Electric Gate Won't Close? Common Causes and Fixes

A gate that opens but won't close is one of the most common calls I get. The good news: it's normally the safety system doing its job, and often something you can check yourself.

Why it happens

Your gate's safety devices are designed to stop it closing on anything – a person, a pet, a car. If they think something's in the way, the gate won't close, or it'll start closing and then go back open. So most "won't close" issues are really "the gate thinks something's there" issues.

Electric Gates That Won't Close: The Usual Suspects

A gate that opens but won't close, or starts to close and then reverses, is almost always a safety device doing its job. Photocells and safety edges are designed to stop the gate if they think something is in the way – so if one is dirty, knocked out of line or faulty, the gate stays open.

That's annoying, but it's a good sign that your safety devices are active. The answer is to find out why they're triggering, not to bypass them.

Overgrown hedges, spider webs, low sun and even a parked car just inside the beam can all cause it.

Fixing Automatic Gates That Stay Open

Start by wiping the photocell lenses with a soft, damp cloth and clearing anything near the beam. If the gate still won't close, the fault may be in the sensor itself, its wiring, or the control board's settings – and that's a job for us.

We test each safety device, realign or replace what's needed, and check the closing forces so the gate stops properly if it does meet something.

A gate stuck open is a security risk, so if you need it closed in the meantime, use the manual release and move it by hand.

Check these first

1. Photocells. Is anything blocking the beam – bins, a car, plants, a spider's web? Are the lenses dirty or misty? Wipe them with a soft, damp cloth. See diagnosing sensor issues.
2. Low sun. Does it only happen at a certain time of day? Low winter sun shining into a photocell can stop the gate closing.
3. Safety edges. Is a rubber edge damaged, hanging off or pressed against something?
4. Obstructions. Is anything in the gate's path, or has the gate dropped and started catching on the ground?
5. The remote. Is someone pressing a remote or keypad that's telling it to open?

Other causes (for an engineer)

• a faulty photocell or safety edge
• the gate has dropped or the hinges have worn, so the motor meets extra resistance and reverses
• wind loading on solid gates, making the gate reverse in strong gusts
• worn motor or gearbox
• control board settings or a board fault
• a vehicle loop or exit device stuck "on"

What NOT to do

Don't disconnect, bridge out or tape over the photocells to make the gate close. It's dangerous – it's exactly what stops a gate closing on a child – and a gate in that state isn't safe to use.

In the meantime

If you need the gate closed, you can normally close it by hand using the manual release. Some systems also let you close the gate by holding the button down continuously while you watch it. Only do this if you can see the whole gate and nobody is near it.

Get it fixed

Call or WhatsApp Adrian on 07854 037752. I'll find the cause and fix it, and test the safety devices so it's safe as well as working.

Questions people ask me