Intercom/Buzzer Systems Follow

Hard-Wired Buzzer System

Hard-wired systems a durable, low-maintenance option for a building intercom system. The components include the station/panel at the door/gate/vestibule, a station within the individual unit, a power supply, and the electric strike or electrified lock on the door/gate.

Requires labels to be added to the base station in order to identify the correct unit associated with the button.

Types

The three basic kinds of systems are analog, two-wire system, and four wire system:

Analog: A simple buzz-only system. Guest is able to press the button for the unit at the base station and the individual unit is only able to activate the electric strike to allow entry.

Two-Wire System: Most common. Includes speakers that allows both the guest and the resident to talk to each other as long as they alternate. Two individuals would not be able to talk and listen at the same time. (Picture seen below is a two-wire system.)

Four-Wire System: Allows for talking and listening of both parties at the time. Can add a video feature. If added, please make sure proper lighting accommodations are made.

Pros

- Simple system that allows for easy repairs to the base station. 

- Usually durable and capable of being outdoors and exposed to elements. 

- Can be small/compact in order to fit into a small area that other, larger telephonic systems would not.

- Very low cost, as only a small amount of electrical supply is needed to power the components.

Cons

- Can look messy at time if labels are not kept clean and neat.

- Requires resident to be home in order to buzz a guest into the common area.

- While issues with individual control boxes are mostly Unit Owner issues, breaks in wiring can be expensive as vendor might need to access multiple units and pull wiring in order to identify the break in the line.