Common Problems With Automated Gates And How To Fix Them

An automatic gate saves you getting out of the car to open the drive, which you’ll appreciate on a wet night, and it keeps the property more private and secure. But an automated or electric gate has motors and electronics, and sooner or later something will play up. Deal with it early. A small fault left alone can damage other parts, and a job that should have been a repair ends up as a replacement.

Plenty of the common problems with automated gates come down to something simple you can check and fix yourself, like a tripped switch or a flat battery. Anything inside the control box or motor housing is different. There are live electrics in there, so leave the covers on and call an engineer.

Fixing Electric Gates After a Power Outage

A dead keypad and no sign of life from the sensors usually means the gate has lost power. If the neighbours are without power too, it’s a power cut, and the gate should start working again once the supply is back. Otherwise, look in your fuse box (consumer unit) for a switch that has tripped and put it back on, once. If it trips again, or nothing has tripped at all, call an engineer to find the cause rather than opening the control box yourself.

How to Fix an Automatic Gate Stuck in Manual Mode

A gate stuck in manual mode will move by hand but ignore the remote. Check the manual release on the motor first. Most gate motors have a release key or lever so the gate can be pushed open during a power cut, and while it’s released the motor can’t drive the gate. Lock it back and try the remote again. With the release locked and the gate still refusing to run on its own, the fault is in the opener or the opening mechanism, and an engineer will need to track it down.

Troubleshooting a Faulty Gate Opener

When the gate still opens from the keypad or a second remote, the fault is with your handset. Fit a new battery first. A fading battery is a common reason for a remote to stop working, or to only work when you’re right up at the gate. A fresh battery that makes no difference means the remote itself has probably failed and needs replacing. A new one has to be coded to your gate before it will work.

Reducing Noise from a Grinding Gate Mechanism

A steady grinding noise as the gate opens and closes usually means part of the mechanism has worn. It won’t fix itself, and the longer the gate runs like that, the more strain it puts on the parts around it. An engineer can take the mechanism apart and rebuild it, or fit a new part in place of the worn one.

Metal Track Maintenance for Sliding Gates

On a tracked electric sliding gate, the wheels run along a metal track across the drive, and gravel and leaves collect in it. A clogged track makes the gate stick. Sweep it out regularly yourself, making sure nobody can operate the gate while you do. If the track is bent, damaged or out of line, leave it to an experienced technician.

Clearing Sensor Obstructions on Automated Gates

The sensors are a safety feature that stops the gate closing on anything in its way. If one is blocked or dirty, the gate may refuse to close, or stop working altogether. Insects, cobwebs, moss and mould on the lenses can be enough. Wipe the front of each sensor with a soft cloth and cut back any plants growing across them. Vermin getting inside the housings is a different matter. There’s wiring in there, so that’s a job for an engineer.
If you want an automated gate to last, look after it. The cleaning jobs above are easy enough to do yourself. For anything beyond a wipe or a new battery, book one of our maintenance visits. At TPS Electric Gates we design, install and maintain automated gates. Call us on 01594 840 408 and tell us what yours is doing.