How To Open Electric Gates Manually?

A power failure. An automatic gate motor malfunctioning. A remote not working. A lot can get in the way of your automated gate functioning correctly, leaving you or a guest stranded outside or unable to exit.

To understand how to open electric gates manually, it will protect you from this inconvenience in the event of an emergency or a need to enter/exit.

Every automatic gate or electric gate has the ability to be opened manually in the case of a power outage, blackout, or emergency situation. It’s done by a manual override, although precisely how can vary by the type of electric gate you have.

Never Use An Impact To Force Open An Electric Gate

First and foremost, never use excessive force to open an electric gate. You don’t need to. It’s a guarantee that there are built-in release mechanisms somewhere that will do the trick. By comparison, an impact or excessive force runs the risk of permanently damaging the gate or motor.

In addition, if your gate is not opening due to a malfunctioning sensor, such as that which detects obstructions, forcing an electric gate can damage these sensors and lead to further malfunctions down the line.

The best place to start with how to open an electric gate by hand is to look at the instructions that came with your gate.

Always Proceed With Caution When Opening Electric Gates

While a gate is designed to move manually after its release mechanism is activated, there may be some resistance.

Proceed with caution at all times. Always push carefully and steadily. Have a look around you, ensuring there are no obstructions. The gate must also be pushed in the correct direction. If your electric gate’s manual release system isn’t functioning properly or happens to break itself, you may need to call an automatic gate technician for further assistance.

What To Look For When Trying To Open/Close An Electric Gate

There are over a dozen brands of gate openers. They may all work a little differently. Each’s manual release may be done either by handle, lever, or key.

If you know the brand and model of electric gate you have in your driveway, you may refer yourself to the instruction manual if it’s still available to you, call and ask an electric gate service technician from InteleGates, or do a quick search online for tutorials on how to manually open/close your specific type of electric gate.

A key thing to remember when working with a manual electric gate open/close is to always return it to its original state. Close the gate when you’re finished.

Do not leave the gate in manual mode as it won’t respond to electric or automatic commands until it’s switched over.

Electric Swing Gate: Undo The Bolt By The Gate Motor

A common place to start searching for an electric gate manual open/close on an electric swing gate is by the gate motor.

If there’s a bolt underneath the gate motor, loosen it up which should place the motor in a neutral position.

From there, after the bolt is loosened, push the arm down. After that, you should be able to open your electric swing gate. To restore its electric function, all you will have to do is place the arm back into its original position and tighten the bolt.

Electric Slide Gate: Open The Door On The Gate Motor

For an electric slide gate, there is no arm. For a slide gate, there is a little door over the motor that can be opened by key. Assuming you have the key as a backup, take it, unlock the door, and pull it open. At that time, you can slide the gate open with ease.

To restore the original electric function, close the little door on the gate motor and lock it back in place.

This should enable the gate to once again be automatic or electric after the power source is reconnected and/or turned back on.

What To Do If You Don’t Have Or Have Lost Your Manual Release Key

A gate that requires a key to operate manually will have a release key made for it unique to the motor type, manufacturer, and engine. The size and shape of the key can vary from looking like something along the lines of an excessively large Allen key to a key very similar in design to a front door key.

Every automatic gate kit generally will come with a key. If you have lost your key, this is a problem.

If you have duplicates or had duplicates made, these can be relied on, however, if you misplaced your original electric gate key, it’s unlikely you will be able to get a new one as it’s a unique key made for that unique engine. The last option is to replace the entire electric gate locking mechanism which comes at a high cost.

If You Can’t Get Your Driveway Gate Open, Call Us

If you have tried the manual release and you cannot get your electric gate open or simply cannot find the release, don’t hesitate to give us a call at InteleGates.

We can fix your gate guaranteed! A technician will be dispatched to you to help you locate the manual open/close and to show you how to use it. If there is an issue with the power source or electricity relating to the gate, we can also pitch in and ensure a long-term repair is done.

Avoid headaches. Avoid injuries. If you don’t know where to start, call a professional gate repair tech at InteleGates.

Want To Avoid Having To Open Electric Gates Manually? Schedule A Maintenance Visit By InteleGates

The best way to avoid situations where you have to open your automatic gates manually is to ensure regular maintenance is being done.

To uphold gate security and maximize functionality, schedule electric gate maintenance at least once a year with InteleGates.

As residential and commercial gates experts, we will inspect your gate top-to-bottom, make the necessary electric gate repairs, and ultimately do our best to ensure that you are never stuck inside or outside without a way to cross the gate and doing it manually.

If you’re in trouble, don’t wait. Get in touch with a technician at InteleGates. We’ll let you know the next steps for what to do.