Photocells have been the number 1 gate safety device since the industry began. Very simply one side fires an infrared beam at a detector which makes a NC (Normally Closed) circut. When someone or something crosses the beam, breaking it, the circut is un made and the gate system reacts in the appropriate way.
There are 100s of different products on the market but we are going to talk about just a few of them here. We are going to look at what level of safety you can achive with them and where they are most effective.
Sunset Photocell
This can be thought of as your standard photocell, both sides are powered and your gate system will have a good first line of safety. However there are problems with this system. Poor fitting location could mean that peole and vehicals are missed. If something by passes the photocell they could be hit by the gate.
Breaking the Infrared beam triggers safety device
15 meter range
NC fail safe switch for bullet proof reliability & and NO contact to act as a start input to activate gates
Simple to add to existing systems with straight forward wiring
Synch 2 sets of photocells together so they do not communicate. Allows 4 sets of photocells to work in close proximity
Photo 60
The Photo 60 works in exactly the same way as a standard photocell but has a hardend aluminium outer casing. Again we would only recomend using this as a secondry safety device to be used along side safety edges or a light curtain.
Non contact induction detector
Robust aluminium outer casing can take alot of damage
Rotate detector eyes within the photocell housing for easy alignment and installation
Photobat
Battery Photocells provide flexibility allowing for photocells to be fitted to any system without the need to lay a cable.
Battery transmitter and wired receiver
8 meter range
2 year battery life
Light Curtain
Light curtains are not new to the market but they are less common. 2 rows of LED infrared lights fire in sequence to cove an entrance way. These systems are are perfect for fast moving gates or very large heavy gates where you do not want the gate to ever come into contact with an obstruction such as a vehicle or pedestrian. This is the only type of photocell which can pass modern health and safety regulations on its own as the whole entrance is covered making it impossible to reach the gate without triggering the safety device.
Light curtain can be any height up to approximately 2.5m
A 10m range version and 14m range version are available
The only fully certified device that can be used in isolation to make a gate safe and compliant
