How to Install a Control Box for an Automatic Swinging Driveway Gate
You must be a registered electrician before you can install or connect any mains voltage power to your gate motor or install a power point to plug it in. Although you can install low voltage cabling (less than 32VAC or 50VDC) yourself including: the cable to the motor if its 12V or 24V, limit switches, encoders, low voltage power and control accessories such as photocells, digital keypads, intercoms etc...
Location of a Power Point at the gate
For Swinging gates the power point can go on the same post or wall as the motor or if its a double gate it can go one side or the other (not both). You only need a power point on one side of a double gate because one control box will control both motors but you do need a cable across the driveway for the second motor.
For Sliding Gates a power point must go on the opposite side of the gate from the fence or wall as this is the side the motor is on.
Normally the power point would have it's own little post, could be fitted to a guide post if one is used or power could be hard wired into the motor, which looks neater and stops anyone turning the power off.
Low Voltage Systems and Battery Back up
Some motors have the electronic control board and a backup battery built in, others have separate control boxes and some have separate boxes for control electronics and the back up battery.
Low voltage systems have a transformer in a box of its own so it can plug in where ever there is a power point and low voltage cable run out to the gate
... more about Power Options for Automatic Gates
Fitting a Control Box
Place the control box as close to the motor as possible to reduce any voltage drop in cabling but without obstructing the gate. Its a good idea to run cables first so they can be concealed where ever possible.
... more about Installing Low Voltage Cable
Drill holes for conduits and cable glands before fitting the box to the post, fence or wall. Keep cable entry holes in the bottom of the box if possible so you aren't relying on a seal to keep the weather out.
If its possible for someone to stand on the box to get over the fence make sure it is secured well enough so this would not pull it off the wall because this can cause cable to become short circuited and damage the electronic control board or perhaps catch fire.
Terminate motor, limit switch/encoder and power cable first making sure all normally closed (NC) control inputs are looped to the common so these aren't active.
For Outward opening swing gates the motor terminals must be reversed so the motor travels in the opposite direction