Mighty Mule FM502 Automatic Gate Opener for Heavy Duty Dual Swing Gates
by Mighty Mule
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List Price: Our Price: $649.99 You Save: $195.01 (21%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Tools See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Mighty Mule FM502 Automatic Gate Opener for Heavy Duty Dual Swing Gates
Customer Review: A big disappointment
Summary: 1 Stars
We bought the Mighty Mule 502 about 2 years ago. We also purchased the 10 watt solar panel, lights, lock and keypad. The system has been giving us constant problems from the start. From the odd, confusing and frustrating way in which the gate limits have to be set to the very noisy motors. The problems first started with the lights. They seem to have a mind of their own. Sometimes the lights work, sometimes they don't, sometimes they only work half the time and sometimes they turn on randomly (when the gates are not running). Sometimes both gates will open and sometimes only one gate will open. Sometimes both gates will close and sometimes only one gate will close. Sometimes we will hear the lock, unlock and then neither gate will open. Sometimes the gates will attempt to move but cannot because the lock was not released. Sometimes one of the gates will start to move then stop. Sometimes the alarm will sound and sometimes it will not. When all these problems occur, sometimes switching the power off and back on will work and sometimes cycling the power is a futile attempt. Sometimes smacking the black plastic cabinet that contains the electronic board with a big brick works, in fact most of the time this works! The system has forgotten or lost the gate set limits at least 5 times (maybe I should loose the brick?). All the wiring connections have been checked and rechecked for a good clean contact. The battery that came with the system only lasted about 3 months. The replacement (purchased from a local electronics supply store) has been holding a good charge. I recommend to anyone looking for automatic gate openers to search elsewhere as the MM502 will only be a constant source of frustration.
12/05/2009 I replaced the main control board with the newer "blue" version about 3 weeks ago. This new control board just quit working yesterday evening. A quick check with a volt meter shows the battery is good and is getting properly charged. The board is not supplying power to the gate motors. GTO, synonymous with crap.
Customer Review: Good tech support, horrible warranty support
Summary: 2 Stars
As a technician that installed and has supported (repaired) a Mighty Mule 502 for over 2 years, I have experienced the following:
About 11 months after installation it stopped working. Tech support was excellent (approx. 24 hour email turnaround) in helping diagnose a problem with the main control board and gave us a return auth(RGA number). Upon installation of the new control board we noted one gate/motor didn't function. They asked us to return it, we did.
They refused, however, to warranty it. They stated we had 'fried' it somehow (either applying wrong voltage/current?). This gate is over 200 feet from any power source other then the 18v AC wires required to charge the 12v battery, how we could have damaged it is a mystery. Barring a lightning strike, the only way it could have been damaged was because of the faulty control panel.
Now it is about one year later and the other (slave) gate/motor isn't functioning. My interpretation of this is that either these motors only have a 2 year life expectancy, or the control board problems shortened the life of one motor while burning out the other. Either way, GTO/Mighty Mule will not cover it. At well over $300 per unit (not including labor) this effects the overall cost (true/operating cost) quite a bit.
I would check the reliability/warranty-support of other manufacturers before ever buying another Mighty Mule (GTO) product.
Customer Review: I once owned a top of the line GTO gate opener
Summary: 3 Stars
Several years ago I bought a top of the line GTO Gate Opener - the GTO modsel, not Mighty Mule. I had a ton of trouble with it, fried the board, too, it was just too complicated, and oh so easy to get it wrong. I got fed up with it not working after a power outage - it fried the fuses every time - so I took it off and threw it in the trash.
I kept thinking about keeping things as simple as possible, so I bought the bog standard Mighty Mule 200 - the lowest and cheapest you can get - all for $250 including shipping. I do realize both are made by the same company GTO.
I fitted it using the GTO fittings, changed a few things around and it was working in a couple of hours.
Guess what! Here's what was different:
Opens 3 times faster than the super-duper GTO model
Doesn't blow fuses when power comes back on after an outage
Much simpler electric panel uses all same fittings etc.
Will open from 500 foot with the long distance transmitter
And has been going now for 3 years non-stop and with no attention required.
I hope this helps someone who is contemplating a purchase.
Here is what I bought:
Mighty Mule FM200 Gate Opener For Single Gates Up to 12-Feet Long and 300-Pounds
Customer Review: Simply does not work
Summary: 1 Stars
I bought the model 502 some 12 months ago. I never managed to make it work. It may work a day or two but then start the problems: the beeper does not stop to beep; at any time, day and night (the neighbors love it!); means: the device is out of control and will neither open nor close; just beep. The whole is a complete misconception; the electronic part is fully out of control and will constantly signal whatever problem and/or simply not work. Sure is: you will open your door manually 4 out of 5 days! The charger that comes delivered is actually a transformer without any function. I also bought the 5 W solar panel: forget about; it will charge the battery on an extremely sunny day up to one cycle; from then on, you open your gate by hand (I live near the equator) for the next 24 hours. If you like to sit in your car and to realize that you have to leave it in order to open your gate: Buy the FM502; it'll keep you fit!
A complete waste of money and time for a perfect dissatisfyer.
Customer Review: Buy another brand!!!
Summary: 1 Stars
I bought a GTO 3200 dual gate opener about 5 years ago. I have had nothing but problems. I have spent almost as much on replacement parts and PC boards as the entire unit cost. Yes, the customer service is very good, but I lost count of how many hours I have spent sitting on the ground at the control box with my meter in hand trying to track down "what the problem is this time". I even sent a couple of motor control boards back under warrenty and never recieved any $ back. Even stactic electricity in the air from a storm a few miles away will destroy the control board. The only way I stopped that was to fuse the incoming 18 volts and ground rod everything. They don't tell you to do this from the start. Mighty Mule and GTO are the same company. Buy another brand!!!