Gates not opening
No response at all, a click but no movement, or motors that hum without moving. Causes range from power and fuses to control boards, capacitors, safety inputs and seized mechanical parts.
East Sussex, West Sussex & Kent
Electric Gate Repairs & Automation
Portara Automation diagnoses, repairs, services and upgrades existing electric and automatic gate systems. Because we also design, fabricate and install gates, we look after the automation and the gate it moves – from the first fault-finding visit through to repairs, upgrades or, where it’s genuinely needed, a replacement.
Electric gate fault finding
An automated gate is a system of parts that all depend on each other: the gate leaf, its hinges or track, the posts, the motors or operators, the control panel, the power supply, the safety devices and the access control. When one of them misbehaves, the symptom often shows up somewhere else entirely.
That’s why electric gate problems can be caused by mechanical, electrical, automation or safety-system faults – and sometimes a combination. A gate that “won’t close” might have a failed motor, but it could just as easily be a dirty photocell, a damaged cable, a control board setting or a gate that has dropped on its hinges and is now binding.
Our fault finding works through the whole installation methodically, so the real cause is identified and repaired rather than parts being swapped in the hope that something works. We explain what we’ve found in plain English and set out the options before any work goes ahead.
Existing installations are welcome. You can contact Portara Automation about your electric gates even if we didn’t originally install them.
Common electric gate problems
If your gates are playing up, one of these will probably sound familiar. Each has several possible causes, which is why a proper diagnosis matters.
Gates not closing
Gates that open but refuse to close are very often being held by a safety device – a blocked or misaligned photocell or a triggered safety edge – but settings and wiring faults are also common.
Intermittent operation
Gates that work one day and not the next, or only fail in wet weather. Moisture, loose terminals, damaged cabling and drifting photocells are frequent culprits.
One gate leaf not working
On a pair of swing gates, one leaf moving while the other stays put can point to a single motor, its wiring or capacitor, a release mechanism left unlocked, or a problem with that leaf’s hinges.
Gates stopping partway
Gates that stop, stall or reverse mid-cycle may be reacting to a safety input, obstacle detection, incorrect limits or force settings, wind load on solid gates, or a gate that has become stiff to move.
Remote controls not working
Dead handsets, poor range or lost programming. We check the transmitter, the receiver and the aerial before recommending anything new.
Photocell faults
Photocells that are dirty, misaligned, damaged or wired incorrectly can stop a gate working or leave it without proper protection.
Safety edge faults
Damaged, perished or disconnected safety edges can prevent the gate from operating, or stop it reacting as it should on contact.
Motor and operator problems
Grinding, labouring or noisy motors, worn gearboxes, seized manual releases and water-damaged underground operators.
Control panel and electrical faults
Failed control boards, blown fuses, tripping power supplies, corroded terminals and damaged cable runs.
Intercom and access-control faults
Intercoms that don’t release the gate, GSM units that have lost signal, and keypads or other access equipment that has failed or worn out.
Physical damage and alignment
Gates that have been hit, dropped hinges, leaning posts, bent frames and sliding gates running on damaged tracks – all of which put extra strain on the automation.
Having trouble with your electric gates?
Contact Portara Automation to arrange a fault-finding or repair visit. Photos or a short video of the problem sent over WhatsApp help us understand what’s happening before we arrive.
Gate motors and automation
We investigate faults with existing gate automation, including:
- Linear (ram-arm) operators fitted to swing gates
- Articulated-arm operators, often used where posts are wide or gates open inwards against a wall
- Underground operators concealed beneath the gate, which can suffer from water ingress and blocked drainage in their foundation boxes
- Sliding gate automation, including the motor, racking, track and guide rollers
Depending on what we find, a motor may need adjusting, repairing or replacing. Sometimes the operator is simply undersized for a heavy or solid gate and a more suitable one is the long-term fix. Where parts for an older system are still available and the equipment is in good condition, repairing what you have is often the sensible route.
Thinking of automating a gate for the first time, or replacing an old system entirely? See our gate automation and upgrade services, or our complete automatic gate installations.
Control panels and electrical faults
The control panel is the brain of the system. It takes commands from remotes, intercoms and keypads, monitors the safety devices and tells the motors what to do. We diagnose faults across the automation control system, including:
- Control boards, settings, limits and force adjustment
- Power supplies, fuses, transformers and backup batteries where fitted
- Receivers, aerials and connected accessories
- Wiring, terminals, junction boxes and cable runs between the gate and the controls
Where a control board has failed or is obsolete, we can fit a suitable replacement and set it up to suit your gates, often keeping serviceable motors in place.
Gate safety equipment
Safety equipment is an essential part of any automated gate. A moving gate is heavy and powerful, and the safety devices are what stop it closing on a vehicle, a child or a pet. We test, repair, replace and – where older systems have little protection – add safety equipment, including:
- Photocells (safety beams)
- Safety edges
- Obstacle detection and force settings on the control panel
- Other existing safety equipment such as warning lights and stop controls
After any repair we check that the gate reacts correctly when a safety device is triggered.
Access control and intercoms
If the gate itself works but you can’t get it to open – or visitors can’t – the problem is usually in the access control. We diagnose faults and offer replacement or upgrade options for:
- Intercom systems – audio, video and GSM (mobile) intercoms, including GSM units that have lost signal or need a new SIM
- Keypads that have failed, worn out or need new codes
- Remote controls – replacement handsets, additional transmitters and range problems
- Other access-control equipment connected to the gate
Upgrading access control is also a cost-effective way to modernise an older system – for example, fitting a GSM intercom at a rural entrance where running a cable back to the house isn’t practical.
Repair or replace? A fault doesn’t always mean a new system
A faulty electric gate does not necessarily mean the whole system needs replacing. Where it’s practical and appropriate, we diagnose the existing installation and repair or upgrade the individual components that are letting it down – keeping the rest of your investment working.
Typical examples include replacing an unreliable control panel while keeping good motors, adding photocells or safety edges to an older installation, or replacing a failed intercom with a modern one.
However, there are times when repair isn’t the right answer. Where equipment is obsolete, unsafe, badly damaged or uneconomical to repair, we may recommend upgrading or replacing it. If so, we’ll explain why and leave the decision with you. And because we design and install complete gate systems, we can take care of a full replacement installation – gate, automation and groundworks – if that’s the better option.
Mechanical gate repairs
Portara Automation isn’t just an automation company. We also fabricate and install gates, so we can investigate mechanical problems with the gate itself where appropriate – not only the motors and electronics.
Automation can only work as well as the gate it moves. A dropped hinge, a leaning post, a twisted frame or a worn sliding track makes motors work harder and can eventually cause electrical faults too. We look at:
- Gate alignment, re-hanging and adjustment
- Hinges, pivots, rollers, tracks and guides
- Posts and fixings that have moved
- Repairs to timber, metal and composite gates
- Fabricated parts and associated components
Bespoke fabrication for gate repairs
Not every repair can be solved with an off-the-shelf part. Where replacement brackets, steel components, motor mounts or other fabricated items are required, we have in-house fabrication capabilities to make them to suit your gate.
If the gate itself is beyond sensible repair, we can design and fabricate a bespoke replacement gate in hardwood, composite or metal, and automate it as one complete system.
Servicing and preventative maintenance
Electric gates work outdoors all year round, and like any mechanical equipment they benefit from periodic inspection and servicing. Regular attention helps to:
- Spot worn parts before they fail and leave you locked in or out
- Check that photocells, safety edges and obstacle detection are working as they should
- Reduce strain on motors by keeping hinges, rollers and tracks moving freely
- Catch water ingress, corrosion and cable damage early
- Plan any upgrades in advance rather than after a breakdown
A service typically covers the gate and its moving parts, the motors and operators, the control panel and power supply, the safety equipment and the access control. Get in touch to discuss what your installation needs.
Electric gates we didn’t install
Many of the gates we’re asked to look at were installed by someone else, sometimes many years ago. That’s absolutely fine – you can contact Portara Automation about any existing electric or automatic gate. Tell us what you know about the system, send a few photos of the gate, the motors and the control box, and we’ll take it from there.
Electric gate repairs across East Sussex, West Sussex and Kent
We’re based in East Sussex and carry out electric gate repairs across East Sussex, West Sussex and Kent. We have dedicated pages for electric gate repairs in Uckfield and electric gate repairs in Buxted, and you can see the rest of the areas we cover. If you’re not sure whether we cover your location, just ask.
Arrange an electric gate repair or fault-finding visit
Call, WhatsApp or email Portara Automation to tell us what your gates are doing. Photos or a short video of the gate, motors and control box are always helpful.
Phone07417 421174
WhatsApp07417 421174
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