Re: Automated front door lock?

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

"E. Lee Dickinson" <lee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote

<stuff snipped>

> In the case of fire, I think there's a fuzzier line. It might be nice for
> the HA system to unlock the doors if the system has detected a fire, in
> order that firemen may get in,

I've been Googling on automated door locks and couldn't help resurrecting
this thread to point out that I've never seen firemen take too long to get
into a  burning home, whether the door was unlocked or not.  That's what
those huge axes are for!  :-)

Seriously, though, it's probably best if electric door locks behave as
similarly to their manual counterparts as possible.

What I want in a system is:

1) Proximity cards that can be cancelled at will

2) A latch secure enough to withstand a kick or prybar attack.   I recently
bought an electric door strike, but those work with the doorknob-type locks
and they are nowhere near as secure as a double-deadbolt style lock where
the lock body attached to the back of the door with four big screws and the
receiver is mortised into the door frame.  If you make sure the door frame
is reinforced (I routed out enough of it to install some slotted angle iron
under the door moulding.  Installed thusly, double deadbolts are highly
resistant to prybar and kick attacks.

3) An internal lever to operate the deadbolt in case of power failure

4) An external keyhole to operate the lock in case of power failure or lost
key fob.

5) Very low standby power consumption


In the category of "nice to have" would be:

a) Access tracking

b) Remote programmability

c) Interfaceable with security system

d) "Latch closed" confirmation

--
Bobby G.