Ecogate Gates - Automatic Blast Gates
Ecogate automatic blast gates are the foundation of any on-demand dust collection system. Each gate controls airflow at an individual workstation — opening when a machine is active, closing when it's idle, and in Smart configurations, continuously measuring pressure, air velocity, and air volume in real-time and reporting that data back to the greenBOX controller.
Gates are actuated by a 24V DC gear motor — no compressed air required. All wiring runs over a single Ecogate Master Cable that carries both power and Modbus data, simplifying installation compared to point-to-point wiring approaches. Smart and Precision Airflow gates daisy-chain directly on that cable with automatic address assignment — no DIP switches, no manual configuration.
With over 40,000 units sold across 25+ years of global installations, Ecogate gates are engineered for continuous industrial use. NEMA 12 rated, available in zinc-plated steel or stainless steel, and sized from 2" to 26".
Step-by-Step Selection Guide
Step 1 — Gate Body
Ecogate offers two gate body designs. The right choice depends on your duct configuration, the type of material being collected, and your installation constraints.
Rotating Blade A sliding blade opens and closes across the duct cross-section, driven by the gear motor. The standard choice for industrial dust collection — compatible with all motor types and available in the full diameter range from 2" to 26". Rotating blade gates are installed in horizontal ducting with the motor on top, and require a minimum of 3 duct diameters of straight duct on both the upstream and downstream sides, away from elbows, branches, or other airflow modifiers.
Butterfly A disc rotates within the duct for a perfect silicone seal and fully airtight closure. Mounting orientation is flexible and the 3-duct-diameter spacing rule is less critical due to the absence of internal gears. Effective in high-vacuum systems up to 100" w.c. (25 kPa). Best suited for pharmaceutical production, laboratory environments, fume extraction, oil mist removal, and welding gun connections. Not recommended for applications with high dust concentrations, large debris, or fibrous materials. Available from 2" to 26" — sizes 18" and larger are manufactured in stainless steel only.
Step 2 — Duct Size Diameter
Match the gate diameter to the inside diameter of your branch duct.
Imperial: 2", 3", 4", 5", 6", 7", 8", 9", 10", 12", 14", 16", 18", 20", 22", 24", 26" Metric: 120mm, 140mm, 160mm (contact Ecogate)
Step 3 — Motor Type
The motor type determines how the gate communicates with your greenBOX controller and whether it measures airflow.
Smart Motor The standard motor for any greenBOX smart system. An embedded processor measures pressure, air velocity, and air volume at the gate in real-time and transmits that data to the greenBOX via Modbus RS485 over the Ecogate Master Cable — the same single cable that supplies 24V DC power. Gates daisy-chain on the cable with automatic Modbus address assignment. Includes limit switches confirming open and closed position. If the gate receives 24V DC power but loses Modbus communication, it defaults to the open position — ensuring safe dust transport is maintained if the controller is disconnected or removed for service. Compatible with: greenBOX Pro, Nxt, Max, Master, Ultra
Precision Airflow Motor Enables intermediate blade positions in addition to full open and closed — allowing the gate to actively regulate airflow volume rather than simply switching states. Measures pressure, air velocity, and air volume. Used in applications requiring precise airflow control: pharmaceutical environments, laboratories, and systems using bleed gates for minimum velocity maintenance. Compatible with: greenBOX Pro, Nxt, Max, Master, Ultra
Standard Motor Open/close actuation with limit switch confirmation. No processor, no Modbus, no airflow measurement. Each gate requires its own dedicated cable run to the controller. Compatible with: greenBOX 12
Standalone Motor Operates independently without a greenBOX controller. The gate opens when the connected activity sensor is triggered and closes when the machine goes idle. Includes a dry relay contact that closes when the gate is open, which can be wired to activate a dust collector directly. Not compatible with greenBOX demand-based control.
Step 4 — Finish
Zinc-Plated Steel The standard finish for the majority of woodworking, metalworking, and general manufacturing environments.
Stainless Steel For food processing, pharmaceutical production, chemical production, laboratory environments, and any application subject to washdown procedures, moisture, or hygiene regulations.
Tech Specs: Rotating Blade Smart Gates
Material: Zinc-plated metal (stainless-steel gates are available with Purchase Order).
Duct System Mounting: Standard angle flanges (sold separately).
Seal: Plastic, the gate is sealed under negative pressure (created by ventilation fan).
Installation: Indoor-use only, use with negative pressure (not on positive side of the fan).
Opening/Closing Time: per table below (about 1 second per diameter inch) at 24V DC and zero pressure.
Maximum Operational Pressure: 27" w.c. (for higher pressure you may order Ecogate Butterfly-Style Gates).
Maximum Pressure Loss: 0.1 " w.c. (at 4,500 FPM).
Temperature Range: Motor 14° F to 113° F (-10° C to 45° C); with Mobilgrease 28 the temperature range is from -40° F (-40° C); plastic seal: -200° C to 80°C, seal glue: -20° to 70° C.
Ingress Protection (IP): IP51.
Required Maintenance: A properly installed gate does not require maintenance (if the gate is not properly installed, dust can accumulate inside the gate body, and it will require cleaning by compressed air). Once per year it is recommended to test gate by using the greenBOX control unit.
Power Supply: (phoenix type pluggable terminal): 24V DC, 0.03 A without gate opening/closing; during opening/closing: 0.1 A (without pressure) - 0.9 A (under 27" w.c. pressure).
Indicators: Opening = Green LED flashing, Open = Green LED, Closing = Red LED flashing, Closed = Red LED.
On Board Indicators: Power, Sensor, Modbus, Error, Relay.
Motor Terminals: (phoenix type pluggable terminal): Modbus RTU over RS485, 19.2kBd, A(+), B(-) data signals; with overvoltage, and overcurrent protection.
Workstation Activity Input Terminal: (phoenix type pluggable terminal): Industry standard, optically isolated input; gate board is providing 24V DC, current 10mA (output from sensor can be dry contact or NPN transistor), Normally Open contact is the default, switchable to Normally Closed (by software).
Relay Terminal: (phoenix type screw terminal): The relay contact (max. 24V DC, 0.5A) can be used to connect to the workstation PLC to confirm that gate is open or ventilation is active (relay function is selectable via software).
Diameter (") Opening / Closing Time (s) Width (in) Height (in) Depth (in) Weight (lb) Weight (lb) w/ Motor 4 3.9 12.6 8.7 5.1 6.6 8.6 5 4.7 14.7 10 5.1 9 11 6 5.4 17.2 11.2 5.1 11.9 13.9 7 6.1 19.5 12.4 5.1 14.1 16.1 8 6.9 23 14.2 5.1 17.6 19.6 9 7.6 24.4 14.8 5.1 19.2 21.2 10 8.3 26.8 60 5.1 23.4 25.4 12 9.8 30.4 17.8 5.9 27.1 29.1 Tech Specs: Butterfly Style Smart Gates
Material: Zinc-plated metal (stainless-steel gates are available with Purchase Order).
Duct System Mounting: Standard angle flanges (sold separately).
Seal: Silicon seal
Installation: Indooor-use only.
Opening/Closing Time: per table on right (faster compared to rotating blade gates) at 24V DC and zero pressure
Maximum Operational Pressure: 99" w.c.
Maximum Pressure Loss: 0.1 " w.c. (at 4,500 FPM)
Temperature Range: Motor 14° F to 113° F (-10° C to 45° C); with Mobilgrease 28 the temperature range is from -40° F (-40° C); plastic seal: -40° C to 150°C
Ingress Protection (IP): IP51
Required Maintenance: A properly installed gate does not require maintenance. Once per year it is recommended to test gate function by using the greenBOX control unit, and check the butterfly seal.
Power Supply: (phoenix type pluggable terminal): 24V DC, 0.03 A without gate opening/closing; during opening/closing: 0.1 A (without pressure) - 0.9 A (under 27" w.c. pressure).
Indicators: Opening = Green LED flashing, Open = Green LED, Closing = Red LED flashing, Closed = Red LED.
On Board Indicators: Power, Sensor, Modbus, Error, Relay.
Modbus Terminal: (phoenix type pluggable screw terminal): Modbus RTU over RS485, 19.2kBd, A(+), B(-) data signals; with overvoltage, and overcurrent protection.
Workstation Activity Input Terminal (phoenix type pluggable screw terminal): Industry standard, optically isolated input; gate board is providing 24V DC, current 10mA (output from sensor can be dry contact or NPN transistor), Normally Open contact is the default, switchable to Normally Closed (by software).
Relay Terminal (phoenix type screw terminal): The relay contact (max. 24V DC, 0.5A) can be used to connect to the workstation PLC to confirm that gate is open or ventilation is active (relay function is selectable via software).
Gate Diameter Side A Side A Side B Side B Side C Side C (in inches) mm inch mm inch mm inch 2 197 7.76 145.67 5.74 159.52 6.28 3 194 7.64 198.98 7.83 166.50 6.56 4 270 10.63
237.33 9.34 159.52 6.28 5 270 10.63
249.13 9.81 182.25 7.18 6 270 10.63
261.11 10.28 208.19 8.20 7 270 10.63
277.59 10.93 238.79 9.40 8 270 10.63
410.88 16.18 289.58 11.40 9 270 10.63
438.99 17.28 295.27 11.62 10 270 10.63
467.31 18.40 327.02 12.87 12 318
12.52 523.74 20.62 384.00 15.12 14 385
15.16 572.80 22.55 435.00 17.13 16 438 17.24 625.44 24.62 485.80 19.13