Tinkering 101

1. Tinkering 101 Installation of a Remote Controlled Security Gate

2. Project Phases • Concept and Specifications • Construction • Operation • Create PowerPoint Presentation  • Future Plans

3. Concept and Specifications • Why build the project at all? • Choosing a gate type and selecting a location • Solving problems creating by installing the gate

4. Why build at all? • Provide a fully enclosed backyard for the dogs while still allowing convenient parking of cars. • Provide enhanced security for vehicles and other property kept behind the gate

5. These guys need a gate The canine contingent

6. Some folks don’t need a gate Brownie is a bit bigger than this now, but she lives inside.

7. Choosing gate type and location • Gates that you can see through are much easier to manage from the standpoint of wind loading • Painted steel should last a long time • Locating the gate as far forward as possible provides the maximum running room for the dogs

8. Curb View of Gate Installation The gate is located as far forward as possible. This allows the dogs to enjoy the largest possible back yard space and lets them come forward far enough to see visitors.

9. Solving Problems • Driving wide vehicles into the yard • Granting access to utility workers • Dealing with the operator cycle time

10. Gate Sign This is a small sign located right near the gate for the benefit of somebody who just walks up

11. Construction • Setting the primary post • Attaching the gate • Adding an electric gate operator • Providing adequate control means • Adding accessories

12. Setting the primary post • Excavation of the post hole • Concrete work

13. Earth Drill, First Operator This machine is designed so that one operator can make 12” diameter holes fairly easily unless the ground it too rocky. It’s still better to have two people.

14. Earth Drill, Second Operator I did have a second person helping me. Jeremy and I drilled this hole, and then we went to his house and tried to drill a hole in his back yard. He had a lot of rocks and it didn’t go too well.

15. The Hole This hole is about 12” in diameter and about 42” deep. Except for the time required to deal with the concrete related to the footing of the house, it only took about 3 minutes of actual drilling time.

16. The Post The post is quite stout. This is a piece of 6” mild steel square tubing with a 3/8” wall thickness. More than 1/3 of its length is submerged in the ground so it can hold a heavy gate.

17. Bracing for Concrete Work Concrete was just mixed from ready mix bags in the wheel barrow. We wanted the post to be very accurately vertical so that the gate would swing true and level.

18. Bracing Detail The concrete sets up fairly quickly so this arrangement did not need to remain in the way for more than a few hours. The driveway was blocked while the concrete set up.

19. Other Posts After the main post was set and the gate hung, it was possible to locate and set posts for the latch edge of the gate to approach at the fully open and fully closed positions. The gate opens inward.

20. Attaching the gate • Decision not to weld directly to the post • Drilling and tapping to provide attachment points • Welding required to fabricate the gate hinge adapter

21. Gate Hinge Detail The tube gate pivots on hinge pins that were actually intended to screw into wood posts. Here the pins have been sawed short and integrated into a structure with a bit of MIG welding work.

22. Adding the gate operator • Selecting an operator type • Principle of operation • Attachment to the gate post • Attachment to the gate • Arrangements for power

23. Operator Installation The screw drive operator makes attachments to a post bracket and to a gate bracket. The motor is controlled by the electronic logic board inside the control box mounted on the gate post.

24. Post Attachment Detail The post bracket makes a very strong connection to the gate post. With normal posts, the instructions call for use of bolts that pass completely through the gate post. That was not done here.

25. Gate Attachment Detail Due to the relatively flimsy construction of the tube gate (and the fact it was round tubing), special measures were taken with regards to the attachment of the bracket on the gate member.

26. Controls Inside the control box is the logic board, rechargeable battery (12V, 7 Amp-Hr), the power transformer, and a control relay. A hole has been drilled in the back of the box and in the post wall to permit passage of wires into the interior of the gate post. Some go down to conduits, other go up to top mounted equipment.

27. Providing control means • Wireless control using a radio remote • Local control using a switch • Remote control using and inside switch

28. Conduit Ditch The easiest way to get wiring from the gate post to the inside of the house was to run underground through a flower bed to the nearest door, and then enter through the wood trim around the door. The wire is put into ¾” plastic electrical conduit, but the wire itself is rated for direct burial (Type UF-B)

29. Conduit Approach to Gate Post The conduit sweeps out of the ground and up to meet the entry fittings on the bottom of the control box. There was concrete in the way from the original post installation. An air chisel makes short work of the unwanted material.

30. Conduit & Wire The conduit contains a UF-B three conductor with ground cable for power and control. There are a couple of low voltage CAT-3 cables present too for signaling and future control functions. The wires and conduit are installed together as it would be harder to bury the conduit, and then pull the wire later.

31. Accessories • Gate in motion indicators • Lighting fixtures on the tops of the posts

32. Lighting One can terminate the top of a square gate post with a simple pyramid cast cap, but installing a light is more useful. Solar powered lights would have avoided the need for wiring, but power was there anyways. For that reason, powered lamps that really do some good with regards to illumination were used instead.

33. East Lamp This assembly is really three parts. The first is a cast cap for 6” square posts. The second is an adapter from a square base to a standard 3” round outdoor lamp fixture. The third is an inexpensive lantern style fixture designed for outdoor use.

34. Pilot Lamp Detail This red light, and the one not visible that’s on the opposite side, illuminate whenever the gate drive motor is running. Since the operator starts slowly, it’s often easier to confirm the command was received by the light.

35. Relief Holes The motor pilot lights are mounted in the square to round lamp adapter. However, the surface of the underlying pyramid cap collided with the back end of the pilot lamp bodies. A quick and easy solution to avoid having to find some sort of stubby pilot lamp body was to just drill a couple of relief holes in the casting. It’s all concealed by the other components.

36. Preparing to power the west post One of the challenges was to get power to the west post so that there could be lighting on both side of the gate. This region is separated from the house by the concrete driveway.

37. Covering the screw heads Two layers of electrical tape cover each flat head screw top. This reduces the chance that the screw heads will damage the jacket of the UF-B power cable that will be inside the metal raceway.

38. Raceway Endpoint The upper half of the raceway goes a bit past the edge of the concrete. The lower half of the raceway stopped at the edge. The wire can bend down 90 degrees and enter the dirt.

39. Wire entry into the post The wire from the raceway must enter the posts on each side of the gate. This will be accomplished by attaching a right angle fitting with a removable cover on each post.

40. Wire routing detail The fitting is held to the post by a machine screw threaded into the steel wall of post. The wire is now ready to be covered over with dirt. UF-B cable is rated for direct burial.

41. Completed wiring transition When the dirt is filled back in, only part of the right angle fitting is visible. The overhanging raceway is stronger than it might appear due to its shape. It won’t bend over just because you walk on it.

42. West post wire transition The west post transition is essentially a mirror image of what was done on the main post. The west post is made from 3” square tubing with a much thinner wall.

43. Finished Raceway Installation Except for cleanup with the water hose to eliminate the drilling dust, this is the final appearance of the raceway. It’s been driven over by cars, a full trash dumpster, and a municipal lift bus. No damage!

44. Wires ready to terminate The west post will be capped by a light fixture that contains the photocell that will control both lamps. The red wire sends photocell controlled power back to the east post lamp.

45. Photocell Wiring The lamp fixtures don’t have built-in photocell controls. The photocell adapter tube at right goes between a lamp and base so that a photocell and its wiring can be accommodated.

46. Wiring made ready The wires coming from the bottom of the lamp fixture and photocell adapter combination are tagged with colored electrical tape to match the colors of the UF-B cable to which they will be attached.

47. Operation • From vehicles • While outside near the gate • While remaining inside the building • Automatically

48. Vehicle Operation • Done with a radio remote just like an overhead door operator • Open – Stop – Close – Stop - Etc. • A system with a better range would be desirable, but gate should not be operated without somebody watching it

49. Pedestrian Operation • Currently a hidden pushbutton • Could be done with a key switch • Could be done with an RF keychain fob • Could be done with a weatherproof outdoor touchpad

50. From Inside • Currently a wired button near a window through which gate operation can be viewed directly • Could be extended to other wired buttons used while gate operation is viewed from a CCTV camera viewing location