US Automatic Gate Opener Photo Eye Delete

[RedNeckGeek]

I'm in the process of installing a US Automatic Patriot gate opener, and got it running yesterday. It came with a photo eye setup, one side of which requires a pair of lithium batteries. That or I could trench under the driveway and run wire to it. But the thing is, I don't have any pinch zones that I need to protect with a photo eye, but I can't get the controller to move the gate without the photo eye being connected. The controller uses a normally open relay in the photo eye to tell when the beam has been broken, but I think the controller also wants to see some sort of load on the 12VDC supply line going to the photo eye. There's an LED on the control board that lights up when the photo eye is disconnected and the test button is pushed. Any idea how to spoof the controller into thinking that the photo eye is connected when it's not? Google hasn't been much help with this one, and when I asked a tech at US Automatic about it, he said it's a requirement for their UL approval and they won't/can't tell customers how to defeat the photo eye.

 

[cqaigy2]

That gives the impression it's some sort of safety feature. Is it to make sure nothing is in the way when closing the gate?

 

[RedNeckGeek]

That gives the impression it's some sort of safety feature. Is it to make sure nothing is in the way when closing the gate?

The gate will automatically stop and reverse if it encounters resistance while it's opening or closing. The photo eye is like the one they started making garage door manufacturers install, in that if the beam is interrupted, it won't let the gate open. The beam is supposed to be directed over the opening/closing path of the gate. There's a whole section in the manual about how to arrange the eye(s), and covering the several types of safety detector type devices. Nothing in there on how to delete the feature if it's not needed, though.

 

[workinonit]

I install the photo eye and satisfy it with the reflector just in front of the eye. Just mount the two to the side somewhere.

 

[Diggin It]

I install the photo eye and satisfy it with the reflector just in front of the eye. Just mount the two to the side somewhere.

Yup. Defeat the system by using it.

Mount the source/sensor pair side by side facing each other, but out of the way.

 

[DSX]

You can remove the photo eye completely by replacing it with a 12v automotive relay. I picked up a 5-pin relay from O'Reilly and used it on my US Automatic Patriot 1. Wire the coil pins of the relay to the control board (pins 12, and 2 or 7). Wire the NO (normally open) pins between control board pins 7 and 8.

The photo eye itself contains relays that send a 5v or 0v signal to the control board pin 8. A 5v signal appears to signal that the beam has been crossed, where a 0v appears to be the "all clear" signal. The automotive relay simulates this behavior.

Edit:
I posted this and then forgot about it. Not a regular user here. As seen in photo, the pins that power the coils are attached to #12 and #2 on the board. I have then wired the normally open pin on the relay between #7 and #8 on the board. Nothing particularly special about the relay, it just happened to be the first one I grabbed off the shelf. Note also, that I'm using the "red" board. The pins and functions are likely different with the different boards.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Great tip!

I got around the problem by using threaded stand offs to attach the photo eye and reflector pair to each other, then just wiring them to the control box per the instructions. There's enough room in the control box for them, so they're out of harm's way as well.

 

[Perch jerker]

The Relay hack that DSX posted works flawlessly. I'll buy your next case of beer or cola. I have been searching for two years to find a work around for those danged photo eye sensors since I don't need them for my application. Now If someone could find a antenna hack to get some more range on for the receiver. Thanks a million DSX!!!! Don Stamper

 

[duffer]

Glad you were able to solve your issue with the relay.

But for those who haven't run out and gotten a relay to do their own gate, I took the infra red, and the reflector, butted them face to face and wrapped them with duct tape to secure the "marriage", and placed them on top of the garage door opener in my shop, and wired them in as instructed. Been that way for 7 years and never an issue. Sends an "all clear" message to the opener all the time. (if I'm too stupid to walk under a closing garage door, I deserve to get hit...)

 

[ponytug]

IIRC, there is a small safety resistor that provides a safety signal back to the controller. On my IR beams, you can see the safety resistor across the terminals.

All the best,

Peter