Rural Security: Entrances, Gates and Locks

[perdurabo]

I live in a very remote area of south central TX. My driveway is almost 1600' long and that is off of the end of a long dirt county road. My gate is right up near the county road but my house is generally not visible from the county road, which is completely intentional (don't want anyone snooping around).

Right now I'm using a 16' agricultural tube gate for my gate that I simply lock with a heavy chain and one of those boron carbide Master combination locks. I have no problem stopping at the gate, getting out, unlocking and opening the gate, getting back in, driving through, getting out and then closing/relocking the gate. However, my wife is increasingly more complaintful that the lock is too hard to fiddle with (its often hard to get it to re-lock, you have to press hard on the loop to close it then twiddle with the combination spool to get it to lock... and often it just pops back open when you let go). Its so bad that she simply refuses to lock it now if shes the only one going through the gate. This is obviously a security issue. BTW I have livestock but theyre kept out of the driveway by other crossfence gates, so the locked gate is there more to discourage looky-loos and hoodlems trolling for an easy place to burglarize.

My wife says she wants an automatic gate opener but theres no AC electric running out there and I don't think its possible to have a LOCKING automatic gate that opens BOTH ways that runs off DC/battery/solar (and is actually affordable), and even if there were I'm betting that before long the battery and panel will get stolen or destroyed by local hooligans. In addition I WANT my gate to look just like a regular old farm gate, not the entrance to a house where people might have stuff that they might be able to easily steal because the house is not visible from the county road. We have compromised on not having an automatic gate, but she wants a better locking/latching system.

So does anyone out there have a secure gate lock/latch system that doesn't require the use of a traditional separate unit padlock/puck lock, doesn't require a chain, doesn't require electricity, and doesn't use keys that can be easily lost (ie, needs to use some kind of combination)? I'm thinking of some kind of gate latch that attaches to the latching post and locks the tube gate in place securely and has some kind of integrated combination lock that easily re-sets/re-locks. Is there such an animal?

How do other people do this?

 

[beenthere]

I figure an easy lock of your wife's choice. I don't see a reason to go overboard, as a determined hoodlum will bust his way in regardless of the size of the lock. Anyway, the bigger the lock, the more challenge but the more they would figure there is something big to protect. Anyone brave enough to go in 1600' figuring they are undetected is prolly prepared to be met with some force. If the gate is locked and someone comes down the drive then you should assume the lock is broken and will meet them with some force.
A bigger lock isn't important here. The main thing is keeping the gate closed with a firm no trespassing sign that will keep out the casual snoop just casing the joint.

Driveway alerts so when in the house you are aware of anyone's presence coming up your drive is what works well for me. My house is hidden but the drive is only 900-1000 feet. No gate, no signs, only drive alerts. On a second drive we have a farm gate with a small padlock. In 20 years, no tampering with that lock which is a keyed Master lock.

 

[SARG]

I'd be thinking about trading the lazy wife in for a newer .. more ambitious model.:thumbsup:

 

[teg]

When was the last time the lock had oil?

 

[passgas55]

I'd be thinking about trading the lazy wife in for a newer .. more ambitious model.:thumbsup:

A new lock would be a heck of alot cheaper.

 

[redberankubota]

Why does the gate have to open BOTH ways?

The might mule gate openers I have , can operate with solar power and are mounted inside the gates to be a little less obvious , and they offer a magnetic gate lock that`s activated by the controller... but the gate can only open one way. It can however open either in , or out , depending on how you set it up.

 

[Ken45101]

Mount the solar charger/battery a short distance inside the gate.

The problem with the simple systems like Mighty Mule is that all it takes is an adjustable wrench to unbolt them. As for absolute security, anyone can climb over the gate.

Another thing to consider, IMO, at least at our age, it emergency access. If you padlock the gate, how will the fire or EMS get in to help you if you are hurt?

We only chain our gate when we leave.

Perhaps a middle of the road approach is to put a big chain and padlock on the gate, but have the end of the chain hanging on a nail on the back of the post. Don't use the actual lock. It will look securely locked to anyone driving up, but you won't have to fool with the lock yourself. If anyone actually gets out and inspects it, they may notice the ruse, but like I said, they can climb it anyway.

Ken

 

[CurlyDave]

Emergency crews know how to get into locked gates, they do it all the time. Bolt cutters and push it open with the vehicle.

The Mighty Mule openers are not as secure as a real lock , although the convenience of just pushing a button without getting out of the car is nice.

I have mixed feelings on driveway alerts. To me, the absolute worst case is coming home to an "empty" house only to find an intruder inside. In that situation, the driveway alert gives the bad guys time to prepare for me coming back to my own house.

If I see a strange vehicle outside the house, I am not even going to try to go in, I will block the driveway with my car and call the sheriff. The deputies are paid to confront bad guys, I am not, and insurance will cover anything they break. Same with the garage, I always open it with the remote before entering the house, just to look in and see if there is another vehicle there.

Devote some thought to the best place to block the driveway and don't stay in your car if you have to do this. Find a place of concealment, where you can watch the developments and apply force as necessary, but where you are not a target for an escaping intruder who suddenly finds his only way out blocked. If you get cold weather in winter, this may require some preparation since you, and your family, could be there for quite a while.

BTW, a gate does not have to open both ways. You just need to stop your vehicle far enough from the gate and push the remote button they give you. Gate will open and you drive through.

 

[Ken45101]

Dave,

I spent ten years as a firefighter/EMT. We never carried bolt cutters on the life squad. Our engines didn't carry them either, we would have to wait for the heavy rescue unit. Of course that probably varies from one department to the next.

Busting gates with a vehicle is a Hollywood thing. Few departments are going to damage a vehicle and have it out of service for repairs, or maybe have it disabled and blocking the driveway.

I will agree with you about not confronting someone that's in your house. Not sure I would block the driveway however, you and your family would be safer with them gone rather than trapped and mad. Waiting for police here is not an option since response will likely be an hour or two.

Ken

 

[schmism]

you could put the biggest baddest lock on the chain you can find, but that chain cuts like butter! ie perhaps try a more simple lock in the short term.

our FD (which i serve on) would have no problem with either our bolt cutters, K saw, hooligan bar, recip saw, or our hurst jaws (aka jaws of life) if we really mean it. a mix of the above tools can be found on both our rescue and our front line pumper, either of which goes on every call.

consider a gate that slides back and forth, then you dont have to have it swing "both ways"

Solar has come far enough that you should be able to get a setup that works for that style gate. For backup put a second tube gate next to it with the chain that way if the sliding gate goes down your wife can still get in, you could either pull the chain off the gate or jump the power source with 12dc from your truck.