The Complete Guide to Automatic Gate Actuators
If you’re thinking about automating a gate and have started looking into gate motors, gate operators, access control, and other electric gate options and equipment, In that case, you’ve probably realized that there’s a little more to it than you thought.
That’s very true. There are nearly endless combinations of equipment from dozens of manufacturers that you can use to automate a gate, and one of them is what is known as automatic gate actuators, or as you might also know them, swing gate operators. Here’s what you need to know.
What Is a Gate Actuator?
A gate actuator is a swing gate operator. Because swing gates work differently from sliding gates and cantilever gates, we need a different type of gate motor to open and close them, and that gate motor is called a gate actuator.
Think of a gate actuator as an electrical and mechanical lever that pushes and pulls the gate to open and close it.
How do Gate Actuators Work?
Swing gate motors or swing gate actuators are attached to the gate post and the gate leaf that they are supposed to open and close.
The gate actuator has a motor inside the actuator arm, and this is used to push or pull the gate closed or open when you use a remote, keypad, or another access control peripheral to trigger the gate actuator motor.
Can You Use Gate Actuators on Double Gates?
Gate actuators are available in single and double-gate options. Like sliding gate or cantilever gate motors or gate operators, one of these actuators will be the master, and the other will be the slave.
This means that one of your gate actuators will get a signal to open or close from the other gate actuator rather than directly from your access control peripheral equipment. This ensures that the gate actuators work together, meaning your gate opens smoothly and safely.
Usually, since your two gate actuators need to “talk” to each other, you will need to have a cable buried under the gate opening to connect the slave to the master.
What Are Gate Actuator Duty Cycles?
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All gate motors and gate operators have what is known as duty cycles. This refers to the number of times a gate motor, gate operator, or gate actuator is designed to open and close a gate in a day. Residential gate operators like the one pictured on the right are usually rated for light-duty cycles, which means they are only designed to open and close a gate a few times a day. If you use this kind of gate actuator on a commercial gate with high traffic, it won’t last very long, and you’ll have to replace it much sooner than you think. It’s very important to understand what kind of duty cycle you need for your gate actuator so that you can choose the right equipment for the job. Even if you have to spend a little more money upfront, you will save on maintenance and repairs later. |
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Are Swing Gate Actuators Safe?
Any kind of gate automation comes with inherent risks. Gate operators and gate actuators are designed to open and close gates, but they can’t see if there’s something in the way, and that’s why all automated gates need to have safety equipment.
In North America, UL325 is a set of regulations for automatic gate safety, but there are other standards and guidelines in different parts of the world.
Swing gate actuator safety equipment could include things like infra-red beams, safety loops, and sensors on the gate that automatically stop and reverse the gate operator when it encounters an unexpected obstacle in its usual swing path.
If you are hiring a gate automation contract to install your swing gate actuator, make sure you discuss safety features with them. These should always be included in your gate installation price, and if you don’t have them, there might be legal liability if someone is injured or suffers property damage because they aren’t there or installed correctly.
Can Swing Gate Actuators Work with Access Control Equipment?
Often, when adding automation to a gate, you also want to add access control equipment like intercoms, keypads, tag readers, and so on. Most swing gate actuators can be used with this kind of equipment, but again, you need to choose the right kind of gate actuator for the equipment you want to add.
Gate operators work because of a circuit board or control board with a receiver built into the unit. Usually, this circuit board or control board has a limited number of inputs or channels that can be used to wire in peripheral equipment. Larger commercial gate actuators or swing gate operators will usually have more input options and channels than residential ones, so always check that the gate actuator you choose can accommodate the other equipment you want.
This is also an excellent example of planning ahead in gate automation. Even if you don’t want or need a particular add-on now, you might like it in the future, so you should always consider what you might want to do later and choose equipment accordingly.
Gate Actuator Warranties and After Sales Service
The last thing we need to mention about gate actuators or swing gate motors is that you should always look for a gate actuator from a reputable brand with a good warranty and good, local after-sales service.
Even the best gate automation equipment sometimes doesn’t work as planned, and sometimes, you will need things like replacement boards or other parts. If you’re using an imported product or a product from a less reliable brand, it might be harder to get those parts and someone who can install them for you. This might mean you need to replace an operator that should still have lots of working life left.
Also, always ensure that if you don’t know exactly how to install a gate actuator yourself, you hire a gate automation professional to do it for you. Making a mistake during a gate automation project could result in a void warranty, so even if a warranty could ordinarily cover something, you might not be able to make a claim.
