MAINTAIN YOUR SWING GATE BRACKETS AND BOLTS

Did you know that your slide or swing electric or solar gate motor has quite a lot of torque, it has to, to be able to open and close a heavy gate day after day in all weather day and night.

Many swing gate motors are able to push/pull up to 350kgs, that just shows you how strong they are and if this is being operated every day, and over time nuts and bolts can start to move on the gate post brackets that the motor swings on. 

One of the biggest call outs most installers get is when the gate starts to open then stops. It sounds simple, and most people ring up and say the motor is faulty.  Probably not so. So all swing control boards have a section called stall force, and this can be adjusted. This is for safety as well as a normal power option so the motor can turn off at the end of the open/close stroke. It is called a current sensor to the tech people. 

Basically when the gate hits something during the open/close cycle, the control board sensors the increase in current from the motor and turns the motor off. But if the bolts holding the swing arm are loose on the mounting post and the remote is clicked, the motor starts, then the motor bracket slips under the load and power of the motor trying to open the gate,  the loose bolts allow the bracket to move and in that spit second, the current of the motor changes under load so the controller thinks it has hit something and turns the motor off. 

Check your fittings, screws, and bolt, make sure everything is tight and all will be good...cheers Graeme