A sliding gate motor is chosen based on four data points. If you have all four, the choice is almost automatic; if one is missing, you end up guessing, and the bill comes later in the form of a motor that overheats, limit switches that go out of alignment, and a customer calling back.
1. Gate weight
This is the most important data point and must be taken seriously. A four-meter solid iron gate weighs much more than it looks: the steel sheets, tubular sections, solid panels, and rack quickly add up. When the weight is unknown, it is best to estimate generously, because an undersized motor will not fail immediately: it works at the limit, overheats, the thermal protection trips, and the breakdown occurs after the warranty has expired.
Commercial ranges follow specific thresholds: starting from 400 kg for light residential gates, moving to 500-600 kg, then 800 kg, which is the most common size for villas, followed by 1,000 and 1,200 kg for larger gates; beyond that, you enter the realm of apartment buildings and industrial use, up to 2,000 and 2,500 kg.
2. Length and solid gates
A long gate leaf requires more torque even for the same weight, due to inertia. And if the gate is solid—that is, with full panels instead of bars—wind loading becomes a factor: on a windy day, a six-meter solid gate creates significant resistance, and the motor will feel it. For solid gates and in windy areas, you should move up one size, no questions asked.
Also, pay attention to cantilever systems, i.e., self-supporting gates without ground wheels: manufacturers indicate a lower weight limit compared to track gates, typically around 70 percent.
3. How many times it opens per day
This is the data point almost no one asks for, yet it is the deciding factor between two motors of the same weight class. A home gate performs six to eight cycles per day: a 230V motor with an intermittent duty cycle, typically 40 percent, works perfectly fine. An apartment building gate, or the entrance to a business, performs fifty or one hundred cycles: in that case, you need a low-voltage motor with a continuous duty cycle (100 percent), otherwise, it will stop working on summer afternoons.
4. 230 volts or low voltage
The 230V model costs less and is the classic choice for a villa. Low voltage (24V) costs more but offers three concrete advantages: it operates continuously, detects obstacles more precisely—which is a matter of safety, not convenience—and above all, it works with a backup battery during power outages. Anyone who has a gate as their only access point and has spent an evening locked out knows how valuable that is.
Above 2,000 kg, you enter the three-phase range, with dedicated control panels and, for industrial sizes, inverters to regulate speed.
The equipment surrounding the motor
The gear motor alone does not make a system. You need the rack with the correct pitch, photocells (mandatory, not optional), the flashing light, the key selector or remote controls, the limit switches, and, if the gate faces the street, a safety edge. You also need a control unit: some motors have it built-in, while others are sold without a control board, which must be added separately. This is the most frequent error in rushed quotes, because the codes for the individual motor and the complete kit look very similar.
Ask the site assistant
Our website features an assistant that knows the catalog and the manufacturers' charts: write "sliding gate, five meters, 400 kg, apartment building use" and it will suggest the right motor, the 230V version and the low-voltage one, and list the accessories you need. The complete automation catalog is in the Tau section.
If you prefer human advice, tell us the weight, length, whether the gate is solid, and how many times it opens: info@elettricity.com, 351 969 5157.