How To Manage Wireless Smart Locks

March 2, 2018

Home automation is gaining traction in the security market. But security is not only used in the home, so I am not a big fan the term ‘home automation.’ I am a fan of the terms smart technology and connected devices.

More and more home automation devices are available at lower price points. Automation control is inexpensive and reliable. Aggressive marketing has made more individuals aware of the convenience and necessity many home automation appliances can offer.

Locks are of particular interest since they provide the physical security which most individuals consider imperative to begin at their front door. When locks are required, many people look for professional locksmith services to provide them.

Most Locksmith Ledger readers will concede that the traditional locksmith business model has changed. Locksmiths are not the only ones affected by the quantum leaps forward in networking, electronics and security, and what many consider the quantum leap backwards which our society has undergone in terms of civility, individual safety, and respect for law and order.

Statistics indicate that it is a winning battle for the good guys; however the threats are persistent and awareness and diligence is necessary for both the civilians and professional security providers. Our customers must recognize the risks and take action to address them, and we professional security providers must be prepared to sell, service and install whatever is the current accepted level of security.

The self-contained lock is an example of a product whose features continue to evolve as the technologies improve and the demand for a better mousetrap grows.

Wireless and home automation are emerging as profit centers for security professionals.

There are a number of technologies which have enabled the development and driven the growth of home automation: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, X-10 and Z Wave. Home automation devices operate on these and other technologies, but cameras generally use Wi-Fi because the other technologies are lower range and narrower bandwidth.

Home automation products help secure properties, cut energy costs, and enhance security. As an example, homeowners with security cameras can get a quick alert and view a video clip on their smartphones when someone rings the smart door bell. They can also unlock garage doors and locks with their phones. Landlords and managers of multi-family dwellings can manage their properties. Smart home monitoring can also be used to adjust thermostats, turn lights and appliances on and off and alert homeowners of water leaks.

Yale nexTouch

Because every opening is different based on its usage, employing a single technology throughout a facility doesn't make sense. Careful consideration of each opening based on its specific requirements allows proper selection of access control, enhancing the security of a facility and keeping costs in line. We will look at some of the wireless options available through ASSA ABLOY brand Yale. 

Yale Locks & Hardware presents NexTouch™ Keypad Access Lock as the next generation of keypad access control. This ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 certified cylindrical lock is a simple access control solution that provides standalone security to a wide range of commercial spaces. In addition to its flexibility as a standalone lock, nexTouch provides a modular solution that can be easily upgraded with plug-in technology modules to meet a variety of applications.

NexTouch is available with either a capacitive touchscreen or pushbutton keypad, offering a more tactile experience.

Other features include:

  • Privacy mode, enabling the exterior keypad to be temporarily disabled by the user from the inside;
  • 9V battery power backup, which allows the lock to be recharged with just the touch of a battery;
  • Support of up to 500 user codes,
  • Easy management with voice-guided programming.

Due to its modular design, users can readily upgrade nexTouch to a more advanced and scalable solution as their security requirements grow and change.

Optional upgrades include the Multi-Family Solution featuring cloud-based Yale Accentra™ software that uses Data-on-Card technology, or ZigBee and Z-Wave capability for small businesses that want to integrate nexTouch into an alarm or automation platform.

More Info: https://www.intelligentopenings.com/en/site/intelligentopenings

Yale Q&A

What are your wireless/ automation products?

nexTouch, iM1 Network Module for HomeKit (Yale Secure App) and Assure with Bluetooth (Yale Assure App)

How would you define your marketing channel?

Residential – Retail, Security, Builder, CEDIA, Locksmith

Is your product aimed at the residential or commercial markets?

Residential

Is your product security, home automation or both?

We sell to both of those channels.

For the locksmith with limited experience with home automation, but who is interested in getting into the market, what would be a good entry point and which are the most in demand products/features?

The Assure Line is a good place to start. Consumers can decide what platform they want to support – Zigbee, Z-Wave, or iM1

True or false: Your system open architecture so accessories can be obtained from home centers?

True. Network modules can be purchased from home centers for upgrade to smart home.

What training is required to deploy your product?

We have install videos on the BILT app. additional FAQ’s online at https://www.yalehome.com/en/yale/yalehome/support/

Do you have a sales demo unit which can be put in the locksmith’s showroom and taken to customer premises for sales presentations? We think the fact that many locksmiths have walk in shops/showrooms give them opportunities for counter displays and trigger impulse purchases. Your comments please.

We have demo units available – cost varies based on sales volume. We don’t give away samples to everyone that asks for one, but we do have special pricing for new customers.   

How much of an investment in time and money will set the locksmith up as a dealer and put some inventory in his showroom?

This would depend on how many SKUs they want to carry. Our line is quite large now. We also have aYale4Pros program which allows anyone with a tax ID to buy directly from us online as needed at wholesale pricing. No need to carry large amounts of inventory and for small operations that aren’t buying through distribution, this is a great option.

Kwikset Convert

Kwikset Convert products will turn mechanical locks, even non-Kwikset locks, into smart, electronic locks. The Conversion Kit replaces the interior half of an existing lock without changing the exterior.

Consequently, Kwikset Convert provides convenience of keyless entry and home automation that a smart lock brings while maintaining the style of the front door.

Kwikset Convert cane also be used for non-main entry doors where remote control/notification is desired.

Featuring a traditional style Kwikset Convert also helps bring home automation to consumers who have held off on buying smart home products, while extending it for those who already have them.

For novices, Kwikset Convert, in combination with any one of dozens of Z-Wave home automation hubs, provides an easy-to- install, cost-effective entry into the home automation arena.

An important feature of Kwikset Convert is the incorporation of the new Z-Wave™ 500 Series chip. The new chip provides a number of enhancements, including extended wireless range and wireless security features that reduce the vulnerability of the network during enrollment, as well as increased battery life.

In conjunction with any one of a wide variety of Z-Wave- based home automation systems, the new Conversion Kit utilizes the Z-Wave wireless protocol to enable true remote locking and unlocking. As a result, users will be capable of remotely accessing and controlling the lock from anywhere in the world, using a smartphone, tablet or Internet-connected device.

This will allow them to lock a door while traveling for work or vacation, and even remotely provide access to their home to service providers, guests or other family members.

Users can also get valuable information through their smart phone, letting them know whether a door is locked or unlocked.

Currently, Kwikset Convert has been designed to work with locks from Kwikset, Baldwin and Weiser (all Kwikset sister companies) and Schlage.

Kwikset Q&A

We interviewed Art Sesnovich from Bulldog Communications right after his trip to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Following are Locksmith Ledger’s questions and Sesnovich’s answers.

What are your wireless/ automation products?

Kwikset has designed and currently manufactures a full line of smart electronic deadbolts. The entire list can be found at https://www.kwikset.com/products/categories/electronic-locks.aspx.

How would you define your marketing channel?

Kwikset uses three distinct marketing channels:

  • Pro channel (electronics dealers, integrators, installers
  • Big-box retail
  • Online sales

Is your product aimed at the residential or commercial markets?

The Kwikset Convert is specifically aimed at the residential market.

Is your product security, home automation or both?

It is both.  It gives the homeowner a high-level of security but, when combined with any of the popular home control hubs on the market, can be used to control various home systems (e.g., lighting, heating, A/V). Essentially, Kwikset Convert extends automation capabilities directly to the front door.

How does the RMR work, and how are billing and payments managed? What kind of revenue stream does an account create?

Adding an electronic lock to a customer’s security or home automation system will increase the customer’s use of the overall system and consequently, the likelihood of retaining the security provider’s service.  Put another way, when used as part of an overall security package, the home automation benefits of a smart electronic lock adds value to a security package, which leads to RMR longevity for the pro channel professional (security dealer, integrator, etc.).  In fact, when smart locks are used with other popular smart home devices and a monitored security system, the system becomes a much more integral part of a consumer’s life, making them less likely to cancel services.  In addition, the Z-Wave based foundation of Kwikset’s Home Connect™ technology allows the consumer to add a wide array of Z-Wave devices to the overall system, thus increasing revenue.

For the locksmith with limited experience with home automation, but who is interested in getting into the market, what would be a good entry point and which are the most in demand products/features?

Kwikset Convert is a very good entry point for the locksmith with limited home-automation experience.  Also, the Kwikset SmartCode 888 (not yet available) will be a very good starting point as well.  Undoubtedly, the most in-demand feature for these electronic locks is remote locking and unlocking.

True or false: Your system open architecture so accessories can be obtained from home centers?

Because the lock is Z-Wave based, it can be used to control other Z-Wave products, whether lighting, thermostats, shades, etc.

What training is required to deploy your product?

Very little.  The Conversion Kit replaces the interior half of an existing lock without changing the exterior.  Kwikset Convert, in combination with any one of dozens of home automation hubs, provides an easy-to- install, cost-effective entry into the home automation arena.

Do you have a sales demo unit which can be put in the locksmith’s showroom and taken to customer premises for sales presentations?

We think the fact that many locksmiths have walk in shops/showrooms give them opportunities for counter displays and trigger impulse purchases.

Sales demo units and/or mounted product displays can be made available for purchase. We would encourage the locksmith/dealer to contact their local Kwikset Territory Manager to learn more.

Convert Installation Tips

First, be sure your deadbolt and door are compatible with the Kwikset Convert. It requires a single cylinder deadbolt. The door must be between 1-⅜ and 1-¾ thick.

The Convert is supplied with several conversion kits so it will install on a variety of deadbolts.  The Convert couples onto the “torque blade which protrudes through the deadbolt and fits onto the original internal thumbturn.

A list of compatible locks is online at https://www.kwikset.com/support/guides/amazon/convert/#!/target=1

Second, be sure the deadbolt is installed properly and works smoothly. I’ve encountered many situations where I’m asked to work on an existing lock, and once I’ve started, discover the deadbolt was not installed with all of the parts supplied or in the intended fashion.

Even if the deadbolt worked smoothly when it was installed, we know doors and frames warp and drop, and it doesn’t take much to cause a binding condition between the bolt and the strike in the frame.

If the bolt does not move freely, there will be issues with the Convert operating as expected. Adjustment can require something as involved as properly reinstalling the deadbolt, tweaking with a Dremel tool, or as simple as an adjustment of the tab inside the strike on the lever below the deadbolt.

Extend the deadbolt with the door ajar, and fasten the outside cylinder to the door using tape that won’t damage the finished surfaces and also be easy to remove after the installation is complete. Painter’s tape is the obvious choice.

This is because you will be removing the deadbolt inside turnpiece next. Some deadbolts have screws which attach the outer plate/lever to an inner escutcheon which has two screws which go through holes in the deadbolt assembly and thread into the outer cylinder hold the escutcheon to the front lock cylinder.

Finally, insert the four AAA batteries in battery holder.

With the door ajar and the deadbolt extended, press and hold the program button and insert the battery holder into the inside lock escutcheon. The Status LED will flash red and green and the lock will beep.

Press the program button again which will initiate the lock learning step.

The lock status LED can be adjusted via DIP switches on the chassis.

Program the lock into your home automation according to the procedure set forth by the specific home automation system.

Nexia Basics

There are many home automation providers, but this time we’ll look at Nexia. Nexia was the platform used by Schlage’s first smartlocks, and even though Nexia is now an independent company, they still support Schlage as well just about every other home automation device.

Nexia is a principal partner in the Z-Wave Alliance, an organization which is dedicated to increasing awareness and support the advancement of Z-Wave technology. The mission is to maintain forward and backward compatibility so newer and older products and platforms can be mixed.

The Locksmith Ledger will present other home automation platforms in future articles.

The Nexia bridge is the gateway component between the Z-Wave devices in the premises and the Nexia Service. The installation and enrollment process for the Nexia bridge requires a hard-wired connection between the Nexia Bridge and the premises broadband router and plugging in the supplied wall wart type power supply.

The subscriber sets up the account, and then enrolls Z-wave devices and sets up the rules.

Rules define the operations controlled and the alerts sent in response to inputs from enrolled devices.

Nexia has really excellent technical support. I was very impressed. I do not recall ever creating a support ticket on a website and getting called later the same day like I did recently with Nexia. You can also call them, and get immediate attention.

I have had a Nexia account for several years and the hardware and service is solid as a rock.

More Info:  Call 877-288-7707 for customer support or visit www.nexiahome.com