Card Access

[macmikeman]

If you are doing a one or two door system no big deal. If you are doing a 300 door system and or live cutover, you better know what you are doing.

How's this- how about a 1,700 door system spread out over a large airport, with a few hundred thousand card holders, and as condition of the contract, you have to write the turnkey software system for it as called for in the contract, since back then there was no systems that could manage all that for sale anyplace. Been there and done that. But most assuredly not all by myself.

 

[quogueelectric]

I have just installed a fingerprint reader system for a company about a year ago. It has a way cool factor and it was under a grand with the maglock and rex motion plus em door release button. Install should be 1 man 2 days to be safe. Could do it in a day once you were more familiar just make sure you have all of the furniture in place to finish the job and the rex motion is not blocked by a hanging exit light. Power supplys and equipment should be mounted on secured side.

 

[macmikeman]

Here is what is fun about doing this on secured airport doors. If you leave the door unsecured without guarding it, or if you leave it unsecured for too many hours you can get a really hefty FAA fine. That used to be $10,000 long before 9-11, I bet it went up since then. Thats another reason I kinda quit that business, although I never did have to pay any fines.

 

[MAK]

How's this- how about a 1,700 door system spread out over a large airport, with a few hundred thousand card holders, and as condition of the contract, you have to write the turnkey software system for it as called for in the contract, since back then there was no systems that could manage all that for sale anyplace. Been there and done that. But most assuredly not all by myself.

Wow! Can't say I have had to do something that large. I can't imagine the amount of stress there is involved with that kind of system. I know (first hand) that the mass port officials are a PITA let alone the feds.:roll: Quite a feather in your cap I must say.

 

[MAK]

Here is what is fun about doing this on secured airport doors. If you leave the door unsecured without guarding it, or if you leave it unsecured for too many hours you can get a really hefty FAA fine. That used to be $10,000 long before 9-11, I bet it went up since then. Thats another reason I kinda quit that business, although I never did have to pay any fines.

With my old company we, and the customer were threatened by a $12,000.00 fine from Mass port because our escort walked off to get a toggle bolt while we were out on the tarmac. I was told the TSA fine is even more! After that we had two escorts per technician!

 

[macmikeman]

I can't imagine the amount of stress there is involved with that kind of system.

I would never, ever, ever, ever, want to get myself locked into that kind of contract ever again under any circumstance. You are quite right about the stress part. Oh, and did I neglect to mention the $1,000 dollars a day liquidated damages clause in the contract? Yea, nowadays I like one man shop method much better. I wasn't cut out for the big time.

 

[cowboyjwc]

Also make sure that the lock "unlocks" if the power goes out.

We had a large company here that wanted the egress doors to lock if the power went out, to prevent theft. We laughed and told them that was never going to happen. They asked how to prevent the theft, we told them to either hire more trustworthy employees or put a guard at every door, but those doors better be open if the power goes off.

Now this may be for entry only, but I bring it up because the company my wife works for has to use a card key both ways, but it is also their time card.

 

[e57]

Also make sure that the lock "unlocks" if the power goes out.

We had a large company here that wanted the egress doors to lock if the power went out, to prevent theft. We laughed and told them that was never going to happen. They asked how to prevent the theft, we told them to either hire more trustworthy employees or put a guard at every door, but those doors better be open if the power goes off.

Now this may be for entry only, but I bring it up because the company my wife works for has to use a card key both ways, but it is also their time card.

As far as I know that is not required.... (power failure = unlocked) As it "should" allow exit egress powered or not!!!!! Then not having battery back-up it is a security risk.... Hell any of us could knock out power to just about any building - and so could an enterprising thief or terrorist with a hedge clipper.

 

[charlietuna]

A lock must be installed and function for it's intended use. Some might require fail-safe, while others will not. A contractor must know what the customer is trying to do and then make sure the system is up to code BEFORE installing. And some locks are more suitable to use for certain installations and can reduce the installation costs a great deal. Most customers do no realize life safety codes concerning building access and must be educated. Just consider a jewelry shop with a double door actuating chamber which allows the customer in the (front)first door by remote push button. Then the customer cannot open the second door into the shop until the first(front) door is closed-- yet cannot get back out the front door without ANOTHER remote push button being pushed--or locked inside the store--while maintaining security as well as life safety. Can get a little hairy! We have wired a system per the drawings from a very large control company -- only to realize that IF every employee got inside the secured zone---they were locked in!!!

 

[tkb]

In MA you cannot work on a security system without an "S" license.
The regular electrical license does not cover you for this work.
http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eopsmod...inalcontent&f=dps_special_lic_page&csid=Eeops


The OP does not include his location so this may not apply.:roll:

 

[e57]

In MA you cannot work on a security system without an "S" license.
The regular electrical license does not cover you for this work.
http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eopsmod...inalcontent&f=dps_special_lic_page&csid=Eeops


The OP does not include his location so this may not apply.:roll:

So... According to that - an Electrical License is required IN ADDITION to this S license???

So the guy in this post has little to gripe about other than the money/fees? ($250 + whatever it takes to get 3 people to vouch for your character...) So in MA no one is watering down the Electricians license - since he needs to be one in the first place....

 

[cowboyjwc]

As far as I know that is not required.... (power failure = unlocked) As it "should" allow exit egress powered or not!!!!! Then not having battery back-up it is a security risk.... Hell any of us could knock out power to just about any building - and so could an enterprising thief or terrorist with a hedge clipper.

You are correct. Just saying. Like Charlie said, we had one job that did very sensitve fed stuff, they were going to put a combo lock to get in and to get out, not push button combo, safe type combo. Both us and the fire dept said, not no, but h*** no!. Don't care what you have in there.