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Global Electronics, Ltd.
e-LocX
Over Locking /Alarm System
e-LocX - Automated OverLocking System
By Global Electronics, Ltd.
What are Electronic Door Locks?
Automated OverLocks!
With the growing demands by self storage customers for increased convenience, security and accessibility along with mounting financial pressures placed on self storage properties, many owner/operators are joining the era of automation with electronic door locking systems to supplement or even replace on-site management teams.
Many solutions are in place for remotely renting units, assigning gate codes and accepting payments including call centers, the internet and on site rent-it-yourself Kiosks. While these products offer unique solutions to the actual renting of the unit and accepting payments, they do not provide a complete solution to reducing or eliminating the on-site manager's role. Typically, 10-15% of a self storage site will be over-locked at a given time. The challenge for un-attended operations or for reducing the amount of time the office must be staffed is how to remove over-locks and apply them in a timely manner.
The practice of over-locking is, in reality, the first line of defense that the self storage operator has to protect his collateral - his tenants' property as described in the lease. Without a reliable means of applying the over-lock, the past due tenant, although not permitted to enter through the gate, may easily tailgate into the property, pack their belongings and with leave with what little collateral provided to the site owners - and a dirty unit for the someone to clean.
An additional common challenge operators and managers face when renting a unit from a source other than an on-site manager, is that new tenants may take an incorrect unit or more than the one they were supposed to take. Leaving the manager with the task of cutting the lock (since it is supposed to be a vacant unit) and then ascertaining who's stuff is in there not to mention the serious legal issues posed!
Another problem is that tenants may find a vacant, unlocked unit and use it as a trash bin when no one is watching.
Electronic Door Locks solve these and other problems by being the on-site *always Locked* over-lock. Sites equipped with electronic over-locking systems are *always* over-locked, unlocking themselves ONLY when a tenant has entered a valid PIN at the gate entry keypad, and only removing the over-lock for the unit(s) where permission has been granted. So, over-locks never need to be manually applied - they are automatic just as a lock out message is supplied to a past due tenant at the gate Entry keypad, the unit(s) for tenants that are past due are never unlocked until the management system provides permission to the Access/Alarm/Over-locking system's computer software - in exactly the same fashion as it currently is using the standard gate interface.
Of course the manager or owner always has manual control over the site (using the internet for an offsite owner/operator) via the graphical user interface provided with the lock control software!
The Authors Son showing a unit with both a cylinder lock and e-locX
In practice, a tenant arrives at the gate. They enter their PIN into the keypad. If not past due (and therefore not locked out) the gate will open and at the same time the computer will instruct the lock on each of this tenants unit(s) to unlock and the alarm temporarily disabled.
If however the tenant is past due and an over-lock order has been given by the management system, the keypad will display a message such as "Your account is past due. Please use our Kiosk or see the manager to make a payment". Since the units are always locked, even if the tenant waits for another tenant with a valid code to be granted access, the past due tenant still cannot enter their unit since the electronic over-lock is applied!
When a valid tenant leaves the facility they normally enter their PIN into the exit keypad. The computer then instructs the lock on each of the tenants units to return to the locked position and the alarm is enabled.
The alarm feature works as any other individual door alarm system does - sounding an alarm when a unit's door is opened when the tenant has not entered his PIN at the entry keypad. Axcys Software goes further by being able to sound an alarm when the door opens OR closes. The software also re-locks and re-arms the unit after a preset period of time (which the owner designates via a setting within the program). So even if a tenant does not enter his PIN at the exit keypad, the unit becomes protected again automatically!
The system can also tell the owner or manager when a problem appears to exist in the units door contact switches. Other features include not allowing the unit to lock if the system thinks the door is open - these and many more settings are fully adjustable to the will of the owner or site manager!
Screen shot showing some manual lock controls
The electronic over-locking system does not stop there. It is an active individual door alarm system as well. Each electronic lock continually monitors the position of the door and transmits this information to the computer continuosly- not just when an event takes place as most alarm systems do. If a door latch is opened, or the door has been forced open (using a car jack or other extraordinary method) and the tenant has not entered their gate code, or tail gated in, the electronic lock reports this as an alarm condition to the computer. A siren can then be turned sounding the alarm.
Remember however, that it is always the tenants responsibility to put their own lock onto their unit. The e-LocX over-lock does not create a bailment relieve the tenant of that responsibility, nor does it remove the lock sales source of revenue from your business.
How they work
Electronic door locks are used for three primary purposes:
1. Secure the collateral of the site owner
2. Provide individual unit Alarm Security
3. Increase security for the tenant by providing a supplemental lock to their existing cylinder lock.
Models available
Electronic Locking systems come in two standard varieties. One is for mounting inside of the unit on the right hand roll up door bracket. This model locks either the axle or the drum preventing rotation/roll up of the door.
Interior Model Exterior Model
The other is external and mounts to the door sill at the top right or left of the unit and locks the door curtain itself. This makes it ideal for retrofitting into existing properties whose units are rented.
Both include features that monitor the position of the door. This is used to:
1. Prevent the lock from actuating when the door is open
2. Send an alarm signal to the computer whenever a the door opens or closes
3. Advise the manager of possible faulty magnetic door switch.
Integration and Off Site Owner Access
The software that monitors and controls the electronic over-locking system can be run stand alone, or integrated with all major property management systems. It can further be integrated with a kiosk as Page Rush did at his site Cornville Country Storage in Cornville Arizona. He integrated Axcys Security Software with Site Link, an INSOMNIAC kiosk and internet tools that allow him to access his sites' systems remotely from his fishing cabin!
How Electronic Locking Systems are Installed
e-LocX mounted on a US Door courtesy Fletcher Heights Storage Solutions
The installation is simple utilizing practices common to installers working in the Self Storage Industry. The main locking unit is mounted to the right hand door bracket using 3 high strength socket head cap screws and lock nuts. The 'U' is specially made and heat treated to specific hardness allowing the part to withstand abuse. It is held in place with a single bolt that goes through the door axle.
Redundancy Systems
The e-LocX electronic over-locking system have many redundancy, back up and fail convenient features built in. Recognizing that the site must continue to operate even when a catastrophic failure has taken place the system must continue to allow valid tenants' access to their units e-LocX is designed to do this.
An Intelligent Power Supply (IPS) provides many hours of battery backed operation detecting when the AC power has gone out. Using settings within the software, the system, upon detecting a genuine AC power outage, may scramble unlocking all units for tenants that are not in a lock out status, then monitoring them as an alarm only system - until the AC power comes back on that is!
The locks themselves although not prone to failure, have several built in methods for unlocking and failing conveniently. These are proprietary and are shared only with buyers of e-LocX.
Other system controls include the over-riding of door contact switches. For those that may become inoperable the system can over ride the door open signal and lock anyway.
Communication and Control
Communication between the lock and the lock controller (these can handle up to 128 locks each) is using RS485 on 2 wires and power on another pair. Daisy chained as is common practice in the self storage industry for keypads, and wired alarm systems.
Control is distributed to the site from the computer to one or more lock controllers (think multiplexers). These in tern poll each lock. A lock controller can poll 128 locks in about 1 second. Remote devices including the lock controller are polled up to 14 times per second! This very fast communication provides one level of positive control over the locking system. Another is the systems use of acknowledgements between devices so that data is not lost during communication.
