Yale NexTouch™: Full-Featured Standalone Security

New products and technologies are the life blood of security and the economy. New products not only replace worn or damaged equipment, but also provide opportunities to make new sales rather than repair. I may be old school in many areas, but where it comes to servicing security hardware, I am not a big fan of repairing or recycling worn hardware. I think re-use or repurposing things makes sense. Too many times, the decision will be made to abandon items which have seemingly reached the end of the line. I know how that feels.

In a security situation, it is your clients’ safety and security that is at stake, not your own ego or nostalgia about the old days. The saying that they don’t make them like that anymore is true. They probably aren’t making them anymore; they’ve come up with a new better design. Also the cost of technical service time is a big factor to consider. I’ve left a client’s site feeling like a hero for reviving a device and saving the client the cost of replacing it, only to get the call that the device has once again failed, and the customer is not interested in paying twice. You look a little stupid and you have to eat the callback.

Standalone access control has been around long enough for many products to have reached the end of the line, for a variety of reasons.

One of the worst scenarios is when the device has been orphaned by the manufacturer. The company stops offering the product, tech support, or replacement parts are no longer available.

Sometimes they do not announce that the model is discontinued until their distributors can deplete inventories of the product to make room for newer products.

Many locksmiths express a reluctance to get involved with new products and also to some extent, electronics. So that’s two strikes in the minds of many. They do not like electronics to begin with, and the possibility of getting stuck with unsupported technology adds to theirs reluctance. Our mission is to help minimize these reluctances in our articles and product reviews.

The evolution of technology as left many remnants along the trail. Except for tis instances were mergers as disrupted the supply cannel, IMO new offerings offer substantial improvements to the end-user and as mentioned, opportunities for new sales to locksmiths and dealers.

The YALE NexTouch™  provides a greatly enhanced security solution with enhanced features and security whether you are upgrading from a mechanical lock or migrating from another electronic standalone.

The NexTouch™ is an important new product for Yale, and we are doing extensive coverage on it, as there are so many features available and features forthcoming, it is impossible to adequately cover them all in a single article. The installers must familiarize themselves with all these new features in order to sell, install and service it effectively.

Since the NexTouch™ is a standalone access control, it is both mechanical and electronic, something to like and something to dislike for everyone.

The NexTouch™™ Keypad Access Lock fcombines a modern look and innovative access control technology with an array of bold new features, offering an attractive access control solution to a range of facilities. With a heavy-duty design and ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 certification, NexTouch™ provides durable and reliable security from a brand trusted for over 170 years.

Featuring fully modular technology, NexTouch™ can be easily upgraded from a standalone lock to accommodate more advanced technologies, for more complex applications including multi-family and small business. This ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 certified cylindrical lock is a simple access control solution that provides stand-alone security to a wide range of commercial spaces. In addition to its flexibility as a stand-alone lock, NexTouch™ provides a modular solution that can be easily upgraded with plug-in technology modules

NexTouch™ is available with either a capacitive touchscreen or pushbutton keypad, offering a more tactile experience.

Other features include privacy mode, enabling the exterior keypad to be temporarily disabled by the user from the inside; 9V battery power backup, which allows the lock to be recharged with just the touch of a battery; and support of up to 500 user codes, easily managed with effortless voice-guided programming.

Due to its modular design, users can readily upgrade NexTouch™ to a more advanced and scalable solution as their security requirements grow and change.

Features

• Modular technology allows users to upgrade to ZigBee/Z-Wave or Data-on-Card technologies as system requirements change and grow
• Capacitive touchscreen or pushbutton keypad available, for tactile environments and ADA compliance
• Privacy mode enabled by a button push
• Up to 500 user codes in keypad only operation
• 9V battery backup prevents lockout even if the batteries fail
• Available in four finishes and three lever designs

Benefits

• Easy traffic control: Engineered to provide a comprehensive, easy-to-use access control solution to protect your facility and personnel
• Modular technology: Unique and versatile design enables upgrade of the lock's technology when needed
• Key-free convenience: Reduces investment and maintenance costs
• Strong and reliable: ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 certification ensures long life and reliability

The model we reviewed uses robust Grade 1 hardware cylindrical lock. This means that if upgrading, a previous cylindrical lock prep will work. All NexTouch models require that an additional hole be drilled for the cable pass-through, and if a door position sensor is going to be used, a hole for that as well. The NexTouch is supplied with a magnetic sensor which adapts to either a 3/8 inch or ¾ inch hole. The sensor comes with a wire lead and connector preinstalled. The NexTouch uses the modular ElectroLynx™ system which eliminates the need to strip or solder connections between system elements. If the sensor is used, then the supplied companion magnet must also be installed on the door frame opposite the sensor.

Wiring and cable management

The internal connections required to install the NexTouch are pretty easy. No soldering is required. Actually no screwdriver is required since the ElectroLynx™ cables slip and lock into their respective mating connectors.

The top hole in door prep for cable and through the door treaded standoff is supposed to be ¾” in diameter. Depending on site conditions, you may find this diameter a bit too small. We had some difficulty passing the multiconductor cable through this size hole. I had to fold the connector over the cable and hold it with a little tape to make it easier. When you are passing the cable through the door, the device has not been fully mounted and you are supporting various lock components. Also if you are working on a solid wood door, the cable may be difficult to tuck away for wen you attach the lock to the door. For these reasons you may wish to drill a larger hole.

Pre-testing and resetting

I suggest you open and inspect your NexTouch in your shop before taking it to the installation. This way you can be sure you have all the required parts, and power it up and perform the prerequisite programming required before deployment of the device. You can also familiarize yourself with the wiring and connectors.

If it is your first NexTouch, it will also allow you to learn in a sheltered environment rather than out in the real world.

If you wait to perform programming until the unit is mounted, you face the possibility of damaging the device somehow, or not correctly programming in the Master PIN code. Until you have set the Master PIN code, you will not be able to program anything else. Also if you mess up and it is necessary to perform a hard reset on the NexTouch, you will have to remove the lock from the door to gain access to the reset button. Removing the lock from the door to perform a reset is not fun, and once you have the Master PIN programmed, you are not likely to have to reset it, since the NexTouch is designed to be end-user friendly. The NexTouch™ uses voice prompts which, once you understand how they work, are very easy to follow.

Lay the unit on the bench, insert the lock and keyboard connectors, insert the batteries and you’re good to go with the Master PIN programming.

Door thickness and latch retractor

An issue I am particularly sensitive to is the proper installation of the latch retractor. If the latch slips out of the retractor, you’ve got big problems, especially if you are outside the protected area, especially if it’s after you completed the installation and it happens to your customer.

So you might be interested in how you can get it right. The center line of the lock cylinder wants to coincide with the centerline of the latch, and this can be adjusted with the NexTouch off the door by removing the plate on the back of the front chassis, and slide the plate onto the alternate slots on the lock body. This will not compensate a misaligned, sloppy door prep, so take great care that if you are drilling the door, you are dead on accurate, and if you are retrofitting, perhaps use a jig to flow through the existing front bore and latch bore to assure you will be able to achieve optimum alignment of the latch, lock body, and latch retractor.

Default programming

While you are setting up the Master Pin code, you may want to set the door open time. A door open time is not programmed into the NexTouch  as the default, and may be confusing if you are expecting the NexTouch  to relock after entering the PIN.

More Information: www.YaleLocks.com/NexTouch™.