electric latches

[hgupta1]

I am building a little wooden swinging gate at the bottom of the basement steps to keep my dogs down in the basement while our housekeeper is in the house. (similar to any puppy or baby gate, but permanently attached).

I want to unlock the gate at a specific time after the housekeeper leaves so that the dogs can come up, but I haven't had much luck finding electric locks or latches that aren't total overkill (I bought a 1200lb electromagnetic lock, but it is too massive to install discretely.

Any ideas on what I could use? I used to see electric deadbolts, but they have gotten hard to find or ridiculously expensive.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Del91574]

Cheap strikes can be found for a typical door for about $50-75 all day long. Look on Ebay or some of the other electronic vendors, they really aren't that expensive, and if it's only to control the door, then you can get away with a lighter duty one than you'd want for security purposes.

 

[fabriziojoe]

I am building a little wooden swinging gate at the bottom of the basement steps to keep my dogs down in the basement while our housekeeper is in the house. (similar to any puppy or baby gate, but permanently attached).

I want to unlock the gate at a specific time after the housekeeper leaves so that the dogs can come up, but I haven't had much luck finding electric locks or latches that aren't total overkill (I bought a 1200lb electromagnetic lock, but it is too massive to install discretely.

Any ideas on what I could use? I used to see electric deadbolts, but they have gotten hard to find or ridiculously expensive.

Thanks in advance.

How are you going to know when the dogs are up? I wouldn't want to have the strike energized the whole time the dogs are allowed up from the basement. I guess you could use a fail secure setup so the latch is open when power is off.
Will there be an actuator on the gate to open it or do you have the dogs trained to push the gate open?

 

[hgupta1]

How are you going to know when the dogs are up? I wouldn't want to have the strike energized the whole time the dogs are allowed up from the basement. I guess you could use a fail secure setup so the latch is open when power is off.
Will there be an actuator on the gate to open it or do you have the dogs trained to push the gate open?

The gate is normally open, and one of the hinges on the gate is springloaded so that the gate wants to return to the open position.

DelIntstallations: I'll take a look at the cheap latches on ebay. How deep will i have to cut into the wood to install those? And what goes on the gate side? I wasn't planning on a doorknob, but I might have to put one into the gate if it is required to use a latch.

Thanks!

 

[gatchel]

Fail secure means that the lock will be secure on power fail requiring power to unlock.

You could use a smaller than 1200 LB maglock. I have seen and instaled maglocks that are sized small enough to put on a kitchen cabinet door.

SDC makes one:

http://www.sdcsecurity.com/series.aspx?id=58

 

[hgupta1]

that does look small! Whats a good source for those?

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

I agree, look into mag locks made for cabinets.

http://www.nokey.com/dor300pounmi.html

 

[Frunple]

Watch out for those cheap strikes on ebay, may not be what you need. Most of them (if not all) are unloaded strikes meaning, since you have a spring loaded door, you would have to release the pressure, by pulling the door, before it will open. So with the springs pushing the door against the strike, the strike will never open.

 

[hgupta1]

I agree, look into mag locks made for cabinets.

http://www.nokey.com/dor300pounmi.html

Wow.. those are insanely expensive!

 

[hgupta1]

Anyone have experience with these?

Skylink MC-201

I've got a couple of german shepherds that weigh over 100lbs, so I will need a few of them, but these look asthetically pleasing. And the price is right.

 

[moonshine]

You might want to look at allelectronics, they are on the webm part number SOL-102 it a small 12v solenoide, at only $2.75 could be used as electronic bolt.

Regards
stan

 

[AnthonyZ]

I've used a cabinet lock (solenoid/bolt) in the past that works well. It is 24VAC if I remember correctly. Can't remember the vendor. I'll rack my brain today...

 

[hgupta1]

I agree, look into mag locks made for cabinets.

http://www.nokey.com/dor300pounmi.html

I got one and it turned out to be perfect! It works great when plugged into a transformer and an x10 device, but I want to hook it up directly to my ELK on output 3. I haven't used output 3 before...how do I do that?

Thanks!

 

[Quixote_1]

So you decided to shell out $240? That's one pricey dog gate. I guess if they were to rip her to shreds if it failed, you may have more to worry about than $240.

 

[Del91574]

I would use a DPDT relay to remove both the pos and neg of the maglock as well as add the approprate suppressors in parallel, if they're not included with the maglock to isolate the maglock from the panel itself because of the inrush current a maglock takes, combined with being powered off a dedicated separate supply.