Installation and Maintenance Manual
21
Connecting a Master / Slave Pair
Configuring two operators to be a Master & Slave pair is easy with the Smart Touch Controller.
There is no need to order a special model or any adapters. The area of the board marked Dual
Gate employs a 3-wire RS485 serial port for communication between Master & Slave operators.
1. An electrical conduit for the interconnecting wires must span between the two operators.
2. Complete the installation of both of the operators as separate machines and verify that their basic
functions are correct as solo operators before interconnecting them.
3. The two gate operators should be supplied by home runs from separate 20 Ampere circuit breakers in
the main panel, but if there is only one circuit, be absolutely certain that the breaker and wire size is
sufficient for the load of two motors. See the Appendix, page 63.
4. External control inputs, vehicle detectors and entrapment protection sensors may be connected to
either gate operator without regard to preference.
5. To interconnect the two operators, route a shielded twisted pair with an internal ground wire between
the electric control boxes and connect to the RS485 Dual Gate terminals, in matching order on both
machines: In the RS485 shaded area connect the terminals for Master Com to Slave Com with the
ground shield trace wire, and connect the Master A to Slave A and the Master B to Slave B using the
insulated twisted pair of wires.
6. The Installer Menu in each machine must be set as a Master or a Slave under menu item [dg__]. Set
one operator as a Slave [dg_1] and the other as a Master [dg_2]. If the function of any external input is
to be different than the factory default, configure for the desired function on the operator where that
input is connected. Internal functions, such as the close timer or reversal distance, are controlled by
the Master operator regardless of the settings in the Slave.
7. Once set as a Master or a Slave the operators will be in constant communication with each other. If
that communication stops because the wires become severed or one operator is turned off, both
machines will cease functioning and the LCD will display Err4, which is a Master/Slave communication
error. This error cannot be reset until both machines are functional and communicating properly again.