Gate Safety Beams

A gate safety beam has to match the automation already on the gate. Safety beams for automatic gates are brand- and control-specific. Choosing by appearance alone is not enough.

• Automation and control — Match the set to the operator brand and the safety input or SMART controller it is specified for. A BFT photocell pair will not substitute for a Centurion SMART wireless set, and the reverse is also true.
• Wired vs wireless — This collection currently lists one wired BFT set and one wireless Centurion set. Installation needs differ; use the product page for that model.
• Transmitter and receiver — Both listed products are supplied as a TX/RX pair. Confirm the kit contents on the listing.
• Range — The BFT Compacta listing states a 20 m range. Photon SMART states a 30 m beam range and a 10 m BLE range to the controller. Those figures belong to those models.
• Environment rating — Compacta is listed as IP44. Photon SMART is listed as IP54. Check the rating against the mounting location.
• Alignment — Compacta states 180° adjustment. Alignment still has to suit the opening; this is not an installation guide.

If you are choosing a motor as well as safety equipment, see sliding gate motors or swing gate motors, or browse the shop. For close-or-reverse faults, see our automatic gate troubleshooting guide. If a gate will not close cleanly, our automatic gate troubleshooting guide covers beam-related checks before you book a repair.

Wired gate safety beams and wireless gate safety beams are both represented in this collection. They are not interchangeable, and one product’s architecture should not be assumed for the other. Wired sets may need cabling between the safety equipment and the gate automation according to that product’s installation requirements. A wireless set can reduce some of that cabling where its own design supports it — Photon SMART is listed as eliminating trenching, not as a product with no wiring or power anywhere.

• BFT Compacta A20-180 — A wired infrared photocell pair with an AC/DC supply (12–33 V AC / 15–35 V DC on the listing). It is described as a wired safety beam kit for BFT gate motors and BFT safety inputs.
• Centurion Photon SMART — A wireless safety beam set. The listing says it eliminates trenching, uses battery-powered heads (2 × AA per unit, >2 year battery life stated), and provides secondary safety on SMART gate systems via BLE pairing. Wireless here still means a connection to a compatible Centurion SMART controller — not “no system connection” and not maintenance-free.

This collection currently lists BFT safety beams and Centurion safety beams — two photocell accessories, not a full-brand catalogue.

• BFT Compacta A20-180 Safety Beam Pair — Wired BFT photocells / BFT gate safety beams for BFT safety inputs. Stated range 20 m, IP44, TX and RX units in the kit.
• Centurion Photon SMART Wireless Safety Beam Set — Wireless Centurion gate safety beams for Centurion SMART gate motors only. Stated beam range 30 m, BLE range to controller 10 m, IP54, TX and RX heads plus AA batteries in the kit. The listing says they do not work on BFT.

Neither listing claims compatibility with every motor from that brand, or with every automatic gate. Use the product page for the stated system.

Shoppers looking for gate photocells, a gate photocell, or infrared photocells are usually in the same category as gate safety beams. Both products here are typed as Photocell. The Compacta listing calls the kit a wired infrared photocell pair; Photon SMART is described as wireless infrared safety beams.

That photocell wording is product terminology for these automatic gate safety accessories. It does not mean every photocell, photoelectric sensor or infrared sensor is suitable for an automatic gate. Stay with the listed BFT and Centurion gate equipment and the compatibility on each page.