Reliable, Secure, Electric Gates - What Spec ?
Discussion
NorthDave said:
RedLeicester said:
In general yes - our old gates were like the ones you're proposing and on what was (at the time) very expensive hydraulic rams which were forever failing, and were an utter pig to release when the power went down, I'd often have to lean my full weight on them, no way wife could ever do it. In our current house we have a larger opening, but one solid sliding gate and it's been practically unstoppable despite rain, high winds and an awful lot of snow. When the power goes out a simple turn of a key disengages the motor and the gate is so well balanced even the kids can roll it back.
I'd always go sliding over an opening pair. Seems much more secure and the operation almost always looks neater. We had gates fitted in August of last year. The price quoted sounds about right.
I've just pasted this from another gate automation thread.
The first issue we came across is that there aren't lots and lots of automation companies. They aren't like plumbers, carpenters and electricians. If you struggle to get a price from one, you can't just go and find another one really quickly. Gate automation companies are metal fabricators, electricians, AV and security all rolled into one.
We live in Hertfordshire and I tried all the four local companies and eventually settled on the one that gave us the best price for cash.
I wrote a fairly solid purchase order to the gates company as unlike a kitchen going wrong, if the gates go wrong your kinda screwed. My Nice rams do have lock release, so the rams can be disconnected for the gates to open manually, buts not what you buy electric gates for!
We have a Nice 1200 kit with one keypad (We should really have two), four remotes, magnetic lock, safety edge, master cut off switch and one pair of photocells. Long term we will buy the second keypad and maybe a second set of photocells, but we justed wanted it all working before adding extras.
If you have big solid gates, you need a magnetic lock, so stop the gates being pushed by the wind. If you don't, I'm told that it will eventually ruin the rams.
You need suitable cable trunking between the posts and from your fuse board to where the gate control box will be. I ran a lot of the cables myself to save money.
The project management abilities of the company we went for were not up to my standards (I'm a Project Manager). The communication between their engineers and the sales guys was lacking and they were late every time they came to site. We had them build a fence for us too and that was a fiasco. Thankfully everything has been sorted now, but it has taken a long time.
The Gates company made our hinges and mounting plates. Also, all the metal work for the rams was also custom made on site and then painted. When I started looking into this, I never realized how much was custom made.
The main reason we did it was all three cars were vandalized in the space of two months and it cost a lot of money to fix them. Also we have a dog now and these gates give him much more space. Another issue we had was the local youths throwing their rubbish on my driveway and in the hedge (Where the fence was). The gates and new fence should hopefully stop this.
There are suppliers of the hardware on here as well as fitters.
In hindsight, we would have been better with a gate on a sliding rail, as it would have made the drive much easier to use, but at least our drive is secure now.
I've just pasted this from another gate automation thread.
The first issue we came across is that there aren't lots and lots of automation companies. They aren't like plumbers, carpenters and electricians. If you struggle to get a price from one, you can't just go and find another one really quickly. Gate automation companies are metal fabricators, electricians, AV and security all rolled into one.
We live in Hertfordshire and I tried all the four local companies and eventually settled on the one that gave us the best price for cash.
I wrote a fairly solid purchase order to the gates company as unlike a kitchen going wrong, if the gates go wrong your kinda screwed. My Nice rams do have lock release, so the rams can be disconnected for the gates to open manually, buts not what you buy electric gates for!
We have a Nice 1200 kit with one keypad (We should really have two), four remotes, magnetic lock, safety edge, master cut off switch and one pair of photocells. Long term we will buy the second keypad and maybe a second set of photocells, but we justed wanted it all working before adding extras.
If you have big solid gates, you need a magnetic lock, so stop the gates being pushed by the wind. If you don't, I'm told that it will eventually ruin the rams.
You need suitable cable trunking between the posts and from your fuse board to where the gate control box will be. I ran a lot of the cables myself to save money.
The project management abilities of the company we went for were not up to my standards (I'm a Project Manager). The communication between their engineers and the sales guys was lacking and they were late every time they came to site. We had them build a fence for us too and that was a fiasco. Thankfully everything has been sorted now, but it has taken a long time.
The Gates company made our hinges and mounting plates. Also, all the metal work for the rams was also custom made on site and then painted. When I started looking into this, I never realized how much was custom made.
The main reason we did it was all three cars were vandalized in the space of two months and it cost a lot of money to fix them. Also we have a dog now and these gates give him much more space. Another issue we had was the local youths throwing their rubbish on my driveway and in the hedge (Where the fence was). The gates and new fence should hopefully stop this.
There are suppliers of the hardware on here as well as fitters.
In hindsight, we would have been better with a gate on a sliding rail, as it would have made the drive much easier to use, but at least our drive is secure now.
bungle said:
OP, just wondered who you went with in the end, as I'm also after some gates and am near Kenilworth. Thanks.
I was told that the first Co. had reliability issues by locals, after getting another two quotes that were almost double the first I decided to re look at it at the end of my project.As a temporary measure I fitted a 5 bar gate and manually lock it each night.
I have a cantilevered sliding gate having been advised against bottom track gates by every supplier I spoke to. They all looked at the space I had and said I should go cantilevered.
It has been installed now for around 10 years and been faultless apart from ONE morning when it froze on the mid height guide roller (rain then freezing overnight), a bit of hot water poured over the roller / into the channel and all was good again.
The motor on mine is a "Nice" motor, I am not sure I have yet changed a battery in all of them and the gate is used a minimum of 4 times a day 7 days a week.
In regard to finish - my gate and railings are all powdercoated steel - I wish they had been galvanised first. Whilst much of the railings / gate are still good a lot of the powdercoating is bubbled / falling off in the most exposed bits - I spent last weekend with an electric drill, wire wheel, various wire brushes and a tin of hammerite. Whilst the finish isn't as good as powdercoating it isn't too bad. I might even look into quotes to get them all taken off, blasted, galvanised and recoated in the next few years, the problem is that the gate is approx 7.5m long and I have no idea if it could be removed without cutting!
It has been installed now for around 10 years and been faultless apart from ONE morning when it froze on the mid height guide roller (rain then freezing overnight), a bit of hot water poured over the roller / into the channel and all was good again.
The motor on mine is a "Nice" motor, I am not sure I have yet changed a battery in all of them and the gate is used a minimum of 4 times a day 7 days a week.
In regard to finish - my gate and railings are all powdercoated steel - I wish they had been galvanised first. Whilst much of the railings / gate are still good a lot of the powdercoating is bubbled / falling off in the most exposed bits - I spent last weekend with an electric drill, wire wheel, various wire brushes and a tin of hammerite. Whilst the finish isn't as good as powdercoating it isn't too bad. I might even look into quotes to get them all taken off, blasted, galvanised and recoated in the next few years, the problem is that the gate is approx 7.5m long and I have no idea if it could be removed without cutting!
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