Control/monitor a motorized gate at the end of a long driveway
- Thread starter riverhawk
- Start date
Work2Play said:
DELInstallations said:
Its a residential gate. How many cycles per day could it need? And like I said keep everything OFF except a very low power sensor device. Use that to switch on other equipment when necessary. Average power draw would be very very low. Of course if you want the camera and wifi on all the time for some reason then this wouldn't work.
apostolakisl
Senior Member
DELInstallations said:
Never lived in the country I'm guessing.
#2 wire times 1000 ft to run a gate. What a waste of money that would be.
12g at 1000 feet gives you 5 amps with less than 10v drop. So you can pull more than 500 watts and still have upward of 110v. Odds are you won't touch 500 watts out there.
znelbok
Active Member
Coax for video does not mean analog either - SDI technology gives 1080p resolutions over standard RG59 coax.
Of course, you need to check that it will still work at the distance that you are proposing.
IMO - just hand it onthe poles and wait for them to complain. Leave enough slack so you can trench it in afterwards is need be. A ditch wtch will cut a trench in a day and then you just have to drop the conduit and cable in and backfill.
Mick
Of course, you need to check that it will still work at the distance that you are proposing.
IMO - just hand it onthe poles and wait for them to complain. Leave enough slack so you can trench it in afterwards is need be. A ditch wtch will cut a trench in a day and then you just have to drop the conduit and cable in and backfill.
Mick
So what you're saying is a 10% voltage drop is acceptable contrary to every other similar application specifically tells you that 5% is the maximum allowable that should be considered for line voltage?
So where does one locate a 5 amp 120V breaker for say...a Square D, Siemens or GE panel box? Or are you saying that he should abandon the HV powered gate and hardware and run LV, with all the batteries and related hardware, then derate the batteries for temperature and same with the solar due to changes in daylight hours from seasonal influence. Which system are you proposing?
We already know that an analog camera is out, since 1K is beyond the capabilities of a standard analog CCTV camera. How are we going to maintain the operational temperature for the electronics that are going to be involved? How about heaters for the camera? Most cameras or halfway decent quality unit are not going to have heaters that work on POE alone.
So where does one locate a 5 amp 120V breaker for say...a Square D, Siemens or GE panel box? Or are you saying that he should abandon the HV powered gate and hardware and run LV, with all the batteries and related hardware, then derate the batteries for temperature and same with the solar due to changes in daylight hours from seasonal influence. Which system are you proposing?
We already know that an analog camera is out, since 1K is beyond the capabilities of a standard analog CCTV camera. How are we going to maintain the operational temperature for the electronics that are going to be involved? How about heaters for the camera? Most cameras or halfway decent quality unit are not going to have heaters that work on POE alone.
tmbrown97
Senior Member
Wow... I wasn't talking about 12AWG for 120VAC, nor was I actually suggesting using 12AWG - I was merely pointing out the amount of voltage drop that happens at such lengths with those lower voltages (And my example was what it'd take to actually get 13V *DC* at the gate). Rather than answer the OP's question for him, many posts back I suggested figuring out what all he thinks he'll need, and finding a voltage drop calculator... this was just an example of why that's necessary.
And re:solar, not many cycles for the gate - but if any networking equipment (media converter) and cameras and any other devices are out there, there will be a continuous draw on the battery and it would need to be sized accordingly.
But I think we've :horse: enough... although with two different opinions. If it were me, I'd trench - then again I would've trenched from the start... but live and learn.
So, OP - trenching or hanging wire and running everything you need gets you rock solid stability and never really having to deal with it again; some say it'll cost more, I probably disagree... then again it depends on what WAF and your time is worth. If you're dead set against that, then we could get to talking about alternatives.
And re:solar, not many cycles for the gate - but if any networking equipment (media converter) and cameras and any other devices are out there, there will be a continuous draw on the battery and it would need to be sized accordingly.
But I think we've :horse: enough... although with two different opinions. If it were me, I'd trench - then again I would've trenched from the start... but live and learn.
So, OP - trenching or hanging wire and running everything you need gets you rock solid stability and never really having to deal with it again; some say it'll cost more, I probably disagree... then again it depends on what WAF and your time is worth. If you're dead set against that, then we could get to talking about alternatives.
Personally, I was referring to the sizing of the conductors on an AC vs. DC based system that were cited....that's all.
Work, I agree, in the case of the poles, what's done is done. While stringing cable on them for all these other systems is possible....by the time you factor in aerial cable and messengers or the overall cost of bringing in a crew with a lasher to get non-messenger cable up there...the amount spent is going to start becoming very similar to direct bury. Since the OP is in the NE, direct bury, while doable, it doesn't take into consideration the possibility of stones in the backfill material and heaves (even though the backfill is supposed to be sandy for all intents and purposes) and added complexity of weather variables.
Wireless is always going to need a revisit or have far more quirks compared to a direct wired solution.
They're going to have all the utility lines...the WAF is going to be the same, HV, CATV, Telco are all up there already, just adding a couple more, or realistically once they're lashed, a single bundle. Unfortunately, the amount of cable that would need to be left 'just in case' they need to be moved is not going to be fun. Still have to consider pull boxes and handholes.
Work, I agree, in the case of the poles, what's done is done. While stringing cable on them for all these other systems is possible....by the time you factor in aerial cable and messengers or the overall cost of bringing in a crew with a lasher to get non-messenger cable up there...the amount spent is going to start becoming very similar to direct bury. Since the OP is in the NE, direct bury, while doable, it doesn't take into consideration the possibility of stones in the backfill material and heaves (even though the backfill is supposed to be sandy for all intents and purposes) and added complexity of weather variables.
Wireless is always going to need a revisit or have far more quirks compared to a direct wired solution.
They're going to have all the utility lines...the WAF is going to be the same, HV, CATV, Telco are all up there already, just adding a couple more, or realistically once they're lashed, a single bundle. Unfortunately, the amount of cable that would need to be left 'just in case' they need to be moved is not going to be fun. Still have to consider pull boxes and handholes.
kurtmccaslin
Active Member
I have a very similar situation that I am working on. It is 500 feet from my water well to the gate. I have power at the water well and am in the process of trenching and running power to the gate. It happens that the gate already has a solar system with a car battery-- which is very common in central Texas. I have never had a problem with the battery running out of juice, but I have never gone in and out 50 times in one day.
The trench will have multiple purposes-- there is a 110v circuit sized for 5v drop at 5 amps, I am running a water line so that my wife can plant a few flowers at the gate, and I am running an empty 2 inch conduit to pull fiber at a later date.
The electrical power will use #10 copper. This conductor has a rated ampacity of 30 amps before it melts-- but you would never put that much on it because the voltage drop at the end of the line would be too great. It is designed for a drop of 5 v at 5 amps. At the end of the line, I am planning to run 12v lighting, IP cameras, and a gate intercom with remote opener. I currently plan to leave the solar system for the gate because it is working just fine, but could put a trickle charger on the battery if I ever start using the gate a lot in the winter.
My only concern is voltage drop due to surge. When the LV transformer for the lighting kicks on, there will be a surge that will pull down the voltage for an instant. It could kick my media converters or IP camera off line. If that happens, I will be looking at capacitors or a UPS to even out the surges.
I also considered running a meter to the gate. The minimum bill for a meter in my area is $25 per month. That is $300 per year. I plan to live here for a long time, so it was worth it to me.
The trench will have multiple purposes-- there is a 110v circuit sized for 5v drop at 5 amps, I am running a water line so that my wife can plant a few flowers at the gate, and I am running an empty 2 inch conduit to pull fiber at a later date.
The electrical power will use #10 copper. This conductor has a rated ampacity of 30 amps before it melts-- but you would never put that much on it because the voltage drop at the end of the line would be too great. It is designed for a drop of 5 v at 5 amps. At the end of the line, I am planning to run 12v lighting, IP cameras, and a gate intercom with remote opener. I currently plan to leave the solar system for the gate because it is working just fine, but could put a trickle charger on the battery if I ever start using the gate a lot in the winter.
My only concern is voltage drop due to surge. When the LV transformer for the lighting kicks on, there will be a surge that will pull down the voltage for an instant. It could kick my media converters or IP camera off line. If that happens, I will be looking at capacitors or a UPS to even out the surges.
I also considered running a meter to the gate. The minimum bill for a meter in my area is $25 per month. That is $300 per year. I plan to live here for a long time, so it was worth it to me.
All of that is true, but keep in mind, the OP is not in TX or the south, where the land is flat and far more sun for longer periods, they're in the NE, where temperature swings will affect the battery longevity and output and during the winter, depending on orientation of the array, solar may not completely charge the system during the hours of daylight.
Don't forget, a battery really wants to be running around 75-80 degrees ambient, and actually, the higher the temp, the higher the output, at the cost of the battery's service life. Drop the temperature into the freezing range, 30% derating isn't unheard of.
Don't forget, a battery really wants to be running around 75-80 degrees ambient, and actually, the higher the temp, the higher the output, at the cost of the battery's service life. Drop the temperature into the freezing range, 30% derating isn't unheard of.
