SafeForce^TM is a feature of all GHOST CONTROLS^® gate operators that automatically limits the amount of force that the automatic opener system will exert on the leading edge of a moving gate. This inherent GhostControl® Intelligence feature not only allows the opener to prevent entrapment injuries to people and animals, it also allows for a much simpler and reliable installation at your home.

Any gate opener system manufactured after January 12, 2016 was required to have additional built-in safeguards as part of the installation in order to meet the Underwriters Laboratory safety standard, the UL325 7th Edition. The current UL325 Safety Standard went into effect on August 1, 2018 and requires the same additional safeguards to protect from entrapment. Much like seat belts and air bags have become the expected norm in your vehicle, this new standard is the expected norm in gate safety for your family. All Ghost Controls gate openers systems have been tested to meet or exceed these safety requirements.

The UL325 standard will require other gate opener systems to install (trenching) additional costly monitored non-contact sensors such as Photo Eyes or safety-edge sensors to be installed on the gate to meet the required entrapment protection. In addition to adding significant cost to your system, photo-eyes also increases your chances of malfunctions during inclement weather (fog, rain, snow)  and required upkeep to your system. Photo Eyes are also not possible for most solar applications due to the continuous high rate of discharge of these Photo Eyes.

Our systems will easily allow additional entrapment protection such as Photo Eyes to an installation (assuming you are using AC Transformer to recharge the system battery) if you are wanting to avoid any contact with a moving gate. You should feel even more confident knowing that adding safety beams to any GHOST CONTROLS opener system does not remove SafeForce^TM. These devices will act as an additional complementary safety protection, because SafeForce® is always actively controlling the system just in case an unexpected obstruction occurs.

Now, for new users this may not seem like a very big difference, but we at GHOST CONTROLS^® believe it is for a number of reasons such as:

1. Ease of installation-Installing the best Photo Eyes you can buy means using powered photo eyes rather than reflective versions. Making this choice requires cutting a trench across your driveway during installation because these photo eyes must be powered on both sides of the gate opening (like your garage door opener probably has now) and send a signal back to the gate controller board so that it knows when the beam has been broken. If you have a nice concrete, asphalt, bricked, or cobblestone driveway, this means that you have extra work ahead of you during the installation.
2. Reliability– SafeForce^TM does not require Photo Eyes because we at GHOST CONTROLS^® know that the outdoor environment can be very tough on electronics. Reflective photo beams will eliminate the need to trench across your driveway on single gate installations, but at the expense of reducing reliability over time. All photo eyes can easily be disrupted by plant foliage growth (weeds), mud, or insects disrupting the beam and then you must consider that reflective photo beams can also lose their alignment through the sun, wind, animals, or even your lawn mower bumping them.

1. Cost-SafeForce^TM not only meets or exceeds the current UL325 standard, it does so while saving you money and long term maintenance of additional monitored photo beams. There may be certain environments where photo beams may be recommended.

SafeForce^TM requires you to install the gate level and plumb and maintain the gate operation over time to ensure it swings easily. Performing routine maintenance on the gate, such as lubricating the hinges, will ensure that SafeForce^TM continues to operate correctly, but also likely adds extra life to the gate and opener system.