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External Gate Exposed to Rain

External Gate Exposed to Rain

Locks for gates and doors with no shelter at all: direct rain, full sun and, along this coast, salt-laden air. Three things decide whether a lock survives here - a stated IP rating, the body and fixing materials, and how the keypad or reader is sealed. Everything else is secondary.

Read the IP rating, not the marketingRead the IP rating, not the marketing

Weather resistant is not a specification. An IP figure is. The second digit is the one that matters outdoors.

Rating Water protection Suitable for
IP54 Splashing water from any direction Sheltered entries only. Not an exposed gate
IP55 Low-pressure water jets Covered porches and partly sheltered doors
IP65 Water jets from any direction Most exposed gates in normal rain
IP66 Powerful water jets, driving rain Fully exposed gates, coastal and hosed-down areas
IP67 / IP68 Temporary or continuous immersion Flood-prone or wash-down positions

Coastal and salt-air considerationsCoastal and salt-air considerations

Within a few kilometres of the surf, corrosion, not electronics, is the usual cause of failure. The parts that go first are fixings, springs and any bare steel behind the escutcheon.

  • Fixings - stainless steel screws and spindles, not zinc-plated mild steel.
  • Finish - powder coat or anodised over marine-grade substrate, not painted pot metal.
  • Sealing - gaskets behind both escutcheons, and a shroud or lip over the keypad.
  • Orientation - a lock that faces prevailing weather will age faster than the same lock on a sheltered elevation.
  • Maintenance - fresh water rinse and a dry silicone lubricant on the cylinder each service interval.
Caution
Batteries fail faster outdoors. Heat cycling and cold both cut usable capacity, and a gate lock is the one you least want to be locked out of. Check whether the model has an external emergency power contact or a key override before it goes on a gate.

Before you orderBefore you order

  • Measure the stile width on an aluminium or steel gate. Many gate frames are too narrow for a standard lock case.
  • Confirm gate movement. A gate that sags or swings in wind will misalign the strike and chew the bolt.
  • Decide the fallback. Key override, external power contacts, or a nearby key safe.

Related categoriesRelated categories

Door with Narrow Frame · Smart Padlocks · Security Screen Doors · By Door Style

Common questionsCommon questions

Question
What IP rating do I actually need for a Gold Coast gate?
IP65 as a working minimum for anything fully exposed, IP66 if it faces the weather or sits within a couple of kilometres of the beach. Below IP54 is indoor or heavily sheltered use. IP ratings explained.
Question
Will a smart lock survive being hosed down?
An IP66 body will. Lower ratings will not, and directing a hose at a keypad is a reliable way to kill a lock that was otherwise fine in rain. Rinse, do not blast.
Question
Can I use a smart padlock instead?
Often a better answer on a gate. There is no drilling, no stile width problem, and IP66 or IP68 padlock bodies are readily available. Smart padlocks.

Guides and referenceGuides and reference

Ch 11 - IP ratings · Coastal environments and lifespan · The realities of electronic locks · Marine Grade Pro and ECP explained

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