A summer service story from Rocking Diamond Fence & Gate
Earlier this summer, a local businessman gave us a call. He had a beautiful set of white iron double gates with fancy scroll tops that looked like they belonged at the entrance of a Spanish villa. There was just one problem:
They wouldn’t open. Or close.
We showed up, took one look, and knew exactly what the issues were. The system was outdated, the wiring looked like something out of a ’90s science fair project, and the keypad—well, let’s just say it came from a non-US company that puts the cheap in “Cheaper by the Dozen.”
But the customer, like many these days, didn’t want to spend more than he had to. He asked if we could try to reduce costs and make the existing setup work.
We’re professionals. We don’t say no—we say “Let’s work on it.”
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Round One: Power Problems
First things first, we had him run a direct power line to the gate box. We returned and spent the day carefully wiring the system, testing each component, and verifying the circuit.
Eventually, we got the gate to respond—but only when you pushed a button from inside the control panel. Automatic function? Still dead.
We set up a temporary timer so the gate would at least open and close at scheduled times. Not ideal, but better than nothing. We worked with the corporate support techs at US Automatic (great people, by the way) and narrowed the next issue down to the keypad.
It was locked.
And no one had the key.
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Round Two: The Key That Never Came a/k/a “The great McLennan County Porch Pirate Caper“
We tracked down the keypad manufacturer—some little outfit overseas—and ordered a new key.
Then we waited.
And waited.
Finally, the tracking said “Delivered.”
We checked the mailbox.
Empty.
Another win for the porch pirates of McLennan County.
Seems like ever since that old country song “Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” came out, some of those mamas must’ve taken it too seriously. Their babies didn’t grow up to be cowboys — instead they grew up to be porch pirates and low-life thieves with nothing better to do than swipe packages from honest hardworking folks.
Package gone. Key gone. Time lost. Frustration rising.
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Round Three: The Gate Bites Back
Just as we were ready to cut bait, the customer found the original key—tucked away in a drawer, forgotten like last year’s resolutions.
We rushed back, unlocked the keypad, rechecked the wiring. Still no dice. The gate only opened and closed when the timer told it to. No remote function. No keypad response. Just a stubborn hunk of iron and circuits with a mind of its own.
More time on the phone with tech support. More diagnostics. More testing.
The verdict: the off-brand keypad was fried. Done for.
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Round Four: Doing It Right
So we did what should’ve been done in the first place in our opinion: We ordered a quality keypad, straight from a reputable USA supplier. When it arrived, we didn’t even give the porch pirates a chance—we were at that mailbox faster than a rooster on a June bug.
We headed to the job site, installed the new keypad, triple-checked every wire, and fired it up.
Click. Whir. Smooth as silk.
The gates opened. Closed. Responded perfectly to the keypad and remote.
No more hiccups. No more workarounds.
Just a reliable, professional gate system doing what it was made to do.
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The Lesson in the Gate
There’s a reason folks call us here are Rocking Diamond. It’s not just about fences and gates—it’s about doing things right.
This job reminded us, and hopefully reminds others, that:
• Cheap isn’t always cheaper.
• Cutting corners up front costs more in the long run.
• You don’t hire pros to tinker—you hire them to solve problems.
At Rocking Diamond Fence & Gate, we don’t just install and repair—we rescue jobs when things go sideways. We troubleshoot. We hustle. We stand between you and the chaos of “off-brand solutions.”
Whether you’re a rancher, a business owner, or a homeowner who’s tired of gates that don’t gate, we’re here to help.
Because in Texas, your gate oughta work as hard as you do.