An electric gate that won’t open fully is a thoroughly frustrating experience. After all, it’s not like the gate doesn’t work at all – it just doesn’t quite get the required job done.
In some ways this is a good thing – it gives you something to work with. Far better like this than an electric gate that simply refuses to budge at all!
There are a number of reasons why an electric gate may stop halfway when opening or closing. Many of these are easily identified and remedied yourself, requiring no expensive engineer visit.
Sadly, if these steps fail then it may be necessary to call in an export. But let’s focus here on exactly what you can do right now to try and resolve the issue.
Obstructions in the Entranceway
Contents
Electric gates are manufactured to prevent crushing people or cars. Sensors look for obstructions as the gate is moving. If just such an obstruction is observed the gates may stop, or may even start moving in the other direction.
Have a look around your electric gate to see if anything could be triggering this effect. For example, has a tree branch started to sag, or has a shrub put on enough growth to trigger the sensor?
Consider whether your electric gate always stops part way, or whether it only occurs in certain circumstances. For example, after heavy rain many plants will be much heavier and so may droop down causing issues for your electric gate.
Faulty Sensors
The other side of the same puzzle is that some sensors trigger accidentally, preventing the gates from opening fully.
This is less likely when gates stop halfway and won’t open fully. More common is when electric gates won’t open or close at all. All the same, it’s a quick and simple check to do so worth the 2 minutes it’ll take you.
Locate the gate sensors and visually inspect them. They shouldn’t look badly worn or misaligned, nor should they be dirty at all. Giving the sensor a good wipe to remove any build-up of dirt and debris is well worth the effort.
Obstructions in the Tracks
If your electric gate uses a track to run in then obstructions here are one of the most common reasons for an electric gate that won’t open fully.
The gate starts to open, then reaches the obstruction, and goes no further.
Take the time to carefully inspect the tracks. Often leaves, twigs or small stones fall into the tracks, or are washed there after heavy rain. Even general grime and dirt can build up within these tracks.
Giving them a good brush out and a clean can make all the difference. And while you’re there, look for any damage to the tracks; have they been warped by hot weather, have they rusted in the rain, or has a heavy vehicle driven over them to buckle them?
Improper Maintenance of Hinges or Rollers
Gate hinges and rollers need proper maintenance if they are to keep working smoothly.
If your electric gates are professionally serviced regularly then this should all be covered. However if you maintain the electric gates yourself then it’s worth considering this as a potential reason why your gates stop opening halfway.
The most important thing is to ensure the hinges and runners are suitably lubricated. If they are not, and metal is rubbing on metal, then this can create additional friction. Under such circumstances your gate motor may simply not have enough power to push the gate fully open.
If in doubt, apply a suitable lubricant (such as oil) to the hinges and rollers, and then manually move those parts to spread the lubricant deep into the moving parts. For hinges, for example, open and close the gates a few times after oiling so it can work into the joints.
Power Needs Resetting
Like all electrical devices, sometimes simply turning your electric gates off and back on can make all the difference. The reality is that the software that controls electric gates gets “gremlins” just like your home computer or cell phone.
If in doubt, try turning off the power to your electric gate, leave for a few seconds, and then turn it back on. Afterwards, test whether the issue still persists.
Manually Opening an Electric Gate
This can be a really handy tip indeed. All electric gates have a manual override feature, for cases of power cuts and so on. Typically you’ll find this on or near the motors of the gate. Typically it is necessary to insert and turn a key to disengage the motor mechanism. In this way you can manually push your electric gate open or shut.
This is handy to know for two reasons.
Firstly, it means you can push your gate fully open in order to leave your property, so a gate that only opens part-way doesn’t mean you’re stuck at home.
Secondly, and just as importantly, when you try to manually open or close the gates in this way you’re able to observe how they move.
You may spot something you hadn’t seen before as the gates reach the point at which they normally stop. Perhaps part of your drive is catching on the bottom of the gate. Perhaps the gate itself has moved on its hinges, and now drags on the ground at some point.
Take it slow and observe the movement (it can help to have a second pair of hands here – one to move the gate, one to watch) to see if any other issues can be identified.
More Technical Reasons Why an Electric Gate Won’t Open Fully
Sadly if you’ve reached this part of the article without your electric gate opening properly then now may be the time to call in a professional.
There are a number of more technical faults that can lead to a gate that won’t open fully, but in most cases it makes sense for an engineer to resolve them.
A couple of more common faults include:
Damaged Motor
Like any mechanical part, the motors that open and close electric gates will eventually get old and tired. While they tend to be sturdy and well-made, putting up with a lot, it’s inevitable that sooner or later they’ll start to struggle.
One way this can present itself is that the motor manages to start the gate moving, but simply lacks the power to finish off the job. As a result the gate stops moving part way through its trajectory.
Faulty Wiring
Like the motor, wiring can get old and damaged, and require replacing. This is hardly surprising when the wiring is at risk from all angles. Extreme weather conditions, rodents nibbling on it, even manual damage from a car brushing against it.
Sometimes it is possible to spot damaged or rusted wires quite easily. More commonly, however, the damage can only be identified by an engineer.
Conclusion
Electric gates that don’t open fully might be an annoyance but fortunately there are all manner of things you can do as an amateur to resolve the issue. Follow the steps above before you ring an engineer; it’ll not only save you money but may mean you can resolve the issue today, rather than needing to wait days or even weeks for a professional to visit.