One of the pressing problems of man since ancient times is to ensure the safety of the home. In the modern world, there are a great many different locks and other locking devices for these purposes. Today let's look at electronic locks "Fort" manufactured in Petrozavodsk (Russia) by the company "Uni Fort".
Types of locks
Company "Uni Fort" offers the buyer several types of electronic locks. They differ in the installation method - mortise and overhead; according to the method of closing - automatic and with manual cocking.
Experts recommend installing overhead locks "Fort" on light, fragile doors, for example, wooden ones. For all other types of doors, a mortise lock is the best choice.
Electromechanical lock device
As part of these locks:
Electromechanical part. The valve of the mechanism is controlled by an electromagnetic latch of a small size, but at the same time quite powerful. When the lock is closed, it is almost impossible to open it without the use of an electromagnet. From the inside, the device is opened in the usual way manually, as required by fire safety regulations
Electronic control unit. This is a small computer. It provides a lot of possibilities. Its main task is to unlock the castle. Also, with the help of the block, key fobs are encoded and recoded, backup codes are recorded. Depending on the modification of the Fort lock, the electronic control unit may have additional functionality
Castles features
In order for the lock to function, you must connect it to the mains. It is also possible to operate offline - using AA batteries in the amount of three pieces. The manufacturer guarantees that these batteries will last for 1.5–2 years of operation. An alert will sound in advance when the batteries are low.
The "Fort" locks also provide an emergency opening method in case of a power failure and complete discharge. In such a situation, the Krona battery is used, which must be connected to the wires coming from the lock button. After a short time, the charge will be sufficient to unlock the lock.
Also there is a possibility for back opening with a bell button. The principle of its use is that it is necessary to dial a special code that the owner first enters into the memory of the electronic unit. This system is used in case of loss of the key fob or its breakdown,but it has a number of disadvantages, which will be listed below.
The main feature of the castle "Fort" is the use of an infrared signal from the key fob. On other locks, manufacturers use encryption using a radio channel. Such code is easily intercepted by attackers. But Uni Fort locks also have a number of disadvantages.
Flaws
Cons include:
To open, you need to bring the key fob to the "Fort" lock at a distance of 10-15 cm. On the one hand, at such a distance no one can intercept the infrared signal, but on the other hand, the attacker will know exactly where the lock was installed
- In case of a long power failure, the device cannot be operated. Before installation, you need to take care of uninterrupted power supply in advance.
- Most models of "Fort" door locks are only suitable for indoor use. For use at sub-zero ambient temperatures on the doors of cottages, on gates and in garages, only a special model of a garage lock is suitable.
- Reserve lock opening system. The complexity of use lies in the fact that the owner must constantly keep the code in mind and have the skills of a “radio operator-transmitter”. It is quite difficult to accurately reproduce a four-bit audio code at the correct intervals and within a limited time. At the same time, if the sound insulation is good, then the dialed sounds will be inaudible, and if the sound is poorsoundproofing there is a risk that the sound code will become available to intruders. Also, the sound button can be damaged by vandals and there is no guarantee that this fact will be visible externally. It is possible that you will only find out when the need arises to use it.
- Mechanical latch. There is a possibility of spontaneous slamming of the door when the owner does not have a key fob.
High cost. With all the above disadvantages, this one is also quite significant. Especially when you consider that the "Fort" invisible lock cannot serve as the main locking device, it is placed only as an additional means of protecting your home. Setting such a lock as the main one is rather unreasonable for all the same reasons listed above
But for all their shortcomings, these locks have a number of advantages.
Dignity
Among them:
- The main advantage of the Uni Fort locks is the absence of external signs of the installation of a locking device, therefore, it will not be possible to open it with a master key.
- The ability to connect a large number of key fobs (up to 600 pcs.), Which allows you to operate Fort locks at enterprises with a large staff of employees.
Easy key fob conversion. You can do it yourself, there is no need to contact specialists.
Working principlebell button
The four-digit code for the backup opening of the lock is recorded by the owner in advance. When it becomes necessary to use it, you should:
- Put the button into the beep code reception mode. To do this, press the button once with a short press.
- Without interruption, immediately enter a four-digit decimal combination, which is typed in the same way as the sos command. The number of short presses on the button corresponds to one digit of the backup code. Between the numbers you need to make small pauses of a few seconds.
- If the code is entered incorrectly after the third time, the lock is blocked and the sound siren is activated. The first block occurs for 7.5 minutes, each subsequent unsuccessful attempt increases this time period.
This method is especially inconvenient for use by the elderly and children, but still it should be borne in mind that it is used only for emergency opening of the lock.
