solar charging can be fitted where the motor supports them, and Robo Door specifies them within the motor manufacturer's electrical limits, never beyond.

Manual release

Centurion's motors have a manual release locked with a key. Every person who might need to leave the property in an emergency should know where that key is kept and how to re-engage the gate afterwards. Robo Door shows you at commissioning.

Keep the gate mechanically light

A gate that is hard to move by hand wastes battery on every cycle and overloads the motor. Our terms of sale set the routine: lubricate rollers, hinges, motor parts and tracks every six months, and keep the track clear of stones and sand. Fix a dropped hinge or a worn wheel before it becomes a motor failure.

What Robo Door specifies on a new installation

• Motor class matched to the gate's mass and travel
• Battery and charger, with the expected usage recorded
• Manual release and who was shown how to use it
• Safety beams and obstruction detection as required
• The warranty on the gate (two years manufacturing on driveway gates) and the separate warranty on the motor

Retrofitting an old gate

If your existing gate has a motor without battery backup, Robo Door can fit a Centurion replacement, provided the gate runs freely. If the running gear is worn or the frame has rusted through at the bottom rail, replacing the gate is usually the better spend. The site visit tells you which.

Next step

If power cuts are long where you live, ask for a larger battery: Centurion says the battery can be upgraded for longer cover. Request a free quote, WhatsApp +27 82 888 1919 or call 082 888 1919.