CHOOSING THE BEST AUTOMATIC SLIDING OR
CANTILEVER GATE MOTOR
Once you have decided between a sliding or cantilever gate
or you are wanting to automate the gates you already have, you will need to
choose a motor. Both of these gate types use the same type of motors and have
the same requirements for choosing the suitable kit.
With so many options, it can seem a daunting task to pick
the gate kit that is perfect for your installation. Please use this guide to
help you in your selection.
There
are fewer factors to consider when buying a sliding gate motor than a swing gate
motor. The main 2 are the width of the gate and the intensity at which it needs
to operate.
How wide is the gate?
This
is a really important consideration when choosing your motor. Each motor has a
maximum width of gate that they are able to move, this is specified by the
manufacturer.
The
distance that you need to measure is the width of the opening. Sliding and cantilever
gates have overhangs, you do not need to include these in the measurement
because it is the distance of travel that is important.
Motor
operating widths are calculated to the nearest metre so if you have a 4.5m gate
opening then you will need to round the figure up and choose an operator
capable of moving a 5m gate.
What is the total weight of your gate?
The
weight of your gate is not quite as critical an issue as it would be for a
swing gate but there are some operators will have a specified weight limit.
These tend to be operators which are rated for residential use. It is assumed
that the very large, commercial gates will be extremely heavy and these types
of motors take this in to account, you will rarely find a stated weight for
this type of motor.
How much use are your gates going to have per
day?
The
demands on a residential driveway gate kit are going to be far less than that
of a commercial premises.
As
such, we have graded the motors in to groups to make it easy to identify which
motor is going to the best fit for your needs.
Residential –
These will operate as many times in a day as are required for normal family and
household use. They are designed for gates which are of a standard driveway
size.
Multi resident properties & offices – A property which has more vehicle access
requirements per day will need a higher grade motor, one which is rated for
more intensive usage. The cycle speeds are usually a little faster with this
type of opener but is still designed to operate a gate of similar size and
weight to a standard residential gate. If you share a driveway, have a small
office car park or live in a small apartment block then these motors may well
be suitable.
Light commercial –
This type of premises will tend to have a wider entrance gate to accommodate
larger vehicles and also have more frequent cycle demands placed on them. These
gate openers can suit larger office car parks and small scale industrial units.
Commercial – These motors are rated for intensive daily / hourly
use and can move very large and heavy gates. These are perfect for industrial
premises requiring frequent and rapid HGV and traffic access.
Does your ground slope at all or is it uneven?
If
your entrance is sloping from left to right, is across uneven ground, or even
gravel, then you will already know that the only choice for this is a suspended
cantilever gate.
It
is extremely unsafe to run a sliding gate either up or down an incline due to
the massive forces placed on the motor. If a sliding gate motor were to fail,
the consequences of the gate releasing from the operator are very severe and
could cause harm or even death of anyone in their path.
A
sliding gate requires wheels to run along a straight track in the ground,
making uneven ground impossible for a slider.
The
good news is that a cantilever gate, due to the nature of it being suspended,
can easily accommodate hovering over a slope or uneven ground with no extra
forces applied to the motors.
You just
need to choose a motor within the operating limits for the size and usage
requirement and there is nothing extra to consider.
Does wind resistance matter?
Unlike
with swing gates, it does not matter when choosing a motor if the gate is
either closed boarded (i.e. cannot be seen through) or open patterned because
wind resistance does not affect the operation of this gate type. The horizontal
movement of the gate does not have to push against wind resistance.
Does your gate need to cycle quickly?
The
same principle applies to all gate types, if your house or office is on a busy
main road where there is nowhere safe to pull off whilst your gates open, or
your commercial premises need rapid and constant access then speed really does
matter.
In
each of the specifications you will find the opening speeds. Generally
speaking, the higher the grade of the motor, the faster the cycle speed will
be.
If you are
having trouble finding a sliding gate kit with a fast speed then just give us a
call on 0506201923 and we can help you to find the right one for you.
What additional safety measures does a sliding
or cantilever gate kit need?
Each
of the kits that are sold come with a set of photocells. In addition to these,
you will require safety edges and in some instances, a second set of
photocells.
Because
every installation comes with its own set of risks and areas for concern then
the only recommended action is to get a registered Gate Safe or DHF installer
to come to your site to perform a risk assessment on your install and follow
their advice. We would also advise that your gate automation kit is installed
by a professional of the same experience and qualification.
How much will it cost to automate a sliding or
cantilever gate?
The
cost of operators varies depending on the requirements. At the lower cost end
are the motors suitable for normal domestic properties and the higher end are
the extremely durable commercial motors which have far greater demands to meet.
NEVER cut costs by choosing a lower specification motor. Not only is this a false economy as you will continually
battle breakdowns, your warranty will be invalid due to improper installation
and could also pose a real risk to property and people in the event of a
failure, for which you would be liable if you installed it yourself.
maintenance and installation team in Dubai , Ajman ,sharjah , Abudhabi , Alain , RAK
call 0506201923 , www.technical-24.com
