Drain Wire For Access Control Reader Tutorial

By Brian Rhodes, Published Sep 23, 2020, 11:05am EDT (Info+)

An easy-to-miss cabling specification plays a key role in access control, yet it is commonly ignored. The drain wire offers protection for readers and controllers, ensuring proper cable performance.

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We examine the drain wire, the role it plays, and why it should not be ignored.

This tutorial covers:

  • Why the drain wire is needed
  • How to identify the drain wire
  • Why access readers make them mandatory
  • Why only one end is connected
  • How much drain wires typically cost

Drain Wire Purpose

The data exchange between reader and controller can be corrupted, subject to environmental interference from other sources or even building materials like steel studs and door frames.

Given that reader wire typically is run to devices installed outside buildings, but connected to controllers deep inside them, the length of cable connecting them can attract and trap potentially degrading electrical/ EM interference that corrupts analog Wiegand or RS-485 signals between devices.

Unless the conduit between reader and controller, or controller to head end is shielded, low-level problems are difficult to diagnose and troubles can result.

OSDP *** ** ***** *****

*** **** ****** **** ** *** reader *** *** ********** ******* *** drain ****'* **********. *** ****** ******* or **-*** ******, *** ***** **** is ********. ** ** **** ********* for ******* ****.

****'* ******* ****** ** **** ******** of *** ************ **** *** **** Wiegand **********. *******, ******* **** **** readers *** ******** ** ******* ** RS-485 ***** ** ****, ************ ************ often ******* ***** * ***** **** drain **** ** ****.

*** **** ******** ** ******* ********* use *******, *** ** *** ******* adoption ** **** *********, *** ******** use ** *** ***** *** ****** less *********.

Identifying ***** ****

*** ***** **** ** ** ********** copper-tin ********* **** ** ******* ** jacketed *******. ** *** ***** *****, the ***** **** ** ********* ** it ********* ** ******** ** *** bundles.

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*********** *** ***** **** ******** * convenient ****** ** ****** ***** *********, although *** **** ****** ******** ********** from ***** ********* ************ (***) *** helps ****** *** ******** **** *** cable.

Shielding Is *** *********

*** ***** **** ** ********* ********* to *********. ***********, *** **** ** '**********' to * ***** ***, *** ******** cable **** *** *** ****** ********* when **** * ******** **** ****** is *********.

** **** *****, *** ***** ***** also ******* * ***** **** *** the ******* ** ********* *** ****** shield. *** **** *** ***-******** *****, a ***** **** ***** *** ** specified ** ***** ** ****** *** cable.

*** **** ** *********, ***** ***:********* *** ******* *** ***** ********************.

Specified **********

***** ***** **** ** ********* ********** when ******** ******** ** **** *** not ****** ******** ** ******** *******. Even ** *** ****** ****** *******, drain ***** *** *** ****** ******** (See *** ******:*** ** *** *** ************).

Access ******* ********* ******* *****

***** * '**** *****' *************, ***** wires *** ********* ******** ** *** devices **** **** *******, **** ***********, and ***** ******* ***** **** ** exchanged. * ***** **** ** ******** included ** *** ******* ******** ** readers, *** *** *** ** **** wire ** ******** ** ************:

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******* *** ********** ** *** ****** appreciated, ***** **** ************** *** ******** overlooked. ** * ******, **** ***** shielding ** *********, ** ********** ** installed **********. *** ****** ******** ** a **** ****** ** ***** ****** a ****** **** *** ****** *** cable ******* *** ************ ****** ** is ******** ********.

One **** *** *********

*** **** ****** ******** ***** **** working **** *** ***** **** ** "Which *** ** *** **** ** grounded, ** *** **** **** *********?"

***** *************, ***** ** ** ********** answer. *****, ** **** ******* ******** from ************ *******, **** **** ************* even ******** *********** ******* ******:

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*** ******** ***** ********** * ****** of *******:

  • *** #*: ********** *** ***** **** ** both **** ** *** ***
  • **** #* & *** #*: ********* ** *** ******
  • ****** #*: ********* ** *** **********
  • **** #*: *********** ***** ****, **** **** drain ****** ** ********

** ***** ** ** *********, *** drain ****** ** ******** ** *** end ** ***** ********* ******* ** 'drain' **** **** *** *********. *** more ** ********** *********, ************ *** ******* *** ***** ************.

*******, *** *** ************ **** *** one *** ** ** **** ** the ******. ******, **** ******* *** designed **** ******** ********** ** *** board ** ** *** ******'* ******* and ******** **** **** ** ** connected.

Added ***** ****

**** ***** ** *******, ********* ***** wire **** * ****** ****. ********* on *** ************ ****** *************, *** price ********* ******* **% ** **% per **** ****** **********/** ***** **** products. *** ****, **** ********* **** about $** ** *** ******* *****.

***** *** *** **** ********, *** including ** ********** *** ***** **** to **** *** ****** ** ******* long-term ***** ** ****** *************** *** unreliable *******.

Comments (12)

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

09/23/20 05:27pm

***! *** ********* ** *** ***** wire ********** *** **** ***** ** for **+ *****. * *** ****** to ****** ** *** ***** *** float ** *** ******. *** *****, the ********** ** ***** *************. * find ** **** ** ******* **** science ** *** ********** ********* (** pun ********).

Agree: 6
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny

Undisclosed Integrator #2

09/23/20 05:37pm

******* *** **** ******** *** *** solve ** ******* **** ***** **** up ** * ******** ******** ******... I ***'* **** *** *** **** intermittent ** **** *******, *******, ***. I ***** ** ********** **** ****** wire.

* ****** ****** ** *** *****, because *** ** *** ***** ** was ******* ****** ** **** * good ******** ** ****** ** **** was ***** **.

Agree: 2
Disagree
Informative: 6
Unhelpful
Funny

Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

09/25/20 07:30pm

**** ****** **** * ********** ***** a ******* ***** **** ** ******** damage ** ******** ******* ** **** that *** ***** ** ****** ********* strikes? ** ** **** *** *** proper ******** *** ** *******.

Agree
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Informative
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Undisclosed Integrator #2

In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #3 | 09/25/20 07:54pm

**** *** **** ** **** ****** a *****/*** ******* **** * ***'* believe * ***** **** **** ***. Put ***** ********** ** **** **** and *** ** **** *****. ** anything **** ******* ***** ** **** facility? ** ** **** ***'* *** in * ******* ***? ** ** just *** ** * **** ** does ** **** *** *** ****** and **** ***** ******* ***?

Agree
Disagree
Informative: 1
Unhelpful
Funny

Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #2 | 09/25/20 09:50pm

******!

****** *** **** ****. ** ***** gear *** *******, **** * *** PTZs *** *** ********* ****'* *** the ******** **** **** **, *** nearby.

*** ***** **** ***/** *****-*-* *** surge, *** ** **** ***** ******* the *** *-****** *** ******* **.

** *** ********* ************ ***** ********* like ***** *** ********* **** *** a *** ** ************ ********?

***** ***** ********** - ***-*******

Agree
Disagree
Informative
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Funny

Undisclosed Integrator #2

In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #3 | 09/28/20 12:55pm

********, *** ***** *** ** ** put ***** ** *****, **** ** have ****** **** ** *** **** is ******* *** ***** ** *** pole *** ***** ** ** *****, and *** ***** *********** ******* **** more ******* ********** ****** ** *** inside. ******** * **** **** ***** suppressors ** **** ****, *** **** have ** ****** ****** ********* ** the ****** ****. ***** ****** ** to ** **** *****, ** **** current **** ***** ******** ********? *** a ***** ********** ** ****, ****** built ** ** *********, *** **** that ***** ******** ********, *** **** that ***** ********** ** ******* **** surge **** **** *** ***********, *** to * ******.

Agree: 1
Disagree
Informative: 1
Unhelpful
Funny

Stuart Wightman

10/17/20 02:35am

**** ** *** ***** *** **** what * ********** ***** ********* *** grounding *** **** ****** ***** ** grounding ** *** ********** ****.

** ******* ** **** ** *** ground ** *** ********* ********* *** introduce *** **** ** ******* ********* being ********** ******* ********** **** *** shield ***** ***** **** *** **** of *********** ************ **** *** **** link ******* *** ********** *** ******.

** ** *** ****** **** ** the **********, *********** ***** ** *** form ** ******* ********* ***** ** a ***-***** ** ***** ***'* * circuit ******* **** **** *** *** is ******** *** *** ******** *** is ********. *** *** **** ** interference ***** **** ** ****** ****** ground ********* *** * *****.

********* *** ***** ** **** **** would ****** ********* * ******* ********* as **** **** ***** ****** ** grounded ** * ****** ********* ********* and ********* ***** **** ****** ******* the *** **** ** *** ***** by ***** ** **********. ** **** scenario ***** ** * ******* ******* from *** *** ** *** ***** wire ** *** ******** *** *** then **** ****** *** **** ** the ***** ***. **** ******* * path *** ******* ******* ** *** to **** ******* *** ******* ****** than * ***** ** ******.

*** ******* ** *** **** ****** the ***** ** *** ****** **** could ** ********** ****** ****** ******* at ********* ********* ** **** *** cause ******* ******* **** *** *** up ******** *****. ** ****** ******* at * ***** ** ********* ********* is **** ********. *** ** ***** there ** ** ****** **** ******* the *** **** ****** * **** for ***** ** ****.

** ** *** *** *** ***** to **** **** ** ** **** all *** ****** ***** *** **** ground ******** *** *** ********* ** each ***** ** **** **** *** drain ******. *** **** ******* ** the ******** ***** *** ** *** drains ****. ********* ** ***** *** same ****** ******* *** ******, ******* and ***********, *** ******* ******* ** simply ******* ** ****** *** **** not ****** * ******* ******* *** ground (*********).

** ** *** *** ***** ** a ****** **** **** ********, ** the **** ** ** **** *** shield *** **** ****** ** ******** noise *** *********** **.

** ******* ***** ****** ****** ***** me. **** ** **** *** *** I ********** ******.

Agree: 1
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Informative
Unhelpful
Funny
Avatar

Ng Choy Mei

IPVMU Certified | 10/19/20 03:55pm

***** **** ** **** ********* *** essential ** ***** **** ******.

Agree
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Informative
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Funny

Tom Taylor

IPVMU Certified | 10/19/20 11:06pm

**********... * ******* ******* ****** ******* and ************. **** ** *** ******?

Agree
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Informative
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Funny

John Price

01/30/21 08:08pm

**** ********* *** ***** **** ** the ********** ** ** ****** ** tie ** ******** **** *** **(-) port *** *** **** ****** ** should *** ***** **** ** ******** at * ********* ******** ** *** controller?

Agree
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny
Avatar

Ricardo Souza

Motorola Solutions
IPVMU Certified | 10/17/21 09:50pm

***** *****,

***** ** * ****** **** ** "(See *** ******: *** ** *** for ************)."***** ***** ** "****" *** **** ********* ** "****"

***** ***** ** ** * ****** link ** ** **** ***** * page **** *** ********* *******:"**** ****** has *** **** *********. ***** **** later."

** * ** *** ******** *** correct **** **:*** ** *** *** ***** ************ Tutorial

=)

Agree
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Informative
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John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Ricardo Souza | 10/17/21 09:55pm

*******, ******! * ***** **.

Agree: 1
Disagree
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