Safety Tips for Using Electric Driveway Gates
Photocell
One of the most popular safety devices for electric driveway gates is the photocell sensor. The sensor uses active infrared beams to monitor the area. If a car or person trips the beam, the system will prevent the gate from closing until the obstruction has been cleared.
Edges
Another common safety feature of electric driveway gates is the safety edge. A soft, and collapsible material is installed on the leading edge of the gate. If this soft edge comes into contact with an object while the gate is closing, the system will reopen the gate and prevent it from closing. These are commonly used on sliding electric driveway gates when there is a risk of children or pets entering the area of the gate.
Ground Loop
Another safety measure you can take when using electric driveway gates is to have an induction loop installed. The system uses wire loop in the shape of a rectangle to create a magnetic induction field above the wire. The magnetic field will detect overhead vehicles and prevent electric driveway gates from closing while the vehicle is still above the induction loop.
Fail-Safe
Electric driveway gates should always have a fail-safe system. This consist of having a way to manually override the system in case there is a power outage. You will be able to open the gate safely even when the power is out. Most cities have laws requiring electric driveway gates have a fail-safe system.
Emergency
Homeowners with electric driveway gates may have an emergency one day and require emergency personnel to come to their home. Therefore, the gates should have a system that allows the gate to be open from the outside manually. This will allow emergency vehicles to enter your property even if you have electric driveway gates.
These are a few tips for using electric driveway gates. One of the best options is to have a photocell sensor installed which will use infrared beams to detect obstacles and prevent the gate from closing. You should also make sure that electric driveway gates have a fail-safe system so that they can be opened in case of a power outage.
