Electric door opener

Are you planning the access system for your building and need an electric door opener for it? You will find the right components for this in the eibabo® shop. Choose from numerous variants from different manufacturers and also find out what types of door openers are available and what you should pay attention to when buying.

What are electric door openers?

The term 'electric door opener' conceals very different ideas about which products are actually involved. As part of our customer service, our customers mainly ask about three product groups:

Drives for doors and gates

There are different types of drives for doors and gates. The simplest type is the classic door operator, which lifts a garage door, for example. This usually consists of an electric motor with a movable linkage, which opens and closes the gate. Alternatively, this type of door opening is also available with a chain drive. There are openers with linear drives and lever drives for gates on property boundaries and driveways. The linear actuator design includes an elongated body in which the gear box is enclosed. The gearbox turns a worm drive, causing a rod attached to the gate to lengthen or shorten. This opens or closes the gate. The design of the lever drive consists of a classic housing in which the gear is located. The power of the gear is transmitted to a steel lever attached to the gate leaf. This enables the gate to be opened and closed. In this construction, there are right and left mechanisms.

Electromechanical door leaf opener

One of the biggest challenges for people with walkers or wheelchairs is getting through doors. Sitting in a wheelchair and opening a door at the same time is a problem. Likewise, closing a door after driving through it is difficult. To master this challenge, there are electromechanical door leaf openers. Surely you have seen these in hospitals, shops and offices before. These are usually activated by stepping or driving on a mat, or by walking past an electrical sensor. However, these devices are quite expensive. Of course, there are also simpler models for private use. Residential electric door openers consist of an electric motor mounted on the door frame or the door itself. The motor activates and moves a rod that opens and closes the door. The electromechanical door leaf opener can be installed on either interior or exterior doors.

Electrical or electromagnetic door lock openers

A modern door lock is a mechanism that can consist of a complex combination of locking devices. The safety of property and personal safety depend on the reliability of the lock or the locking mechanism and its quality. Therefore, you should plan your purchase with all due care. Electrical and electromagnetic openers and closers are often used for controlled locking and unlocking of doors in access control systems and management systems. Unlike electromechanical models, these systems are:

easy to handle
quickly mounted on the door
durable
inexpensive

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In this eibabo® catalog you will mainly find products from the area of electric and electromagnetic door openers.

Automatic door openers are ubiquitous in apartment buildings, industrial plants and large office buildings. These unlock or lock the lock at an entrance by an electrical or electromagnetic process. When and how a door is locked or opened depends on the installation of the door opener. If a door opener works with quiescent current, the door only opens when the circuit is interrupted. This is typically the case with escape doors. However, there are also working current door openers. These only open a door when power is applied. This means that in the event of a power failure, the corresponding door would remain closed. Whichever type you prefer, you can get high-quality electric door openers at reasonable prices in the eibabo® online shop. Manufacturers of safe and well thought-out systems are Assa Abloy effeff, Berner gate drives, Etherma, Geze, Grothe, Novar, Siedle and Viveroo. Pay securely and monitor your delivery with our track-and-trace system.

Typically, electromagnetic locks hold doors closed due to the action of a powerful electromagnet. This attracts a metal plate attached to the door. The door is opened using the exit button, which changes the state of electromagnetism. Alternatively, this control signal can also be triggered centrally by the access control system.

Source: eibabo®, Assa Abloy effeff 118WR-------B71 electric door opener Image: Assa Abloy effeff 118WR-------B71 electric door opener

What types of electromagnetic door openers are there?

Due to their design, electromagnetic door openers differ in models whose contact either 'shears off' or 'tears off'. This depends on the position of the contacts in connection with the opening direction of the door. Furthermore, one subdivides into add-on locks and built-in locks. Electromagnetic attachment locks are the most common, as they do not affect the structure and stability of a door leaf. Since there are no moving and rubbing parts in this type of locks, their function is guaranteed in all climatic conditions. Within access control systems, electromagnetic door openers are often used for external doors of residential buildings, offices, industrial buildings, supermarkets with normal security requirements.

How do electromagnetic door openers work?

An electromagnetic lock consists of 2 parts:

an electromagnet mounted on the door frame
a metal counter plate which is attached to or in the door

In the so-called normally open operating mode, a direct current or alternating current is supplied to the electromagnet winding in order to establish a strong magnetic field. This pulls the metal plate of the door towards the lock. The door is held closed by the force of the magnetic field. To open the door, the circuit must be broken. The magnetic field disappears and the door can be opened. Even in the event of an unplanned power failure, the electromagnet releases the plate and the door goes into the unlocked state. Therefore, not only electromagnetic locks are installed on the most important doors, but also conventional mechanical or electromechanical locks.

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Models are available that work on the opposite principle - i.e. are closed without current. In these cases, the magnetic field is established without current and the door is closed by default. The magnetic field is only interrupted when a voltage is applied and the door can be opened.

This functional principle is very common in classic door openers, for example.

How securely do electromagnetic door locks close?

All electromagnetic locks have a high mechanical traction or holding power. This is given in kilograms. The heavier and more important a door is, the higher the holding power of the lock should be. When choosing a model that suits you, you can use the following rule of thumb:

A holding force of 150 kg or more is usually sufficient for interior doors
Electromagnetic locks with a holding force of 300 kg or more are usually used for standard street doors
For security doors and heavy steel doors, use models with a pull force of over 1000 kg

What are the advantages and disadvantages of electromagnetic door openers?

Advantages over other locks and locking mechanisms include ease of installation and durability. There are no mechanically moving parts that can wear out or jam. Compared to electromechanical door openers, the power consumption is low. Magnetic door locks are insensitive to heat, cold and precipitation and can be used in rooms with high humidity. Their dependency on electricity can be seen as a disadvantage.

What should be considered when buying electromagnetic door openers?

We have already mentioned many properties that limit the choice according to your needs. Before you buy, consider the following points, among others:

Should it be a built-in device or a surface-mounted device?
Should the opener work with open-circuit current or with closed-circuit current?
What type and level of power supply is required?
Is the design decisive (left / right / symmetrical)?
Does compatibility with existing mortise locks and striking plates have to be guaranteed?
Do you want manual locking or unlocking for emergencies?
Is one opener enough or should it be a set with strike plate and frame?
What holding power should the device have?

What is the difference to a purely electric door lock opener?

Electromechanical door locks are also available on the market. These are mechanical locks with electronic components. These door openers are also powered and work in combination with a classic locking mechanism to lock or open the door. The type of locking and unlocking can vary. These can be buttons, keypads for entering codes or passwords, biometric devices, scanners, key fobs or key cards.

Catalogue content:

In this eibabo® catalogue Alarm installations, emergency call and signalling > Electrical door opener you will find items from the following product groups: