Safety features for your Automatic Gate

As a safety feature Custom Built automatic gates offer Linear Photocell presence detectors, which consist of a transmitter device and a receiver. The Photocells are an added safety feature ensuring that your gate will not close and hit anything in the path of the gate. The automatic gates open and close with a push of a button on the remote or driveway keypad, with the option of a reflective sensor and/or an Eloop driveway sensor on your driveway to be set off with a vehicle driving over it. There are different types of photocells, the most common is the transmitter and receiver, however, alternatively, there is an option for a mirror reflector sensor that reflects the beam back to the transmitter to receive the signal which is to be used with an Eloop driveway sensor. A transmitter and receiver are the preferable Photocells, as direct sunlight and rain can affect the efficiency of the reflection of a mirror reflector sensor.

Photocells come in pairs and send infrared beams to each other. If the beam is interrupted by sensing a car or a smaller vehicle or pedestrian, it will send a signal to the gate’s control panel and alerts the gate to stop or open fully so that it will not hit the object.

Depending on the type of gate, the Photocells will be installed at the appropriate point for the gate closing and opening requirements, taking various elements into consideration. For example, if the gates a swinging gates, the pair of photocells will be installed on opposite sides of the driveway just outside the gates, where the gates will reach when fully open. For a sliding gate, the photocells are installed at the gate themselves. The Linear Photocell has a distance of 40m under optimal conditions and 20m in poor visibility conditions, as long as the view is not disturbed but other elements.

Good preventative maintenance and regular inspection ensure a long product life. Simply clean the lenses and the outer shell of the device so that all debris and spider webs, insects, etc. have been cleared away, and perform a test to ensure proper function. If battery operated, replace batteries when needed.

To speak to our Custom Built Fence team contact our office on (03) 9874 5102 or email admin@custombuiltfences.com.au.