What Are Electric Gate Duty Cycles?
If you’re investigating installing an electric gate (or automated gate or motorized gate as they are also known), then you’ve probably seen the term “duty cycles.”
If you’re not involved in the fencing and gate world, you might not know what that means, so here’s what you need to know.
What Are Duty Cycles?
There are different types of motors or operators for electric gates. There are some designed to work for lighter, residential-style gates and some that are made for heavier-duty commercial and industrial gates.
These gate motors, or operators as they are called in some parts of the world, also have different horsepower ratings, use different types of power and more.
One of the key differences between residential-style gate motors for electric gates and commercial gate operators is their duty cycle rating. This is the number of times a day the gate motor is designed to open and close. So, for instance, a residential gate operator might only open a few times a day, whereas a commercial gate motor might need to open and close dozens of times or more.
What’s the Difference?
When you have something with a lot of moving parts, like a gate motor or gate operator, every time those parts are in use, there is wear and tear on the whole system.
If like residential electric gate motors, those parts are smaller, lighter and made of less durable materials, they will wear out faster, and the gate operator will fail.
To create a commercial or industrial electric gate motor, companies use tougher materials to make parts and components larger and more durable and more. So the electric gate motor is able to cope with more opens and closes in a day, and won’t wear out too quickly.
Which Electric Gate Motor Should You Choose?
If you’re looking for a gate operator or gate motor for your electric gate, it’s usually best to speak to a company that specializes in that kind of access control equipment.
This could be a manufacturer, who can provide you with specifications and data sheets for various gate motors or gate operators that meet your needs, or you could speak to a good gate automation contractor.
Both will probably ask several questions, such as how much your gate weighs, how large it is, how often it opens and closes and what kind of power you have or will have at the gate. Answering those questions accurately is the best way to make sure you get a gate motor for your electric gate that will give you the longest, best possible service.
How Do Duty Cycles Affect Gate Motor Prices?
Yes, as you can imagine, building stronger, heavier-duty gate operators with higher duty cycles means more materials and usually higher-grade materials too. That automatically increases the cost to produce these higher duty cycle gate motors; however, if you have a large gate that is frequently used, the cost is well worth it.
Choosing the wrong gate motor for your electric gates could affect how it works and how safe it is. It could also affect your warranty in the event something goes wrong and the manufacturer discovers that you’re using the wrong type of gate operator for your gate or gates.
So as always in the fence world, you really do get what you pay for, and investing a little more upfront can save you money down the road.
