Apollo 1550 and 1650 Gate Opener Repair in Dallas–Fort Worth
We repair Apollo 1550 single and 1650 dual swing gate openers, including the ETL and 1K versions and the earlier 1500 and 1600. The most common complaint is a gate that moves a few feet and stops or reverses, which on this 12-volt system usually starts with the battery.
An Apollo 1550 is a single black tubular actuator, roughly the length of a forearm to elbow and beyond, bolted to a welded pivot arm on the hinge post at one end and to a bracket on the gate at the other. A cord runs from the actuator to a steel control box, usually mounted on a post within about four feet of the pivot arm, holding a 12V battery and the circuit board. A 1650 is the same with a second actuator on the other leaf, whose longer cord crosses the driveway, typically in conduit.
To tell which generation you have, open the box. A board labeled 833 or 834 is the early 1550/1650. A board labeled 835 or 836 with a row of ten red program switches and three knobs is the 1550ETL/1650ETL. A board with a small display and FUNCTION, LEARN and ENTER style buttons labeled 1050 is the 1K version. The older 1500 and 1600 look almost identical from outside.
Black tubular actuator with a stainless or chrome extension tube
Welded pivot arm on the hinge post, level with the gate bracket
Steel control box with a push button on its side and a top-post 12V battery inside
Board number 833/834, 835/836 or 1050 printed on the circuit board
Small solar panel on a post facing south, or a plug-in battery charger
Removable end caps on the actuator covering two limit screws
Superseded — still repairable. The 1550/1650 has run through several control boards: 833/834 on early units, 835/836 on the 1550ETL/1650ETL, and the 1050 board on the 1550ETL-1K/1650ETL-1K. Nice's current North American lineup lists the Apollo Linear Actuator and TITAN Linear Actuator; distributors describe the TITAN 12L as a bolt-in replacement for the older 416 and 816 actuators on 1500/1600/1550/1650 mounting geometry.
1550 at a glance
Configuration
1550 single swing; 1650 dual swing
Power
12V DC battery, recharged by solar panel or trickle charger
Maximum gate (1550ETL, 1550ETL-1K)
16 ft length and 600 lb per leaf
Maximum gate (early 1550/1650, 833/834 board)
16 ft length and 400 lb per leaf
UL 325
Vehicular Class I and II
Battery (ETL manuals)
12V sealed, 33 Ah minimum, top posts
Outage capacity
Up to 200 operations on battery
Control boards
833/834 (early); 835/836 (ETL); 1050 (ETL-1K)
Actuators
816E primary with 8 ft cable; 816EX secondary with 38 ft cable on 1650; 816-1K on 1K units
Swing
Up to 105 degrees with the standard pull-to-open pivot position
From Apollo’s published documentation. Your unit’s label and manual take precedence.
What your 1550 is doing, and what usually causes it
The gate moves a few feet, then stops or reverses
Usually: Apollo lists low battery voltage under load first, then a binding gate, a bent actuator extension tube, current sensitivity set too sensitive, and on 835/836 boards switch #10 left on with a non-intelligent 416 actuator.
What we do: We measure battery voltage during travel, unbolt the actuator and swing the gate by hand, check the extension tube for bends, and confirm the switch settings match the actuator fitted.
It closes, then opens right back up
Usually: Too much closing pressure from the close limit set too far, auto-reverse sensitivity set too fine, a binding gate, or battery voltage sagging at the end of the stroke.
What we do: We back off the extend limit screw until the gate stays shut, check hinge drag, and relearn the board so it records current draw on the gate as it now is.
The push button on the box works but the remote does not
Usually: Apollo's guide points at mismatched code switches between transmitter and receiver, a dead transmitter battery, a blown fuse on the board, low operator battery, or a failed receiver.
What we do: We check the transmitter, receiver coding, board fuses and antenna connection before replacing the receiver.
Nothing at all happens and the board seems dead
Usually: A flat battery, program switches left in a non-standard position, an accessory holding an input, a damaged actuator connector, or on the ETL board a hard shutdown lockout after two obstruction trips.
What we do: We disconnect the charger or panel and read battery voltage, disconnect accessories, trigger the board by momentarily shorting GND to INP, and clear hard shutdown via the UL terminal before judging the board.
Great in the morning, weak or dead by evening
Usually: Daily cycles exceed what the panel and battery replace. Apollo sizes solar panel wattage to daily cycle count and says dual gates need double the panel. Shade from grown trees and a dirty panel reduce it further.
What we do: We measure panel output and battery capacity, count real daily cycles, and recommend a larger panel, a larger battery or a charger where power is available.
On our 1650, one gate lags behind or closes into the other
Usually: On the early board Apollo notes the slave side normally runs two to three seconds slower. Worn pivot bolts, a limber gate, a spliced slave cable, or dual gate sync settings on later boards change the timing.
What we do: We check both actuators' limits, the slave cable, pivot bolts, and the sync or delay settings, and fit stop tabs where the leaves need to meet firmly.
The gate surges or jerks instead of running smoothly
Usually: Apollo lists a pivot arm that is not rigid, loose bolts, or a gate too flexible for the actuator.
What we do: We re-brace or re-weld the pivot arm, snug the pivot bolt without over-tightening, and reinforce the gate where needed.
1550 down? Tell us what it is doing — we will tell you what it needs.
How the 1550 works — and what that means for repair
A battery system that happens to move a gate
Every 1550 and 1650 runs on 12V DC. The battery powers the actuator directly, and a solar panel or trickle charger only keeps it topped up. Apollo's manuals say battery power gives up to 200 operations in an outage, and the ETL manuals call for a sealed battery of at least 33 amp hours with top-mounted posts; side-terminal batteries are not to be used.
That means voltage under load is the first measurement. Apollo's ETL troubleshooting guide wants 12 to 14 volts while the gate is running and says it should never drop below 11 volts. A battery that reads fine with the gate still can collapse the moment the actuator starts, and the board responds by stopping or reversing exactly as it would for an obstruction.
Three board generations, three ways to program
The 833/834 board uses program switch #9 as learn mode: switch it on, run the gate fully open and closed three to five times and partially three to five times, then switch it off. Apollo notes the board must relearn any time it loses power, and cold weather or a rusted hinge can make relearning necessary.
The 835/836 board learns by holding LED ENABLE for five seconds until the STOP LED blinks, then cycling the gate three full times. It also has a hard shutdown: two current senses in one cycle lock the operator out until the FIREBOX or UL terminal is shorted to ground, or the firebox door is opened and closed. The 1050 board on the 1K version learns from its keypad (FUNCTION, LEARN, SWING, then light, average or heavy gate) and includes a temperature-compensated solar charge controller adjustable from 0.10 to 1.50 amps.
The 816 smart actuator and its limits
Limits are set mechanically inside the actuator with two screws under the end caps, one for extend and one for retract. The 816E and 816EX are Apollo's "intelligent" actuators, with a sensor wire that lets the board soft-start and soft-stop; the older 416 lacks it. On an 835/836 board, program switch #10 must be off with a 416 actuator, and leaving it on is a listed cause of a gate that moves a few feet then stops.
Apollo advises against shortening or lengthening 816E and 816EX cables because of the sensor inside, and offers special lengths up to 50 feet. A spliced cable across a driveway is a common source of intermittent faults we trace on 1650 installs.
Rated gate size depends on the version
The early 1550/1650 manual rates the operator for swing gates up to 16 feet and 400 pounds per leaf. The 1550ETL and 1550ETL-1K manuals rate it for 16 feet and 600 pounds per leaf. All versions are approved for UL 325 Vehicular Class I and II use, which covers homes and general-access commercial sites, not industrial or restricted-access gates.
1550 parts we repair, adjust or replace
A failed part is not a failed operator. These are the components that actually wear or fail on the 1550, and what we do about each.
816E / 816EX / 816-1K actuator
Repaired
Extends and retracts to swing the gate; contains limit switches and, on smart versions, a feedback sensor.
Signs it has failed: Grinding, bent extension tube, limits not triggering, water in the housing.
Actuator limit screws and switches
Adjusted
Set fully open and fully closed positions inside the actuator.
Signs it has failed: Gate stops short, overruns, or reopens after closing. Meter check: open position shorts orange to green; closed shorts white to green.
Control board (833/834, 835/836 or 1050)
Part replaced
Runs the actuator, senses current for auto-reverse, times closing, handles accessories.
Signs it has failed: No response after battery and accessories are ruled out, burned traces, damage after lightning.
12V battery
Part replaced
Powers every cycle and carries the gate through outages.
Signs it has failed: Voltage below 12V at rest or below 11V under load, swollen case, corroded posts.
Solar panel, charger or 1050 charge controller
Serviced
Recharges the battery.
Signs it has failed: Battery never reaches full charge, panel output low, charger output absent.
Pivot arm, gate bracket and hardware
Repaired
Fix the actuator geometry to post and gate.
Signs it has failed: Surging, cracked welds, arm no longer level, gate bracket loose.
Board fuses and emergency bypass connector
Part replaced
3 A fuses protect 12V accessory outputs; the bypass plug runs the actuator open straight from the battery if the board fails, protected by a 15 A fuse.
Signs it has failed: Accessories dead, bypass not working, fuse blown after a short.
Repair or replace your 1550? The honest answer
Most 1550 and 1650 failures are a battery, a charging shortfall, a limit adjustment or a board, and all of those are repairable. The actuator itself is serviceable too. Replacement is worth discussing when the gate is heavier than the version's rating, when an early 833/834 or 835/836 board has failed and the fix means a 1050 board anyway, or when both actuators are worn on a 1650.
Repair it when
Low battery, undersized solar or a failed charger
Limit screws out of adjustment or a limit wire fault
A failed receiver or blown board fuse
A single failed board, replaced with a compatible 1050 where the original is unavailable
Pivot arm or bracket fatigue
Replace or upgrade when
A gate over 600 lb or longer than 16 feet per leaf: a heavier operator is needed, not another actuator
Both actuators on a 1650 worn out at once: a current Apollo or TITAN actuator set may cost less than rebuilding two
A property now running commercial or high-cycle traffic beyond Class I and II use
Board number, actuator type (416, 816E or 816-1K) and whether it is solar or charger fed, so we use the right troubleshooting sequence.
2
Test the battery under load
Voltage at rest and while the gate runs, then panel or charger output and actual daily cycle count.
3
Free the gate and check geometry
We unbolt the actuator from the gate bracket and swing the leaf by hand, then check hinges, pivot arm level and extension tube straightness.
4
Meter the actuator limits and connector
Orange, white and green limit wires checked at open, closed and mid travel, pins inspected, and slave cable splices tested on a 1650.
5
Board, accessories and learn
Accessories disconnected, board triggered from GND to INP, fuses checked, program switches set to factory defaults for that board, then a fresh learn cycle.
6
Quote, repair and retest
Diagnosis and quote first. Apollo boards and actuators are ordered with the lead time stated; batteries are replaced on the spot where we carry the size. We finish by testing auto-reverse against a rigid object.
Apollo warranty on the 1550
The 1550ETL/1650ETL and 1550ETL-1K/1650ETL-1K manuals carry a limited two-year warranty: 24 months from date of purchase against defects, provided recommended installation procedures are followed. The earlier 1550/1650 manual carries a limited one-year warranty. Both exclude damage from improper installation or use, connection to an improper power source, fire, flood and lightning, and neither covers labor.
Defective parts are repaired or replaced at the manufacturer's option when returned freight prepaid; replacement parts carry only the remainder of the original term.
The manuals warn never to weld on the gate or posts with the board powered, which can damage it beyond repair.
Check the manual that came with your unit, or ask your installer for the purchase date, to see which term applies.
Our warranty on the repair
Every repair is backed by a clear written warranty. No hidden terms and no confusing fine print: what is covered is explained before we begin, and it is separate from whatever Apollo covers on the operator itself.
Apollo's warranty specifically excludes lightning damage. A 1650 with a long slave cable under the drive and a solar panel on a pole is a good collector for nearby strikes, and a board that dies after a spring storm is usually outside warranty regardless of age. We check fuses and the emergency bypass first, since a strike sometimes takes a fuse rather than the whole board.
Heat on a battery in a steel box
The battery and board live in a closed steel box, often in full sun on acreage entrances. Heat shortens lead-acid battery life and a tired battery is the root of the "few feet then stops" complaint. Summer is also when heavy use from visitors and deliveries pushes a small panel past what it can replace.
Clay soil and pivot geometry
The 1550 depends on precise pivot arm placement, 13 inches and 6 inches from the hinge center on a standard pull-to-open install. When expansive clay tilts a hinge post or the gate sags, that geometry changes, the actuator pushes against its own limits and the board reads the extra current as an obstruction. We check post plumb and pivot level whenever reverses start after a wet spring or a dry summer.
How do I know if my Apollo 1550 battery is the problem?
Measure it with the gate moving, not sitting still. Apollo's guide wants 12 to 14 volts during travel and says it should never fall below 11 volts. If it drops under load, replace or recharge the battery before touching the board or actuator.
What is hard shutdown on the Apollo 1550ETL?
On the 835/836 board, two current senses in one cycle lock the operator out as a safety measure. Apollo says it clears by shorting the FIREBOX or UL connection to ground, or by opening and closing the firebox door if one is installed. Find out why it tripped twice before resetting.
Can I open my Apollo gate if the board has failed?
The 833/834 and 835/836 boards have an emergency bypass connector that runs the actuator open directly from the battery. You must unplug it before the actuator reaches full travel or the 15 amp fuse will blow. Otherwise, unbolt the actuator from the gate bracket to swing the gate by hand.
Will a 1050 board work on my older 1550 or 1600?
Gate parts distributors list the Nice Apollo 1050 board as compatible with the 1500, 1550, 1600 and 1650, among others. Programming and wiring differ from the 833/834 and 835/836, so it needs setting up and a learn cycle, not a straight swap.
My gate opens itself after closing. Is the actuator bad?
Usually not. Apollo's first causes are the close limit set so the gate presses too hard against its stop and auto-reverse set too sensitive. Adjusting the extend limit screw and relearning the board fixes most of these.
Is Apollo part of Nice?
Yes. Apollo Gate Operators, founded in San Antonio, is owned by the Nice Group and its products are now sold as Nice Apollo in North America. We service them independently and are not a Nice or Apollo dealer.
Request a free estimate for your 1550
Leave your name and number, and tell us what the gate is doing. A technician will call you back. If the gate is stuck open or shut, calling is faster — someone always answers.
Gate Not Working Right Now?
We answer the phone 24/7. If you are stuck, call and we will talk you through the manual release before anyone arrives. See what counts as a gate emergency.
