Control Board help - Automatic gates - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: psysc0rpi0n
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 17, 2025, 09:53:21 pm
content: Hi.I need some help to see if it is possible to fix an issue I have with this control board that is controlling a pair of gates. Gates, real gates. Not gates of a MOSFET. :pWhat happens is that the one of the pair of gates close completely but the other one only closes to like 90. Then, they both open again completely and stay like that.The control board has 2 buttons inside. I'm not sure if these buttons can control the opening and closing of the gates or somehow how can I kind of reset the control board so that it opens and closes the gates correctly.I have a picture of the control board if it helps. The gates are controlled by 2 motors, independently, if I understand it correctly.

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 17, 2025, 10:10:19 pm
content: QuoteAre you certain its the board thats at fault and not a saftey interlock on the gates themself thats at fault

author: NPG
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 17, 2025, 11:25:26 pm
content: Quote from: themadhippy on February 17, 2025, 10:10:19 pmHad that happen with a garage door once, the safety sensors had been blocked.Cleared the line of site for the sensors, it worked correctly again.Simple fix, a pain to find. :-)

author: wilfred
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 17, 2025, 11:55:35 pm
content: It seems to be the controller does not detect both gates close as expected and is reopening them as if there were an obstacle in the way like a person or a car. I would check the travel limit switches for correct operation. Another thing to check is the motors if they have worn brushes. If the gates are only a few years old then worn brushes isn't likely a problem. Does it seem to run slower than usual? One gate follows the other usually and I know pretty well if it is following at the normal delay and speed. Does the gate that stops always stop in the exact same position? I don't see why it would since the limit switches are at end-of-travel either open or closed. I think the controller never sees one gate close and times out. My system has a LCD display which will flash up an error message. I had a very similar problem and it was faulty limit switches. If you replace one replace all of them.I would do a simple test of the limit switches first to see if one is faulty.A fault in the control board is a low probability source of the problem. It is able to move both gates after all. You could check the wiring for the limit switches to make sure they are secure and intact.If you have a photo-electric beam make sure a branch isn't being pushed across it as the gate closes.

author: psysc0rpi0n
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2025, 10:18:52 am
content: Quote from: themadhippy on February 17, 2025, 10:10:19 pmI'm not. I didn't even know about that safety interlock. Is there the possibility of checking that?Quote from: NPG on February 17, 2025, 11:25:26 pmOhh wait... I see what sensors are you guys toalking about now. The ones that are on each side of the gates that stops the gates if anything crosses them. They are some kind of IR sensors, no?I can try to clean them just to rule them out!This behaviour of the gates is not always constant. A fee weeks ago the gates were just like they are now, but all of a sudden they simply started working fine. Now, it happened the same but the gates never worked fine again!. It's been like 2 weeks now.Quote from: wilfred on February 17, 2025, 11:55:35 pmI have to know how to check those travel limit switches. The motors are just a few years old because they were already replaced once. The gates are closing kind of the same speed. And yes, one gate is following the other with a very reasonable amount of delay. I don't think they are closing slower than before. I think the motors are fine, at least for now!.When I get out of work later today, I'll try to see how to check the travel switches and also clean the sensors!

author: wilfred
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2025, 01:56:04 pm
content: The switches that the motor unit uses to detect the open and closed end of travel in mine are just pretty ordinary microswitches. I would just put a multimeter across them and see if the contacts close (or open) when I flick the lever. They often have normally open (NO) and normally closed (NC) contacts and only one is used. You could I suppose operate the gate and try flicking the switch to see if the controller notices and stops the gate.Also when the motors were installed there is a cam (lever) on the pivot arm that has to be adjusted so that it correctly pushes the switch at end of travel. If yours has moved a bit it might be making a proper contact only some of the time. If it all checks out at the motor then go back to the control unit terminals where the switch wires terminate and repeat the switch tests to make sure the wires are intact and properly terminated.My PE beam sensors are IR and they are probably not the problem if the gates open and close, or at least try to unless as I said if something is blocking the beam whilst closing. If they were just dirty then the gates wouldn't try to close. I did have one problem where the IR beam sensor on one side wasn't grounded properly but that just made it insensitive but it still worked if something big was in the way like a person, bin or car. But keep it in mind if you need to try absolutely everything. I doubt it is your problem.It sounds like your switches are intermittent with possibly damaged contacts. My gates were similarly hit and miss for a while but I fixed them before they totally failed.It might not be the switches but they need to be tested first and really the one that senses the close on the faulty gate is they only one to focus on initially. But if you find one is faulty the others might not be long for this world either. Since they are cheap replace the lot.But be on the lookout for a loose wire somewhere. Vibration or movement could also do what you're seeing if a wire is loose.

author: Phaseseeker
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2025, 02:20:32 pm
content: Judging from the pictures it looks like a Nice (as in the brand) control board. AFAIK these come in two configurations:- Low voltage motors with an encoder wheel in the motor unit- 220V/line voltage motor units, with microswitches directly in the motor units.In the 2nd variant, since the controller has no way to know where the motor is, it operates purely based on some timers, usually set by some trim potentiometers (like the one marked "Forza"/force in your picture), plus it uses said limit switches to directly cut power to the motors when they reach end of travel; in that case, in the motor units I've seen the limit switches are at the two sides of the bottom opening where the motor connects to the gate.If you manage to find the model number of either the motor units or the controller, there's a good chance you should be able to find more info about the way they are set up and wired

author: drhex
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2025, 05:03:09 pm
content: These boards often use current draw to understand if the gate is at the end of its travel. When dirt, rust, age slow the gate down it may falsely detect an end stop or obstacle. Help it along a bit and see if it closes fully then. Then grease a bit. The pot marked Forza may allow you to increase opening force and overcome the high spot for a while.

author: ozcar
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2025, 08:04:07 pm
content: Appears to be "Oxygen Nerea":https://oxy4us.com/en/swing-gates/600-nerea-swing-gate-control-unit-230v-no-box.htmlThere is a manual there. For a device like that they often have a troubleshooting section, but from a quick look there is nothing like that. Still might be something useful there though.I did see it mentions "safety devices" and for those it says "If the device trips during closing, gate motion is reversed.", which is maybe what is happening. There is evidently one safety device attached (white and green wires to terminals 8 and 9 of the connector on the right).