Electric door lock

[Colour Republic]

Ok boys and girls need a bit of help again with a spec.

Here is the background...

Got a client where i'm designing and fitting a number of bathrooms in a refurbed/extended house. One of the bathrooms is more than likely going to end up as a Jack 'n' Jill En-suite (For those unfamiliar, it's where a bathroom can be accessed from 2 different bedrooms i.e 2 doors in to it)

Now normally you'd have to walk into the bathroom, lock your door, then have to lock the other door. And on exit you'd have to remember to unlock both doors again.

To overcome this I thought I could use a power-to-lock bolt. So something like a solenoid bolt would be ideal

CDVI DX200 Fail Safe Solenoid Bolt Lock - CDVI - DX200 Solenoid Bolts - Solenoids & Electric Security Locks - Security Locks - SCS Emporium

Now i've seen these used on things like train toilets, petrol stations, jeweller shops... But i've only seen them with one switch to lock one door. But I would need to lock 2 doors by any one of 3 different switches.

Here's why

A switch would need to be placed nexted to Door A inside the bathroom that when pressed would lock/unlock both Doors A+B

Another switch would need to be placed nexted to Door B, again inside the bathroom that would lock/unlock both Doors A+B

So at this point both switches are inside the bathroom and no way of unlocking the doors from the outside. This en-suite is to be used by the clients 2 kids so we would need to provide a 3rd concealed/hidden switch outside of the bathroom in case of an emergency (Not a toilet emergency you dirty gits! more a kid has banged their head kinda emergency). I know you could cut the power but then a lot of these locks are security locks with battery back-up, so you could have a very long wait.

Soooooo I can't see why any of this isn't possible but i'm wondering if you guys know of decent looking switches that will be up to the job. Also keep in mind the locks are more than likely gonna be 12v. Not sure if these types of lock have a mains powered switch that then steps down to 12v at the lock or if the switches are normally 12v too?


Ideally I'd like to use something like a Varilight touch control dimmer as the switch can be used inside a bathroom (2 gang - one side does the lights, the other the locks) but i've only ever seen these with Master dimmer and then slaves. Clearly the locks won't like the dimmer part.

cheers guys and sorry for the waffle but i was getting it straight in my own head as I typed

 

[Knobhead]

You only need one switch inside the bathroom “lock door”. OK and maybe the kids release key.

 

[rsmck]

I know someone who used to have a setup similar to this using two maglocks - the locks were wired together so they were either both locked or both unlocked, and it was connected (through a relay I believe) to the bathroom light.

Light on, maglocks energised - doors locked, switch the light off and the doors unlock.

p.s. another, more cost effective option, might be to put a small light outside the bathroom to indicate when the bathroom is occupied ? or knock first ?

 

[Knobhead]

p.s. another, more cost effective option, might be to put a small light outside the bathroom to indicate when the bathroom is occupied ? or knock first ?

Oh come on, that’s too simple.

 

[telectrix]

couple of 230v strobes outside the bathroom. kids can have a disco while you're in the bath.

 

[Colour Republic]

Thanks Tony, I realise I would only 'need' 1 switch but I want to provide them with switches next to their respective doors much in the same way I will do with the light switches.

I know it that link it is showing a solenoid bolt with what locks like a mechanical overide but not sure what that's about as that isn't the lock for sale. From looking around not many of them seem to come with mechanical overrides so it looks like I would need to provide an additional switch outside the bathroom for safety.


Rsmck - thanks I hadn't thought of that, this bathroom does have a window so maybe they wouldnt always need the light, hard to tell as the window will be north facing and quite small (in new unbuilt extension). But if it is a dark room that would be a very tidy solution. Cheers

 

[Spoon]

If the En-suite doesnt have any natural light then I see no problem with you using your 2-gand switches. but if there is a window then during the day there is no way of locking the doors without putting the lights on. If you are going to use seperate switches for the doors then as you say, you will have to find a nice switch to suit the part, but you can have 3 switches to control the doors easy enough.

 

[Colour Republic]

Has anybody ever fitted these type of locks? Are the switches 240v or 12v? I wondering how the battery backup works on these??

 

[oxocube]

My two pennyworth, the locks must release on mains power failure, there must be an accessible emergency release system inside as well as outside.

Or save money, tell em to keep singing while in the bathroom.

 

[oxocube]

I wondering how the battery backup works on these??

I reckon thats a very big NO NO.

 

[Spoon]

You will not need a battery back-up if you are going to use power-to-lock bolt, as you mentioned in your original post. If there is a power failure the doors will open. Safety first. Oxo does mention a good point You will have to use a emergency switch inside to cut the power to the doors. The switch you was going to use originally on the outside will also be your switch to cut the power from outside the room.

 

[Colour Republic]

Oxo I'd prefer not to have the battery back-up but most of these locks are high security panic locks in banks and jewellers so they come pre-built with battery back-up. So an intruder can't just cut the power to open

 

[rsmck]

Look at using maglocks rather than the bolt - the solenoid bolt is usually fail-secure (or has battery backup) rather than fail-safe. The maglocks release if power is lost.

Another option, turning it around a bit, would be to use two DC (quiet) door strikes with normal latches (and handles to turn from the inside) and have the doors permenantly 'locked' by the strike with a push button on the outside to get INTO the room and a switch on the inside that can disable the push buttons ...

No safety implications to get out either, just turn the handle ... downside would of course be if someone forgot to switch the buttons back on

 

[Spoon]

Another option, turning it around a bit, would be to use two DC (quiet) door strikes with normal latches (and handles to turn from the inside) and have the doors permenantly 'locked' by the strike with a push button on the outside to get INTO the room and a switch on the inside that can disable the push buttons ...

Good idea rmck, but why do you need a switch on the inside when you can just use the handle.
You can buy 24v touch switches with timers to use instead of the pushbuttons. Pushbuttons would be cheaper though.

 

[Colour Republic]

The Maglocks do sound like a better solution, although again I've only seen quite large industrial ones, think the smallest I've seen is on a fire door realease.
I have a hunt now but do you know if they come small enough to recess into the frame rather than being surface fitted?