Automated doors do they need battery backup?
This is a question we are often asked. There are of course many factors to consider depending on your requirements.
Automatic Sliding Doors
Automated sliding doors come with battery back-up and an electric lock as standard extras.
Electric locks come in a number of designs but their function is always the same to lock the door either by fail safe or fail secure actions.
What is Fail Safe and Fail Secure?
Fail Safe
Will only lock when the door has a power source – The lock requires power to hold the door shut, if the power stops from the mains the battery can take over. When the battery power runs out the door would be unlocked. – This set up is for emergency egress from buildings so you cannot be locked inside a building and you can escape. Normally if the fire alarm went off this would be wired to the operator and the operator would open and stay open.
There is now an extra option for fail safe operators – The FACE automatic sliding door operators were awarded Gold at the R+ T Innovation Awards for the use of supercapacitor technology that will open the door and leave it open on power fail. This means LEAD batteries are no longer required. This has many benefits for the environment and the savings in replacement batteries over the life of the operator.
Fail Secure
The automated door will stay locked without a power source – Requiring power to lock and unlock the door with a pull cord in case of emergency release – so in the case of power fail the door would stay locked and you could open it with the cord if required but then it would be open.
Both of these setups can have other options for the final movement of the door like opening and staying open or closing and staying closed and then the lock would be on or off depending on the lock.
The one you pick comes down to the setup you require and the AUS Standards around if the automated door is an exit door or not (we can help you work out the right solution).
Automated Swing Doors
Automatic swing door openers have the same options with electric strikes being Fail Secure or Fail Safe.
Fail secure – The strike is locked without power – the door could not be pushed open but the handle could be used and the door pushed open.
Fail Safe – The strike is unlocked without power and the door can be pushed open
Mag locks are another locking device used with swing doors and are Fail Safe as they require power to work.
Battery backup for automated swing doors depending on the brand can be internal or external. Our FAAC and DITEC operators can all be fitted with battery back up.
They are designed for a one press exit in emergency with a few hours of the power going out, bigger systems that last longer can be installed but these are UPS external units that can get very big if a long amount of time is required.
As most doors have a handle to use, battery backup is not needed very often, however you might want it if you are not able to open the door manually yourself and want the door to open at least once with a power cut.
Depending on if you are in a house or an apartment will also change if having a backup battery is required, in a house the backup battery will help you escape if the power has gone out and you need to use the doorway to escape.
In an apartment depending on the building fire plan you might be required to stay in your room and have the firefighters come and get you out which would mean having a backup battery is less likely for an emergency
.
As discussed there are many factors to consider when installing automated doors. Contact Action Auto Door to discuss your options and work out the best solution for your needs.
Action Auto Door supply and install automatic door openers and automatic gate openers across Australia. We install automatic swing door openers, automatic sliding doors and disabled toilet systems in residential homes and commercial businesses. We specialise in disability access and are a NDIS Registered Provider.