The Gate Crafters sensor is a multipurpose exit sensor and vehicle detector that allows hands free access; and, because of its simple design, it is compatible with most gate openers including the Estate Swing, Apollo, Zareba, and many others. The single piece design provides the installer with a simple installation procedure. The Gate Crafters Exit Sensor is buried in the ground so a potential intruder or vandals do not notice it. The Gate Crafters have a wide range of power supply options from 9V to 41V AC or DC. Low current consumption makes it an excellent choice for solar power applications.

The Gate Crafters sensor uses a passive probe sensor to detect changes in the earth's magnetic field. These changes are caused by a movement of ferrous metal objects such as a car in the proximity of the probe. The sensing area of each probe is in the shape of about 15-foot circle. The size of this detection circle changes with the size and speed of the moving car. The Gate Crafters sensor can be buried in the ground about 6 inches deep parallel to the paved driveway. It also can be placed 2 inches deep in asphalt or concrete under the path of the vehicle.

Note: Exit wands/sensors should not be used on properties in which the driveway gate is designed to keep in pets, children or livestock due to the possibility for unintentional openings. Our suggestion is to use a keypad for exiting so the gate will only open when it is intended to by code.

Use this formula to calculate how far from the gate the loops should be placed so that by the time a car reaches the gate, the gate will be completely open:

Exit Loop formula:    x*(y*1.46)=z

x = time for gate to open in seconds.
y = Desired MPH to reach gate.
z = how far from gate.

FYI - 1.46 converts miles per hour to feet per second. We also recommend adding in 10 to 20 feet so the gate is fully open at a comfortable distance from the gate.

For placement of a safety loop before and after the gate use the formula below. A safety loop is designed to stop the motion of the gate before the car reaches the gate. The distance below should give an ample amount of time for the gate to stop before hitting a vehicle:

Safety Formula:     4 feet before a closed gate and after an opened gate.

“We are always getting questions about how gate exit wands work and how they are different from exit loops.

Exit wands are what is know as a magnetometer which senses changes in the Earth’s magnetic field. An easy way to explain how exit wands work is to picture a boat traveling through the water. As the boat is traveling it is creating waves. As your car travels through the magnetic field of the Earth it creates similar waves, like the boat. The exit wand’s magnetometer picks up on these waves as you travel by the wand. One downside of exit wands is that they do lose sight of your vehicle when it is stopped.

Gate Crafters carries 5 different types of exit wands that work very similar to each other. The only difference between these wands is some of their features. The GTO/PRO wireless exit wand is wireless between the magnetometer and receiver. The Gate Crafters exit wand is manufactured by EMX and has been around for years. The GTO exit wand is recommended for use with other GTO openers and accessories. The Estate Swing exit wand does come with a range control board that allows you to adjust the sensitivity of the magnetometer. This feature allows you tune down the range of the exit wand so that vehicles such as a lawnmower don’t set open your gate, but this isn’t a complete failsafe, as it will still operate the gate opener when something is nearby. The Estate Swing Deluxe Exit wand is the most different from the other exit wands. It is constructed out of copper and features a ground cable that attaches to a grounding rod that helps protect this exit wand from lightning strikes. The other 4 exit wands do not have this feature and are susceptible to damage from lightning strikes. Also, the Estate Swing Deluxe Exit Wand comes with a 5 year warranty, which is longer than any other exit wand we sell.

Exit loops differ from exit wands in that they are buried in the driveway in a loop and are wire to the gate opener. The way exit loops work is that they detect the presence of metal (your car) above the loop. It does not matter if your car is moving or not, the loop will detect the car. Besides being used to exit your property, exit loops are used for safety. When exit loops are used as a safety device, they will prevent your gate from closing on your car, when they detect a car nearby to your gate. The exit loop is wired to an exit loop detector, which is then wired into your gate opener’s control board.

GateCrafters.com is a one stop shop for gate openers and gate accessories at a great price. Gate Crafters was started on the idea of providing gate openers and accessories along with great customer service to our valued customers. We have technical support available to you 7 days a week from 9 am to 9 pm, eastern time. Our experts are standing by to take your phone call, answer your email, or chat with you with our live chat on our website. We welcome any question you may have and can help you put together a complete package for you so your gate operates how you want it to. We look forward to hearing from you.

In the world of automatic gate openers, a common new feature you’ll see is as a gate closes it slows down for the last few feet instead of banging shut. This reduces the banging noise as well as takes stress off the physical components of the gate and gate opener.

One problem with this feature is the lack of momentum as the gate closes reduces the amount of weight hitting the lock to below the weight needed for the gate to fully close and lock. Instead, the gate latches rest on top of each other without fully locking, leaving your gate unprotected against forced entry and wind.

What separates the Estate Swing lock from the rest of the competition is that it requires less than 1 pound of weight for the gate to lock. Other locks require approximately 5 pounds of weight, which is no longer generated from the momentum of the gate because of the slow down feature.

Another benefit of the Estate Swing lock is the unique pivot design reduces power consumption. The older model locks require 3 amps to pull the latch open because they pull back on a direct linear path. The Estate Swing lock requires less than 1 amp because it works on a swivel, making the pulling action much easier.

The reduction in power required for the lock means less strain is put on the system as a whole as power is distributed through the motor and control board. Since less power is then required from the system, you can reliably active and run the motor, power accessories, get a longer life span from battery systems, and will not stress the circuitry of the control board of the gate opener.

The best features of the new Estate Swing Lock, however, are that it is compatible with all of our gate opener models here at GateCrafters.com and it comes with a 2yr warranty!

	GateCrafters.com has the resources you need. How do you use your gate opener system once you get it? GateCrafters.com is the only retailer to give a real answer to this question. We have develop videos for installing many of our gate openers and products and write DIY focused manuals for most gate openers and have individual instructions for each accessory to be installed with each gate opener.

“The are multiple type of driveway gate locks available on the market today. The main two types of gate locks are solenoid locks and electromagnetic locks. Each type of gate lock has it advantages and disadvantages.

Before we discuss gate locks, I’d like to go over pin locks. These locks are made to lock your gate opener to the post or to your gate so that it helps prevent theft of your gate opener. These are simple devices that fit into the mounting locations on your gate opener, in place of the bolts that are provided in your gate opener kit.

Now let us talk about gate locking devices. The most popular type of gate locking device is the solenoid gate lock. All of these locks come with a control board and adequate an amount of wire needed to connect the gate lock to either the control board or to the master control board of your gate opener. These locks do not come with mounting hardware as each application will be unique to your gate.

We carry 3 brands of solenoid gate locks. The Estate Swing gate lock and Gate Crafters gate lock are essentially the same unit.

The GTO/PRO lock features a different type of locking tab when compared to the Estate Swing and Gate Crafters locks. The GTO/PRO locking tab has to slide back inside the unit, and this requires about 5 pounds of force to accomplish. One downside of this gate lock is that in heavy wind conditions the pin may become trapped behind the tab. Also if your gate opener has a soft stop feature, it needs to be disabled as there will not be enough force to latch the gate.

The Estate Swing and Gate Crafters lock feature a rolling type latch that takes minimal force to operate. The locking tab folds back into the unit and allow for easy locking and unlocking. In high wind conditions this lock will function the way it was intended, as the locking tab has a smooth back.

GTO/PRO also has a push to open/ open position gate lock. This is the exact same lock as the regular GTO/PRO gate lock, but it is made to either lock your gate in the open position or to be used as a push to open gate lock. To use this lock as a push to open gate lock, you will need to plan ahead with the installation however.

Gate Crafters also sells an electromagnetic gate lock. This gate lock is not compatible with solar gate opener because it is constantly drawing power. Also it the gate lock’s wire is cut, it will essentially turn this gate lock into a brick. This is due to the fact that this lock needs a constant source of electricity to function. This gate lock is ideal for high wind areas where you do not want to worry about your gate hanging up on your lock.

Please visit our FAQ page on our website for any additional questions regarding gate locks. If you do not see your question on our FAQ page please email me and I will quickly answer your question.

GateCrafters.com is your one stop shop for gates, gate openers, and gate accessories. We have technical support 7 days a week from 9 am to 9 pm, eastern time. Please give us a call, send us a email, or use the live chat on our website, so our experts can help you find the right accessories for your gate and gate opener.”

	GateCrafters.com has actual experience. We have a testing area, we have factory and internal training courses, we build gates and have our own gates that are automated, we attended all industry trade shows in multiple countries and are a member of the AFA, and we pay visits to our chosen manufacturers' factories. All these factors are what have lead to us having so many exclusive additions. When you see and actually use as many products as we have you tend to have many ideas for minor changes that have major impacts. We acted on these ideas and have utilized them to help thousands of customers automate their gates.

GateCrafters.com brings a special product to gate opener accessories – a Universal Digital Gate Timer. With this compact timer unit, home and business owners will be able to control when their gate opens and closes. With several exciting features and functionalities you’ll finally be able to get the ultimate in accessibility and security that you seek out of your driveway gate. This timer has universal application due to its 12 or 24 volt operation it can function with almost every gate opener on the market. Mount inside home/business, in a gate opener control box or outdoor rated electrical box.

Controlled Open/Close
You can open and close your gate at a particular time with the gate timer via a programming sequence which allows you to open at a preset time and close at a preset time. The timer allows for this to be either: weekday only, 7-days a week, single day or a combination of the three.

Inactive Accessories Function
You can make accessories like automatic entry or exit through loop or auto-sensor inactive during “off” hours. For example during evening hours some users wish to have automatic access off to create a more secure environment. With the Universal Digital Gate Timer you can achieve this secure "off" hours setting.

Manager Opening / Auto-Reclose
This setting allows a manager to open the gate at a particular time with the gate remaining open until a preset auto-close time. Have the gate open only after an authorized individual has activated the gate but subsequently after close at a particular time. This function works great for commercial establishments like lumber yards or car lot.

Complete Gate Lockout Times
Use this function of the timer to make the gate opener access completely disabled during off hours without shutting down the system and possibly losing programming. During evening hours some users wish to have all access off limits through a particular gate, such as an auxiliary gate. It has built-in security because it programs the gate to not reopen at a certain period of time but still close if already opened.

	GateCrafters.com has actual experience. We have a testing area, we have factory and internal training courses, we build gates and have our own gates that are automated, we attended all industry trade shows in multiple countries and are a member of the AFA, and we pay visits to our chosen manufacturers' factories. All these factors are what have lead to us having so many exclusive additions. When you see and actually use as many products as we have you tend to have many ideas for minor changes that have major impacts. We acted on these ideas and have utilized them to help thousands of customers automate their gates.