Which SWA

[ban-all-sheds]

still none the wiser which cable to use - that tool is complicated - could anyone help

It really isn't complicated at all.

If you want to design and install the electrical circuit for the gates then you have to do it, not somebody here.

You have to take responsibility for doing it properly, not somebody here. You have to know what you are doing and you will have to sign the declaration on the EIC which reads:

FOR DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, INSPECTION & TESTING
I being the person responsible for the design, construction, inspection & testing of the electrical installation (as indicated by my signature below), particulars of which are described above, having exercised reasonable skill and care when carrying out the design, construction, inspection & testing hereby CERTIFY that the said work for which I have been responsible is to the best of my knowledge and belief in accordance with BS 7671:2008, amended to 2011 except for the departures, if any, detailed as follows:


Or you have to get an electrician to take responsibility for it.

 

[majorbuild]

i have already stated not doing diy install

no need to shout man - only asking - nothing illegal about that

 

[ban-all-sheds]

not doing a diy install

was going to possibly buy a compliant kit and get electrician to install,

And the electrician will have the necessary skills and experience to install gate machinery? Have you already found him?

but that does not restrict me from asking questions on this forum and get better informed

Better informed is excellent, and just what you should be doing.

However, asking people to take responsibility for your electrical design work is not what you should be doing.

Now that you are better informed you are better able to fill the role of designer which you have chosen for yourself.

doing quite a bit of ground work at moment and just wanted cable in place

Fair enough. Do you know about all the other requirements for buried cables?

I could run 2 ducts with the cable in then now as I don't want to be pulling cable through at a later date

Then put the ducts and access chambers in now, and let the electrician pull the cables through.

I only wanted to get idea of cable and get a cost

That calculator will do an excellent job of giving you the cable size, then you can start to price it up. But you should let the electrician provide it.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

i have already stated not doing diy install

Not of the gates no, but you've made it quite clear that you want to do DIY electrical design work.

Which is absolutely fine, as long as you are competent, but remember what the 'Y' in 'DIY' stands for. There are genuine issues of responsibility and accountability here - you cannot palm those off onto other people.

no need to shout man - only asking - nothing illegal about that

Nobody is shouting.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Due to the excessive length, two or three boxes will be required along the length of the duct, otherwise it will be impossible to draw cables in.

OOI, would you attempt to use a single 200m cable, or would you have 3 or 4 sections with a joint at each access point?

 

[majorbuild]

thanks for all your help on this matter

 

[bernardgreen]

It would be difficult to "buy a kit and have it installed" as the forces applied to the gate have to be strictly controlled so each installation is unique in the way it is set up.

The requirement is that all force is removed if the gate movement is impeded and then the motion must be reversed to release anyone who may have been trapped.



My advice would be to use a ELV system ( 12 or 24 volt ) powered by a battery at the gate. With a trickle charger supply to keep the battery charged. The thinking behind this is that the gate motor will only be operating for a minute at most when some one comes or goes. Most of the time it will be taking no power. What is taken out of the battery in that minute can be replaced by a low current charger before the gate needs to operate again.

It also means the gate can be operated during a power cut. If you have ever tried to release an electrically operated gate to drive in or out when the motor cannot be operated then you will realise the down side of electric gates.

 

[JohnW2]

My advice would be to use a ELV system ( 12 or 24 volt ) powered by a battery at the gate. With a trickle charger supply to keep the battery charged. The thinking behind this is that the gate motor will only be operating for a minute at most when some one comes or goes. Most of the time it will be taking no power. What is taken out of the battery in that minute can be replaced by a low current charger before the gate needs to operate again.

Indeed. In fact, given the not inconsiderable cost of 200m of SWA (of the sort of size likely to be needed) and the very considerable effort (and/or cost) associated with digging a 200m trench, would it not be seriously worthwhile to consider solar recharging of a 'local battery'?

Kind Regards, John

 

[bernardgreen]

In fact, given the not inconsiderable cost of 200m of SWA

If the charger is a controlled current unit at the house end then the cable will be ELV and carrying at maximum 1 or 2 amps. Voltage drop along the cable would not be problem as long as the charger can provide enough output voltage to compensate for the voltage drop.

So SWA would not be needed.

 

[JohnW2]

If the charger is a controlled current unit at the house end then the cable will be ELV and carrying at maximum 1 or 2 amps. Voltage drop along the cable would not be problem as long as the charger can provide enough output voltage to compensate for the voltage drop. So SWA would not be needed.

Fair enough - but the cost of 200m of any adequate cable (and any ducting etc.) would not be insignificant. In any event, there would still be the horrendous task of digging a 200m trench. Don't you think it would be worth consider solar charging, hence no cable/trench at all?

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

thanks for all your help on this matter

NP

 

[stillp]

Link to some HSE documents:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/search/search...ates#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=powered gates&gsc.page=1

 

[majorbuild]

hse - good reading - thanks for the information

i will investigate more and get local professional advice

 

[majorbuild]

[/quote]None, since the product you are proposing to use is illegal.[/quote]

that kit supplier had this to say

All our equipment is CE marked and is fully compatible with the latest machinery directive requirements.


Our control boards have obstacle detection, 8k2 and auto-programming. And the 909a board is among the top 5% of the safest boards on the market, and the easiest to fit.

 

[stillp]

that kit supplier had this to say

All our equipment is CE marked and is fully compatible with the latest machinery directive requirements.


Our control boards have obstacle detection, 8k2 and auto-programming. And the 909a board is among the top 5% of the safest boards on the market, and the easiest to fit.

If that's true, why are the documents they link to incorrect? The Declation is part of the product as far as the Directive is concerned.

Other than the obstacle detection, the rest is gibberish. Are they claiming a Safety Integrity Level or Performance level for the safety-related control functions?