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Installing Underground Motors for Automatic Gates
The pivot point on the foundation box must be directly beneath the top hinge pin. The pivot point on the foundation box is between 60 and 70mm in from the edge of the box (depending on manufacturer). The top hinge pin must be the same distance from the post or pillar. A bottom hinge pin is not required and should not be used. The motor arm performs as the bottom hinge. (Fig 1&2)
The foundation box must be encased in concrete. A hole will need to be dug in the ground 100mm deeper and 70mm wider and longer than the box. The foundation box is concreted into this hole. The strong concrete mix should be poured to near the top of the box, allowing sufficient clearance for the driveway finished surface. Due to the large surface area of the box, this will be sufficient for all but the heaviest of gates. Where possible, the foundation box and the post should be concreted at the same time or, the box set into the concrete footings of the pillars. (Fig 2)
Ensure that you arrange drainage from the boxes; a pipe should be led away out of the box to soak away into the surrounding ground. Motors are designed for submersion but not to sit indefinitely in water. A conduit for the motor cable must be led from the box to the back of the pillar or post for connection into the control panel or a junction box. Connections should not be made below ground. The drainage and the conduit should of course be arranged before the concrete is poured.
The top of the foundation boxes should be level with the finished surface even if the ground across the gate is not. The level of the gate is corrected by the use of shims between the gate arm and the bottom of the gate.
Mask off the holes in the foundation boxes to help prevent concrete from entering.
Ensure that individually each box is level in each plane.
Allow the concrete to set hard.
Hang the gates. If the gates are a pair; place and clamp both gates in the closed position ensuring that they are level, that all spacing is uniform and a gap of sufficient tolerance between the leaves. Shim between the motor arm and the underside of the gate as necessary with steel of the required thickness. You may need to use box section steel. The shims must be welded to the motor arms. If the gates are steel; weld the gate to the arm or shims. If your gates are timber; you will need to fabricate a ‘shoe’ for the gate to sit in and the shoe welded to the motor arm. The shoe should be screwed or bolted to the gate and designed to spread the turning forces of the motor through the gate. Avoid loading a small area in the corner of the gate. (Fig 3)
Install the motors using the nuts and washers provided and torque down.
Feed the motor cable through the conduit.
The information, pictures and diagrams refer to the Nice Metro Underground Motors
For further information on gate automation see: Gate Safety Elements and Control Elements
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