looking to buy a driveway gate... have OPII. What do I need to know?

[jaydubb1]

Hey everyone!

I'm looking at a gate from gatecrafters.com - price seems right, but I will need to get it installed by a local contractor. No big deal there, I just need to figure out what I'm getting into here... I really only have two questions so far!

1. Does anyone have experience with GateCrafters?
2. What do I need to make my HAI system control the gate?

I want :

1. the gate to open when a vehicle is leaving
2. if it would recognize me coming home, that would rock!
3. keypad at the end of the driveway (camera would be cool here)
4. control through HAI OP2

Thanks in advance!

 

[edselrt]

To control the gate you would need a low current relay Altronix rbsn-ttl connected to one of the outputs of your OP2. You need also a heavy duty garage door contact to check status of gate (open or close). To detect a vehicle you need a Hai wireless vehicle detector and a HAI wireless receiver

 

[jaydubb1]

thank you homeboy...


... ummm...


What?

 

[jaydubb1]

(I obviously need to edit my profile to reflect "Experience: Minimal")

 

[jaydubb1]

To control the gate you would need a low current relay Altronix rbsn-ttl connected to one of the outputs of your OP2. You need also a heavy duty garage door contact to check status of gate (open or close). To detect a vehicle you need a Hai wireless vehicle detector and a HAI wireless receiver

I do plan on running cat6 down to the gate, so wireless may not be necessary...

What kind of garage door contact would be considered "heavy duty"?

 

[Del91574]

Honestly, the best way to do gate control is to have the gate controller itself do the safeties and loop/vehicle detection. You don't want the panel to be the one making the decision of if or how it operates.

You can install contacts for gate positioning status on the OP, but that's all I'd suggest as an input connection to the host panel. The OP would be able to provide a dry contact to fire the operator, as would most any system you intend on integrating with the gate.

If you really wanted vehicle detection for feedback in the house or to fire events, whether or not a separate unit would be needed depends on if the operator has a dry contact output or if standalone is desired.

Then again, there's going to be a huge difference in functionality and features when comparing a $250 operator to a $1500 operator...you'll get what you pay for.

 

[jaydubb1]

Thanks DEL, that makes sense.

I guess at the end of the day I want to know if the gate is open and also be able to control it via my hai system.

I'm tempted to buy the gate from gate crafters, so I need to know what controller, keypad, etc... What else do I need to purchase, and where is the best or recommended place to buy those items?

 

[Del91574]

I'm spoiled, I'm typically doing mid to mid-high integration, both residential and commercial. I'm typically used to having a lot more hardware than a straight linear actuator.

The most common I see on the residential side are Chamberlain or Liftmaster.

Keep in mind, besides the generic gate application, you need to consider some other items, like if the fire alarm goes off, the gate should open and remain open until the alarm is reset or XX time (typically hours) and then what to do if the alarm goes off, so responders can get to the house.

As far as what to do at the gate for access, you need to consider if you're doing access control (prox or code, etc.) and if you're doing intercom, dial to house, etc. For safeties, I've typically have loop detectors installed as the safeties and to "arm/enable" the prox, keypad or what have you, but have also used feeler strips on the gate edges also. Positioning sensors are pretty easy and straightforward.

 

[jaydubb1]

I'm spoiled, I'm typically doing mid to mid-high integration, both residential and commercial. I'm typically used to having a lot more hardware than a straight linear actuator.

More hardware, like what?

Keep in mind, besides the generic gate application, you need to consider some other items, like if the fire alarm goes off, the gate should open and remain open until the alarm is reset or XX time (typically hours) and then what to do if the alarm goes off, so responders can get to the house.

This is why I'm looking to give my OPII control of the gate, so I can specify items exactly like that. Thank you for the tip!

As far as what to do at the gate for access, you need to consider if you're doing access control (prox or code, etc.) and if you're doing intercom, dial to house, etc. For safeties, I've typically have loop detectors installed as the safeties and to "arm/enable" the prox, keypad or what have you, but have also used feeler strips on the gate edges also. Positioning sensors are pretty easy and straightforward.

I would like to do both prox and code.

The most common I see on the residential side are Chamberlain or Liftmaster.

Now we're getting somewhere... I need a parts list.

Operator: http://www.gatecrafters.com/product_detail_8466.aspx (Liftmaster) OR http://www.gatecrafters.com/product_detail_888.aspx (Estate Swing)

Exit Wand: http://www.gatecrafters.com/product_detail_5413.aspx

Intercom/keypad: http://www.gatecrafters.com/product_detail_1019.aspx OR http://www.gatecrafters.com/product_detail_24670.aspx

Heck, they have a package for this: http://www.gatecrafters.com/product_detail_8326.aspx

Comes with :

• Estate Swing E-S 502 Gate Operator
• WKP-P Stainless Steel Keypad
• gate Crafters 50' Exit Wand

Gate lock: http://www.gatecrafters.com/product_detail_31600.aspx


The part I'm still struggling with is how to make my OPII control the gate.

Any help on that one?

 

[Frunple]

The part I'm still struggling with is how to make my OPII control the gate.

Any help on that one?

Wouldn't that be the easy part??
Think of it as a garage door opener, simple to control with the OPII. It would be the same depending on the gate controller you get. There will probably be a "push to open" switch or similar for control from the house. Connect that to the OPII. Even if the controller uses the phone system there will usually still be an input of some sort to control it. Just ask the manufacturer or check the manual of the controller you get.


Just a quick glance at the first manual from the site you listed shows the opener uses a wireless push button just like a garage door. Would be simple to get as spare and connect it to the OPII, just wire an output to the button contacts on the wireless controller. When you close the output, it's the same as pushing the button. Some simple code and set a button inthe OPII to do it.

 

[Del91574]

I would forget about wireless controls for the gate...simply asking for trouble and you're not going to really get the performance you want.

The panel is only going to be in parallel with the gate operator, for all intents and purposes a relay or two with a dry contact pair from the house to the gate...done. The only real integration for the alarm is going to be releasing the gate on appropriate alarm conditions.

I would not pull a pile of cable back to the house for control purposes. For prox and similar, you can pick up a small standalone weigand reader setup and/or a keypad in one, give it power and same thing, run a pair of cables to the operator.

For enabling the reader or keypad, if desired, you're going to need a loop detector or the magnetic based units like you saw, Cartel, Sure Action, Mier, Dakota Alert and others offer specific units for gate control. You're going to have free egress from inside, so a detection circuit X feet up from the gate and one on the other side of the gate. If you're going magnetic based (similar to unit you posted) you're going to need to be about 15' from traffic to avoid falses.

I would look at vehicle loop detectors before going magnetic...the magnetic ones need to see movement and really be centered under the driveway to work. Google will help you out with them.

 

[tmbrown97]

I don't think you ever stated distance from gate to house; that will affect some things.

I differ a little in opion... but only slightly. If possible to get a wiegand reader to reach to the gate but still be incorporated in the OPII, I'd do that over standalong in a heartbeat. I'd also like to see the status of the gate (open/closed) somewhere on the OPII. You stated wanting a camera and I think intercom - if so, that'll require a tad more wiring.

A standalone keypad at the gate is one thing, but if you get into RFID I'd want a single place to manage it. Then again, if you go intercom, you'll likely end up more standalone because it's much easier to integrate into the home - unless do go all IP at the gate and do something like a Helios - they have an integrated video/ip/SIP with RFID. It's quite expensive though.

Definitely would want a loop for egress tied directly to the gate; don't want OPII issues to keep you from coming/going.

For automatic vehicle activiton, you can use flash2pass, or there are pretty easy ways to do it with long range RFID tags but that may be beyond your comfort level. I'd stick with homelink or RFID scanner/keypad at the gate or even flash2pass - very easy to install options.

 

[Del91574]

Barring ethernet distance limitations without extenders and changing media....

I'd agree with the weigand aspect, but once you start hitting the 500' mark, you're going to have problems unless you oversize the conductors and decentralize power.Can't overcome the capacitance or voltage loss of the wire, even pulling Belden or similar.

If you could change the data stream into another format that could go further than straight weigand, like RS 485 or 232, no foul, but usually any sorts of distance, it's more practical to bring the weigand into a controller than use a more robust format to to do the long haul and then dump into a controller.

 

[jaydubb1]

I believe the gate is about 200' from the house and 18 from the road.

The video/intercom could be a standalone unit, although I would love to have everything working from the same interface, like a kindle or an ipad.

The weigand readers... I don't know if that's the right solution for me. The gate is definitely not for security - my property isn't fenced, someone could easily just walk around the gate or even drive across my lawn. It's not really going to keep anyone out... it's more of a sign that we aren't expecting company and don't feel like answering the door for solicitors.

 

[Del91574]

Honestly, then why deal with the security aspect on the gate and just do a standalone glorified garage door pushbutton for yourselves and then wire a pair to interface with the intercom, phone, or alarm to allow remote opening from the house, like a "buzz to get in" door. Then tie that to the panel to automatically open the gate for an alarm event, which I'd set the relay to latch until the alarm is disarmed, but that's me.

Usually the visual aspect of the gate will deter most from pulling in unless they have a reason.