Wrought iron
Wood & steel frame
Farm & ranch
Sliding driveway gates
LiftMaster operatorsFree on-site gate assessment - hinges, posts, and your LiftMaster or Nice gate operator checked before anything is quoted
The assessment is free and the quote is the invoice.
Get your free estimateWhy Los Angeles Homeowners Choose Ghost Controls Gate Repair
Calder Gate Repair Los Angeles provides independent Gate Repair for Ghost Controls systems across the city, from the Palisades to Silver Lake and every hillside and flatland neighborhood in between. We work on Ghost Controls AxD, DTP, TSS, and ABBT operators every week, which means we’ve seen the failure patterns that owners’ manuals don’t mention. We’re not authorized by Ghost Controls, but that’s exactly why Los Angeles homeowners call us: we diagnose the actual problem, quote a real dollar figure before any work starts, and back every repair with our 365-Day Done Right Promise. If your Ghost Controls gate is acting up, call (213) 322-1415 and tell us what it’s doing wrong.
Ghost Controls has earned a loyal following in Ghost Controls repair in Los Angeles because their operators are genuinely good hardware at a fair price. But like any electromechanical system exposed to Santa Ana winds, dry heat, and hillside soil movement, they fail. Our techs know the specific boards, arms, and solar controllers that break on these units, and we stock the parts locally to turn most Ghost Controls repairs around same-day. Nico Alvarez, our owner, grew up in Boyle Heights and has been working on LA gate systems long enough to know that a Ghost Controls gate acting up on a Friday afternoon isn’t going to fix itself by Monday.
Why Trust Calder Gate Repair Los Angeles for Your Ghost Controls Gate Repair?
We’re not generalists who happen to recognize the Ghost Controls logo. Our technicians have rebuilt Ghost Controls gate operators across Los Angeles for years, learning the specific quirks of their control boards, arm assemblies, and solar-ready systems through daily hands-on work. That hands-on history means we know, for example, that an AxD board showing a blinking error light after a brownout usually needs a reflash, not a full board replacement. And we know that a DTP arm grinding but not moving is almost always a stripped gearbox, not a motor failure. Nico Alvarez sharpened his technical skills in the industrial electricity and mechanical systems program at East Los Angeles College, then spent years running gate and access-control jobs across the greater LA area before launching Calder Gate Repair. The guy can diagnose a Ghost Controls problem over the phone faster than most people can find their gate remote.
Here’s how that expertise translates to your repair. We prioritize genuine Ghost Controls OEM control boards and arm kits because the safety logic on these operators is calibrated to original components. But when OEM parts are backordered or unavailable in LA’s supply chain, we use sealed aftermarket batteries and weather-proof glands that we’ve tested in the field and trust. Every repair includes a written price before we touch a single bolt, a written guarantee on the work, and a free second visit if the repair fails within 365 days. That’s not a marketing line. It’s the 365-Day Done Right Promise, and it’s written on every invoice we hand out in Los Angeles.
Styles & brands we work with
Common Ghost Controls Gate Repair Problems We Fix in Los Angeles
- AxD boards losing programming after power surges. The AxD series is Ghost Controls’ workhorse swing-gate operator, but its control board is sensitive to voltage spikes. In Los Angeles, where DWP brownouts and wind-driven transformer issues happen more often than people realize, we regularly see AxD boards that have lost their limit settings or pairing with remotes after a surge. The gate becomes inoperable until the board is reflashed and reprogrammed. We reflash these boards on-site, which saves hundreds compared to a new board.
- DTP arm gearboxes stripping teeth. The DTP and DTPX arm operators use a gearbox that transfers motor power to the swing arm. When a gate repeatedly encounters an obstruction, or when wind loads push against a heavy ornamental gate, those gear teeth take the abuse. Eventually they strip, producing a grinding noise without any gate movement. We rebuild or replace these gearboxes and then recalibrate the obstruction sensitivity so the new gears aren’t sacrificed to the same problem.
- TSS solar models showing constant low-battery errors. The TSS and TSSP series are designed for solar power, which makes them popular on LA hillside properties where running conduit to a gate is expensive. But when the charge controller fails, it quietly drains the 12V battery even on sunny days. Homeowners see “low battery” and assume the panel or battery is dead. In most cases we find a faulty charge controller and replace it, restoring the system without re-solar-paneling the gate.
- ABBTP swing arm sensor misalignment from wind. Santa Ana winds are rough on everything in Los Angeles, and ABBTP swing arms take particular abuse. The force-sensing components in these arms can shift under repeated wind buffeting, causing the gate to reverse mid-cycle because it falsely detects an obstruction. We realign the sensors, verify the travel limits, and often add a bit of mechanical damping to keep the arm steady in wind.
- Wiring issues causing false obstruction errors. This one is common across all Ghost Controls series but especially on older installs. We responded to a Pacific Palisades home where an AxD swing gate would open halfway and stop. Our tech found the hinge sensor wire had chafed against the gate post, sending false obstruction signals. We replaced the sensor, rerouted the wire, and recalibrated the arm travel. The gate now cycles fully and quietly. Chafed wires, corroded connections, and pinched conductors are the hidden culprits behind many “the gate is broken” calls in Los Angeles.
Ghost Controls Parts & Our Repair-vs-Replace Approach
We stock the parts that actually fail on Ghost Controls operators: OEM control boards for the AxD and DTP lines, arm gear kits, charge controllers for the TSS solar series, safety photocell sensors, sealed 12V batteries, and weather-proof glands for conduit entries. When you have a Ghost Controls gate that won’t move in Los Angeles, the last thing you want is a tech who says “I’ll order the part and come back next week.” For most Ghost Controls failures, we have the part on the truck or in local stock.
When we evaluate a repair, we’re straight with you. A stripped DTP gearbox on a five-year-old operator is usually worth repairing. A Ghost Controls unit that’s fifteen years old with a fried board, a corroded arm, and a dying battery might be better off replaced. We’ll lay out both numbers: repair cost with our 365-day promise, or replacement cost with a new operator. The decision is yours, and we never push a replacement when a repair makes sense. Most Ghost Controls in Santa Monica and across Los Angeles run $180-$340 before parts, and we tell you the exact price before we start.
Our Ghost Controls Service Process – Step by Step
- 1
Diagnosis. When you call (213) 322-1415, a live person answers and schedules a tech. Our tech arrives in a marked truck, listens to what the gate is doing, and runs a diagnostic pass on the Ghost Controls system. We check board voltage, limit settings, arm alignment, sensor function, and battery health. You get a plain-English explanation of what’s wrong and a written price to fix it.
- 2
Repair. We install any parts needed, following Ghost Controls’ voltage and torque specifications. If it’s a board reflash, we do it on-site. If it’s a gearbox, we rebuild or replace it and re-grease the housing. If it’s a solar charge controller, we swap it and verify the battery is charging correctly.
- 3
Testing. We cycle the gate through several full open-close sequences, trigger the obstruction reversal, test the remotes and keypad, and confirm the safety edges are working. For solar systems, we verify the charge controller is feeding the battery. We won’t call it done until the gate opens, closes, and reverses correctly every time.
- 4
Warranty & documentation. You get a digital invoice with the exact work performed, the parts used, and our 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If that repair fails within 365 days, we return to Los Angeles at no charge and make it right.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterGhost Controls Products We Service & Install in Los Angeles
We service and install every Ghost Controls line sold in the US market. The AxD and AxDP series for single and dual swing gates, the DTP and DTPX arm operators for heavy-duty swing applications, the TSS and TSSP solar-ready systems for off-grid LA hillside installs, and the ABBT and ABBTP battery-backup swing arms. We keep routine parts for these lines in local stock, which means a Ghost Controls gate repair in Los Angeles doesn’t have to wait on a shipping delay. That covers electric gate repair, motor repair, and battery backup work across every Ghost Controls product family, including Ghost Controls in Van Nuys.
We Also Service These Brands
Ghost Controls is one of the nine gate opener brands we service daily, so we’re not leaning on a single product line. Our Los Angeles techs carry parts and repair knowledge for LiftMaster, Mighty Mule, DoorKing, FAAC, BFT, Linear, Viking, and Elite as well. If you have multiple gates from different brands, one call covers all of them.
FAQs – Ghost Controls Gate Repair Service in Los Angeles
No. We are an independent Ghost Controls service provider and are not affiliated with or authorized by Ghost Controls. That independence means we’re not restricted to factory-only part decisions or waiting on manufacturer service windows. We source genuine OEM parts where available and use quality field-tested alternatives when OEM supply is slow in LA. Our 365-Day Done Right Promise stands regardless of the parts used.
We prioritize genuine Ghost Controls OEM control boards and arm kits because the operator’s safety logic is calibrated to original components. For batteries and weather-proofing hardware, we use sealed aftermarket parts that have held up well in Los Angeles field conditions. If OEM parts are backordered, we’ll tell you what the lead time looks like and give you the option of a field-tested alternative with our written guarantee on the repair.
Most Ghost Controls diagnostic calls take about an hour on-site, and most repairs are completed the same day we diagnose. Common fixes like AxD board reflashes, DTP gearbox rebuilds, and TSS charge controller swaps are done in the first visit. If we need a part that’s not on the truck, we usually have it in local stock within 24 to 48 hours. For a real arrival estimate on your specific gate, call (213) 322-1415 and describe what it’s doing. Tell me what it’s doing wrong and I’ll tell you what it actually costs to fix it before I pick up a tool.
We service the full Ghost Controls residential line: AxD, AxDP, DTP, DTPX, TSS, TSSP, ABBT, and ABBTP. That includes single and dual swing gate operators, heavy-duty arm operators, solar-ready configurations, and battery-backup swing arms. If it says Ghost Controls on the housing, we can diagnose it.
Independent repair does not automatically void a Ghost Controls warranty, but if your operator is still under the manufacturer’s warranty period, we’ll tell you upfront. In some cases the smart move is to file a warranty claim with Ghost Controls directly and let us handle the labor on the replacement. We walk through the warranty math with every Los Angeles customer so you know exactly where your repair stands before money is spent.
Most Ghost Controls gate opener repairs in Los Angeles run $180-$340 for labor, with parts billed separately depending on what failed. A DTP gearbox rebuild typically runs higher because of the parts involved, while a TSS charge controller swap is more of a mid-range fix. A board reflash on an AxD is one of the cheaper repairs we do. The exact number depends on your specific Ghost Controls model and failure, but you always get a written price before work starts. Call (213) 322-1415 for a free estimate on your Ghost Controls repair.
An AxD gate that opens a few feet and reverses is almost always receiving a false obstruction signal, usually from a chafed hinge sensor wire, a misaligned force sensor, or a photocell that’s out of alignment. We trace the sensor circuit, find the false signal source, and correct it. In windy Los Angeles areas like the Hollywood Hills, wind-driven gate movement can also trigger the reversal. Call (213) 322-1415 and we’ll diagnose it.
In most cases a DTP arm can be rebuilt. The common failure is the internal gearbox stripping teeth, which we can rebuild or replace without swapping the entire operator. A full arm replacement is only necessary when the housing itself is cracked or heavily corroded. We’ll show you the gearbox damage and explain your options before any work is authorized.
That’s a classic failed charge controller symptom. The TSS charge controller stops delivering current from the solar panel to the 12V battery, so the battery drains even in full sun. The panel and battery are often fine. We test the charge controller, confirm it’s the failure point, and swap it. After that, the battery should reach full charge within a couple of sunny LA days. Call (213) 322-1415 for a diagnosis.
The keypad itself is rarely the problem. The usual issue is a missing or mis-set auto-close function in the control board, or a safety sensor that never reports clear, which blocks the auto-close sequence. We check the board’s auto-close setting and verify the photocells are aligned. Most of these cases are fixed with programming and sensor alignment, not a new keypad.
Often, yes. The AxD and ABBT lines in particular can lose their limit and force settings after a hard power cut, especially if a surge hits during the outage. If your Ghost Controls gate is behaving differently after a power blink, call (213) 322-1415. We can reflash the board and recalibrate the travel so the system runs correctly again.
Book Your Ghost Controls Service in Los Angeles, CA
If your Ghost Controls gate is grinding, reversing, dead, or just not right, call (213) 322-1415. A live person answers around the clock and will get a tech scheduled with a real arrival time you can track. Every Ghost Controls repair in Los Angeles includes a written price before work starts, our 365-Day Done Right Promise, and a free second visit if the repair fails. That’s the deal, and it’s on every invoice.
Written by Nico Alvarez, Owner at Calder Gate Repair Los Angeles, serving Los Angeles since 2009.