16 October 2019

How do the photocells of the automatic gate work? Let’s find out together

Automatic gates work thanks to an electric motor and to photocells that receive signals and detect obstacles, activating or stopping the gate opening and closing process.

Automatic gate photocells: operation

Specifically, the photocells for the automatic gate are devices installed near the automatic gate, which do not allow the gate to close if their range of action is obscured by the presence of a person or a car.

There are at least two photocells for automatic gates, and they are placed in a straight line to check the presence of obstacles along the entire length of the gate.

How do gate photocells work?

The photocells are positioned one in front of the other, as one is programmed to send the signal to the second which in turn directly transmits the input to block the movement of the gate in the presence of obstacles.

The photocell, called transmitter, has a led that sends infrared signals to the other photocell receiver that detects the input. When the second photocell fails to see the infrared light it immediately sends a signal to the control unit, forcing the automation to stop.

Using an infrared light with a frequency that the human eye cannot see is a choice designed to prevent sunlight from interfering and sending incorrect signals to the photocells.

The alignment of the photocells of the automatic gate is calculated so that in this certain position both the two photocells and the automatism of the gate are hindered by cars or people passing near the moving gate.

The assembly of the photocells of the automatic gate foresees the perfectly in line positioning of the two sensors that must be placed at the same height. In the assembly phase the recommended height is 50 cm from the ground so as to easily solve the problem of remote alignment.

Both photocells must be connected to the electric current, but only the transmitter, which sends the command, must also be connected to the control unit through a specific photocell cable. In any case, it is preferable to contact the competent personnel to correctly mount the photocells and avoid creating problems for the entire system.

As for the maintenance of the photocells it is very important to regularly check the operation because the latter could be damaged even by a simple storm. In the condition in which the photocells are only dirty or obstructed by leaves or plants, simply clean them to restore correct operation; instead if you continue to encounter problems it is good to do more in-depth checks by contacting the manufacturer.

Even if they are no longer perfectly aligned, the photocells stop working correctly, but in this case they just need to be repositioned correctly to restore their activity.

VDS Automation: the photocells for your automatic gate

VDS Automation manufactures automations for swing gates, for sliding gates, for overhead and sectional doors, for road barriers, for rolling shutters, for rolling shutters, for sliding doors and all automation accessories.

We have built-in wall-mounted photocells with included batteries or mirror photocell. All our products are of the highest quality because we treat only raw materials produced in Italy to guarantee maximum functionality.

If you have typed “price automatic gate photocells” because you have no idea of the cost to which you will not be worried, our wide range of photocells for gates assures you the possibility of finding the product that reflects your needs at the price you are thinking of invest.

For any information or request contact us by sending an email to info@vdsautomation.com or call us at 085 4971946. If you prefer, make an appointment in our main office or in one of our branches throughout Italy to see our products and choose the one that best suits your needs.

VDS Automation offers its automatic gates throughout Italy: in Abruzzo, Puglia, Basilicata, Lazio, Umbria, Tuscany, Campania, Calabria, Sicily, Piedmont, Lombardy and Liguria.

Contattaci!