Ranger 500 - Battery Will Not Stay Charged

The Ranger 500 from USAutomatic is a swing gate opener designed for residential environments, along with light commercial, farm, and ranch applications. It supports small to medium-sized gates up to 400lbs and 13ft long, making it a practical access control option for a wide range of properties. This troubleshooting article will break down what to check if your solar-powered unit’s battery will not stay charged.

Check out the full manual and additional troubleshooting tips here:

Why the Battery Will Not Stay Charged

Whenever this issue comes up with a Ranger 500 Swing Gate Opener, typically the reason is because of a bad battery. We highly recommend that you have your battery load tested at a proper location to verify that it is good. Getting it load tested is the only way to know 100% if it’s a good battery.

If you get the battery tested and it comes back as a good battery, there are other items that should be tested, including system design, installation, or charging issues with the battery controller.

Troubleshooting System Design and Installation

• Ensure the solar panel is facing towards the South or Southwest and that it is not shaded by an object


• System design refers to the accessories connected to the system. These devices cannot use more energy than the charging system can provide. Not all accessories are created equally, and some manufacturers' accessories draw significantly more current than others to perform the same function. This is rarely a concern with AC-powered systems, since the charger has a constant power supply.


• If the 120 VAC power tests normal, disconnect the DC adaptor from the battery controller. Then use a voltmeter to check the transformer output. It should read approximately 20 VDC. If the reading is incorrect, replace the transformer with USAutomatic part # 520009.

Testing Solar Charged Systems

Disconnect the solar panel plug from the battery controller input, then measure the DC voltage coming from the solar panel. Under clear skies with direct sunlight on the panel, the reading should typically be between 19 and 22 VDC.

If you require further assistance, feel free to contact our expert Sales Team! We’ll be happy to assist you with any questions you have about the USAutomatic Ranger 500 Swing Gate Opener.