Mighty Mule Wireless Digital Entry Keypad for Automatic Gate Openers

My old keypad finally gave up so I went to TSC and grabbed a new one off the shelf. Opened it up to install it and became quickly perplexed. The directions for pairing it with my existing opener made no sense. Went back and read the package, and right there in somewhat squint-to-see sized print (I'm old. My eyes don't work so well anymore. Stop judging me.) was the opener model compatibility list. Guess which model gate opener I have. Yup, the one not designed to work with this keypad. I had to go back to the store and do the walk of shame to the return counter. As if this wasn't already bad enough, apparently the anti-theft sensor was still on the packaging and I now the entire store knows I walked in with a product I bought in error. As a public service, I will now present today's pro-tip: Make sure the keypad you purchase is actually compatible with your opener. It will make your life immeasurably easier. You're welcome.

This keypad is a great way to accessorize your mighty mule gate so guests can get in and out. The contents are tiny compared to the housing. The buttons are easy to press, and see, and light up well enough for night use. The unit is pretty light, and lightly built. The tabs holding the two halves together are screwed together with tiny screws slightly larger than eye glasses screws. I had to go find a special screwdriver just to get the box opened and closed. In the process I dropped one of the two tiny screws, since it’s so small I’ve never found it. I can’t even find a replacement screw they’re so tiny. But that’s OK, because the hole in the tab I had a screw for got stripped the first time I tightened up a screw in it. The tab is smaller than a pencil eraser, and that’s probably why the screws are so small, but it didn’t prevent me from stripping the hole on the side I had a screw for. If I were screwing into something other than plastic maybe this wouldn’t have happened. So I used my single screw left to screw in the remaining hole I had lost the first screw for. The wiring is simple, just two conductors are required. I’m using speaker wire Keep in mind the wires exit the center of the back of the unit when planning your wire runs. My biggest beef is that this unit can’t take power from the actuator battery, or solar panel, or both. It has to have its own batteries. Programming has been easy and straight forward.