AUTOMATION SYSTEMS
Gate and garage automation covers the motors, controllers, remotes, receivers and safety devices that open a gate or door. The motor is chosen on gate type, gate weight and how many times a day it runs, and every installation needs safety beams.
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AUTOMATION SYSTEMS buying guide
Match the motor to the gate, not to the budget
Gate motors are rated by gate mass and by duty cycle. A motor rated close to the gate's actual weight will do the job, but it will do it hot and it will not last. Weigh or estimate the gate honestly, add the wind load on a solid infill panel, and pick the next size up if the gate is used many times a day, as it is on a complex or a business.
Sliding, swing or garage
A sliding gate needs a level track and clear run-back. A swing gate needs the arm geometry checked against the pillar and the gate's opening arc. A garage door opener is chosen on door type and door height, and a sectional door is not the same job as a tip-up.
Safety is not optional equipment
Infrared safety beams across the opening stop a gate closing on a car, a pet or a child. Fit them. Add a warning light where a gate opens onto a pavement or a blind driveway.
Power and load shedding
Automation is the first thing people notice when the power goes. Nearly every motor takes a battery so it keeps working through an outage, and the battery is a consumable: two to three years is typical, less if outages are frequent. Solar is a sensible option on a gate far from the house, and it is sized on how many operations a day you actually do.
Remotes and access
Decide up front how people get in: remotes, keypad, intercom, or an app. Buying spare remotes with the motor is cheaper and simpler than matching a discontinued code later.
AUTOMATION SYSTEMS questions
How do I choose the right gate motor? +
Match the motor to the gate type (sliding or swing), the gate mass in kilograms and the expected cycles per day. An underrated motor overheats and fails early on a busy driveway. Steep driveways and heavy timber gates both push you up a size.
Will the gate open during load shedding? +
Most modern motors run from a battery that the mains keeps charged, so the gate keeps working for a number of cycles during an outage. How many depends on battery condition and gate weight. Where outages are long, a larger battery or a solar charging kit is the usual fix.
Are safety beams compulsory? +
Safety beams stop the gate closing on a person, a pet or a vehicle, and no automated gate should run without them. They are standard practice for a compliant installation and are the cheapest part of the system by a wide margin.
Can I keep my old remotes? +
Sometimes. It depends on whether the new receiver supports the frequency and code type of the existing remotes, and rolling-code remotes usually cannot be cloned. A multi-channel receiver can often be added so old and new remotes work together.
How often does a gate motor need servicing? +
Once a year for a domestic gate, more often for a complex or estate gate. Service means checking the battery, the rack and pinion or arms, the limit settings, the safety beams and the gate itself, since most motor failures start as a mechanical problem with the gate.