Troubleshooting Sliding Electric Gate Motors

by Judi Booker Online Researcher

Troubleshooting automatic gates should take several steps before you call in a
professional. The first step is to hit the manual override and get your car through
the gate and parked before you start tearing up the machinery.

1. Check your opening device. Sometimes it is as simple as a dead battery or
lint getting between the battery and the contact. If someone is at home,
have them try to use their device, or open the gate from the house.

2. If the weather has been exceptionally cold, the grease or hydraulics used
to keep your gate opening smoothly may have frozen solid. If you live in a
cold climate, make sure to use the right cold-weather products for your
winter temperature range.

3. An older gate opener can run out of working hours. Simply, even with a
battery change and an alcohol swab of the contacts now and then, devices
simply wear out. Try a newer device.

4. Make sure that the chain has not detached and that the gate is on track.

5. Make sure that nothing has become stuck in the track, or is blocking the
movement of the gate.

6. Check that the gate motor is receiving power. Check that the outlet is
working, and that the ground fault interrupter is not being tripped, and
also check that the circuit breaker is not being tripped.

7. Check the receiver. For those using a receiver with an antenna, make sure
that the antenna is not broken. For the box style receiver, make sure that
it is not obstructed.

8. Is the motor making any sound at all? If there is no sound, then it is not
receiving power. If there is noise but no movement, then it is time to call a
technician to evaluate the situation. You may only need some minor
repairs, or you might need a whole new motor.

It should go without saying that unless you are a professional, you should never
mess with any wiring or electrical supply that you are not qualified to replace or
repair. Electrocution kills about 300 people each year, in addition to a number of
non-fatal electrical accidents. It is better to hire a professional than to risk an
electrical accident, or crushing your fingers in the gate track or chain.

Some safety features to upgrade your gate can help make sure that you are never
caught on the wrong side.

● Use a smart app instead of a garage door opener. These are often more
secure than your regular point and click, and there is less chance that a
crook could duplicate your code.

● Have a manual override to open the gate in an emergency, or use a code
on a push button pad.

● Add a backup power supply to your gate to make sure that you can power
the gate open or closed even if your area has lost power.

Talk to a professional gate and fencing company to see your options!