Vanderbilt ACT365-ACU Door Controller, Single Door IP, Dual Port Ethernet V54502-C130-A100

What this controller is for

A door controller is the part of an access control system that decides whether a card or code may open a door.

This Vanderbilt unit does that for one door and hands the management to the ACT365 service. That means no server maintenance and no backup issues.

How it works

• Reader to controller: a card or PIN is read at the door, and the controller checks it against its users. It can run card only, PIN only, or card and PIN.
• Controller to lock: the door relay output switches the lock. The auxiliary relay is a second, smaller output for another job.
• Controller to ACT365: the Ethernet connection links it to the service, where doors and users are managed through a browser or the native iOS and Android apps.

Where to use it

It suits a single door in a small building, or one door among many across a group of sites, all seen in one interface. It is an indoor product, so keep it in a clean internal position with its surface mounting.

Live Muster reporting and door forced or ajar monitoring make it useful where someone needs to know who is on site and which doors are open.

What the figures mean in practice

• 500mA for readers: add up the current of every reader you plan to connect and keep the total within this limit.
• 5 Amp door relay: check the lock's current against this figure, and remember that the lock's own supply must suit the lock.
• 1,000 log events: this is the figure for the controller itself.
• Rear tamper: lid opening is detected, but there is no rear tamper detection. Choose a position where the case cannot easily be pulled off the wall.

Installing it

• Register first: set up the ACT365 installer account before you go to site, so the controller can be added on the day.
• Network: addressing can be DHCP or static, and the second Ethernet port can pass the connection on. Up to 4 controllers can share a hub network.
• Anti passback: this stops one card being passed back to let a second person in. The controllers involved must be on the same LAN segment.

Planning your system

Besides the controller, the job needs a reader, a lock, a separate DC supply and a network connection.

A magnetic lock usually works fail safe and many electric strikes can be set fail secure. Decide which suits each door before ordering, and on an escape route agree the release method with whoever holds the fire strategy.

Standards and ratings explained

• RoHS and WEEE: RoHS limits hazardous substances in electrical goods. WEEE covers how electrical waste is collected and recycled.
• CE marking: the maker's declaration that the product meets the European directives it is marked to. It is not a third-party approval.