The BEST Reliable Emergency Backup Power for Security Gates

Your Electronic Gate is a valuable part of your security scheme, but it is only as good as its UPS.
Most security gate systems are equipped with some form of backup power. A good configuration usually includes a primary power supply with an AC motor and an auxiliary motor. These two motors share the same accessory devices including mechanisms, controllers, sensors, communications, etc. The auxiliary motor has its own independent power supply. If the primary power supply fails, the auxiliary power supply will take over and move the barrier between the open and closed positions as needed without interruption of service.

Problems arise when the power provided for the backup motor is inadequate. Many gates have been put in place using substandard off-the-shelf UPS (uninterruptible power supplies). These powers supplies might work for very brief outages, however when the primary power is out for an extended period of time, such as a blackout or other disaster, the batteries for the backup motor may become depleted leaving the gate inoperable.  Several shorter outages may also drain the backup motor's batteries. As a result of this additional strain the batteries may not be able to recharge.

For example, California’s rolling brown outs a few years ago gradually depleted the back up battery power in some areas leaving many security gates with NO back up system. Residents to gated communities had to pry open the gates to enter or leave their homes!  Hospitals and other facilities had to leave their gates open compromising their security.

A more serious problem is gate failure for EMS and fire workers. Most communities and states have laws requiring security gates to be accessible by emergency vehicles. Below are a few examples of Emergency Gate ordinances:

When EMS accessible gates are inoperable, emergency personnel can be delayed causing loss of property or life!

“These gates are usually to give residents a sense of security and that is great. But when security keeps those who need to get in, out, the purpose is defeated,” said Pismo Beach/Cal Fire Capt. Bill Grundler...

Homeland Security Applications
In addition to providing backup power for gates, ETI supports homeland security efforts and other high security facilities by providing our backup power for a number of other security mechanisms that rely on power: high security net barriers, retractable bollards, rising security barriers, high security anti ram raid barriers and more:

Energy Technologies, Inc. Backup Power Products
Energy Technologies' (ETI) products are the standard in rugged, high-reliability power conditioning for the industrial, medical, telecommunications and defense sectors. These modular products are customizable and in use around the world.
ETI’s product line includes:

• Intelligent AC and DC Uninterruptible Power Systems (UPS)
• Power Inverters
• AC and DC Power Distribution Units (PDU)
• AC Power Conditioners
• Frequency Converters
• DC backup/battery systems Integrated Power Systems (IPS)
• AC and DC Power Supplies
• Portable Generators.
• Solar Power Solutions
• Portable Fuel Cell power generation

ETI's field proven UPS are ideally suited for industrial, defense, and telecommunications applications requiring high reliability NEMA cabinets, rugged rack mounts, fixed mount or portable configurations.

Available in power ratings from 1000 to 10,000 VA, these heavy duty units are designed to occupy minimum space. Internally, all major components are well secured and electrically insulated to prevent damage due to shock and vibration. These units are available for both domestic and international voltages. External LED arrays can keep the operator informed as to the unit's status including load and battery levels. We also offer units equipped with SNMP and HTTP protocols for remote monitoring capabilities.

Rugged, Not Ruggedized:
Not all COTS Products are Created Equal.
Most power products sold as “rugged” start out as consumer products (Commercial Off The Shelf otherwise known as COTS). Vendors will attempt to "ruggedize" their product to compete in the rugged market. These ruggedized COTS products usually fail due to either temperature, mechanical shock or vibration since they were not designed to withstand these extremes!

Lowest Total Ownership Cost (TOC)
In making product evaluations today, wise decision makers base their conclusions using Total Ownership Cost or TOC. Considering all factors, ETI’s products have the lowest TOC due to their overall performance and reliability. Besides the initial product cost, areas to consider are Installation, Training, Maintenance, Spares and Uptime. Manpower is a very significant factor in TOC. Very high reliability means minimal maintenance, which results in minimal manpower requirements. Once the ETI units are installed, they require very little or no preventative maintenance to keep them operational for years. Very high reliability means a negligible spare parts requirement. If spares are desired, one set per site will be more than adequate for years of operation. Very high reliability means maximum operational uptime. Failures usually interrupt operations at the most crucial of times and since UPS or PDU reliability impacts multiple downstream loads, minimizing failures or downtime is imperative. ETI products have field proven, very high reliability, and uptime.