How to make an automatic gate: choosing a drive

A beautiful gate is good, and a beautiful automatic gate is even better. There are a considerable number of companies that will make the gate and install the automation, but as usual, I want to save money: their services are not cheap. Many companies sell automation kits, but you can install and connect it yourself. Save several thousand. But in this case, it is necessary to clarify: whether the warranty is preserved (it happens, but rarely), and if so, what is a warranty case and what is not, and what to do in the event of a breakdown (it is often necessary to remove the drives for testing and take them to the company). So do-it-yourself automatic gates may not be so profitable. Decide for yourself. In fairness, it must be said that if you built the fence yourself, and the gate automation is installed by the company, many faults will be attributed to the wrong foundation, installation of beams, etc. So, in this case, warranty repairs are rare.

This is what automatic swing gate openers look like

Swing gate automation: types of drives

Automatic swing gates are operated by two types of mechanisms: linear and lever. Any of them can open the canvas both inward and outward: the direction of opening depends on the installation. But in some cases there are certain restrictions that force the use of a certain type of mechanism when opening the gate inward.

Linear drive

The mechanism is very simple and reliable. Outwardly it looks like an oblong case. Inside is a worm gear - a long screw - that is driven by a gearbox mounted at the back of the case. When the gearbox is engaged, the worm gear pushes or pulls the sash.

Linear operator for swing gates

The housing of the linear drive for automatic swing gates is also made of metal, which is coated with powder paint. They can be installed on gates of any type and any weight. The larger the size, weight and windage, the more powerful motors and massive transmission are required.

Installation example of a linear mechanism for opening gates and wickets

Placed on a pillar opposite one of the horizontal beams of your choice. But the best option is approximately in the middle of the canvas height.

Lever drive

The second type of automation for swing gates is lever. It consists of a gearbox hidden in the body and two movably connected arms that resemble a protruding elbow.

Lever swing gate automation

The block with the gearbox is attached to the post, the lever to the sash. Such a device allows the gate to be opened inward, even if the posts are very wide.

Lever drive for automatic gate opening

One of the types of linkage is underground drives. They are often separated into a separate group. In this case, the gearbox is hidden in a metal box that is concreted near the post. Only the lever remains outside.

Installation example of underground drive

Which type to choose

Outwardly, many people like the linear drive more - it is more compact. But on wide pillars, when the doors are opened inward, it cannot be installed, in any case, without reworking the pillar. If you really do not want to put the lever, they make a niche in the post at the required height, removing part of the masonry or concrete.

Installation diagrams of a linear gate opener inward and outward

When the sash is opened inward, the rear part of the drive is attached to the surface of the post facing the courtyard using a special bracket. If the distance from this surface to the sash attachment point is more than 8 cm (in the figure the distance is indicated by the letter "C"), then the linear actuator will not work - it simply will not reach the sash. There are, however, some models that can be installed at C = 12 cm, but there are not so many of them.

If the gate opens outwards - to the street, then the drive is mounted on the surface of the post, which faces the opening. At the same time, it protrudes by about 20 cm. Since there are two drives for double-leaf gates, they narrow the opening by 40 cm. This must also be borne in mind, especially if it is a garage door. In this case, it is worth installing the drive so that it is higher than the machine and does not interfere with maneuvers.

Additional equipment

In the standard set, there are two drives for any type of automation - right and left, a control unit for them. Some firms include two remote controls and a code receiver in the basic kit, but in some these devices are optional - they are purchased separately. When comparing models and prices, carefully study the completeness of the basic delivery.

Example of basic and additional configuration

In addition to the remote controls, it is possible to use programmable keyfobs - if more than two people can operate the gate. A useful option is the installation of photocells. During the opening / closing of the doors, they react to objects in the field of action (cats, dogs, elderly people or children who did not have time to pass in a given period of time) and stops the movement of the sash until the object disappears.

A warning light will be a useful addition. It is relevant if the gate opens onto a busy part of the street, warning passers-by.

What you need when buying

When choosing a model, you must definitely ask what size the gate is, what is it made of, or what is the mass of the sash. You will need the parameters of the pillars, the distance from the edge to the hinges. To make it easier to explain, draw a plan of the gate showing all dimensions. For the selection to be correct, you may need a photo. We need a general plan and close-up of the hinge and a method of attaching them.

Read how to make a wooden fence with your own hands here.

Sliding gate automation

All drives for installation on sliding gates have the same design: there is a drive with a pinion gear and a toothed rack attached to the door leaf. The rotating motor moves the rail together in the gate. All this is controlled from the control panel located on the side. Almost all models allow you to open / close the gate using remote controls. To receive their signals, you need to install an antenna and configure the remotes (program).

External view of the drive for automatic sliding gates

When choosing this type of automation, you must pay attention to the technical parameters and additional functions.

• Power and effort. The average is 600 N / m, which is equivalent to a force of 60 kg. This is the maximum value that does not always develop. The automation is set up so that the work is optimal - if there is no interference, the effort is small. When overcoming obstacles that may be in the path of the sash, the effort increases, sometimes to the maximum. Not everyone can resist it, and if a car or a gaping person is in the way, there will be problems. Therefore, in some models (recent release with a 24 V supply), the possibility of reprogramming is provided. The second option - with a certain effort, the sash stops or even rolls back slightly.
• Availability of temperature control. At temperatures below zero, the sash usually moves more slowly: the grease has thickened, and snow and ice can also interfere. With this function, in cold weather, the opening force is automatically increased.
• Adjustable leaf speed.In order for the gate to make less noise, at the beginning and at the end, the speed of their movement is reduced.
• Backup power supply. Some modern models, operating from 24 V, have a built-in rechargeable battery in the housing, which allows the gate to be used when the power supply is cut off. Some of them allow you to connect external backup sources.
  

  An example of a complete set of automatic sliding gates

• When choosing a sliding gate operator operating from 230 V, it is necessary to select it depending on the intensity of use. The rate of use is a percentage. It means how long this device can work without interruption. For example, to install a private yard, it is enough to choose a model with an intensity of about 30-40%. This means that out of 10 minutes, it will work in continuous mode for 3 minutes, after which it will shut down due to overheating. For collective use, for example, at the entrance to a holiday village with 300 residents, there must be a drive with an intensity of 70-80%.
• The presence of photocells. This is the second possibility to ensure safety: when triggered, the movement of the leaves is blocked until the obstacle disappears.
• The presence of the "wicket" mode, when turned on, the sash opens only slightly, at a distance sufficient to let a person pass.

Some of the subtleties of the internal structure of drives for sliding automatic gates, see the video.

Now comments on the video. The power comparison in this video is not entirely correct. There are different models for doors of different sizes and weights. The minimum threshold is 400 kg, the maximum in households is up to 1200 kg, in industrial more than 2000 kg. When comparing the capacities, the first copy was taken from the "lightest" category - up to 400 kg, the rest - for gates of greater weight. Therefore, such a comparison is biased. Although no one says that among the little-known brands there are, which means that they cost less, there are good ones in quality. Perhaps those that are shown in the video are such….

Roughly the same picture about gears. All drives are divided into three classes: domestic, semi-industrial and industrial. In household appliances, the lowest resource and the lowest intensity of use - the motor will work continuously for about 30-40% of the total time, otherwise it will overheat and will be turned off automatically (if any). This class is the cheapest, which is why the cheapest components are installed there - plastic and silumin. Not all manufacturers and not in all lines, but this is rather a rule, and in low-power household drives it is difficult to find gears made of steel, and, moreover, brass. Nevertheless, under normal operating conditions for this type of operation, they work normally - they develop their resource, but that's all. For this reason, the choice of a class should be considered thoughtfully and tracked by the manufacturers' declared work resource (available in the technical specifications).

One of the operators for cantilever doors with bottom beam

What you need to specify when buying

Having decided on those functions and parameters that you consider necessary, you need to look for a suitable model. When choosing in a store, sellers will ask for the following data:

1. Type of support system (cantilever, rail mounted, top beam).
2. Dimensions and weight (at least approximate) of the canvas.
3. Intensity of use: how many people and how often can use the device.

The seller must demand all these data from you: otherwise he cannot determine the required power. equipment. If the sliding gates have already been made, parameters such as the distance between the roller supports, the parameters of the foundation and the distance from it to the door leaf may be required. All this is necessary to correctly select the physical parameters of the drive.

About control panels (key fobs) and types of encoding

All remotes can be divided into two main groups:

• floating code;
• with a fixed code.
  

  Sliding gate automation kit

How Fixed Code Keyfobs Work

These devices record their own signal (frequency or combination of frequencies) for a specific action. When a certain signal is received, they begin to perform the corresponding action. Is this good or bad? Rather bad. That's why. Around us there is a large amount of electronics controlled from remote controls. They can easily give a similar signal. For example, a neighbor, by changing the parameters of the glow of his lamp, can open or close your gate. This is because the signal is similar and your gate control unit is within range. The same situation can be with any other radio-controlled device. Therefore, owners of remote controls with fixed frequencies often do not understand why the gate opens by itself. Worse, there were situations when, upon arriving at the dacha or home, they saw an open gate. It's just that one of the closest neighbors used some kind of remote control for their equipment, or a thief did it. The problem can be solved by reprogramming the remote controls by setting different buttons / frequencies, but this is not a guarantee that the motor will work only from your remote control: the frequency range is limited.

The second negative point is that the fixed code is easy to read (write to a special device, and then, if necessary, reproduce). This is a boon for intruders. Since automatic drives play the role of a lock - you cannot open them without a remote control from the outside, having the necessary frequencies it is easy to get inside.

Which coding system for the control panel to choose ...

How floating code remotes work

The second type of keyfobs has a number of codes written in memory. The figure is big - several hundred thousand or millions. After each use, the code changes to the next one in the chain. When accepted by the control device, it is analyzed. If the incoming signal is the next in the chain, the action is performed; if it is different, there is no reaction.

This algorithm solves two problems at once: the ability to control your gate through the neighbor's remote control, and the ability to write codes. No, you can write them down, but for the gate to work, you need to have all the codes written in the correct sequence.

It is clear that control equipment using floating code is more complex and, therefore, more expensive, but security is more expensive ... No?

Most companies offer both coding systems for any of the drives, so the choice is yours.

Homemade drives: video

For those for whom “do-it-yourself automatic gates” means not only assembling a ready-made set of automation, but also assembling it completely, video reports on how and from what they were already made will be useful. For example, from a drill ...

The drive is made from the washing machine motor.

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Homemade swing gate automation

It is made on this drive.

Motor for a homemade swing gate opening system

Car alarm connection diagram.

How to connect an alarm to a homemade gate automation