Power to electric gates

[success1980]

Hi all,

 

I am having my driveway installed in 2 weeks and meed to run power to a few places.

 

1 have an in-and-out drive so will need power for two motors. I will also need power for 4 brick lights that will be in the piers of the two accesses. Additionally we want a lantern on the drive that needs power as well.

 

My question is how I would best get power to it? I am unsure how to get it from the main fuse box under the stairs outside.

 

Thanks

[Mr Punter]

Run 2 x ducting from the house to the side of the gates where the control box will be - 1 for power and 1 for CAT 5 x 2.  Also run duct across to the other gate.  Work out where you want the lights switched from.

 

You may need a loop inside the drive if the gates are to open when you drive up to them.

 

You will need 230v to the control box which will house the power supply to the gates.  You can use the 230 for the pier lights as well but it will need a switch wire from wherever you want to control it.  Run the 230v in SWA.  You will need a spare way on the fuse box.

 

Gates and access control is quite complex and there are safety concerns.  I would get a proper gate person to do the whole thing.

[success1980]

Thank you for the details. I wouldn't install myself, too many things that can go wrong.

 

Just wonderd how to get inside the house with the cables, I think the main power supply comes from underneath and I can't get to it. Will also have am electrician look at it beforehand.

[CC45]

Sounds tricky tbh.  Power from a garage?

 

w

[Nickfromwales]

Do you have the specs of the gate motors? They usually are geared and not that 'power hungry', so you may be able to glean power from an utility ring and then just a matter of drilling through the outside wall where there is power available back to back. Do you have any largely unused circuits? For eg, a cooker circuit with a 32a or 40a supply that is just servicing a hob igniter? Redundant shower supply etc where you've changed to a mixer shower / or as said, a garage with a dedicated feed which you can tap off?

As far as lighting goes they will use very little and can be piggy backed off the gate supply. You could also use Quinetic wireless ( and battery-free ) technology to have switches in the house which bring these on and off. You can also put a switch in the car even, loose in the glove box, and use it to bring the lights on for welcome / approach illumination. These things are ridiculously good for wireless switching and still amaze me as to how far and how diverse an installation they will still work, reliably, in. You can also add PIR sensors, laid over these wireless switching circuits, for security / approach illumination for when you're not home.

Upload some details and add the information requested earlier and we can work out just how much power they need, and where you can get it from.

Also consider the future purchase of an EV, if you do end up running cables through the house, as that would be a good time to get a second cable ( or one very beefy one ) out for a car charger.

If you do end up having to get power from the fuse-board ( aka CU ( Consumer Unit )) the easiest route is usually up from the CU, into the first floor ceiling void, and out to the appropriate external wall. A run of black or white conduit, down from a 'terminal box' fitted where you drill out, to ground level is normal practice. If you can get through the downstairs then even better.

[Onoff]

"In and out drive, 2 motors".

 

So two gates then? Each a big, single, swinging gate?

 

I've got a sliding gate, two pillars and sh!t loads of conduit running between the two underground. 

 

 

[Onoff]

No I don't work for them but these people are really helpful and easy to deal with. Tech backup is great and they answer questions in general really quickly. 

 

I have one of their kits, my mate, the BiL, a couple of neighbours etc. 

 

https://www.easygates.co.uk/product-category/electric-gates/gate-opener-kits/

[Onoff]

Don't under estimate the amount of underground wiring / ducting you need to do this properly. 

 

My sliding gate was the first one I'd done from scratch and though I put ducts in I'd do it a bit different now tbh. (More ducts, better thought out etc). Money no object I'd do a second entrance to give an in and out drive and it would be done better this time. 

 

Link found at random but the pictures show what I mean. 

 

http://www.proteco-uk.com/swing_gates/advantage_swing.html