Frequently Asked Questions for Automatic Door Openers

Understanding how to order a complete handicap door opener system can be confusing. Since introducing our automatic door opener Surveys the likelihood of an incorrect order for those who submit a Survey has been reduced by 98%. Accurately completed Surveys provide us the information necessary to help assure that you are ordering the correct combination of equipment for your unique situation and prevent restocking charges and wasted time in correcting an error. See Survey Forms.

You have an option to choose not to submit a survey when you add the opener to your shopping cart. Just check the box stating that you understand the risk of not supplying a Survey and waive the right to return your automatic door opener by not submitting a Survey. In this case no exceptions will be considered for return of any product.

Our ADA door openers are simple to install assuming you order the correct equipment. They require almost no maintenance other than a couple of drops of oil and grease annually. A skilled handyman, carpenter or electrician should be able to install them using the detailed installation instructions supplied with all our automatic door openers. No modifications of the door or jamb are necessary. They plug directly into a standard 110v outlet with the 9ft supplied power cord. A 20ft option is also available.See Model 4300 Installation Instructions here.

The model 2300 residential automatic door opener is only for residential installation in private homes and should never be installed in any public use application. Our 4300 ADA automatic door opener is designed for commercial & public applications but may also be used in single residential installations. Both ADA push button door opener models are designed for in and out swing hinged doors.

The main difference is that the arm of the Model 2300 residential door opener is attached either to the door or the jamb above depending on the direction of your door swing. When the swing door is opened manually it results in friction and unnecessary wear on the gear drive of this model. Manually opening too quickly can also damage the arm or dislodge it from its connection. With our Model 4300 handicap door opener commercial unit, the arm extends from the opener and pushes up against the door or jamb depending on the direction of your door swing but is not attached. When the door is used manually it does not impact this opener in any way. This is why our system requires a separate door closer on the opposite side of the automatic opener in order to push the door shut once it times out.

Our model 4300 is ADA compliant when correctly installed and this is one of the reasons it is used so frequently in public applications. It’s a versatile, durable and dependable ADA door opener providing simple and safe disabled access to anyone with limited mobility and those dependent on wheelchairs.

Yes, it matters. To prevent damage from weather exposure and possible vandalism all of our handicap door openers must always be installed inside. There are no exceptions to this requirement.

You will need to decide what type of switch to use in operating the electric door opener. We offer a choice of handicap door button switches (wired or wireless), single button remote controls (similar to a garage door opener) and coded keypads. If the door is latched (does not swing freely without activating a handle) you will also require an electric strike which is connected to the opener and pushes the latch away from the door jamb when it receives a signal to open. Without an electric strike to free the latch our door system will just reset itself to prevent damage to the equipment. This built in safety feature helps avoid damage to the swing opener mechanism and also prevents injury should the door come into contact with a user while opening or closing. In situations such as a restaurant door which swings freely and is dead bolted at the close of business, we supply a blank latch plate with your order. If you select a wireless push button switch with our Model 4300, you will also need to add our wireless receiver option to your order so that the opener will respond to the wireless signal. This needs to be installed in our factory and cannot be done after the order has been shipped. Our Model 2300 residential handicap door opener automatically includes the wireless receiver.

You will need to engage the lock on the door handle to secure your door and prevent it being opened manually. When you activate the opener either with the handicap pushbutton switch or a coded keypad the electric strike will push the handle and latch away from the door jamb and your door will open. If you deadbolt the door in addition to engaging the handle lock, the door will not open as the electric strike cannot override the deadbolt mechanism.

We have a safety feature built into our electric door openers to prevent damage to the equipment or a user. When the door is locked with a deadbolt or if someone or an object is in the way when it tries to swing open, the unit will just reset itself. This way it’s always safe to use and will not be damaged when the door is locked with a deadbolt.

We offer electric strikes that work with most panic bars. They are installed into the door jamb opposite the latch of the panic bar. When the ADA door opener receives a signal to open, the electric strike pushes the latch away from the door jamb, thereby releasing the door so that opener can do its job. We recommend that you send us pictures of the latch and panic bar so we can verify that our strikes will work with your equipment. When you send in a Survey Form there is a place at the bottom of the form to attach pictures.You will find the Survey Forms here.

When using the Model 4300 the answer is yes. This handicap door opener commercial unit opens the door either by pushing or pulling it open dependent on the direction of your door swing. In order for the door to operate freely when used manually (which is typically the majority of the time) and not create drag or unnecessary wear on the opener, the operator arm does not attach permanently to the door. Instead the complete system functions with a separate door closer installed on the opposite side of the swing door opener to close the door. Without a closer the door will simply remain open until closed manually. We offer high quality, adjustable, weather resistant door closers rated to as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit with a 25 year warranty that function exceptionally well with our openers. In warmer climates you can also purchase any simple door closer rated for weather exposure. The model 2300 opener for residential use does not need a door closer on the opposite side of the door as it is attached to the door or jamb and opens and closes the door.

We always include Free UPS ground shipping in 48 States (Hawaii & Alaska excluded) when you purchase any of our complete 4300 online packages. This can take anywhere from 1- 6 business days to arrive in your specific location based on your distance from our factory in CT. Expedited shipping such as overnight or two day air incur additional costs and you will need to contact us for a quote for these as they are based on the weight of the package. Accessory items incur shipping and handling fees and these prices will show in your cart. They vary depending on the item.

While they may, we cannot guarantee this when using any of our door system components with other brands of equipment. We recommend seeking some other solution if you are not using one of our Power Access door openers. Items purchased from us for use with other manufacturer's equipment are not returnable.

Not at all with the Model 4300. The arm of the Power Access Model 4300 opener only makes contact with the door or jamb when it receives a signal to open the door. At all other times the door swings freely and unhindered in any way. This is why it is the best choice for commercial and public applications where doors are used manually most of the time. It is also why you will need a door closer on the opposite side of the door.

Yes our door opener can be controlled by a card reader with a direct connection from the card reader controller. This requires integrating the card reader controller with the opener by a dry contact closure. This may be programmable with the existing system, or it may require a relay depending on the system. The supplier of the card reader system can easily make this interface to the dry contact closure terminals on our main PCB.

Our #4495SQWR wireless handicap wall button is designed for exposure to weather and is recommended for all locations where the switch will be unprotected from the elements. In addition our 4497SQ wired handicap push buttons are also safe to install outdoors.You can jump to the Model 4495SQWR here.

This depends on the quantity of orders in production at the time. Generally your order will ship from our East Coast factory in 2-4 days from receipt of order. This may occasionally be delayed if the quantity of orders received have been substantially higher than normal. Expedited production in the factory "may" also be available for a fee which will reduce the production time. Our Free shipping includes UPS Ground which can take 1-6 days to deliver (once it ships) based on your distance from our factory. If you need overnight or two day air, please call us for a quote (800) 481-1808. Free shipping is not available to Alaska or Hawaii.

Yes both of our automatic door systems can be manually adjusted for a hold open up to 30 seconds or set to require a manual signal to close when the user is ready.

We REALLY want our customers order the right equipment and the accessories necessary for a trouble-free installation. Therefore we offer excellent technical and customer support before and after the purchase. This is why we are insistent on a completed Survey with your order as we identify many possible issues that would otherwise not be noticed without one. We would prefer that a customer not purchase from us rather than have a negative experience.

We offer both door mount and jamb-mount options. The jamb mount pushes the door open and the door mount pulls it open. In all cases both our swing door openers must be installed inside and out of the weather. So ask yourself "Which way does my door open from the inside (indoors protected from weather and vandalism)?"

Yes our commercial door operators work well on either application & can be installed on a left or right hinge door as well as on the push or pull side of most swing doors. If the door swings in both directions you will need to place a stop on one side to avoid damage to our automatic door opener.

Yes our door openers don’t prevent the door from being operated without power. The arm of the Model 4300 automatic door opener is not attached to the door so the door will operate normally and there will be no resistance to open or closing it during a power outage. Should you need it to function automatically when the power is out, the addition of our battery backup will allow for this to occur.

Yes, it is ADA compliant when correctly installed. We have them installed in busy, public, high-use installations through the USA and Canada and they function reliably for many years with a minimal amount of maintenance annually. They have the added advantage of not adding any resistance when manually opening and closing of the door even during a power outage as the arm of the unit only pushes up against the door or jamb and is not permanently attached. As a result there is no ware and tare on the opener when the door is used without the automatic function.

Our products are available in the US and Canada only.