With the drop in temperatures in winter, it can happen that you find yourself with an automatic gate that struggles to move or even gets stuck. Malfunctions in cold weather are more common than you think, but before blaming broken gears or replacing the engine or control unit, spending a lot of money, it is good to consider another possible problem: old oil.

Very often we forget about oil, but in BFT, GIBIDI and FAAC hydraulic engines, oil is an invisible but fundamental part, and it is good to keep this in mind during maintenance operations on an automatic boom.

Changing your engine's oil cyclically is a good practice to ensure the proper functioning of a hydraulic actuator and avoid incurring unpleasant accidents. In fact, the oil for the operator that is too old "thickens" into a kind of slime and forms lumps that make the movements of the stem more rigid; As a result, the pump and motor make a greater effort to move the leaf, and the operator could:

- not having the necessary strength to move the door;

- not being able to move one leaf at the same speed as the other;

- do not open or close one of the two leaves completely.

Not only that: there is a great risk that it could burn out.

This is why it is important to change the oil regularly, obviously making a distinction between residential and condominium gates: while the condominium gate will need more frequent checks, the oil of an automatic gate motor of a private house can also be changed every 5 years. This, of course, if there are no leaks or problems. At each maintenance, if we replace the gaskets, pump or winding, we will also have to replace the engine oil.

We must then remember two important things.

The first is that the oil in hydraulic engines does not wear out or evaporate; This means that if there are no visible leaks on the ground, there is no need to top up the oil.

The second is that just any oil is not good for the engine of your automatic gate. In fact, each brand has studied an oil with precise characteristics to prevent the engine from being damaged over time, gaskets and gears from being quickly damaged and causing leaks or breakage.

For each brand there is one or more different and specific types of oil.

Every hydraulic boom model needs its own oil, and this is very important. Not just any gate oil: an oil from one brand is not good for the operator from another brand; they are not the same, nor interchangeable. And the same goes for car oil: absolutely not.

In fact, oils for automatic gates have very different qualities, such as viscosity.

If you have an automatic swing gate of the GIBIDI, such as a TOP, FLOOR or MODO motor, the oil you need is this, while if you have a sliding gate of the GIBIDI, i.e . a motor of the PASS series, this is the oil.

If, on the other hand, you have a FAAC engine, you can find the right oil here to ensure a long life for your automatic gate.

As for your BFT gate, you can find the 1 liter or 2 liter package.

YOU CAN FIND TIPS FOR HOW TO CHANGE THE OIL IN A HYDRAULIC AUTOMATIC GATE MOTOR IN THIS VIDEO.