Free 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.
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterGhost Controls Keypad & Intercom Repair: The Cleburne Owner’s Guide
A Ghost Controls keypad or intercom that’s gone quiet usually comes down to one of three things: a failed circuit board from moisture intrusion, worn-out buttons that no longer register, or a wiring connection that’s worked loose over years of Texas heat and rain. We repair and replace Ghost Controls keypads and intercom systems throughout Cleburne, with most jobs completed in a single visit and honest pricing settled before any work begins. A typical keypad replacement runs $180 to $320 installed, while intercom repairs average $220 to $400 depending on the module and wiring condition.
Most folks discover the failure the hard way: standing outside their own gate on a cold Cleburne morning, punching the code three times before realizing the unit is dead. Or the delivery driver calls and says the intercom made no sound at all. Either way, the gate suddenly has one job, and it’s not doing it. That’s where we come in.
Key Takeaways:
- We stock Ghost Controls keypad and intercom parts on our service trucks for same-day repair in most cases.
- Installed pricing is quoted and agreed before work starts, never after.
- Every repair is covered by our written 90-Day Done Right Promise.
- We service Ghost Controls alongside LiftMaster, Mighty Mule, DoorKing, and six other major brands.
Which Ghost Controls Models This Applies To
Ghost Controls ships its keypads and intercom systems across two primary product lines: the standard AXP (Automatic Gate Opener Pro) series and the TSS (Truck Series Swipe) line. The AXP1 and AXP2 keypads are the ones we see most often on residential driveway gates in Cleburne, while the TSS1 keypad turns up on ranch entrances and larger properties south of town. Intercom units follow the same split, with the AXP line running two-wire analog communication and the newer TSS intercoms using a four-wire harness.
Here’s a compatibility gotcha worth knowing: a Ghost Controls AXP keypad from before 2018 will not plug directly into a control board manufactured after mid-2019 without a small wiring adapter. Ghost Controls changed the terminal spacing on the accessory harness, and we’ve seen more than one homeowner buy a new keypad online only to find the plug doesn’t seat. We keep the adapter in stock and check board series before quoting anything.
When we pull up, the first thing we do is read the label on the back of the housing. It carries the part number, manufacturing date, and voltage rating. The date matters more than most people think: keypads older than about six years have usually absorbed enough UV and moisture through the housing seal that replacement beats repair, especially through a Cleburne summer where surface temperatures on a gate post can push 140 degrees.
Signs Your Ghost Controls Keypad & Intercom Is Failing
- Code accepted but no gate movement. The keypad still lights up and beeps, but the relay inside isn’t closing. This usually means the contacts have corroded from moisture creeping past the faceplate gasket. The keypad talks; the gate doesn’t listen.
- Buttons require hard presses or multiple attempts. Ghost Controls uses a membrane-style keypad, and after a few years of Johnson County sun, that membrane can harden and crack. When you have to press the “5” twice with a thumbnail, the switch layer underneath is failing.
- Intercom buzzes constantly or not at all. A low hum with no voice usually points to a failed capacitor on the intercom board. Total silence more often means a broken wire at the hinge side of the gate, where years of flexing eventually snap the copper inside the insulation.
- Cold-weather or rain-related failures. The unit works fine on dry days and quits when a front moves through. That is a classic sealing failure, letting moisture bridge circuits inside the housing. Cleburne’s freeze-thaw cycle makes this worse than the manufacturer’s lifespan claims suggest.
- Fading display or ghosted digits. If the LED readout is dim or shows partial characters, the display driver is failing. Replacement parts for the display are not sold separately, so the repair becomes a full keypad swap.
Replacement Cost & What’s Included
For Cleburne homeowners, a Ghost Controls keypad replacement runs $180 to $320 installed. An intercom unit, including the handset, runs $220 to $400 installed. The price difference comes down to which Ghost Controls series you have, whether the wiring needs to be re-pulled or just re-terminated, and whether we’re replacing a single component or the full accessory.
Every quote includes the part, the labor, the mounting hardware, and a full function test where we verify the code entry, the relay trigger, and the intercom audio in both directions before we leave. If your wiring is borderline but serviceable, we’ll tell you. We don’t replace wire that has another five years in it just to pad a ticket. And the price you agree to before we start is the price on the invoice. No surprises.
All work carries our 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If that keypad or intercom acts up within 90 days, we come back and make it right. No forms, no phone tag, no arguing.
DIY or Call Us?
There are two safe checks any homeowner can do before picking up the phone. First, confirm the gate opener itself still works from the wall button or a handheld remote. If the opener runs fine, the problem is isolated to the keypad or intercom, not the motor. Second, look at the wiring block behind the keypad for an obviously loose terminal screw or a wire that has pulled free. Tightening a terminal is a one-screwdriver job.
Beyond that, we advise leaving the components alone. These units are low-voltage, so they won’t hurt you, but they’re sealed at the factory for a reason: the circuit boards are not conformally coated, and even a humid afternoon with the housing open can start corrosion that fails the unit six months later. A mis-wired keypad can also send 12 volts back into the control board where it doesn’t belong, and that turns a $250 keypad job into a $600 board replacement. If the easy checks don’t solve it, call Victor and the team at (817) 961-9404 and we’ll get it sorted.
FAQs
In the Cleburne area, a Ghost Controls keypad typically lasts five to eight years before the membrane or the internal relay gives out. Harsh UV exposure on west-facing posts can shorten that to four years. If it’s still working past eight, you’re on borrowed time, but we don’t replace working parts just for age.
Sometimes. If the failure is a loose wire, a corroded terminal, or water in the housing that hasn’t damaged the board yet, a repair makes sense and saves real money. If the membrane switches or the circuit board have failed, Ghost Controls doesn’t sell internal components separately, so a full keypad replacement is the honest fix. Call (817) 961-9404 and we’ll tell you which one you have.
Most Ghost Controls keypad and intercom replacements happen in under an hour, including testing, and are done the same day we arrive. If wiring needs to be re-pulled through the gate post, add another half hour to the visit. Most jobs are a one-trip fix.
We carry Ghost Controls keypads, intercoms, and the wiring adapters on our trucks, along with quality aftermarket equivalents we’ve tested for compatibility. If we don’t have a specific series part on hand, we can typically source it within one to two days. Call (817) 961-9404 to confirm what’s on the truck for your model.
Give Us a Call
If your Ghost Controls keypad or intercom has given up, we’re ready to put it right. A live person answers the phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week at (817) 961-9404. Estimates are free, pricing is settled before we start, and every job is backed by our written 90-Day Done Right Promise. Ironworks Gate Co. is an independent service provider and not affiliated with Ghost Controls, but we’ve been repairing their equipment long enough that if it swings, rolls, or latches, we can sort it out.
Written by Victor Salinas, Owner, Ironworks Gate Co. at Ironworks Gate Co., serving Cleburne and nearby areas.