The operator is not an accessory. It is the gate
Almost every failed commercial gate we are called to has the same cause: an operator sized to the price, not to the leaf weight and the cycle count.
- Classes
- I–IV
- Sizing basis
- Leaf & cycles
- Certified
- ACI technician
How it works on a commercial site
UL 325 sorts operators into four classes by the kind of site they serve. Class III is industrial. Class IV is restricted access with trained users. Putting a residential-duty operator on a commercial gate is the most common and most expensive mistake on the market.
We size on three numbers taken at the survey: the weight of the leaf, the cycles per day, and the exposure of the site to wind. Then we specify the operator, the safety devices, and the power supply as one system. Our designers hold the ACI Certified Gate Automation Designer credential, and our technicians the ACI Certified Gate Automation Technician credential.
- Sized on leaf weight, cycle count, and wind exposure
- UL 325 Class III and Class IV commercial operators
- Battery backup and solar where power is unreliable
- Fire and EMS override to your local department's spec
- Installed and certified by ACI credentialed technicians
Typical working range
| Class I | Residential, one to four dwellings — not used on our commercial work |
|---|---|
| Class II | Commercial with general public access, e.g. multifamily, hotel, parking |
| Class III | Industrial with limited public access, e.g. warehouse, factory, yard |
| Class IV | Restricted access, trained users only, e.g. secured industrial sites |
| Sizing inputs | Leaf weight, leaf length, cycles per day, wind exposure |
| Power | 120 V or 240 V mains; battery backup and solar available |
| Backup | Battery for continued operation and fail-safe opening on loss of power |
| Emergency access | Knox box, strobe detection, or dedicated fire input |
Ask any bidder which UL 325 class they are quoting and why. If the answer is vague, the operator is probably undersized for the duty.
Common questions
How do I know if our operator is undersized?
The symptoms are consistent: the gate slows or stalls in cold weather, the operator runs hot, the motor cycles a thermal cut-out, and the gate needs service every few months. Any of those and the class is probably wrong for the duty.
What happens to the gate in a power cut?
That depends on how it is configured, and it should be a deliberate decision. Battery backup keeps it running for a defined number of cycles. Fail-safe configuration releases the gate to open. We ask which you want rather than defaulting.
Can you automate a gate another contractor installed?
Yes, provided the leaf and posts are sound. We inspect the frame, hinges or trucks, and footings first. If the gate cannot carry an operator safely we will say so before quoting rather than after.
Need a gate that holds up to commercial duty?
We survey the opening, size the operator to the leaf, and hand you a written scope you can put out to bid.
Request a site survey
Send the opening width, the traffic it sees, and what the site has to do. Prefer to talk now? Ring (617) 501-7139 and you’ll reach a person, not a phone tree.
- No cost, no obligation, no pressure
- Written scope you can put out to bid or hand to a GC
- Most replies inside one business day