How can I tell if gate is open or close?

I have two sets of gates operated by their own Apollo control box model #633/634. I've been using an I/O module to control each set for a few years now. Lately I've been trying to figure out how I can tell if the gates are open or closed. I was looking at the wireless door window sensors and then it hit me. Since the I/O controller is right next to the gate controller box, is there some way to wire them together like you would a garage door I/O setup. Only in this case instead of using the magnetic sensor to determine open or close it would be wired directly to the motherboard. Thus my question, is anyone familiar with these gate controllers to know what connection I would make?

Here is a diagram of the connections. Currently I've got the I/O controller connected to the lower 3 pin black connector using the GND and INP connectors.

I'm doing a decidedly different technique for checking if my garage door is open or closed. Perhaps you could think outside the box.

I simply have an IP video camera (Foscam, but the brand is irrelevant here) in the garage that shows the cars and the door. A trigger is set to snap a still picture every time motion is detected. I display that photo on the control page with the garage door controls (which isn't actually implemented yet - waiting for Indigo to support the Z-Wave garage door control) so I can see the current state of the door. Clicking on the image updates it just to make sure I'm seeing the current state. You could use a similar method for your gate as long as you can see it from the camera position.

[jay (support)]

Is your current system talking to Indigo at all (or vice versa)? And, if so, how exactly?

Yes everything works great now with Indigo. I've only got the I/O link connected to the gate controller and I'm able to open and close the gates using Indigo, Indigo Touch, and various keypads around the house. It's just setup as an I/O-Linc Controller. Settings are:

I'm doing a decidedly different technique for checking if my garage door is open or closed. Perhaps you could think outside the box.

I simply have an IP video camera (Foscam, but the brand is irrelevant here) in the garage that shows the cars and the door. A trigger is set to snap a still picture every time motion is detected. I display that photo on the control page with the garage door controls (which isn't actually implemented yet - waiting for Indigo to support the Z-Wave garage door control) so I can see the current state of the door. Clicking on the image updates it just to make sure I'm seeing the current state. You could use a similar method for your gate as long as you can see it from the camera position.

That's a little fancier than I want to get but you're right it never hurts to think outside the box!

Here are my current settings:

[jay (support)]

Yes everything works great now with Indigo. I've only got the I/O link connected to the gate controller and I'm able to open and close the gates using Indigo, Indigo Touch, and various keypads around the house. It's just setup as an I/O-Linc Controller. Settings are:

Ok, so it's an I/O Linc - that's what I was looking for. Those devices also have a sensor input so you can connect a contact closure sensor to it and Indigo will be able to track that as well as control it. That's how the garage door kit works.

Thanks, that's what I was thinking. So I'm just wondering if I can make that connection to something inside the gate controller box instead of running wire to a contact closure? Seems like there would be something on the motherboard that would know if the gate is open or closed.

[jay (support)]

Not sure - maybe the white on the master to N/O on the I/O Linc and green on the master to COM on the I/O Linc? It looks like it's some combination like that, you may have to play around with which wire (white or orange) goes to which input on the I/O Linc (N/O or N/C) in order to get the open/close state correct.

OK I see where you're going with that! I'll do some playing with those and see what I can come up with.

Thanks

So that was the solution! Works great! I connected the GND on the I/O Linc to the Ground Not Used (#6) on the gate controller. Then I connected the S on the I/O Linc to the Orange wire on the gate controller. This worked but it had the light on the I/O Linc working correctly, light on when the gate was open. This is how I would want it but the garage door opener I/O Linc doesn't work this way. So I switched the S wire to the White wire on the gate controller and now it works just like the garage door I/O Linc! I don't really like that, it's counterintuitive to have the light on when the door/gate is closed, but I can live with it as long as they're both the same.

Thanks again for your help!