Imagine this: there’s a storm outside, and you’re running late for an important meeting or a flight. You get into the car, press the remote button – and the gate doesn’t move. The entire neighborhood is without power.
The first reaction is panic. Many people think about forcing the gate open or even pushing it with the car bumper. Stop! Never do this.
The gate motor is a powerful mechanism with a worm gear – in the closed position, it locks the gate in place. Trying to push it by force will break the expensive gearbox or the mounting brackets.
Manufacturers have anticipated this situation – every motor can be switched to manual mode in seconds. All you need is the special key and these instructions.
Step 1: Find the key
Every motor kit (Nice, Came, BFT, etc.) comes with a release key – usually unusual in shape (triangular, special forms) or a small key with a plastic head.
Where might it be?
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In the car’s glove compartment.
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With the household key ring.
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In a utility room or garage.
If you’ve lost the key – don’t try to turn it with a screwdriver, as you will break the lock cylinder. It’s better to call a service for emergency opening.
Step 2: Sliding gates
The release mechanism is on the motor itself, at the bottom.
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Find a plastic cover or cap on the housing (often marked with a padlock symbol).
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Insert the key and turn it.
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Usually, turning opens a plastic lever (handle) – pull it fully toward yourself (90 degrees).
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Done – the gears are disengaged. Now you can easily push the heavy gate by hand.
Step 3: Swing gates
For linear drives (long “arms”), the lock is usually at the top of the housing under a rubber cap.
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Slide off the protective cap.
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Insert the key and turn it (usually half a turn).
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On some models, you may also need to move a special lever.
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Now the wings can be opened manually. Be careful in strong wind – nothing is holding them anymore!
Step 4: Returning to automatic mode (important!)
When the power returns, or when you’re back home and electricity is no longer a problem – you want to use the remote again.
The main rule: never start the motor until you’ve locked it back in place!
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Close the gate manually (approximately halfway or fully).
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Return the release lever to its original position.
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Turn the key back and remove it.
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Important: gently push the gate by hand until you feel the characteristic click – the gears engage.
Only after that click can you press the remote button. If you don’t, the motor will hum uselessly, and the gate won’t move.
Practice makes perfect
Emergency situations always happen at the worst possible time – in the rain, snow, or when you’re in a rush. Reading instructions in a downpour is unpleasant.
Our advice: find the key now. Go to the gate on a nice day and practice switching it to manual mode and back. This simple exercise will save you a lot of stress in the future – you’ll know for sure that you won’t be trapped at home even if the entire city loses power.
Want to forget about power problems?
Don’t want to deal with keys and levers? There’s a solution – backup power batteries. They allow you to open the gate with the remote even during a power outage.
Subscribe to our blog – we’ll show you how to make your gate fully autonomous and independent of the weather’s whims.
