PoE Powered Access Control Tutorial

By Brian Rhodes, Published Jan 26, 2021, 11:31am EST

Powering access control using Power over Ethernet is convenient and increasingly common.

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However, access requires more power than cameras, and the problems of not having enough are significant especially if unsecured doors, unresponsive doors, or dead readers are the result. Using PoE for access requires knowledge of Life Safety Codes.

In this tutorial, we teach:

  • Why PoE for Access Is Useful
  • PoE versus PoE+ Use For Controllers
  • Why 4 Doors Is Typically Max For PoE Controllers
  • How To Calculate PoE Power Load For Access
  • How To Check Available Field Power
  • The Code Impact Of Using PoE
  • Cost Savings From PoE Powered Access
  • 4 Common Problem Areas When Using PoE Powered Access

At the report's end, take the 7 question quiz on PoE Powered Access Control to test your knowledge.

Note: This guide was updated in 2018 and again for 2021.

Where PoE For Access Is Useful

PoE is useful in retrofit access control to bring power to the door, instead of installing high voltage electrical for the system first, an expense that can often cost hundreds of dollars per door.

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Without PoE, power at the door involves extending or running new circuits from breakers to openings in new conduit with new outlets, power supplies, enclosures, and junction boxes, while PoE routes power through the same cable that connects door devices to an ethernet network.

PoE ********

******* ** ***** *** for ******, *** *********** any ***********, ** ************* how **** ***** ** available.

*** ***** ***** ** PoE *** ******** ****:

  • ***.*** ******** ** ** **.** and ** **** ** most *** ******* ****** Controllers.
  • ***.***,'****' ***, ******** ** to **.** *** **** only ** * ***** fraction ** ******** *********, generally ***** ******** ** be **** ** ******* weather ************. *******, '**' is ********** **** ********* specifying '**'.

*** ******* ******* ***,***.************* ~*** *** ***** is *** ********* **** in ******.

*** ****** *******, *** lesser ***.*** *** ** not ******, *** **** controllers *** ***** * version ***** ** *** higher ****** ** ****-**** ratings *** ******** **** demand ***** ** *******.

*** *******,****** ****** ** ***.*** Net2 ******** ****** *.**/*** ** output:

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*** **** ** ***, both ** * ******* resource *** ************ ********, see ****** ***** *** ** Video ************.

PoE **** ********** *** *** ** ****** *******

*** ******* ****** ************ is *** *** ** directly ***** ******* **********, **** *** ********** powering ******** *** ******* access ******* ******* **** readers *** ** **** cases, *****.

*** ********** ******** **** of *** *** ***** as ******** *** *** own ********* *** **** passes ** ******** ** what ** **** ** companion ******. *******, **** power ** ******* ** into *** ********* ***** based ** *** ****** type ********* ** **.

PoE *********** ********** ******* ** * ***** ** ****

*********** **** **** ** more ******** ***** *** are ********, *** *** simple **** **** ***** the ********** ****** ** powered, *** ********* ****** available '****** ****' ** field ******* ****** **** four ********** ** *** weak ** ***** *** locks *** *******.

****** ** *******, ***** a ****** ****** ***** power **** * *** source, **** ****** *******, controllers ********** *** *** just *** ***** ****** in * *****. **** PoE ******* ***** ** exhausted **** **** *** controller *** ******* ********* one ** *** *****.

** * ******, *** options *** ****** *** single ** ****** **** IP ***** *********** **** Mercury **-****, *** **** EVO, *** *** **** A1001.

Field ******** ******** *******

***** **** ***** ** devices ******* ***** **** the ********** - *******, locks, *** **** *******. How **** ***** ***** devices **** ***** ** critical ** *********** ******* PoE **** ** ********** for **** *******.

  • *******: *** **** ****** device ********* ****** *****, most ****** ** **** readers *** ********* ** operate ** ****** ***** sourced **** **** *** controller.
  • *****: ********* ** **** types, ***** ********** ****-******* power *** *** ** optional. *** *******, ***** Strikes *** ** **** to ******* *** ** PoE ***** *******, ******** typically ****** ** **** draw ************* **** *******.
  • **** *******: ** **** *****, other ******* *** **** power **** * *** supplied ********** *** **** position ** **** ***, but **** ** *** commonly ****** ** ****.

** **** *****, *** total ***** ****** *** all ***** ******* **** exceed **** *** ** able ** *******. ** a ******, ******** ** all *** ********** ***** requirements *** *********** ******* the ******** ***** ** critical *** ***** ********** opening.

Three ***** ** *********

*****, ***** **** **** of *** *** **** controller ******* (*.*., ***.*** or ***.***). ****, ****** how **** ****** ***** max *** ********** ********. Then ******* ** *** total ***** *********** ***** of *** ******* ***** power **** *** *******.

******** ********

** *** ***** ******* below, **** **** ****** power ** *********:

* **** ** ********** by ******** ******** **************** ***.*** ***, *** passing ******* * *** of *** ** ** field *******. ** **** controller, **** **** **** *************** * *** ** 75 ** ** *****, and **** **** ************* *** ** ** a ********** **** ***** are ********* *** **** power.

*** ***** ***** ******** by *** ****** *** strike ** *** ** from *** **********, ******** to *** ** ********, which ** **** **** enough.

****** ********

*******, ** **** ****** example *****, ****** *** insufficient ***** ** *********.

* **** ** ********** by ******** ******** **************** ***.*** ***, *** passing ******* * *** of *** ** ** field *******, ** **** controller,*** ***** ***** *******(*** * **** **/**** out ***********) ******* * max *** ** ****, and ******* **** ***-* ************* *** ** ** a ********** **** ***** are ********* *** **** power.

*** ***** ***** ******** by *** ******* *** strike ** *** ** from *** **********, ********* the ********* ***** ** over *** ** ******* no ******* ** ********** obstacles *********.

Available ***** *****

***** *** ************* ***** of *** ********** ** determine *** **** ***** is *********. *** *******, this*** ********** **** ********** *** ********* ***** values:

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********* ** **** *****, the ******* ********* ***** power *** ********** ******* vary ** ****. *** example, *** '******' ********** offers ** ** *** mA *** * ****** using **.*****, ** ***** 7.1W.

*** '*** *******', ** contacts **** ******* ****-**** power ** ******* * lock, ****** *** ****** output ******* ******* *** output ******** *** ******* as * ******. ***** this ********** ********** ****** either ** ** ** VDC ********** *******, *** all *********** **. ******* will *** *********** ****** up ** ***** ****-**** power ** * ********** port. ** **** *****, the ********** ******** *** power ******* ****** *** output *****, *** ***** controllers ****** ****** * controller *** ***** ***** output *** *** *****.

Max ***** **** ***** ***

******* *** ***** ** how *** ***** ***** amount ****** ***** ** the ***** ****** ****. Typically **** ***** *** for *****, ******* ********* power ** **** **** what ** ******** **** separate *** ******* ***** supplies:

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

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**** **** ** *** example ***** *** ***** power ********* **** *** (9.6W) ** **% **** than ***** (**.**) *** 66% **** **** ***** (28.8W).

Code ******

**** ********* ***** ***** PoE ** ***** ***** outright, **** ** ** adequate ***** ****** ****** is *********. ******** ***** may ********** ***** *** for *****. ******* *** most ****** ***** ** found *** "******* ** Exit' *********** **** ******* door ***** **** *******. The **** ********** ****, IBC ****.*.*.*.*(****) *******:

"* ****** ********* ****** (push ******)***** ****** ** ****** interruption ** ***** ** the **** – *********** of *** ****** ******* system ***********. **** *** **** button ** ********, *** doors **** ****** ******** for ** ******* *******. The ****-****** **** ******* signage ******* “**** ** Exit” *** **** ** located **” ** **” vertically ***** *** ***** and ****** *’ ** the *****. ***** ****** must ** ******** ** the **** ******."

**** **** ********* ********* controlling **** ***** ** way ** ******* ******* on *** ********** *** mandates * ****** ***** in **** ***** ******* interruption. ** *** **** least, * ****-****** **** be ********* ** ****** between * *** ****** and * **** ****, but **** **** ****** this ** '**** ***** must ** *** ***', even ** *** ****** source ** ** ** fully '*********** ** *** access ******* ****** ***********'.

*** ***** ******* *** formal **** ********* ******, see**** ****** ****, ***, and *** ***** *** Standards*** **** ******** ******** and ****** **** ********.

Cost ******* ***********

***** *** ** ***** doors ***** **** ~$*** - $*** *** ****, given *** *********** ** extra *****, ***** ********, and *****. *** *******, one ***** *********:

  • ***' ** **/* ***** Cable: $**
  • ** **/***** ***** ******: $50
  • ************ ***** *** *****: $60 - $***

******** ** ** ******* door **** ** ~$*,***, this ******* *** ** quite ***********.

Potential *** *** ****** ********

**** **** ******** *******, PoE *** ******* *********** issues **** ******** ***** supplies ** ***. *** example:

Low-Draw ****** ****

**** *** ***** *******, especially ***** ******** *** PoE ***, *** ********** to ************ ******* *** binding **** **** *****, high **** ****** *** simply ***** *******. ***** PoE ** *** *** root ***** ** ***** issues, ******* ***** *** locks ***** ******* **** frequent ********** *** *** more ********* ** ******* wear.

********

******* ******** ******* *********** duty ***** *** *** relatively ****-***** *****, **** PoE *********** *** *** built **** ******** ***** for ********** ***. ************** powering ******* ** ********* are ****** ****** ******, but *********** ******* ******** at ****** ****** *** not. ******** ******* ******** maglocks ******** **** *** controller, ** *** ** PoE, *** ******** ******.

Backup ***** *****

** ********, ** *** is ****, *** ****** and ********** ***** ** battery ******* *** ** substantial. ** *** ***** fall ******** **** *** power **** ***, **** specific ****-************ ****** ***** may ** **** ******* than * ******* ******** used *******-****. ** **** cases, ******** *** ****** control *** ******* **** other ******* ********* ******* is *** ******* *** backup ***** **********, *** physically ******** ***** ******** may ******* *** **** costly ** ******.

Reboot/Updating *** ****** ***** ***** ******

**** ******* ** ****** by *** ****** ****** falling **** (**** ***** failing ********) ****** ****** network ****** **** ****** firmware *******, *** ******* to ***/**** *** *** again **** *** ****** brings *** ****** **** up. ** ******** *** risk,*** *** ********** ** *******, ***** for ~$*** *** ******* to ****** *** '***** gap' ***** * ****** is *********** *******.

Quiz ********

**** ****** ******* ****** ******* Quiz.

[******: **** ***** *** initially ********* ** ****, updated ** ****, *** again ** ****.]

Comments (2)

Alex Daley

01/26/21 05:32pm

***** *** **********/******* ****** units ********* ** ****** control *** *** *********, as ****.

******* **** *** ******** Tango-******** ************ ** ** ** watts ** ***.*** *****, relay ***** *******, *** a ******* ******* **********.

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Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Alex Daley | 01/26/21 05:39pm

****** *** ******** **** up.

***:******** ****** ***** '********** Electricians'*** ****.

* *** ****** ** this ** ***** ***** devices **** *** *****. The ********** ******** ** Tango ** *********** ****** if *** ********** ** connects *****'* **** *** power ** ***** *******, which **** ** ***.

** ******* *** ******** attached ** * ***** board, **** ****** **** PoE ***** *** ** used/is *********, *** **** requires ***** **** **** wire/increases ******* *****/** **.

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