FAQ Retractable Bollards – Installation, Control, Maintenance

The most frequently asked questions about our pneumatic retractable stainless steel bollards – from the pit to smart-home integration. All answers come from our installation manual. All products are manufactured in Hamburg, Germany.

How does a Braun Antriebe retractable bollard work?

The bollard is raised and lowered pneumatically with compressed air (8–10 bar). A compressor inside the house or garage supplies the air, a solenoid valve switches direction. There are no electronics inside the bollard itself – which makes it low-maintenance and insensitive to frost, moisture and road salt.

Which drive is best for retractable bollards?

There are three types of drive for retractable bollards on the market: electric spindle, hydraulics and compressed air. All three raise and lower the bollard – the difference is where the technology sits, how it copes with water, frost and road salt, and what a failure after a few years in the ground costs. With electric spindle and hydraulic bollards the motor, gearbox or pump and oil sit inside the bollard itself, i.e. under the road, exactly where rain, meltwater and salt end up. With a pneumatic bollard only a stainless steel cylinder remains in the ground; everything that could fail stays dry inside the building.

As a manufacturer we chose compressed air from the very beginning and with this principle we are the market leader for pneumatic retractable bollard systems. Not because the other systems do not work – but because in everyday use they are more expensive, more sensitive and need more maintenance. For private driveways, company entrances, hotels, residential complexes and fire brigade access, compressed air is in our experience the best choice. The advantages and disadvantages of the three systems are explained in the following answers.

Electric spindle bollards – pros and cons

The advantage of the electric spindle is the simple connection: wire it up and you are done, no major installation effort. In return the complete technology – motor, spindle, limit switches and electronics – sits inside the bollard and therefore in the ground. These bollards do not achieve true IP69 tightness; in the event of flooding, heavy rain or salty meltwater the electrics are at risk. The drives are considered sensitive and tend to overheat with frequent operation. To keep the technology from freezing in winter, a heater and a drainage or lift pump are required inside the bollard – otherwise condensation forms and blocks the drive in frost. The piston rod is often unprotected: no scraper, no grease chamber, no seals rated for −35 °C. If a fault occurs, only a specialist technician can help; a repair typically costs around €2,500.

Hydraulic bollards – pros and cons

Hydraulic bollards have a high lifting force – they push around one tonne and can therefore raise very heavy bollards. The price for this is a hydraulic unit with oil, pump and hoses inside the bollard – once again technology in the ground without true IP69 tightness. Hydraulic systems have to be serviced about every four years, with oil and hoses replaced; anyone who neglects this risks losing insurance cover. Such a service costs around €2,500. Here too a heater and drainage are needed because condensation forms, and the piston rod is usually not stainless steel but chrome-plated and rusts over time. In the event of a repair the specialist technician comes out: travel approx. €750, dismantling with two men and eight hours approx. €1,500, a new hydraulic pump approx. €1,300, plus hotel costs approx. €200 – in the worst case this quickly adds up to €3,750, on top of the regular servicing.

Why does Braun Antriebe rely on compressed air?

Because with compressed air there is nothing in the ground that can break. Our bollard is raised and lowered with 8–10 bar from a quiet compressor and pushes with around 450 kg – more than enough for a 160 kg stainless steel bollard. Inside the bollard there are no sensors, no limit switches, no control unit, no heater, no lift pump and no drainage pump. That is true IP69: flooding, heavy rain, snow and road salt cannot harm the drive, and it cannot overheat either. The piston rod is stainless steel with a metal scraper, grease chamber and seals rated down to −35 °C. Everything is manufactured at our plant in Seevetal near Hamburg – made in Germany. On our test bench our bollards run more than 500,000 cycles without maintenance.

Valve and compressor stand inside the house, garage or our technical cabinet; the cable and hose package can be made up to 500 m long. Should a valve or the compressor fail after years of use, the part is swapped by the owner thanks to quick couplings – no technician, no call-out. In purchase and operation the pneumatic bollard is also cheaper than electric spindle or hydraulic systems. Two things are worth knowing: the cable and hose package has to run from the bollard into the building or a control cabinet, and the compressor needs about 50 × 50 × 15 cm of space.

What does a worst-case repair cost – electric spindle, hydraulic or pneumatic?

The difference becomes clear when you work through the worst case. With an electric spindle bollard a specialist technician has to come out; the repair costs around €2,500. With a hydraulic bollard, travel (approx. €750), dismantling the bollard with two men and eight hours (approx. €1,500), a new hydraulic pump (approx. €1,300) and hotel costs (approx. €200) add up to around €3,750 – on top of the service every four years. With a Braun Antriebe pneumatic bollard the worst case looks like this: new compressor approx. €180, new valve approx. €50, express shipping approx. €10. The parts are connected via quick couplings and are replaced by the operator; if you wish, we guide you through the replacement by WhatsApp video or FaceTime. No technician, no travel, no hotel – and the bollard is back in operation the same day.

Do I need concrete or a foundation?

No. The bollard is set into a pit of approx. 80 × 80 cm, about 1.0–1.2 m deep depending on the rise height. There must be no concrete or slab underneath so that rainwater can drain away. The bollard stands on a gravel/drainage layer, is backfilled with heavy sand and paved around.

Can I install the bollard myself?

Yes. Installation requires basic DIY skills and some excavation and is regularly done by experienced DIYers, civil engineering or landscaping contractors. Only the 230 V connection of compressor and control must be made by a qualified electrician. A detailed installation manual (German) comes with every bollard and can be downloaded on the product page.

Is there installation support?

Yes – free of charge. Send us photos of your installation by WhatsApp or e-mail; we check the work and give approval or advice. On request we can also recommend an installer.

Which control do I need – radio control or traffic control?

For private driveways with few users the radio control is sufficient: one button on the hand transmitter raises, one lowers. The traffic control with Loxone Miniserver is the solution for entrances with more than about 10 passages per day or changing users: induction loops detect vehicles, the bollard rises again automatically, and traffic light, timer, licence plate recognition and remote maintenance are available.

How fast does the bollard move?

Travel time is 3 to 10 seconds depending on the setting. The rise height above ground is selectable at 60 cm or 80 cm.

How strong is the bollard on impact?

The bollards are made of V4A stainless steel (1.4571) with a 6 mm wall plus internal armouring; the standard model weighs around 160 kg. For higher requirements there are versions with 12 mm (approx. 320 kg) and 30 mm wall thickness (approx. 500 kg, high security). When lowered, all bollards can be driven over by vehicles up to 40 t.

What happens in a power failure?

The bollard stays in its position. To lower it, a short burst of compressed air on the piston releases the lock. Raising is possible at any time with voltage at the valve and 8–10 bar of pressure.

How much maintenance does a pneumatic bollard need?

Very little: every 4 to 8 weeks the condensate is drained from the compressor – or an automatic drain module does it for you. Keep the bollard head free of leaves and sand and clean the stainless steel with clear water. There is no oil, no heating and no hydraulics.

Does the bollard work in winter?

Yes. The pneumatics work from −20 °C to +50 °C. It is only important that water can drain below the bollard (drainage instead of concrete) and that compressor and control are installed frost-free indoors. Keep road salt away from the bollard area; use a wooden shovel to clear snow.

Which compressor do I need?

A compressor with 8–10 bar, 0.3–1 kW and a 6–20 l tank. We offer whisper-quiet drive compressors (approx. 50 dB) for 1–4 or 1–20 bollards; the compressor runs only about 30 seconds per bollard movement.

How far can the bollard be from the house?

The cable and hose package is made to order from 1 to over 100 m. It is laid in a trench approx. 30 cm deep and led into the building through a 25 mm hole. Compressor and control stay dry inside the house, garage or our technical cabinet.

Does the bollard have lighting?

Yes, the bollard head contains 12 V RGB LED lighting. Colour and light mode (steady, rotating, running or flashing) are set via a Bluetooth app.

Can I integrate the bollard into my smart home or open it by licence plate?

Yes. Via the traffic control (Loxone) the bollard integrates with KNX, Apple Home, Alexa, HomeLink and other systems. With licence plate recognition the entrance opens automatically for authorised vehicles; the GSM module opens by a free phone call.

Where do you ship and what about warranty?

We ship throughout Germany, the EU, Switzerland and many other countries. All bollards are manufactured at our site in Seevetal near Hamburg and tested on the test bench before delivery. Statutory warranty applies; spare parts, advice and service come directly from the manufacturer.

Question not answered? Call us on +49 40 226 39 04-11 or write to info@braun-antriebe.de. See all bollards in our stainless steel bollard overview.