CENTURION GATE MOTORS IN MIDRAND

CENTURION SLIDDING GATE MOTOR REPAIRS TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE

The following is a list of standard checks to be performed prior to undertaking any of the advanced diagnostic exercises contained within this document. In the event that any fault condition is experienced, systematically go through the list to ensure that all of the
minimum site requirements are met.

1. Ensure that the following LEDs are illuminated at all times:

a. Safety Open
b. Safety Close
c. Lck/Stp

2. Check that operator is engaged.
3. Check all drive connections into the controller, i.e. battery and motor wires.
4. Check that there is a tight fit of the battery leads onto the battery terminals.
5. Check that Mains Present icon is solid.
6. Check that the origin magnet on the gate passes as closely as possible to the sensor – approximately 13mm apart. 
7. Check the charge rate of the battery without the battery
connected:

a. 13.8V for D5-Evo/D5-Evo Low-Voltage
b. 27.6V for D10/D10 Turbo
8. Test battery voltage under load; should be no lower than:
a. 11V DC for D5-Evo/D5-Evo Low-Voltage
b. 22V DC for D10/D10 Turbo

Look at the date stamp on the battery and make sure that the battery is well within its usable life of three tofour years from the date on the battery.
9. Check all visible fuses.
10. Check DOSS and sensor connections.
11. Push the gate open and closed manually and check that
the gate is running freely and that there are no tight
spots in the movement of the gate.
12. Check the state of the gate wheels, examining both the
condition of the bearings and the wear on the rolling
face of the wheel.
13. Check the condition of the gate rail and ensure that it is
perfectly straight and not corrugated.
14. Check for excessive build-up of dirt on the gate rail
which might affect its free movement, and ensure that
there is no vegetation or anything else obstructing the
movement of the gate.
15. Make sure that the rack mesh is within specification
along the entire travel of the gate – the rack mustn’t
press down onto the pinion at any point.
16. Check that the gate aligns properly with its closed catch
bracket when closing.
17. Make sure that the gate is fitted with an adequate
Endstop that will stop the full force of the gate when
opening.
18. Make sure that the gate’s guide-rollers adequately
support the gate in the upright position and allow free
movement of the gate along its entire length of travel.
19. Check that the gearbox is securely mounted and properly
aligned to the movement of the gate (i.e. parallel to the
gate).
4
TYPICAL DIAGNOSTIC
MESSAGES FOUND ON THE
D-SERIES CONTROLLERS
DIAGNOSTIC MESSAGES DURING SETUP
Symptom: Unable to complete Gate Setup
Possible causes
The sensor is receiving dual pulses from the origin
magnet due to one of the following causes:
• Sensor positioned too far from the origin magnet
• Sensor and origin manget positioned at different heights
• Incorrect orientation of magnet inside enclosure
• More than one magnet on gate
• Incorrect orientation of origin magnet
• Magnetised item on rack
• Incorrect orientation of the electric motor is causing induction
• Missing pins on origin enclosure
• Faulty harness
• Faulty origin sensor
Solutions
• Ensure that the sensor is as close as possible to the origin
magnet – ideally the gap should be approximately 13mm.
Refer to Figure 1 on page 2
• Sensor and origin magnet should be positioned at the
same height
• Ensure that there is only one magnet on the gate
• Ensure that there are no items such as metal bars on the
rack that could have become magnetised
• Orientate the electrical motor so that the wires are facing
away from the controller
• Replace faulty origin sensor
• Open sensor enclosure and correct orientation of internal
magnet
5
Symptom: Unable to complete Gate Setup
Possible causes
The error indication signifies that the sensor is not
receiving a valid pulse from the gate-mounted origin
magnet, or the controller is not receiving a signal from
the sensor:
• The distance is too great between the origin sensor and
the magnet
• The magnet and sensor are mounted at different levels
• Incorrect orientation of magnet
• The gate is getting stuck at a certain point before the
magnet has passed the sensor
• Faulty origin sensor
Solutions
• Check the information screen on page 75 – it should
display the position of the magnet (left/right) when the
magnet is passing the sensor
• Ensure that the magnet and sensor are mounted at the
same level
• Ensure that there is an audible ‘click’ whenever the
magnet passes the origin sensor
• Ensure that the arrow on the magnet is facing the
operator – there should be a repelling action when the
magnet is brought near the sensor
• Move the magnet closer to the origin sensor. Refer to
Figure 1 on page 2
• Replace the origin sensor
6
Symptom: Unable to complete Gate Setup
Possible causes
• Mechanical Endstops have not been installed
• Oil in DOSS chamber
• DOSS faulty or disconnected
• Electric fence contact preventing gate from reaching fully
closed position
• Faulty electrical motor
Solutions
• Install physical Endstops in order to induce the stall
needed to stop the motor
• Ensure that the harness is connected on both the
controller and DOSS side
• Check for evidence of oil on the encoder by following the
procedure documented below: (D5-Evo/D5-Evo
Low-Voltage only)
• Remove the DOSS and carrier so that the encoder wheel
is clearly visible
• Disengage the gearbox
• Place your finger on the wheel
• Move the gate a metre or so in both directions
• Check your finger for oil
• Place an endstop approximately 100mm before the fully
closed position and perform setup procedure
• Disconnect the motor wires from the controller and place
them directly on the battery terminals to check whether
the motor runs. If not, replace the electric motor.
Symptom: Unable to complete Gate Setup
7
Solutions
• Ensure that Endstops are sturdy and do not move
• Ensure that gap between rack and pinion is approximately 3mm
• Check for missing teeth on rack
• Place an endstop approximately 100mm before the fully
closed position and perform setup procedure
DIAGNOSTIC MESSAGES DURING NORMAL
OPERATION
Symptom: Gate does not open/close.
This error indication applies to D10 and
D10 Turbo only
Audible feedback
• Five beeps periodically for 30 seconds
Possible causes
• The maximum current that should be drawn by each
D-Series controller is:
• D10: 300mA (momentarily); 200mA (continuous)
• This error indication is displayed in the event of excess
current being drawn
• Too many auxiliary components connected to 12V auxiliary
output
• One specific auxiliary device that is faulty, typically having
a short circuit
• Charging voltage significantly higher than 28V DC due to
faulty charger or controller
Possible causes
• Mechanical Endstops are not securely fitted
• Poor meshing between rack and pinion due to excessive
gap, missing teeth, etc.
• Faulty DOSS sensor
• Electric fence contact preventing gate from reaching fully
closed position
8
• Ensure that the battery charging voltage is no higher than
28V DC. Refer to Appendix A on page 71 for a description
of how to test battery and charging voltages
• Disconnect and reconnect auxiliary component one by one
in order to isolate the problem
Symptom: Gate does not open/close
Possible causes
• Beam interrupted
• Beam test inadvertently enabled
• IR beams faulty, misaligned or disconnected
• Damaged Safe Common input
Audible feedback
• One beep periodically for 30 seconds
Solutions
• Ensure that no people or objects are in the path of the
beam
• Ensure that the Safety Open and Safety Close LEDs
are illuminated – if not, the inputs can be permanently
bridged to Com – or the controller can be reset to factory
defaults
• Disable the Beam Test feature under Menu 6: IR Beams
• Ensure that the safety beams are in working order and
correctly wired
• Replace faulty controller
Solutions
9
Audible feedback
• Five beeps periodically for 30 seconds
Audible feedback
Symptom: Gate will only move for a very
short distance before termination of
operation
• Five beeps periodically for 30 seconds
Solutions
• Check connection of motor wires to controller
• Replace green motor wire connector
• Replace faulty electric motor
• Replace faulty controller
Possible causes
• Poor/intermittent motor wire connection
• Faulty electric motor
• Controller hardware problem
Symptom: Gate does not open/close
Possible causes
• DOSS physically disconnected
• Poor connection on DOSS or controller side
• Faulty harness
• Faulty DOSS
• Faulty controller
10
Solutions
• Ensure that the DOSS is clipped firmly into its carrier and
that the harness is plugged in on both the DOSS and
controller side
• Check for bad connections
• Replace DOSS harness
• Replace DOSS unit
• Replace faulty controller
Symptom: Gate does not open/close
Audible feedback
• Five beeps periodically for 30 seconds
Possible causes
• Intermittent or loose connection between motor and
controller
• The H-bridge on the controller is damaged, possibly a
blown FET
• The electric motor is faulty or has been disconnected
Solutions
• Check drive connections
• Check that the MOTOR, FUSE and DRIVE cells are all
ticked in the information screen. An ‘x’, question mark or
anything other than a tick indicate a fault. In the case of a
damaged H-bridge, the display will typically indicate the
part of the bridge that is damaged (i.e. Q1Q3, Q2Q4,
etc.). For an explanation of the information screens found
on the D-Series range of controllers, refer to Appendix B
on page 73
• Ensure that the electric motor terminals are connected to
the controller
11
• Check the function of the electric motor by referring to the
information screen described earlier, or test the motor by
connecting the motor terminals straight onto the battery.
If the motor does not run, the commutator is most
probably faulty
• In the event of a Drive Fault, the controller must be
repaired by an authorised workshop
Audible feedback
• Five beeps periodically for 30 seconds
Symptom: Gate does not open/close
Possible causes
• Intermittent or loose connection between motor and the
30A ATO motor fuse has been blown or removed
• Faulty controller
Solutions
• The MOTOR, FUSE and DRIVE cells should all be ticked in
the information screen
• For an explanation of the different screens, please refer to
Appendix B on page 73
• Check the continuity of the fuse with a multi-meter – set
the meter to ‘ohms’ or audio output
• If the fuse keeps blowing if replaced, the controller is
faulty and must be replaced
12
Symptom: Gate does not open/close, or
gate runs a short distance and stops
Audible feedback
• Four beeps periodically for ten seconds
Possible causes
• The operator is encountering a fixed obstruction
• The operator is jammed into an Endstop
• The gearbox is disengaged (D5-Evo/D5-Evo only)
• Loose drive connection (battery or motor terminal)
• Oil in DOSS chamber
• Faulty DOSS
• Sticky motor brushes
The error message will be displayed whenever
no DOSS pulses are registered while the motor is
supposed to be running
Solutions
• Ensure that the gate is running smoothly and that there is
nothing physically obstructing the gate, e.g. dirt or stones on
the rail, rack pressing down on the pinion, bad rack joints, etc.
• Connect the motor wires straight onto the battery to drive
the gate in the opposite direction and release it from the
Endstop
• Engage the gearbox by turning the thumbwheel anticlockwise (D5-Evo/D5-Evo Low-Voltage only)
• Ensure that drive connections (battery and motor wires)
are secure
• Check for evidence of oil on the encoder by following the
procedure below: (D5-Evo/D5-Evo Low-Voltage only)
• Remove the DOSS and carrier so that the encoder wheel
is clearly visible
• Disengage the gearbox
• Place your finger on the wheel
• Move the gate a metre or so in both directions
• Check your finger for oil
• Replace faulty DOSS
• Arrange service with an authorised workshop
13
Audible feedback
Symptom 1: Gate does not close from the
fully open position
Symptom 2: Gate does not open from the
fully closed position
• Five beeps periodically for 30 seconds
Possible causes
• The Beam Test feature has been inadvertently activated
• The safety beam transmitter has been wired to normal
common – as opposed to safe common – with the Beam
Test enabled
• The incorrect operating profile for the region has been
selected. The UL325 and CE profiles will always perform
a beam test before allowing the gate to run
• Beams not aligned
• Damaged SAF COM input
• Incorrect beam wiring
• Faulty closing/opening beams
Solutions
• Ensure that the beams are correctly wired and that the
connections are secure. Refer to the wiring diagrams on
pages 80 and 81
• If not required, Disable the Beam Test feature under
Menu 6: IR Beams
• Connect the transmitter negative to Safety Com
• Ensure that you select the correct profile for the region the
operator is being installed in, e.g. ZA (Menu 10: General
Settings)
• Check beam alignment
• Perform a Factory Reset operation, bridge Safety Open to
Com or refit the beams if they have been disconnected
• Replace the beams
• Replace faulty controller
14
Audible feedback
Symptom: Gate does not open/close,
or gate runs a short distance and stops
• Four beeps periodically for ten seconds
Possible causes
• The operator is encountering an obstruction and has
reached the pre-set number of allowable collisions
• Gate rack resting on pinion
• Seized gate wheels
• The controller collision force is set too sensitively
• Number of allowable collisions set to a low value, e.g. 1
• Damaged encoder wheel
• Tight gearbox
• Oil on DOSS
• Faulty DOSS harness
• Loose drive connections
• Gearbox not fully engaged
• Faulty DOSS sensor
• Faulty electric motor
Solutions
• Ensure that the gate is running smoothly and that there is
nothing physically obstructing the gate, e.g. dirt or stones
on the rail, rack pressing down on pinion, bad rack joints,
etc.
• There should be a 2 – 3mm gap between the rack and the
pinion
• Increase the Collision Force (Menu 2: Safety)
• Increase maximum collisions value to a higher number,
typically 4
• Check for evidence of oil on the encoder by following the
procedure below: (D5-Evo/D5-Evo Low-Voltage only)
15
Symptom: Gate does not open/close
• Remove the DOSS and carrier so that the encoder
wheel is clearly visible
• Disengage the gearbox
• Place your finger on the wheel
• Move the gate a metre or so in both directions
• Check your finger for oil
• Replace faulty DOSS harness
• Check battery and motor terminal connections
• Ensure that operator is fully engaged
• Replace faulty DOSS sensor
• Replace faulty electric motor
• Have the operator serviced by an authorised workshop
Audible feedback
• Three short beeps for five seconds
Possible cause
• The End-of-Travel limits have not been established
Solution
• Set the gate travel limits by accessing the Setting Limits
menu (Menu 1: Setting Limits) and following the onscreen
prompts
16
Symptom: Gate does not open/close
Audible feedback
• Three short beeps periodically for 30 seconds
Possible causes
• Poor connection between battery and controller
• The battery voltage is low
• The battery is faulty or disconnected
• Faulty controller
Solutions
• Ensure that the battery terminals are properly connected
on both the controller and battery side
• Measure the battery voltage – it should be no lower than
11V DC for the D5-Evo or 22V DC for the D10/D10 Turbo
when placed under load. Refer to Appendix A on page
71 for an explanation of how to accurately test battery
voltage
• Check for corrosive build-up around the battery terminals.
If there is corrosion, replace both the battery and
terminals
• Replace the battery
• Ensure that the ‘Mains Present’ icon is solid
• Measure the charger’s output voltage. It should be about
14V for the D5-Evo/D5 Evo Low-Voltage and 27V for the
D10/D10 Turbo
• Replace faulty controller
17
GENERAL INFORMATION SCREENS
Symptom: None
Audible feedback
• 4KHz tone for 30 seconds
Possible causes
• The IR Beams have been interrupted for the pre-set period
of time with the Ambush Alarm feature enabled
• Inadvertent activation of the Ambush Alarm feature
Solutions
• Clear any obstruction from the path of the beams
• If the lenses are unobstructed, check the wiring between
the beams and the controller (refer to the wiring
diagrams on page 80 and 81), as well as between the IRB
transmitter and receiver
• Ensure that the beams are properly aligned
• If not required, disable the Ambush Alarm feature in
Menu 6: IR Beams
Symptom: None
Audible feedback
• 4KHz tone for 30 seconds
18
Possible causes
• The IR Beams have been interrupted with the gate in the
fully closed position
• Inadvertent activation of the Break-in Alarm feature
Solutions
• Clear any obstructions from the path of the beams
• If the lenses are unobstructed, check the wiring between
the beams and the controller, as well as between the IRB
receiver and transmitter
• Ensure that the beams are properly aligned
• If not required, disable the Break-in Alarm feature in
Menu 6: IR Beams
Audible feedback
• One beep periodically for 30 seconds
Possible cause
• The Holiday Lockout feature has been enabled
Solutions
• Ensure that the green Lck/Stp LED is illuminated
• Press the transmitter button or switching device that
invoked Holiday Lockout Mode
• Bridge the Lck input to Com or reset the controller to
factory defaults (Menu: General Settings)
• Check for any Auto-activations pertaining to Holiday
Lockout. Refer to the Time-barring and Auto-activation
matrix, a depiction of which is given in Appendix B, page 73
Symptom: Gate does not open from fully
closed position
19
D2 Turbo/D2 Turbo Low-Voltage
The D2 Turbo/D2 Turbo Low-Voltage sliding gate
operators for domestic gates are renowned for their
supremely easy setup, incredibly user-friendly interface and
click-together modular design.
Like all Centurion operators, the D2 Turbo/D2 Turbo
Low-Voltage will give feedback should it encounter any
errors in its operation, using a combination of the Status LED
and the onboard buzzer to provide users with the
information necessary to perform diagnostic exercises.
SLIDING