Command Battery-Powered Access Control Troubleshooter Tested
Typically, access control installers would set up a controller or a larger battery pack to verify the operation of electric strikes. Now, a company has released a tool to simplify this process.
We bought and tested the Command Access Technologies (CAT) Access Control Field Tester.
In this report, we provide:
- An overview video showing tool functions
- Test videos powering 24 VDC strikes and checking DPS continuity
- How voltage output adjustment works
- Tool Pricing and Availability
- Why one set of included connectors is uncommonly used
- Test video of electrical short protection
Plus, we spoke with California-based Command Access Technologies (CAT) and shared our tested results and the manufacturers' feedback inside.
This is part of a series of IPVM Info+ tests on tools and accessories, including Flipper Zero Access Control Hacking Tested, Access Control Reader Covers Tested, Camduster Camera Cleaning “Robot” Tested, and Electric Drivers for Video Surveillance Tested.
Executive *******
** *** *******, ******* ****** ****'* Field ******'* **** ********* ** ******** the ******** ** ***** *** **** sensor ****** **** *** ******** ****. However, **** ****** ****** *** ************ of * ********** *** *** *** useful *** ******** ******* *** **** controllers.
***** **** ********** ********-****** ***** ** this *** ** *** ****, **** tool **** ** *** **** ** and ** ***, ******* **** ******* for ********** ****** ******* ***** *** sensors. *** ~$*** *** ***** ****** uses ****** ********* ********* ******* ** techs *** ** ********** **** ******, Makita, *** ********* ********* ****** **** bulky, *******-** ********. *** **** **** checks *** ***** ********** ** ****** sensors ******* ******* ** **** ** and ********* **** *********** ** *** bulky ***-******* ***** ******** **** ********* cords.
****** * ******* ********** **** **** measures *******, *** *** ***** ****** supplies ******* ** ****** ** *** or ** *** ****** ********** - voltage ****** ** ******** ****** ******* using **** **** *********** *** **** batteries.
*** ****** **** ******** *** ********** of ***** **********, ********** ** ****** or **** ****** *****. ** *** testing, ** ******* ******* *** ******* door ******** ****** ********** **** ** issues.
*******, *** ******* ***** *** *** Field ****** **** *** ******* **** multimeters, ** ** ***** ***** ********* like ********* ********** *** ******* ****, nor **** ** *** *** ***** it ********. *** ****** ***** *** configure **** *********** ** *******, *** it ** *** *********** ** ********* using ******* ** ****.
*** *** ***** ****** **** ***** the ******* ******* ** ******* **** primarily ******* **** ****** ******* *** need * *****, ****-**-*** ***** ****** to ******** *** ************ ****** *******. Still, ** **** *** ****** ***** significant ********** ** ******* ***** ***** permanent ***** ** ****** ** ** installed ** ***** *** **** ************ work **** ****** *******.
Command ****** ************ ***** ****** ********
***'* *******-******* **** **** ******** ***-******* (12 ** ** *****) ** ***** to *****/*******/******** *** ******** **** ********** of ****** ********** **** ***, **** position ********, *** ****** *******.
*** ******** ** *** **** *** an ***/** ******, * *************-***** **** to ****** *******, *** * *** of ******** ***********:
*** ******** ***** ***** ***** *** operation *** ********* ** *** ****:
*** ******* ******* **** ******* *** output ******* ******* ** *** ** VDC, **** ****** ******** *** ****** components **** *****, *******, *** *******:
** ******* **** *** ******* ******* to ****** ** ***** (*.**), ***** is ************* **** ******* **** *** 4-5+ *** ******* **** ********** ** most ***-******* **********. *** *******, **** readers **** * ******* ********* **** of * * - ** ***. We ***** *** *** *** **** unit ******* ** *********. **** *********:
**** ***** ** ********* ******* ** two ********* ******: *) *** ******* to **** ******* ** ******** **** overvoltage *** ************ ********** (± **% rated *******), *** *** ******* ** mimic ***** ****** ****** ******* *******. With **** **********, ** *** ****** troubleshoot *** ******** *********** *******.
********* ******** ** ****** ** ***** will *** ** ****** *** **** access ******* **********, *** ********* *** output ** ***** ***** ***** ****** make *********** ******.
Example: ****** *****
** * ****** *** ****, *** tester *** ** **** ** *******/****** the ********* ** **** ******* ** functional. ** *** ***** *****, ** demo *** ** ****** ****:
** **** **** ** ********, *** tool *** *** **** ** ******* the ****** ** ***** ****** *******.
Power ****** ** *** **** *******
*** ********* ***** ****'* ******* ***** proposition ** ** ****** ***** ** use ***** **** ********* ** ** or ** *** ***** *** ****** hardware.
********* *** ***** ****** ** *** electrified ******** ******* *** *****/ ****** control ** *** ***** *********. *** field ****** ***** ********** * ***** tool *** ******* *** ********** **** a ****** **** ** *** ****** yet ** *** ********* ****** *************** hardware ****** **. * *****/****** *****.
*** **** **** **** ********* ** V *********, *** *** **** ** available ** ******** **** ***** ****** or ****** *********.
*** **** ******, ******** **** *********** where ** ******** **+ ******* ******* against ****** ********** ******* ************. ** generally ***** *** ****** ******* ** be -*.** ***** ** ****** *** both ** *** ** *** *** with **** **** *********** *** **** batteries.
For **** **** ******** *****
*******, *** **** **** *** * continuity ******* **** *** ******* **** wired ******* ** *** **** **** breaks *** *** *** ************** ********.
Continuity ****** ******
** **** *****, ** **** *** we ****** *** ********** ***** ******** of *** **** ******* * ****** door ******** ******:
Not *** **** *********** ** ********** *******
***** *** **** *** ** **** for **** ******, ** ****** ** used *** *** ****** *******, *** it ***** **** ******** ** ********** needed ** *********/***** **** *********** *** readers. *** *******, *** **** *** no **/**** **** *** **** *** use ******* ** ****.
*** ********* *** **** ** **** for *******/*******-***** *******:
** *** ***** *** ***** ** locks/trims/strikes/exit ******* & *** ******* ******* switches. ** ***** ** ********* ***** them *** **** ***** ******** **** low-energy **** *********, ******* & ****, but ** **** *** ****** ** with ***** ********.
*******
***'* ***** **** **** ** ********* online *** **** *************** ************ *** ** **** ** $226.
***** ********* ******** ** *** **** are *********, ********* ***** ** *** type ** ***** **** ******* ****: DeWalt, ******, ** *********.
Used ********-**-****: *******-******* ********* *****
** **** *****, *** ******** ********* clips **** ** **** ** ******* power *** ***** *** ********** ** components. *** ******** *** *** *****-***** standard ***/*****, *** *** ******* ********** ends ******* **** *** **** **** good ***/** *********:
Limited ***: ***********-********* ******* ****** **** (***) *********** *******
*** **** **** **** **** ******* set ** ******* ********, *** '*** Accessories *******':
** ********* *** ********** *** *** industry-common *** *** *********** ******* ** the ********** *** **** ** *** own ********:
*** ******* ******* **** ***** ********** standard ** *** ******** *** ** cross **** ** ***** ******. ** the ********* **** *** ******** ******* then *** *** ****** *** *** alligators ***** ** ******* ***** **** provide * ******* *** ******** *****.
Electrical ***** **********
****** *******, ** **** ********* ***** protection, ***** *** **** ***** *** and ******** ****** ** *** **** or ******** *********:
*** ******* ********* *** **** ** protected ******* ****** *** ** ************ fused **** ********** *****.
*******, *** **** ********* *** **** is *** *****/************ *** ****** ** used ** *** ************.
Key ********: ***'* ******* ***********
***** ***** **** ** ***** **** 12 *** ** *** ** ******* and *********** ** **** ******** ***********, CAT's ******* **** **** *** ******* current/amperage *** **********/**** *** **** *** have *** ******* ** ***** ***********.
** ***** ** *************** ******, ***** additional *********** ***** *** ***** ******. While ***'* **** **** **** ** the ***, ****** ***** **** ****** need ** ***** *** ** ******* on ******** ***** * **********.
**, * ******* **** ***** ** been * ********** ********** *****, * draw ******* ** ********* *** ** draw ***** *** **** ***** *****.
******* *** *********** *** * ***** the ***** *******. * ***** ******* a ************ ** ******* *** ** a ****** ** *** ***’* **** to **** ******* ****/*** ******. **** doesn’t **** ** ** *********. * would *** ** *** **** ****-******** and ***** **** ****** **** ***** to **** **** ********* *** ******. The *** * ********* *** **** 2015. ** ****** **** *** ** seems ***** *** ***** **** ********* now *** ******* ******* ** ***** $200. *** **** **** ** **** the ****** ******* **** (***** ***** being **** ** ****) ** *** movement ***’* ** **********.
**** ** *** **** ** *** overview *****.