The Whats and Hows of Sliding Gate Motors

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The entrance of your front yard or driveway is the first point of contact with who you are and what your household represents when someone visits you. Therefore leaving a good first impression is key. But even if that doesn't matter to you, having an automatic gate is always a better solution than a manual gate.

This means you don't need to run off to it whenever someone needs to enter or get out of your car when you need to do so. Automatic gates make it not only convenient but even cool when leaving or entering your property. Also, whoever has the remote can open the gate, meaning you are better protected with an automatic gate.

What to Consider

Dimensions

Admittedly one of the most important factors about automatic sliding gate motors isn't about them at all but rather the gate itself. The length of the gate affects everything else or rather the opening that needs to be covered by it. For an electric sliding gate motor to be able to move the gate it needs to have enough power. By getting the exact measurements for the gate you get the exact power output you need for the motor to be able to move it. Keep in mind that you need to add anywhere between 350 mm and 400 mm to the opening you need to cover in order to get the total length of your gate.

Weight

Another factor that affects the power requirements of a gate motor is the weight of the gate. Its weight is affected by both the length and material it comes made of. If a gate is fully made of metal, especially steel, it will weigh much more than if it's either partially or fully made of plastic or wood. 

Rack

All sliding gates come with a rack that has teeth on it which are essential to the movement of the gate. The gate is moved with the help of a pinion powered by the gate motor. You can have a rack made of steel, galvanised steel and nylon but what you can't choose is its length which needs to be greater than that of the gate. The space between the rack and the gate is usually about 80 mm.

Hardware

There is additional hardware that comes with sliding automatic doors and this typically includes a safety strike, 2 safety stops, a track, an upper guide bracket and 2 wheels. Depending on the length of the gate the number of certain parts can increase or decrease and sometimes change in size.

Benefits of Sliding Gates

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Secure

Just because they slide doesn't mean they can't prevent people from coming in. Automatic sliding doors are actually one of the most secure ways to keep the entrance to your property safe from unwanted guests and potential theft.

Space

One of the most underrated advantages of a sliding gate is the fact that it takes a lot less space than a regular swing gate. All you need is just vertical space along the wall which you probably already have. 

Appeal

The fact that a sliding gate “hides” behind the wall of your property means that it also makes the entrance more visually appealing. With the hardware and motor behind the wall, you can't get a more concealed solution.

Lifespan

Because the movement of a sliding gate is linear and it doesn't change direction can only mean that it relies on a simpler mechanism than most other gates, which is true, as it lasts much longer. Simpler solutions are often the most efficient and thus longest lasting which often means maintenance costs are low too.

Benefits of Electric Sliding Gate Motors

Simple

Talking about simple things, an electric gate motor is also a rather simple solution since it relies on fewer parts than a mechanical one does. While the pinion is still there, it's moved by the power of electricity and a brushed or brushless AC or DC motor depending on the system you use to send signals from the remote to the gate.

Speed

Electric gate motors for sale can actually move any gate rather quickly. While sliding gates aren't the quickest, they are still much quicker when operated by an electric motor. That's especially the case if you go for a powerful one.

Longevity

Remember that simpler solutions last longer? Well, the same goes for electric gate motors for sale since they have fewer moving parts they tend to fail less than their older counterparts. 

Maintenance

Since fewer parts are present, less servicing is needed but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do regular inspections of an electric motor's wiring and test its voltage and impedance using a multimeter.

Conclusion

There is no universal automatic sliding gate you can go for and therefore there's no gate motor that is either. This is why taking measurements and looking into certain details is required to find the correct solution for your property that will be used for years to come.