Access control and fire alarm

[Tainted]

Code requires doors to be automatically unlocked when there is a fire alarm.

Are we allowed to provide a signal to the access control panel using an addressable fire alarm relay to open all doors?

Or must we have individual addressable relay at each door strike to send signal to open door?

The first option only requires 1 relay for all doors. But the second option requires multiple relays for multiple doors..

 

[dkidd]

there is some info at:

Fire Alarm Integration with Access Control: What it is & How it Works

Fire alarms integrated with access control use a software path or a power supply cut to influence door readers to unlock in an emergency.

getsafeandsound.com

 

[gadfly56]

The preferred method is to have the door locks set up to fail open on power loss. Then, you should put a module at each door. Lots of people want to use a single module at the door controller, but what happens if the door controller goes kaput? Does it always fail with the doors unlocked?

 

[dkidd]

Most latches allow egress, which is the issue. The concern is with magnetic locks.

 

[gadfly56]

Most latches allow egress, which is the issue. The concern is with magnetic locks.

There is also concern regarding firefighters access. They'll get in regardless, but you'd rather save the money.

 

[Tainted]

The preferred method is to have the door locks set up to fail open on power loss. Then, you should put a module at each door. Lots of people want to use a single module at the door controller, but what happens if the door controller goes kaput? Does it always fail with the doors unlocked?

I am proposing a signal to power off access controller with a fire alarm relay such that when there is no power to the access controller that all the doors will open. Not sure if this is legal though...

 

[Tainted]

Are the door strikes 'momentary?' Swipe your access card and the door unlocks for a few seconds? Unlocking them for more than a few seconds might burn out the coils...

Would a fail safe option then burn out the coils as well? If it's continuously energized to lock the doors and then fail safe to open the doors, that's a problem is it?

 

[MichaelGP3]

The preferred method is to have the door locks set up to fail open on power loss. Then, you should put a module at each door. Lots of people want to use a single module at the door controller, but what happens if the door controller goes kaput? Does it always fail with the doors unlocked?

My preferred method is to have an addressable heavy duty relay cut the hot or one leg of DC power to that floor's electro-mechanical door locks operating in fail safe mode, should such a single power source be available, which at times may not be. But if it is you only need one addressable relay per floor.