paxton entry Panel and Thunderstorms

[ITGURU]

We have a paxton entry panel on a gate to enter a site and a standard reader to exit.

Whenever we get a thunderstorm we get an issue with the entry panel.

Basically If you swipe the standard reader to exit that works fine. If on the panel you press the bell button you get the call tone but doesn't calll the handset or show in the logs. If you present a fob it beeps at you doesn't show in the acu log and doesn't open the gate.

We have to remove the ac power from the ACU. Disconnect the battery. Re power up on the Acu on AC then reconnect the battery and it all works again.

The panel is connected to the acu poe board. You cannot just unplug the rj45 to the panel and reconnect it as when it reboots its doesn't bind to the acu. The whole acu has to be rebooted.

Tech support say it's a localised issue and if you disconnect the AC power the acu runs on the battery just fine.

Anyone else had this?

[dapaulio]

Hmm I agree it’s a localised issue to a degree but I would have thought Paxton could advise better as I am sure they will see things like this regularly and advise accordingly

 

Thunderstorms can cause alsorts of wierd problems and don’t think there is a sure fire way of ever resolving it. So it is matter of minimising risk

 

Thunderstorms can cause electrical fluctuations which can knock power supply out and damage batteries and ultimately the hardware.

 

This is why we have ups and voltage regulators as a first line of defence with server and switching gear.

 

You could try an ip66 rated voltage regulator which will cleanse the voltage and act as a protector of the acu and act as a sacrificial device from the effects a thunderstorm can cause. This is where I would have thought Paxton would be able to better advise what is compatible with your setup.

[ITGURU]

The odd thing is we have 2 of these outside on gates and only ever happens with one of them.(both having been installed at the same time) The other one during a thunderstorm actually shows the ACU going offline and then coming back online and the entry panel works fine again (even though the battery should be maintaining power? as if you disconnect AC when testing the unit goes onto battery fine)

 

this other particular one never goes offline and back online, it just seems to scramble the entry panel. The actual ACU isn't affected as the standard exit reader works fine to exit and shows in the net2 logs, its just the entry panel that 'responds' will call tone and a beep to acknowledge token presented but then doesnt open the gate and stays on 'press bell to call' display.

 

I'd have thought thats the purpose of the battery to keep power to the unit, so i'm thinking its to do with the POE board.

 

i'm wondering if i do try cabling it straight back to a POE switch which is on battery backup, as with both panels, the contractors installed the ACUs outside near the gates, and this would prove if its then an entry panel, or ACU issue potentially. Cant put a UPS in the outside box!

 

 

 

Hmm I agree it’s a localised issue to a degree but I would have thought Paxton could advise better as I am sure they will see things like this regularly and advise accordingly

 

Thunderstorms can cause alsorts of wierd problems and don’t think there is a sure fire way of ever resolving it. So it is matter of minimising risk

 

Thunderstorms can cause electrical fluctuations which can knock power supply out and damage batteries and ultimately the hardware.

 

This is why we have ups and voltage regulators as a first line of defence with server and switching gear.

 

You could try an ip66 rated voltage regulator which will cleanse the voltage and act as a protector of the acu and act as a sacrificial device from the effects a thunderstorm can cause. This is where I would have thought Paxton would be able to better advise what is compatible with your setup.

[DrBeaker]

Static, humidity or some accidental discharge into other systems or circuity perhaps?

 

Either way - if it's under support, it's the vendor/installer/Paxton's issue to fix and not yours

[dapaulio]

I have school sites that are all setup practically the same and fear any electrical storm as I never know what to expect. Just sat watching the phone waiting for anyone of my customers to ring me with help

 

The difference in symptoms could amount to anything. Length of line, overground, underground, proper electrical grounding to the cabinet that the acu sits in. They are all voltages over a copper line so anything that heavily discharges a voltages around other voltages carrying lines are going to get disrupted.

Aside from this The batteries already maybe damaged or extremely susceptible to electrical interference.

 

Like I said a voltage regulator close to the acu May stabilise the voltage to it

[miloshmedia]

Out of curiosity - are these the metal entry panels? Is it a grounding issue?

[Fazza]

I'd get an electrician to check the grounding of it if that was happening here.