Life Home Integration: simple and universal programming for installers

Our long experience, in terms of automation and automatic gates, has led us over the years to create a product that was not only performing and easy to use for private users, but also easy to install for professionals who choose our brand. Let’s see together how.

The path of our company, from plastic materials to gate motors, to the most sophisticated automation systems

Life Home Integration is part of a productive corporate group, specialized in the molding of plastic materials, born more than 60 years ago. However, it was around the 2000s that Life Home Integration started its activity, as a spin-off project specialized in gate automation. Over the years our company has evolved, as have the range of products offered and the reference markets.

A turning point in our corporate history is represented by the evolution that we wanted to give to the research and development team, creating the Digital Life department: a laboratory where to experiment and find increasingly performing solutions, which responded to the needs not only of end users but also installers.

Digital Life, a laboratory where design and technology travel in unison

The first activities carried out in our laboratory were focused on obtaining products that were not only performing, but also beautiful to look at. Having a recognizable design of our gate motors was undoubtedly a point on which we invested a great deal of energy. We then began to focus on improvements to sliding systems and realized that those same design improvements could be applied across the range. For example, in recent times the antenna has been integrated into the LED flashing light, to make it invisible and aesthetically pleasing.
Once we developed aesthetical uniformity, we finally began to think about the uniformity of the interface as well.

The reason why we have chosen a universal programming system

Having a single interface represented an important value for us, not only because it distinguished us from Italian and non-Italian competitors, but above all because, being ourselves on the front line with customers, we wanted to be able to offer systems that were increasingly simple to install. Today we therefore have a single electronic system that is the same for everyone. A single programming interface is installed on this, which simplifies and speeds up the process of installing and programming the gates.

How do you install a Life gate motor with universal interface?

A training and support program is planned within our company for all installers who choose our brand.
Even if the programming operations are very easy and intuitive, and can be summarized in the following passages.

1) Basic information for installation and programming

• Position the leaves at 45° and block them (in the case of a swing gate);
• Do not wire any accessory devices before programming (stop, photo, edges buttons);
• Check the leds of the nc contacts, check under the terminal block, the nc leds must be on, otherwise programming will not start;
• The start key is used for resetting, programming, and as a step-by-step command for 20 minutes after programming;
• The clock key: manages the automatic closing times
• The remote-control key: manages the programming and cancellation of the remote controls;
• The strength and sensitivity key: the first level (short pressure) allows you to adjust the strength of the motor, the second level (long pressure) allows you to adjust the inversion times;
• The options key: accessing this menu allows you to activate various dedicated functions for each automation.

2) How to program the control unit

• N.B.: the first manoeuvre must always be closing;
• Hold the start key (5”);
• All 5 leds from n.1 to n. 5;
• Release the start button;
• Wait 5” and then press the start key impulsively;
• The automation performs some manoeuvres automatically, setting the default parameters and/or those detected in the programming phases;
• At the end of the manoeuvres, the 2 green LEDs will flash below the – and + keys, confirming that programming has been completed successfully.

3) Remote control programming

• Press and release the blue key once, at the top near the key – the red LED n lights up. 1;
• Then press the key of the remote control that you want to program in the step/step function, all the LEDs from no. 1 to 5 will light up for a few fractions of a second, this is the sign that programming has taken place;
• Press and release the blue button a second time, at the top near the symbol – the red LED n.2 will light up;
• Then press the remote-control key that you want to program in the Pedestrian function (obviously a different key than the previous one), all the LEDs from no. 1 to 5 will light up for a few seconds, this is the sign that programming has taken place;
• Press the blue button a third time or wait 25 seconds to quit.

4) Setting closing times

• Press and release the yellow key, the green led underneath the + key lights up;
• Pulse the + key to set the desired time 5”,10”,30”,60”,120”, the more the LEDs are on, the longer the waiting time;
• With the + key you increase the time, with the – key you decrease the closing time;
• To confirm and exit, press and release the yellow button again;

5) Force settings

• Press and release the red key, the default is 3 red LEDs on (n.1,2,3) between the – and + keys;
• With the + key you increase the force, with the – key you decrease the force;
• To confirm and exit, press the red button again;

6) Sensitivity setting

• Long press of the red button (5”);
• Then release the red button, the default is a red LED on (n.1);
• With the + key you increase the reverse speed, with the – key you decrease the reverse speed;
• To confirm and exit, press the red button impulsively again;

7) Options key

• The menu can be accessed by pressing and releasing the green button;
• Then press in sequence the green push button to reach the desired setting (1,2,3,4,5), the options are displayed by observing the single red led numbered from 1 to 5;
• Once the desired LED has been reached, the option is confirmed with the + key (fixed red LED) or deactivated with the – key (flashing red LED);
• To exit the menu, press the green button in sequence until all LEDs 1 to 5 are off.

How long does it take to program a Life Home Integration engine?

Programming a standard motor, for example for a sliding gate of about 4 meters, thanks to our universal interface system for automation systems, can take less than a minute.
If instead we consider, in addition to the programming, the total installation of the gate, and therefore the related ancillary works (installation of photocells, sensors, pistons and gate arms, etc.), the total timing depends on one hand on the experience of the professional who performs the work, on the other hand by the environmental conditions in which the gate is installed.

What is the average lifetime of a universal interface?

There is no average lifespan for our universal interface, because it is designed to always work. Clearly the environmental situations can affect their performance but in fact we have many cases of installations that are almost 20 years old and still work today without problems. Some customers even told us that they had suffered flooding problems and that the gate control units had gone under water. However, having cut off the power, now that the climate alarm has returned, the motors of the gates are back to working properly.

Does the universal interface also work for road barriers?

Certainly, our universal interface works for all Life automations, whether they relate to electric sliding gates, swing gates, up-and-over doors, road barriers, etc.

Does the interface have a security system that protects against any ill-intentioned people?

Yes. After about twenty minutes from the first programming, the control unit automatically blocks the functionality of the buttons, to prevent improper use by unauthorized persons. This is a way to ensure the safety of the entrance to your home, or the door, or the garage, or any other space topology, but at the same time it is also a solution that promotes energy savings.