Subscriber Discussion

Gate Arm Question

Scott Napier

•Apr 01, 2018

For those of you with experience installing gate arms that are triggered by roadway loops, I need some help.

Have you ever tied the output of the loop detector to a REX input on your access control system? I am working on a design for one of our teams in Panama, and my thought here was that it could be a useful troubleshooting tool for the administrators that work from the USA to see if the loop/detector are functioning properly.

I will have an entry arm controlled by card reader (or alternatively by manual action once the guard checks ID) and an exit arm controlled by a loop which is where I was thinking of using the REX input. Does that make sense or am I losing it today?

One follow up question, is it common practice to also include an loop on the inbound arm in case traffic gets diverted to the other lane or would that create added complexity for no real benefit?

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Undisclosed Integrator #1

•Apr 01, 2018

Actually it wouldn’t hurt to monitor and in higher security function if you ran it through the ACS system it would allow you to disable the trash can lid entry method.

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Brian Rhodes

•Apr 01, 2018

IPVMU Certified

I think what you're thinking makes sense. (Contact closure) Inputs are inputs. Regardless if they are tied to RTE PIRs or inductive loops.

One follow up question, is it common practice to also include an loop on the inbound arm in case traffic gets diverted to the other lane or would that create added complexity for no real benefit?

For load balancing, how common would this situation be? If mass evacuations are needed, wouldn't it be much more likely the arm is manually raised and left raised?

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Scott Napier

•Apr 01, 2018

It would not be that common, and I have talked myself out of the idea since posting it. Not worth the extra expense.

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