Choosing Inbuilt or Separate Controls

Gate operator controls – Inbuilt or separate control box ?

Both swing and sliding gate operators can come with the controls as ‘inbuilt’ meaning the gate operator controls (electronics) are located under the same cover as the motor / gearbox. The other method is to have the controls mounted in a separate enclosure to the motor / gearbox. Which is better ?

Lets look at the advantages of both :

Inbuilt controls

Advantages

• All the controls are prewired to the motor and limits, this means the wiring and installation time is reduced
• There is only a requirement of connecting the mains and any safety wiring and access control.
• Being all under one cover, the gate operator is generally easier to work on as everything is there in one place.

Separate Controls

Advantages

• The controls are all contained in an IP 65 enclosure, as long as the appropriate glands etc are used, this IP rating can remain, so protection against flooding etc is greater.
• Sometimes there may be a requirement for the controls to be mounted away from the drive motor for security reasons, this is therefore an advantage with separate controls.

Conclusion

• Most installers would find the gate operators with the inbuilt controls to be a far more convenient option compared to the separate control enclosure
• Also, the shorter the screened cable from the inverter to the motor is, the better it will be from EMC point of view and also from the performance of the inverter.