Centurion D5 Evo Smart Gate Motor: Specs and Installation

The Centurion D5 Evo Smart is a battery-driven sliding gate motor for gates up to 500 kg, with control from your phone. Because it runs from its battery, the gate keeps working through power cuts. It comes from Centurion Systems (CENTSYS) in South Africa, whose D5 motors are among the most common gate motors in the region. This guide covers what the Smart version adds, the official specifications, and what a good installation in Maputo or Matola looks like.

What the D5 Evo Smart is

The D5 Evo has been a workhorse for houses and small complexes for years. The Smart version keeps the same strength and adds three things owners ask for: control from a phone app, notifications and diagnostics, and wireless setup for the installer. You can open the gate for a visitor while you are still in traffic, see whether the gate was left open, and receive an alert if something is wrong with the motor.

It also brings a sturdier anti-theft cage around the motor and a built-in tamper alarm, which matter in any city where gate motors are a target.

Official specifications

From the manufacturer's data sheet for the D5-EVO SMART:

• Gate mass: up to 500 kg. Gate length: up to 20 m.
• Gate speed: up to 24 m per minute, depending on load and settings.
• Motor: 12 V DC, battery-driven, with one 12 V battery as standard.
• Power in: mains 110 to 240 V AC, low-voltage 16 V AC, or solar.
• Duty: up to 150 operations per day.
• Battery backup: with a 7.2 Ah battery, roughly 35 to 90 operations during a cut, depending on the speed and force settings and on how long the power is off. A bigger battery gives more.
• Safety: electronic collision sensing.
• Receiver: built-in code-hopping receiver on 433.92 MHz, storing up to 1,500 remotes.
• Protection: IP55. Operating temperature: minus 15 to plus 50 degrees Celsius.
• Manual override: lockable key release, so the gate can be opened by hand if needed.

Why battery-driven matters in Maputo

Some gate motors run straight from the mains and stop when the power goes, leaving the gate stuck open or closed. The D5 Evo Smart always runs from its battery, and the mains or solar supply only keeps that battery charged. When the power goes off in the evening, the gate still opens for you and closes behind you, and the app still shows its status.

Two habits keep it reliable: replace the battery before it ages, and make sure the charger has power most of the day. In sites with very long cuts, or with no mains at the gate, a small solar panel is an option.

What a good installation looks like

Most gate motor problems we are called to fix come from the installation, not the motor. When we install a D5 Evo Smart we check:

• The gate itself. It must roll freely by hand before any motor goes on. A gate that drags will wear out any motor.
• The plinth and the rack. The motor sits on a level concrete plinth, and the gear rack along the gate is aligned along its whole length.
• The end stops and the safety settings. Collision sensing is set so the gate stops and reverses if it meets an obstacle, and we add safety beams across the opening when children or cars are around.
• Sand, rain and salt. Gate tracks in Maputo collect sand, and coastal air rusts racks and wheels. We seal the cable entry, protect the electronics and show you what to clean.
• Earthing and surge protection, because lightning in the rainy season finds unprotected gate motors.

Linking the gate to the rest of your security

The Smart controller has configurable inputs and outputs, so the gate can work with the rest of the system. A video intercom at the gate lets you see who is there and open from the screen; an electric fence keeps a separate zone on the gate section, as we explain in our electric fence guide; and the gate status can sit alongside the home alarm system, so you know at night that it is shut. For complexes and offices, see our access control and biometric systems page.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Centurion D5 Evo Smart work during a power cut?

Yes. The motor always runs from its 12 V battery, and the mains, low-voltage or solar supply keeps it charged. The data sheet gives roughly 35 to 90 operations on a 7.2 Ah battery, depending on settings and the length of the cut.

Can I open the gate from my phone?

Yes. The D5 Evo Smart is controlled through the manufacturer's smartphone app, which also sends notifications and alarms. The usual remotes keep working as well.

How heavy can my gate be?

Up to 500 kg and up to 20 m long, according to the data sheet. Heavier gates need a larger motor; we weigh up the gate during the site visit.

Can it run on solar power?

Yes, the motor can be charged from a solar supply. We size the panel and battery to the number of daily openings and the sun at your site.

Get a free quote

Send us a photo of your gate and its approximate width, or book a free site visit in Maputo or Matola. Message us on WhatsApp +258 84 488 8222 or get a free quote.

Written by the A.S.S. LDA technical team, Maputo.