My electric gates won’t close – what should I do?
Whether they’re electric gates for driveways, electric garden gates, or some other type of powered gates for your home or a commercial property, electric gates sometimes don’t close, causing an inconvenience and a security issue.
That’s why, in this article, we’ve put together a list of possible reasons your electric gates aren’t closing, as well as some advice on how you could resolve the issue yourself, with or without a little help.
Something is blocking your electric gates
To start with the obvious – the reason your electric gate isn’t closing may just be that it’s blocked. This problem is usually associated with automatic sliding gates, where the rails fill up with debris, such as small stones or woody plant matter.
So, before calling out a gate maintenance expert, double-check the rails of your electric gate, carefully remove any obvious debris, and then wipe them with a cloth and some warm soapy water.
Check the batteries of your electric gates
If the above reason doesn’t resolve your sticking electric gate issue, the next step is to check your batteries. Begin with the batteries in your remote - check if the red light at the top is permanently on. If it is, this may be your issue.
If it’s not the remote, go through the system and check other battery-operated areas, including photocells and transmitters. These components will usually warn you if the batteries are low, but it’s best to check.
The photocells of your electric gate are blocked
The photocells of your electric gate are a vital safety feature, that uses infrared technology to help prevent the gate from closing on the users' fingers or hands etc. and to help protect small children or wildlife from getting trapped.
Just like with your electric gate rails, the photocells of your electric gate can become obstructed by common debris, preventing the gate from closing. So check each photocell carefully, then with your fingers clear, try the gate again.
Your electric gate's safety edges are obstructed
The safety edges of your electric gates are the rubber strips located around the edges, each of which is wired through a transmitter, and like your gate's photocells, acts to prevent trapping and other injuries. Due to the necessary sensitivity of these safety edges, they sometimes react to various types of debris. So, wipe them with a damp cloth, making sure to remove anything obvious, then check again if the gate closes.
Your electric gate is in manual mode
Most gates have a manual mode option and there are odd times, maybe during a power cut or for maintenance reasons, when you may need to operate your electric gate manually. So, before reaching for the gate maintenance company’s phone number, double-check that you haven’t left your electric gate in manual mode. The user manual will explain how to do this if you’re unsure.
And, if all else fails…
If you’ve tried everything mentioned above, call in a professional, rather than dismantling the devices yourself, and possibly invalidating your warranty, or worse still, causing an accident.
Contact Us
For all your electric gate needs, contact Gate Control, one of Bedfordshire’s leading designers, manufacturers, installers and repairers of all types of gates, working throughout Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.