Powering Up Access Control Devices

Power supplies are used for various purposes in door control, electronic access control and security. The first criteria which must be satisfied is that the power supply provides the correct voltage output and current.

Once you have determined the voltage and power requirements, site conditions must be considered to guide the specification of the power supply. If the power supply needs to be located where it will be exposed to the elements or could possibly be tampered with, the power supply should be in a suitable enclosure.

Ideally you will have picked a secure area such as an electrical closet for your installation where there will be power and opportunities for external connections.

Special Applications may dictate where you locate your power supply. For example, power supply location is critical when planning the installation of an exit device with electric latch retraction. Many latch retraction devices require a sizable amount of current to activate, and the distance between the power supply and the latch retraction device is clearly specified. The gauge of the wire between the power supply and the door frame is also pretty much mandatory, and really, with all these warnings, why wouldn’t you make sure that are conforming?

If you did not do the original installation, make sure the installation will meet codes. One time I inherited a project. It was new construction, and everything was planned and installed by the low bid contractor. There must have been drawings for the project (even though they were oddly missing from the folder). It was a university, and was loaded with security hardware and latch retraction devices.

I do not know if the project ever actually got formally signed off, but the contractor was gone, and there were plenty of issues that required attention, not the least of which was intermittently functioning latch retraction.

Latch retraction is typically used on doors with simple exit devices for access control, on doors with both exit devices and low energy door operators and for delayed egress doors with both controlled access and controlled egress.

The building was a high visibility installation, with high value assets. Ceilings and walls were sheetrock, and since the equipment worked some of the time, the staff would not accept that the installation requirements had not been originally followed. There were also dozens of failing motorized mortise latches which picked up the slack when the latch retraction was behaving.

The power supply will also need to be provided with voltage to operate it, it must be safely and conveniently mounted.

Plug-in transformers and power supplies are the simplest to obtain power for, since they plug into a receptacle and therefore do not require an electrician to connect to the building line voltage. However this does not always work out for several possible reasons:

#1: The nearest outlet is not exactly convenient to the devices you wish to power. This means you have to route wire along the floorboard, inside the wall or use plastic raceway. To run wire inside the wall will require some skill and also luck, as you cannot always anticipate obstructions inside the wall that will block the wire from being pulled to where it is needed.

Besides aesthetics, appropriate installation of the wire is necessary so the wire is not vulnerable to damage. We’ll assume that although your outlet is not convenient, it is not so remotely located that you use excessive wire which imparts voltage drop. Voltage drop occurs when voltage travels down a wire. Voltage drop becomes a problem when it is not anticipated, calculated and provided for.

When you drill into a wall, you have to avoid piercing house wiring, air handling ducts, gas lines or other infrastructure. When you are pulling wire you may encounter metal or wood studs or insulation.  

You may have to remove or damage sheetrock while installing which means you will either have to repair and patch and paint, hire someone to do it, or give the client back some money.

#2 Plugging in the wart doesn’t mean you are in the clear. People might unplug you to plug in their devices, and then not plug you back in. Your installed equipment will stop working and no one will have a clue why. One situation I still remember is when the sorority called at 5 p.m. Friday to report their biometric door was not working. The housekeeper had unplugged the system to vacuum.

Maybe the outlet is on an overloaded branch circuit and your stuff will push it to tripping the breaker -- probably not immediately. Maybe the outlet is controlled by a wall switch you are unaware of and your system will mysteriously stop working.

Occasionally while you are performing an installation with dropped in ceiling tile, you will find a junction box or an unused receptacle up there. It is against the electrical code to leave permanent power supplies in a receptacle above a ceiling.

You probably are not licensed or insured to perform electrical work, even something you deem to be easy and you are capable of doing like removing a blank cover from a junction box and installing a receptacle.

Remember: before you modify electrical wiring: if something ever goes wrong, you are totally screwed. As a matter of fact, once you set foot in a building and perform work; if there is ever a fire or other complication, even on another floor or unrelated to what to installed, you are likely to be contacted by an attorney and will need to get your insurer to go to bat for you to prove you are not at fault. So if you are installing equipment requiring electrical power, you should learn the expression “line voltage power to system shall be by others as per installer’s specifications.”

Securitron EcoPower

Securitron EcoPower is a highly efficient power supply designed to work with low-power access control devices. Using a patent-pending method, EcoPower reduces power supply standby power consumption to only 8.5mW (0.0085W), a 99 percent decrease compared to current linear and switching power supplies.

Similar to how a plug-in hybrid car operates, EcoPower utilizes its battery to power the door’s low-power electrified lock. It only draws energy from the wall to charge the battery as needed, less than once a day.

EcoPower is GreenCircle Certified  to reduce total door power consumption by 99 percent from 20W or more to a phenomenal 0.3W, when used with an ultra-low power lock such as EcoFlexTM electrified mortise lock from Corbin Russwin and Sargent (EcoPower can handle a continuous current of 100 mA at 12 VDC). EcoPower uses less energy while powering a lock than current access control power supplies consume without any locking device connected at all.

Packaged in a small, aesthetic enclosure, EcoPower includes:

• Two outputs (one for the lock and one for the credential)

• Battery charger

• Access control inputs

• Fire alarm input with optional fire alarm latching for Canadian installations

• Backup battery with up to 26 hours of backup power

Features include:

• Extremely low power consumption, only 8.5mW standby power consumption with a 115V input

• Included battery provides up to 26 hours of backup

• Universal input voltage capabilities (100-240 VAC)

• Aesthetic design allows for convenient installation near the lock

• Multiple mounting options: Surface mounted, Recessed into drywall. Use either the factory box or an existing UL Listed double gang junction box

• Reduced low current wire runs and wire run length provides additional cost savings

• Fire alarm input dry contact (NO or NC)

• Access control input dry contact (NO or NC)

• Supports fail-safe and fail-secure lock configurations

• LED troubleshooting

• Built in battery end-of-life notification system

• MagnaCare® Lifetime Replacement No Fault Warranty

Certifications:

• UL 294 (6th Edition) listed

• UL 603 Listed

• ULC S533 Listed

• CE Certified

• EN 60950-1:2006 + A11:2009 + A1:2010 + A12:2011 + A2:2013

• EN 55022: 2010

• EN 55024: 2010

• EN61000-3-2: 2014

• EN61000-3-3: 2013

• RoHS Compliant

• REACH Compliant

• GreenCircle Certified

Electrical:

• Input voltage: 100-240V

• Output voltage: 12V

• Standby power: <10mW @ 115V, <20mW @ 230V

• Output current: 0.5A peak, 0.1A continuous

• Includes one (1) 800mAh sealed AGM lead acid battery

For more information, visit www.securitron.com

Altronix Trove™

Altronix introduced its new Trove™  Access and Power Integration Solution at ASIS 2015 this fall. Trove easily integrates Altronix power with access controllers and accessories from the industry’s leading manufacturers. A variety of backplates offer a wide range of scalable access/power configurations. Trove simplifies board layout and wire management, greatly reducing installation and labor costs.

“Working with access controllers, accessory boards and power supplies from multiple manufacturers makes design and installation processes challenging,” said Alan Forman, President, Altronix Corporation. “Trove not only provides the versatility and scalability installers need to easily configure their access and power products, it  significantly reduces installation time and related labor costs by allowing all wiring to be done off-site on removable backplanes.”

Trove backplanes are available to accommodate various combinations of Mercury or Vertx boards with or without Altronix power supplies and accessories, ideal for large scale installations. Trove2M2 is able to house Altronix power and accessories with Mercury boards, while Trove2V2 accommodates Altronix power and accessories with Vertx boards. Each is also compatible with optional TMV2 door backplanes for maximum installation flexibility. All Trove units include a cam lock, tamper switch and mounting hardware.

ALTRONIX LINQ

LINQ enables comprehensive communications for power distribution and control with LINQ™ communication technology. It provides remote IP access to real-time data by monitoring power and devices to keep systems up and running at optimal levels.

LINQ is simple and easy to implement and works with both Altronix and other manufacturers’ IP and analog products. It facilitates monitoring to minimize system downtime, and eliminate unnecessary service calls, which helps reduce Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Early intervention, system service and preventative maintenance can be handled expediently with a higher degree of accuracy increasing overall security.

Security professionals can expand their service offering and revenue stream using LINQ as a source of Recurring Monthly Revenue (RMR). LINQ integrates seamlessly with IP surveillance and access control at single or multiple sites, making it ideal for multi-tenant, multi-user environments.

“LINQ provides communications and management capabilities for power distribution and transmission devices previously not connected to the network,” said Forman. “LINQ will significantly impact how integrators design and deploy networked systems, as well as how users manage their systems moving forward.”

All LINQ enabled devices can be easily accessed for real-time status monitoring.

When a condition is detected, LINQ will report via email or SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) to designated parties. All events are stored in a detailed event log on a product by product basis.

Application Program Interfaces (API) are available to integrate the LINQ Dashboard Central Management Software with partnered systems solutions. This enables VMS and access control platforms to be easily integrated with LINQ enabled devices onto a single platform for comprehensive system control, monitoring and diagnostics.

WayPoint™ Outdoor Power Supply

Altronix WayPoint™ Outdoor Power Solutions are UL listed multi-output units that are extremely versatile, making them ideal for all outdoor applications. WayPoint units provide a robust power solution for PTZ and fixed cameras, heater/blower housings, IR illuminators and virtually any surveillance or security product that’s exposed to the elements. They’re designed for the harshest environments with IP66 NEMA4/4X rated enclosures, stainless lockable latches, and integral flanges to accommodate wall or pole mounting. A wide range of models in single or multi output are available providing 24VAC and/or 28VAC. The PMK1 Pole Mount Kit simplifies installation of WayPoint and other Altronix outdoorrated power supplies and accessories housed in Altronix outdoor enclosures.

“WayPoint Outdoor Power Solutions deliver the power driving today’s surveillance, security and access devices, and offer the versatility, flexibility and simplicity that address the longstanding challenges often associated with outdoor installations,” said Forman.

For more information about Altronix products, visit www.altronix.com

ELK Power Supply & Battery Charger

The ELK-P1215 multi-purpose power supply and battery charger is ideal for security and access control applications.  It provides up to 1.5 amps at 12VDC and consists of an intelligent charger board and a 14VDC plug-in power source.  A kit containing the charger board, power source, and an ELK premium 12V 5Ah battery is also available (Model ELK-P1215K).

A master power switch on the intelligent charger board turns on/off both the DC input and battery for added convenience when servicing the load devices or the power supply.  The intelligent charger board also provides low battery supervision with built in deep discharge cutoff protection and a low battery trouble output.

The plug-in power source (ELK-P1417) features screw terminals for the DC output and includes an optional receptacle mounting bracket.  This environmentally friendly device complies with Energy Star EISA Level V and is also RoHS compliant.  Available for standalone use, the ELK-P1417 is UL Listed in both the US and Canada.

Designed with ease of installation in mind and carrying ELK’s lifetime limited warranty, the ELK-P1215 offers a low maintenance and reliable source of power for a variety of applications.

Features include:

• Auto-Resetting Overload Protection

• Built-In Battery Charging Circuit

• Low Battery Trouble Output

• Low Battery Deep Discharge Cutoff Protection

• Master Power Switch

Specifications:

• Power Supply Input: 14 Volts DC provided by ELK-P1417

• Continuous Output Current: 1.5 Amps.

• Low Battery Trouble: 11 Volts. (nominal)

• Low Battery Cutoff: 9 Volts. (nominal)

• PC Board Size: 2.25" X 2.5" (57.15mm X 63.5mm )

• Standby Battery Charging Capacity: 1 to 12 Ah, Sealed Lead Acid

• Battery Wire Length: 16" with F1-Faston No. 187 Receptacles

• Master Power Switch turns On/Off the DC Input and Battery

For more information, visit www.elkproducts.com/product-catalog/elk-p1215-power-supply-battery-charger-kit or call ELK at (800) 797-9355.