tomasfuk wrote:Sure, the contacts, plus the more complicated construction (the lock must have some kind of energy accumulator for operation without power) must result in reliability loss. It can be compensated but such improvement costs huge money.
tomasfuk wrote:Thus, it cannot be subject of mass production, thus it cannot be cheap. You will pay too much for hiding the cable.
PERCo LB-series locks, like other electromechanical locks (for example, Abloy, Cisa, ISEO, Omec and others) are powered through the electrical network, which does not prevent their mass production. PERCo LB-series locks are regular electromechanical locks, but with the power supply not to the lock itself, but to the terminal block in the door frame. Such connection scheme is more cost-effective and makes installation much easier due to cable expenditure reduction as there’s no need in laying an additional cable duct inside the door. Usually, there’s about 1-2 meters of cable saving for one door.
allan501 wrote:The basic problem will be reliability. After the unit has been in use for a while you will accumulate grunge and corrosion on the contacts which will cause intermittent problems.
The main feature of LB-series locks is mechanically self-rectifying contacts, which operate due to their shape’s structural features. Strike plate contacts are designed in the form of knobs. Bolt contacts have small cone deepenings. When bolt contacts come in touch with strike plate knobs, there’s a sliding, which removes all benign contaminations.
In reality, bolt contacts are almost unable to get contaminated as the lock is designed for indoor use in offices and other premises where contamination is not so sufficient.
The lock operation conditions are specified in its certificate: the lock is to be operated in premises with climate control, for example, in closed heated or cooled ventilated facilities and other rooms, including well-ventilated underground facilities (the product should be kept from direct and diffuse solar radiation, from atmospheric condensation, wind, sand, outer air dust and moisture condensation).
Contacts reliably can’t get rusted as they are made of stainless steel of AISI 304 type. This type of steel is not only moisture resistant, but also resistant to different chemical agents.
allan501 wrote:The big selling point seems to be the aesthetics of the installation compared to door loops. My own solution is to use a power transfer hinge. They look like an ordinary hinge but the have the wiring inside the hinge so that when the are installed they look like an ordinary hinge. Power is run down the door frame to the hinge, through the hinge and into the door. Generally they are installed as the middle hinge then a hole is drilled through the center of the door from the hinge to the lock side. This has the same aesthetics and the advantage of soldered or crimped connections.
LB-series lock installation is easier than lock feeding through the power transfer hinges. Using power transfer hinges, you are to install the third hinge and the cable through the door leaf. LB-series locks installation does not require using third hinge and 1 extra meter of cable. In case the door is to be removed (for example, replaced), using power transfer hinges, the cable is to be disconnected from the lock and there should be made a hole in the door for the new cable. Removing the door with the LB-series locks, only the lock itself is to be demounted from the door leaf and mounted into the new door.
