Sliding Barrier Gate and Gate Operator

Sliding Barrier Gate and Gate Operator

Earlier last month I wrote an article entitled “Slide Gate Operators on Concrete Pads | Quality Trumps Price”. In it I stressed, as I continue to write about, ECI’s commitment to prioritizing the long term needs of our customers and prospects over any short term financial investments. We strive to offer the very best solutions at affordable costs, albeit not necessarily the cheapest alternative. We are a family owned business and pride ourselves in our work and our reputation.

We frequently see installations that do not meet our standards. We may be called in to remedy a situation not of our making and that would never have existed under our watch. We realize shortcuts are often taken to meet budgetary constraints. But these short term decisions frequently turn into long term nightmares. Such is the case for the following installation at a local residential gated community. Hopefully, we can help resolve the issue with a long lasting remedy.

The sliding barrier gate pictured to the left, the gate operator, supports for both as well as ancillary equipment are all in a state of disrepair. Additionally, as you can see, at the bottom, both concrete footings are crumbling. Even the photo-electric beams shifted and were out of alignment. These beams are meant to signal the gate operator to close the gate once a vehicle has driven through the beam.

The front wheel of the barrier gate is off the ground. Its installation was meant to compensate for the shift in alignment since this type of sliding barrier gate is normally cantilevered with a counter-balancing weight used to keep it level. It is no longer level. Additionally, this type of wheel assembly is not recommended in our area due to climatic conditions. These types of wheels frequently get stuck in snow, ice and freezing rain. That could prevent the gate from opening or closing.

Sliding Barrier Gate Weldment

Sliding Barrier Gate Weldment

The gate operator itself is obsolete and was, in fact, obsolete when it was installed. Prior to this visit ECI had removed the board and cleaned the corroded parts on a service call in an attempt to get the gate operator functioning once more. We were forced to do so since no replacement parts were available. Regardless of our efforts, the gate operator failed again a short time later.

Of particular concern is the second picture (to the right) showing an improperly installed weldment (gate operator welded to a supporting metal post). As you can plainly see, there are wires running through an opening cut in the metal and the wires are not encased and protected in metal conduit. Rough edges on that opening can cause the wire coating to fray with vibrations during operations, possibly leading to a short, or even worse, to an electrical charge running through the installation’s metal.

We will proceed with a complete proposal as we did in the February article. Hopefully, our focus on quality and safety can offset any investment concerns abd fix the ongoing problems.

At ECI we continue to concentrate in security, vehicle access control systems and the seamless integration of those systems. Learn more About ECI. For a no-obligation site inspection and assessment by calling 847.949.0134 today. Or click below for direct contact information.