Load shedding has become a permanent feature of South African life — and for homeowners with automated gates, it raises an urgent practical question: what happens to my gate when the power goes off?
The short answer: with the right battery backup, your gate continues to work exactly as normal through any load shedding slot. Here's everything you need to know.
Most modern gate motors run on 12V or 24V DC internally, even though they're powered from 220V mains. This means a simple 12V battery can power your gate motor directly when mains power fails.
There are two approaches:
The standard battery used in gate motor backup systems is a 12V sealed lead-acid (SLA) battery, typically 7Ah capacity. These are:
Larger capacity batteries (12Ah, 18Ah) give proportionally more backup cycles but take up more space in the motor housing.
A standard 7Ah battery gives approximately 50–80 open/close cycles per full charge. For a typical family home using the gate 4–6 times per day, that's 8–13 days of operation with no mains power whatsoever.
In practice, mains power is always restored between load shedding slots, allowing the battery to recharge. You'll essentially never run out of gate power — even on Stage 6.
Homeowners often assume Stage 6 is where a gate battery finally gives up. The opposite is closer to the truth: load shedding is deliberately rotational, so the power is never off for a full 24 hours. Each gap between slots is a recharge window, and a healthy charging circuit makes the most of it. The scenario that actually drains a gate battery flat is a long unplanned outage — storm damage, transformer failure or cable theft — where the neighbourhood sits dark for a day or more.
| Scenario | Power off per day | Effect on a healthy 7Ah battery |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1–2 load shedding | 2–4 hours | No noticeable effect — recharges fully overnight |
| Stage 3–4 load shedding | 4–8 hours | Comfortable — weeks of continuous operation between charges |
| Stage 5–6 load shedding | 8–10 hours | Tight but manageable — the on-periods still allow a meaningful recharge |
| Extended outage (storm, cable theft) | 24 hours or more | The real test — expect 8–13 days of cycles before the battery is exhausted |
The takeaway: size your backup for outages, not for load shedding. If your area is prone to multi-day cuts, step up to a 12Ah battery or add a solar panel — the battery vs solar vs generator comparison breaks down which option suits which home.
Backup power only helps if the system actually works on the night you need it. Run through this checklist twice a year — before winter and before the December holidays are good habits:
If the test run shows the gate slowing, don't wait for the next outage to prove it — see our guide to battery replacement and lifespan and swap it before load shedding leaves you locked in.
For homes where the gate sits far from the house, or where outages stretch beyond a day, a small 10–20W solar panel with a charge controller keeps the battery topped up indefinitely. The panel charges the battery in daylight and the motor draws from it around the clock — effectively making the gate independent of the grid.
Solar kits suit sliding and swing gates in sunny Pretoria exceptionally well, but sizing matters: an under-panelled system slowly drains the battery through winter. Panel sizing, charge controllers and realistic costs are covered in our solar gate motor guide.
If load shedding catches you with a dead battery and the gate ignores the remote, you still have options:
Never force a gate to move on a stalled motor — repeated stalling burns out the control PCB and turns a R300 battery problem into a R2,000 repair. If the release mechanism is seized or you're unsure how yours works, call us on 072 079 7084 and we'll talk you through it or come out.
Centurion is by far the most common gate motor brand in Pretoria, and all current models include integrated battery backup:
If your Centurion motor is older and doesn't have a battery port, we can assess whether an upgrade or external kit is the better value.
Every gate motor — regardless of age or make — must have a manual release mechanism for emergency use. This allows you to disengage the motor and push the gate manually in case of a total power failure with a flat battery.
Know where your manual release is before you need it. It's typically a pull cord or release key supplied with the motor. If you've lost yours or don't know how to use it, contact us and we'll show you.
Battery backup is one of the most cost-effective upgrades you can make to your home security. A R300 battery means your gate never fails during load shedding.
Need a battery replaced or a backup system installed? Get a quote from Elektro Door or call 072 079 7084. We service all gate motor brands across Pretoria.
Related reading: Full backup power options for your home | Battery replacement and lifespan | Battery vs solar vs generator | Solar power for gate motors | Gate motor brand comparison
We carry stock and can usually replace same-day in Pretoria.
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