Smart Buzzer/Intercom Advice - 3 Family

Hi we have a 3 family building. We’d like to install a smart buzzer/intercom system to buzz people in remotely. We also would like an internal station in each unit or to keep the current buzzer system.

Has anyone done this and have recommendations? Thanks!

austinmsteele

in General Discussion 3 days ago

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Brownstone Home Inspection | 18 hrs ago

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keep in mind, if you have a modern schlage like smart lock, that system often uses the LOCK side to open. an older system and mortise lock will open the LATCH. it is possible to have both. if you have a mortise lock where the latch is and wish to do so, you can install a schlage (or yale) type smart lock and have that use the modern wi fi connection and keep the old wired system on the latch side for the tenants to use on the inside. if you install a modern tubular lock (a schlage or yale; schlage invented the tubular lock in the 1920s) you may have to fill some holes and the pocket left by an older, tradtional morstise lock.

the modern schlage/yale type stuff is almost made so a homeowner can deal with it. including the electric side. the controller plus into a regular plug outlet.

i happen to have two left over control units for the Schlage or Yale here and since this community has been so good to me over the years, i would be willing to give them away. i am not giving them away to for someone resell (they will go to habitat for humanity first). i am not sure if they are for the schlage or yale. if someone is interested, reach out. i might donate them to habitat.

Brownstone Home Inspection | 20 hrs ago

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a quick search of google indicates wi fi “relays” that can be added to existing systems.

i can tell you how I THINK this will work, it will hook up to the latch contact points and direct voltage to it in the same way a light switch turns a light on. the voltage must be the same voltage as the system uses (generally like 8-12 or 10-16 and some are ac and some are dc). that side of the technology is what we have used for over 100 years. the side of it that is complicated, is the wi-fi circuit. this should be easy to install – the hard part will be programming the system to your smart phones and everyone reading this right now knows how to do that-

Brownstone Home Inspection | 20 hrs ago

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unless the smart system is hardwired, an electrician does not install them but a homeowner can. i am talking about a smart system that relies on the wi-fi for remote access (i have installed them and i have two wi-fi interfacing units here that were left over from a job that i can potentially give away. i think the ones i have were from a schlage). Hardwired systems must be installed by a low voltage electrician.

i am not sure how the modern system would work with an old hard wired system. so if you have a modern wired system, see if they make a modern wi-fi interface for it. I have not seen one yet, but it sounds like this is very possible. i know the control boxes on all of these and they all have contact points to release the door latch and it might be as simple as attaching a controller to that point. in truth, if they do not have something like this to retrofit these now, someone reading this should get together with a tech person and make one and patent it because it would be very easy to do.

Steve
brownstonehomeinspection.com

cate | 2 days ago

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An electrician would install it. You might start by reaching out to one. Sometimes they have catalogs of such equipment and you can select the one you want.