Subscriber Discussion

How To Cover Multiple Warehouse Doors?

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Apr 06, 2018

The client does not want to pay to have each door wired. He was thinking of a photo beam going across the doors. I see some issues with that. First, when I walked the building, there was stuff in the way such as pallets, a forklift etc. The client said that would all be moved at the end of each day. There is also some concern regarding damage from forklifts etc. The last concern is once employees learn how the photo beam works, it will be common knowledge that they can just step over the beam.

My thought is to place motions on the walls every 30' facing into the warehouse.

The platform will be DSC NEO with wireless motions and contacts. We will probably use their host transceiver with a repeater at the end of the building.The building is roughly 315' wide. The widest area between offices/structures 85'. The area with the OH doors is the front wall and contains all the OH doors, offices, man doors etc. The ends have no openings, and the opposite wall has 2 single man doors for fire exit. 

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Nathan Crawford
Apr 06, 2018

I would consider image based monitoring with a immersive imaging system and advanced image processing. If he has a budget for it.

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Rob Hammond
Apr 06, 2018
IPVMU Certified

Your analysis of the problems with beam detectors is correct.  My solution would be to use a tower with multiple beams.  The tower makes an optical fence that is not practical to step over, through, or crawl under.  Check out Optex -  they have an extensive line of beam detectors.

Whenever using sensors around doors frequented by fork lifts or other heavy equipment, it is best to protect them with Bollards, unless you like making periodic service calls to fix machine battered equipment.

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UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Apr 06, 2018

If you are doing wireless motions, then why not use floor switches wired to a transmitters?

 

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #3
Apr 06, 2018

This has nightmare written all over it.   So, he suffers a loss because they leave the doors open and arm the system.  Explain that.

How many times do you see a reminder by the keypad “shut off the coffee pot, air”?

Now you expect someone to check all the roll-ups to see if they are closed all the way before setting the system?

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #4
Apr 08, 2018

Have used battery powered encrypted wireless door contacts successfully on loading dock & warehouse doors. Relatively inexpensive and easy to replace if damaged. Locate contacts at the top of roll up doors to keep them out of the way. Only problem with standard contacts is if doors have excessive play when closed. Then use wide gap sensors with transmitters. 

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #5
Apr 08, 2018

If you are using NEO you definitely wont need a repeater for an open air application like this. 

Motions wont be much cheaper than just wiring an armored wide gap contact to a wireless contact. 

 

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Apr 08, 2018

We specified the GRI OH door contact for each door, and one wireless contact for every 2 doors. The plan is to put the contact in the middle of the doors and run them in series. Wiring should only be a few feet for each set of doors. Plus some motions for the offices, door contacts for office doors etc.

 

UM3 had a very good point that someone could arm the system and leave a door open. Plus all of the other issues with a beam.

 

I don't need the hassle so do it right or don't do it. 

 

 

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #5
Apr 09, 2018

"I don't need the hassle so do it right or don't do it."

How much are they saving by not zoning out each door? I hate tying zones together. 

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Apr 09, 2018

Unless DSC Neo has a multi-point transmitter, I would use one transmitter for one door.  I've used Honeywell 5817, 3 point transmitters, to handle 3 zones with one transmitter.  If DSC has an equivalent in a Neo, then that's what I would do.  With just one transmitter, if you need to bypass a troubled zone, you'll be bypassing all zones in series to that transmitter.  In today's world, with low cost wireless equipment, it doesn't save that much money when you series sensors together on one transmitter.

I've used beams across roll up doors as day monitor annunciators while the doors are open, but the doors also had floor switches for when they were closed. 

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