Heated Photo Eyes are a Game Changer

In the winter, it is common to run into issues with your automatic gate failing to open, close or just move in general. Even when the weather heats up a little, it can be just enough for pesky frost to form on the safety device. You can try to protect your photo eye with a cover, but whether the cover is plastic or metal, frost will still occasionally find its way on the lends and/or reflectors. You can also try using a spray to protect the lends and reflectors, but sometimes it still isn’t enough.

These problems bring many professionals in the gate access control field to the same question: what if photo eyes could be heated? This sounds like a simple feat, but could a company really engineer and produce this product? It could save a lot of time and reduce frustration for many users who experience frustration opening and closing their automatic gate when the weather gets cold and damp. No one wants to install an automatic gate to still have to leave their car to wipe their photo eyes off just to get the gate to work correctly.

If you struggle with your automatic gate not moving in the winter, you may just be in luck. Last year a gate access control company named LiftMaster actually released a reflective photo eye with a heater inside. It is a monitored photo eye that meets the UL325 safety standards. The 10- 40 or 8-28 VAC at 2 amps max heater can be wired into the accessory 24VDC power in LiftMaster operators.

This product is not recommended for solar powered units due to the current it draws. For AC powered units, this product is great for anyone who struggles with frost on their photo eyes. It is also thermostatically controlled, which saves the heater for the winter months. This brand-new heated photo eye is groundbreaking in the gate access control market.

The pictures below show two readings that were taken with an infrared thermometer. The reading of LiftMaster’s reflective photo eye shows a temperature of 51.6 degrees Fahrenheit, which will keep frost from forming on the lens.

  • A thermal thermometer taking the reading of an automated gate's heated photo eye. The temperature is 51.6 degrees Fahrenheit
  • A thermal thermometer taking the reading of the steel post the heated photo eye is mounted on. The temperature is 31.8 degrees Fahrenheit

The second reading is directed at the steel post that the photo eye is mounted on. The temperature reading of the mounting post is 31.8 degrees Fahrenheit, which is below freezing. A temperature that low could then cause frost to form on the lens.

To our professionals at American Access Company, it’s no contest whether we think our customers who live in cold climates should invest in a heated photo eye or not. If you are tired of getting out of your car to remove frost from your photo eyes so your automatic gate will work correctly, give us a call at 402-896-6722 or send an online request today!