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Configure a Door with a Motor for Accessibility

Learn how to configure a door with a motor to make accessibility easier

Having an automatic door opener attached to a building’s exterior is common and necessary to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) buttons (or some form of provision) to make entry accessible to those visitors who may be physically unable to pull open a door.

Access control for these types of doors is challenging due to locking hardware; for example, you don’t want the button to trigger the motor if the door is locked.

Wire the motor directly

If the motor has 2 independent inputs vs 1, you need:

  • One motor with two independent button inputs

  • A restricted exterior button

  • An unrestricted interior button

For a standard installation with one dry door with no native isolation, you need:

  • One motor with one input

  • A restricted exterior button

  • An unrestricted interior button

  • One relay

  • One DPDT relay

For exit events, a passive infrared (PIR) request to exit (REX) and door position indicator (DPI) is recommended.

Verkada is not responsible for damages caused by third-party equipment.

Understand your motor hardware

Most complex motors account for this issue and include an additional input designated for the access control system to be connected to.

Determine your motor’s mode

This input requires a 12-volt high signal or a closed gate/button detection.

We highly recommend that you check the motor’s service manual to ensure which mode you have, if this option is available, and what voltage it expects.

For both cases, you need to wire the interior button to a REX unlock input on the access controller and be on an input, isolated from the external button trigger.

If the motor expects a voltage-high signal

Run the lock wet

Connect the NO and C connections on the Verkada access controllers door port in parallel with this input on the motor.

Run the lock dry with an external power supply

Connect the NO and C connections on the access power controller (APC) output to the door lock in parallel with this input on the motor.Connect the NO and C connections on the APC into an additional door connection on the board and, if available, set the APC to trigger both outputs on a single input from the Verkada access controller (multi-door mode).

If the motor expects a closed gate signal

In this mode, the motor should only fire if two different buttons are required to be pressed simultaneously.

⚠️ If you send a voltage to the motor in this mode, it may cause serious damage to the equipment.

Run the lock wet

Using an external relay, connect the NO and C connections on the Verkada access controller’s door port in parallel with this input on the external relay.On the output of that relay, connect the NO and C to the input and common of the motor input.

Run the lock dry

Using an external relay that must be a double pole single throw, connect the NO and C connections on the Verkada access controller’s door port in parallel with this input on the external relay.On the output 1 of that relay, connect the NO and C to the input and common of the motor input.On output 2 of that relay, connect the APC as you would to the Verkada door port.

Need more help? Contact Verkada Support.

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