Automatic driveway gates, whether you have installed them for your home or commercial property, provide great security and convenience. However, certain precautions are necessary if you want to protect yourself from hazardous and entrapment pinch points. A lot of devices have been designed for this purpose and photo beam/eye is one of those devices. Photo eyes are designed to detect a potentially dangerous situation (for example a car blocking the gate travel path) and then either reverse or stop the gate opening/closing process to ensure safety.

What are Photo Eyes?

Also known as Photocell, photo eyes are “non-contact” devices that shoot a beam of light across the opening of the gate. If anything interrupts that beam of light, the gate is prevented from closing or the motion is reversed. These intelligent sensors create a reliable system for maintaining gate safety.

Photo Eye is a generic term that can apply to both Thru-beam and Retro-reflective type devices. Learning pros and cons of both types of devices is important.

Thru-beam System: Pros and Cons

Thru-beam devices are less likely to have issues in direct sunlight, rain, and fog because they operate in the infrared spectrum. You will need to install a hard wired transmitter and a hard wired receiver on both sides of the roadway in order for them to operate correctly. Thru-beam type system can perform well over a far greater range as well as in bad weather conditions. Dirt and snow on the lens will affect any type Photo Eyes.

Retro-reflective System: Pros and Cons

Retro-reflective devices are available in both the infrared spectrum as well as the visible light spectrum. Those that operate in the visible light spectrum are prone to issues with rain, fog, or direct sunlight. Retro-reflective systems have a combination of a reflector that reflects the light beam to the sending unit and a transmitter/receiver. The operating distance of retro-reflective systems is relatively short as compared to Thru-beam systems. One significant advantage of using Retro-reflective system is that you don’t need to have wiring across the roadway.

Some Common Issues Associated with Photo Eyes

While Photo Eyes/Beams offer great benefits when it comes to safety and security, there are some issues associated with these devices. The main concern with these devices is the amount of maintenance they require. You can expect certain operating issues if you do not take regular care and heavy maintenance of these devices. Furthermore, an improper installation of these devices in an unsafe location may lead to several issues such as dirt, dust, mud, and cobwebs getting in the way of the beam and interrupting the operation. So you have to be really careful with the location you choose for the installation of these devices as well as the company you hire to do the actual installation job.

Conclusion

In conclusion, installing photo beam adds extra security to your automatic gate opener as well as provides many advantages. However, these devices aren’t cheap and also require heavy maintenance. So it is recommended that you think about all the factors mentioned in this article before deciding on whether it is worth installing photo beam for your automatic gate opener.