Interesting new device. Apparently Brinks is releasing a door lock that runs on WiFi with a rechargable battery and solar panels to increase battery life. As far as I know this would be the first of its kind.
http://www.cepro.com/article/brinks_is_back_with_new_249_smart_lock
Interesting. There are a couple of other Wi-Fi locks on the market, but they’ve all suffered from the battery life problem. Clearly Brinks is aware of it, so it will be interesting to see if they can pull this off.
But what about the power problem? Hampton is addressing that potential dilemma in three ways:
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Lithium polymer battery – There are no AA batteries to be disposed of with Brink’s ARRAY. The lithium battery can be removed and recharged in three hours using a fast-charge plug that comes with the unit. User settings are stored in the cloud so the system is back up and running even after a complete loss of power.
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Photovoltaic panel – There is a discreet 2x3-inch solar panel on the lock. If the unit is placed in a location where it even gets a hint of sunlight exposure, it can recharge.
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Advanced circuitry – Hartung calls it “intelligent circuitry” that is “gentle” on the battery, allowing it to last for many years.
Assa Abloy (Yale) has a line of Wi-Fi locks under their Sargent brand, but they use six AA batteries each and battery life reportedly isn’t great.
http://www.sargentlock.com/products/products.php?item_id=1589
The Sargent Wifi locks are prohibitively expensive though. I looked into the mortise style Sargent wifi lock and I was informed that it was around 1500.00.
Another feature of the Brinks device is that the PV cell is said to be specially developed for this product and is extra sensitive, such that it can function somewhat in apartment building hallways with only artificial light available, perhaps prolonging the intervals between recharging.