Don’t Get Spooked by Ghost Cycles: Halloween Tips to Keep Your Doors Safe and Silent

Halloween might bring ghosts, ghouls, and spooky surprises – but when your automatic doors start opening and closing on their own, it’s not the supernatural you need to fear. Welcome to the eerie world of ghost cycles, a term we use to describe doors activating without any visible cause. In this post, we’ll break down what causes ghost cycles, how to prevent them, and why the right activation setup can save you from a hauntingly high maintenance bill. Let’s make sure the only things going “bump in the night” this Halloween are just costumes, not your doors.

 

What are Ghost Cycles and Why Should You Care?

Despite their spooky name, ghost cycles have nothing to do with paranormal activity. Instead, they refer to automatic doors that open or close without any visible trigger. This seemingly random activity is more common than you’d think, especially in high-traffic commercial environments like supermarkets, warehouses, and distribution centers.

Ghost cycles aren’t just strange, they’re costly. Each unnecessary activation puts additional wear on motors, rollers, and safety components, leading to premature aging of your doors. It’s like putting your vehicle on jacks and flooring the accelerator while going nowhere. You burn out the system for no good reason.

These mysterious movements often leave staff baffled, and in some cases, safety can even be compromised. So, what’s really behind these ghostly happenings?

The Real Culprits Behind Ghost Cycles

Forget the ghosts. Ghost cycles are usually caused by one or more of the following issues:

• Improper Sensor Setup: One of the most common reasons doors activate without warning is poorly configured activation sensors. If your radar is too sensitive or isn’t set to detect directional movement, it can trigger from cross-traffic or even nearby vibrations.

• Vibrations and Mounting Issues: If sensors aren’t securely mounted, building vibrations – say, from a forklift driving nearby – can activate them unexpectedly. Over time, these vibrations can shake things loose, creating more opportunities for phantom door cycles.

• Dirty Safety Components: Dirty or fogged-up photo eyes and safety sensors can also misfire. In one real-world example, a supermarket experienced consistent door activations in its butchery section, always right after floor cleaning. It turned out steam and water residue on the sensors were to blame. A simple clean resolved the issue.

• Cross-Traffic Confusion: Not all movement is meant to trigger a door. If radar sensors pick up people or forklifts passing across an entrance (rather than toward it), the door may activate unnecessarily. Without directional filtering, any motion can seem like a command to open.

• Poor Traffic Flow Planning: One overlooked factor is the design of your facility’s layout. If traffic flows aren’t taken into account when placing doors and sensors, activations can happen unintentionally. In one Christchurch facility, Ulti Group swapped a floor loop for a laser radar due to limited space, successfully eliminating cross-traffic triggers.

 

How to Prevent Ghost Cycles and Extend Door Life

Now that we’ve unmasked the ghost, here’s how to exorcise these issues for good and maintain safe, efficient doors:

• Fine-Tune Activation Settings: Whether you’re using radar, floor loops, or photo eyes, each sensor should be set up to detect only the necessary movement. Use directional filtering where possible to avoid cross-traffic triggering the doors. In some cases, you can configure radars to respond only when an object is approaching – ideal for controlling false opens.

• Consider the Right Activation Method: Don’t fall into the trap of using a one-size-fits-all activation method. While radars are common, they’re not always best. Floor loops offer more precision for high-traffic forklift areas, while push buttons or remote activation work well in smaller or shared spaces. Remotes can be color-coded and matched to specific doors – green for green, red for red, and so on – reducing confusion and improving control.

• Keep Sensors Clean and Maintained: Make it a routine to inspect and clean your photo eyes and radar sensors. Accumulated dust, dirt, or moisture can trigger false readings. Regular maintenance reduces ghost cycles and prolongs the lifespan of your doors.

• Design With Traffic in Mind: When planning your door system, study your building’s floor plan and traffic patterns. Predict where movement will occur and design accordingly. This proactive step is one of the most effective ways to reduce unintended activations.

• Invest in Quality Activations: It might be tempting to go for the cheaper option, but low-cost sensors often lead to poor performance and increased wear. Investing in the right activation method for your unique setup saves money in the long run by preventing door damage and costly repairs.

 

 

This Halloween, let’s keep the ghosts in costumes, not in your facility. Ghost cycles might seem mysterious at first, but they’re rooted in very real, fixable issues. By choosing the right activation method, maintaining your sensors, and planning with purpose, you can prevent unnecessary door activity and extend the life of your assets.

At Ulti Group, we’re here to help you get it right, from radars and remotes to traffic flow optimization and sensor calibration. If your doors are showing signs of spectral activity, don’t wait for the next fright – reach out and let us help you banish ghost cycles for good.

Happy Halloween and safe cycling – both on the road and through your doors!