Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Other than convenience, what are the benefits of an automatic gate?

Security - a "private drive" without a closed gate at the entrance is, in fact, open to the public!

If I live out in the country, do I need to have safety features that cause the gate to stop, pause, reverse, or hold open if a vehicle is present?

Yes - for insurance and liability purposes, it is definitely advisable to have at least one safety device installed with your gate.

What types of safety devices are there and which is the one I should choose?

Reflective type photo cells are the most common and most economical. They consist of a transceiver photo cell mounted to the post closest to the gate operator (for power supply) and is aimed at a reflector on the opposite side of the drive.

If, at any time, the signal between the transceiver and reflector is interrupted or obstructed while the gate is in motion, the gate will stop and automatically return to the open position. The gate will not attempt to close again until the signal is restored. High-quality reflective photo cell units are very reliable and operate on very low voltage.

Loop detectors consist of a copper wire loop that is placed into a saw cut in the concrete driveway or buried in a gravel or dirt drive that creates a magnetic field that is connected to a detector inside the operator cabinet.

When metallic objects of approximately 3 square feet or larger pass through the field, the detector will cause the gate to stop closing and remain in the open position until the field is clear.

Loop detectors are not intended to detect pedestrians, bicycles, etc.

There are other types of low cost safety devices available that have proven themselves to be unreliable and we therefore do not use or recommend them.

What if there is a loss of power? How do I get out?

Most gate operators suitable for residential use are equipped with an ob-board battery pack that will allow the gate to operate for several cycles. If needed there is also an emergency disconnect that would allow the gate to be pushed open or closed manually.

What about providing access for emergency vehicles, such as fire, police, or an ambulance?

Most cities have a "Knox lock" program where all emergency vehicles in that city or municipality are equipped with a key unique to that city that will operate the "Knox lock" switch we will install on your gate. This is a code requirement in most cities.

In more rural or remote areas it is highly advisable to issue 4 digit entry codes to emergency services that can be entered on a keypad located outside of your gate.

How do guests open the gate when they are ready to leave?

If your gate is fully automatic (meaning that, once it is opened, your gate will automatically time out and close after a period of time), you will also have in place a "free exit" device located at least 20 feet inside of the drive away from the gate. The device will either be a loop and detector or a sensing wand that will detect vehicles as they approach the gate to exit the property. Once the vehicle clears the range of the safety device at the gate, it will close automatically.

How do I keep the gate open if I want to?

If, for any reason, you wish to open your gate and keep it open, there will be a "hold open" switch located wherever you desire in your home or business.

What if the safety device fails? Will it let the gate close on top of my car?

Safety devices and the solid state logic programmed into your gate operator have Fail-safe defaults, which means that the gate will close if and only if all features are operational.

If, at any time, your gate refuses to close, it's an indication that a safety device or feature has malfunctioned or failed.

We hope this information addresses at least some of your concerns about automatic gates. A high-quality cantilever gate and operator installed correctly will give you many years of reliability, security, and convenience at an affordable cost.

For any additional questions or to request service anywhere in the state of Oklahoma, give us a call at  405-769-5081