FAQs

Storm Keyboards

Q. Can a user ‘pry out’ or ‘pop’ the keytops off the keypad.
A. No! The keytops are permanently captured within the keypad casing, resisting attempts to pry or lever keytops out of the keypad.

Q. Can the keypad be damaged with knives or other tools?
A. Yes! It is always possible to scratch and scar the surface of the keypad. Given enough time (and the right tools) it may even be possible to disable the keypad. Nothing is vandal proof! However the STORM keypad is remarkably tough providing high level resistance to attack and abuse. A peripheral step runs around the edge of each keytop preventing the insertion of blades or other sharp implements. This peripheral step protects both the water seals and circuitry from mechanical attack.

Q. Does the keypad comply with mandatory health and safety requirements?
A. Yes! The keypad bears the European CE mark and complies with all applicable regulations.

Q. Does the keypad have a manufacturer’s warranty?
A. Yes all STORM keypads are covered by a comprehensive 12 month ‘in field’ warranty against defects in materials or manufacture.

Q. Is the keypad weather resistant?
A. Yes! Certain STORM keypads are sealed against water and dust to IP65 (Nema 4) standard, making them suitable for prolonged use in exposed outdoor locations.

Q. The terminal will be located in a sheltered indoor (shopping mall, bank) environment. So why do I need a sealed keypad?
A. Even in sheltered (indoor) locations we must accept that the keypad will require regular wash down and sanitation procedures. For this reason it is vital that the keypad is fully protected against water ingress and resistant to most commonly used cleaning agents. We recommend a monthly (or even weekly) scrub-down with hot soapy water.

Q. Okay, so any sealed keypad will do…right?
A. No! Most sealed keypads allow liquids to enter the keypad casing through the gaps around each keytop. The liquids run down inside the keypad collecting in an enclosed pocket created by a compression seal that runs around the edge of the keypad. Once trapped by this peripheral seal the fluid cannot escape or dry out. It lies stagnant inside the keypad. This creates an environment in which micro-organisms thrive. If milk, ice cream, body fluids or other liquids with organic suspensions are spilled on this type of keypad a serious bio-hazard is created.

STORM keypads are different. Each and every key position is individually sealed, eliminating the bio-hazard pocket. Any liquid spills are prevented from collecting within the keypad and are held at the surface where they can be easily treated with disinfectants and washed away. Each key mechanism also features a unique self cleaning action. Each time a key is pressed it ‘pumps away’ any fluids or contaminants that may be trapped by the water seals. This ensures the keypad dries quickly, avoiding the creation of warm, wet and dirty conditions that promote bio-hazards. This is very important if the terminal is to be located near food retailing, food processing or food consumption areas.

Q. Is the keypad protected against damage caused by discharge of static electricity?
A. Yes! The STORM keypad not only protects itself and the host system from static discharge damage, it also protects the user. As a potential user walks toward a terminal he/she may be generating static charge. Non-conductive flooring, clothes of man made fibers, even dry atmospheric conditions can combine to create this hazard. Charged with upwards of 50,000 volts the unsuspecting user reaches out with their hands to operate the keypad. If the keypad is simply ‘grounded’ to wick away the charge (as most vandal resistant keypads are) the user will experience a severe if momentary electric shock . The user’s perception is usually that he/she has received an electric shock from the terminal (rather than having just given the terminal a shock). To reduce this risk STORM keypads feature keytops (usually the first point of finger contact) that are held in isolation from other conductive and grounded components. This does not completely eliminate the risk of static discharge however it does significantly reduce the frequency and severity of such discharges.

Q. Will the keytop characters wear away over time?
A. No! STORM keypads with metal keys have characters that are engraved deep into the keytop surface. These engraved characters are then filled with a tough polymer-resin to ensure maximum visibility and contrast. This technique provides the most permanent and wear resistant characters available on any keypad. Keypads from other manufacturers often feature laser marked characters on stainless steel keytops. Laser marking of stainless steel provides insufficient contrast and in some cases poorly defined characters. Laser marked characters on stainless steel can be removed using a fine abrasive (e.g. the striking strip on a book of matches). Try it! When STORM keypads are targeted at less aggressive environments it is possible to specify molded ‘high impact polymer’ keys. These keys are successfully marked using a laser engraving process. A specialist polymer, that releases a contrasting dye into the keytop surface as the laser strikes, is always used to ensure the characters remain highly visible and permanent.

Storm Access Controls

AXS-COM

1. What is the maximum permissible cable distance between ICOM and Handset? Design recommendation Max. 50 metres.

2. Can ring tone be extended? To extend ring tone from Handset use an Urmet Call Extension Sounder. Pt. No. 9854/41.

STRIKEMASTER

1. The door is locked when it should be open and open when it should be locked. Check the type of lock that is installed. Does it require power to open it or power to lock it? This will determine which keypad terminals should be connected. If the lock requires power to open it then the lock should be connected to "zero volts" and "relay 1 Normally open" (Terminals 1 and 3) If the lock requires power to lock it, i.e. a Magnetic Lock, it should be connected to the "zero volts" and "relay 1 Normally closed" (Terminals 1 and 5). In both the above cases it is assumed that power is being switched through the relay in which case the "relay common" should be connected to the "positive power supply" (i.e. 4 and 2 should be connected).

2. The Keypad appears to be losing its entry codes The STORM AXS StrikeMaster keypad stores all programmable options in a non-volatile memory location. This means that all codes and settings programmed into the keypad will be saved even if the power supply is switched off or there is a power cut. In certain installations it may appear that the entry codes have been erased, however, it is not the case. This is usually the result of electrical noise from a peripheral device (i.e. a noisy electric strike or magnetic lock). In a very few cases external interference, such as short term interruption to the power supply, could cause some electronic components to re-set whilst others are still active. The result is a semi active keypad that does not perform correctly in that the strike time has re-set to zero seconds. Hence the assumption that the entry code has been erased. If either of the above situations are suspected the following routine should be completed in full:-

1/ Switch off the supply to the keypad for at least 30 seconds.
2/ Check that all connections to the keypad, power supply and locking device are still secure. Ensure that the suppresser ( Metal Oxide Varistor "MOV" ) is connected across the lock terminals. Ideally this should be located as close to the lock as possible.
3/ Switch the power supply on and enter ???. (The keypad LED should now be flashing alternate red and green to indicate that the keypad is in programming mode).
4/ Re-set the Engineer's code. This is the 6 digit master code. It is recommended that the factory set default is changed at the time of installation.
5/ Re-set the strike time. If the keypad is being used to control two doors then remember to re-set the strike time for both door 1 and door 2.
6/ Delete any existing entry codes. Each entry code is stored in an index location. If the index of every entry code is known then the entry codes can be deleted one by one. It is however, quicker and more effective to delete all entry codes. To delete all entry codes
7/ Now re-enter the entry codes making your selection for door 1 or door 2, timed or latched operation and 4, 5 or 6 digit code size by following the instructions detailed in section 3. Adding and deleting codes.

3. How do I add and delete codes? Deleting Codes Each entry code is stored in an index location. If the index of every entry code is known then the entry codes can be deleted one by one. It is however, quicker and more effective to delete all entry codes. To delete all entry codes Enter: Engineers Code 3 00 ( Flow chart in following section refers.) Log out of programming mode and return to code entry mode Enter: 0 The LED should stop flashing and remain red. It is now ready to test the new codes. If you are still experiencing problems then consult your appointed STORM AXS stockist. It may be that the entry codes are still correctly stored within the keypad memory. If this is the case then it is not necessary to delete and re-enter the codes. 8/ Log out of programming mode and return to code entry mode Enter: 0 The LED should stop flashing and remain red. It is now ready to test the new codes. If you are still experiencing problems then consult your appointed STORM AXS stockist. Short cut. It may be that the entry codes are still correctly stored within the keypad memory. If this is the case then it is not necessary to delete and re-enter the codes. This will save time, however, if the codes have been affected it will be necessary to repeat the full power down procedure detailed above.

4. Fitting a door bell The STORM AXS Strikemaster Keypad will support a door / call bell. This can be activated by the bottom left key on the Strikemaster keypad, there is no need to supply and fit a separate bell push button. The bell connection terminal (No 8) is an open collector gate. The bell should be connected to the Strikemaster keypad via a relay. The coil on the relay should be connected to the positive supply connection terminal (No 2) and the bell connection terminal (No 8). When the bell key is pressed a transistor linked to terminal 8 will be driven low. This will allow current from the supply to be drawn across the relay's coil which in turn will close the relay in the same way as a conventional bell push will operate. Use a latching relay rated to operate at 60mA, up to 12V dc.

5. I want to disable the alarm and open the door with a single code can I do this? Some applications, such as overnight deliveries to retail establishments, may require the delivery driver to enter a code that not only allows access to the building but also disables the Alarms that are usually set during the hours that the shop is closed. The design of the StrikeMaster keypad does not allow the same entry code to be programmed into door 1 and door 2; (door 1 operation will take priority and door 2 operation will be ignored.) It is, however, still possible to achieve a solution using the StrikeMaster keypad. Allocate the driver with an 8 digit number, made up of 2 individual 4 digit entry codes. The first four digits of the entry code should be programmed as a "Latched" code. The second four digits should be programmed as a "Timed" code. So when the 8 digit entry code is entered the first 4 digits can disable the alarms and the second four digits open the door. It will be necessary for the driver to re-enter the 8 digit code after the delivery is complete to re-set the alarms. The exact configuration will differ between installations. A typical installation may be as follows:- First 4 digits of entry code are programmed as "door 1" "latched" with relay 1 connected at the normally closed output. The second 4 digits of the entry code are programmed as "door 2" "timed". So when the 8 digit entry code is entered the first 4 digits will cause relay 1 connections to change to open circuit, this could be used to switch off the alarms. The second 4 digits will then open the door. Please note. This configuration may not be suited for applications where the driver may have to enter the door on more than one occasion. This is because the alarms will toggle on and off each time the 8 digit entry code is pressed, so there is a danger that either the driver inadvertently sets the alarm whilst in the building or leaves the building without the alarms set. In such a case it may be better to set the second 4 digits to latched. In any configuration the driver should have clear instructions to enter the full 8 digit entry code on entering and leaving the building. For additional security a longer entry code could be allocated i.e two individual 5 or 6 digit entry codes resulting in a 10 or 12 digit entry code for the driver.

6. There is a continuous clicking noise. Relay 2 can be configured for alarms output or for second door control. The factory setting for relay 2 is "Alarms". The clicking noise comes from the relay activating the anti-tamper alarm, this is probably because the anti tamper plate has not been installed. The quickest way to stop this clicking is to re-set relay 2 to second door control. If, however, the alarms feature of the keypad is required, the anti tamper plate should be fitted as shown in the installation manual.

7. The door opens for too long. If after entering your entry code, the door opens but stays open it is likely that the strike (opening) time has been set too long or the entry code has been programmed as a latching code. To change the strike time follow the procedure detailed below: If this does not rectify the problem then it is necessary to delete the existing entry code and re-enter the code ensuring to select Door 1 or Door 2 "timed" options.

8. What are the door release relays rated at? The two relays are rated at 1.5A continuous operation.