electronic solution to bathroom with 2 doors................

[virago]

hi- heres a tricky one. I'm buying a house, it has 3 bedrooms- the 3rd being off of the main bedroom. We are thinking of converting the 3rd bedroom to a bathroom- and creating an additional access door to the bathroom from the 2nd bedroom (still with me?)

So in summary in this scenario, the "new" bathroom will effectively be an ensuite to 2 bedrooms, each bedroom having its own door to the bathroom- but how could you organise it so that no one walked in on you? I'm thinking of an electronic solution here? I was thinking about some sort of solenoid system for the doors, which enables both to be locked simultaneously from the inside at the flick of a switch, and likewise both unlocked when open- perhaps with a visual display led (red?) when occupied.

Any ideas? are there kits out there? anyone done this? thanks- Martin

 

[BenStiller]

Or you could just shout " Is anybody in their"

 

[andy]

AFAIK, you can get electronic locks, which as like those round locks you use with a standard key (altho there electric). youll also need to get power to them to work, so really all you need is a simple circuit to lock/unlock (power on/power off) to the locks. and your done.

 

[nstreet]

If you have an extractor in the bathroom, you could connect up two light fittings above the door, bedroom side that are illuminated when the fan is on, thus indicating somebody is in the bathroom.

 

[ebee]

You could of course put two bolts one each door at 50p each = £1

 

[ebee]

and if you get a pk of 2 for 99p then bargain

 

[Adam_151]

Is it that much effort for the person using the bathroom to lock an extra door when they use it, and unlock and extra one when they leave?

 

[virago]

I can see your point guys..............but nothing ruins an evening of red wine and pasta, than seeing your mates girlfriend taking a sh*t !!!!

I know that 2 bolts will work, but at 2 am , when I need a pi*s and the guest who have used the toilet for the first time have locked our side, and now I have to knock on their room, and ask to be let into my toilet, maybe technology could help eh?

simplicity is the key- if there is an engineering solution, that would be equally good, maybe if the doors were both facing the same central post (ie hinged on opposite sides, and there was some kind of single "lock" that secured both?

Keep the ideas (and jokes!) coming..........they are brightening my otherwise cloudy afternoon- Martin

 

[Steve]

I have seen a post office access system whereby there are 2 doors with a small "porch" in between. Both doors have electronic latching locks, so they can be opened with keys as well. The electronics are arranged so that only one door will open electronically at any one time. If the doors are both open (only possible using keys) then the alarm sounds.

Outside door can be opened by: key, external keypad, switch inside porch, switch at desk inside post office (after pressing call button on external keypad).

Inside door can be opened by: key, keypad inside porch, switch just inside door, switch at desk inside post office (after pressing call button on porch keypad). Also panic override inside post office to open both doors, which also sounds the alarm.

Very sophisticated system, also very expensive, but im sure a version could be adapted to this scenario, so only one door will open at a time (OP did say something electronic). I am thinking possibly keeping the 2 doors shut all the time, only opening your side when in use, with a lock on your bedroom door, allowing you to keep your side open while using bathroom, not allowing the other door to be opened. Then again do you trust your guests? They could come into your bedroom if they shut their side . . . . unless you put a keypad lock on the outside of both bathroom doors.

 

[breezer]

i hope you have deep pockets, the thing you want, that everyone is thinking of is called a maglock it magneticaly holds the door shut on power up. You also need brackets and a power supply

you could opt for a simple door lock release (fail safe*) but that still needs a power supply, and "yale" locks to be fitted to the door.

* Fail safe not fail secure as most door "intercoms" use

why not go with the fan / lights idea, or a polite note saying if door shut room in use much cheaper

 

[olly_k]

hi- heres a tricky one. I'm buying a house, it has 3 bedrooms- the 3rd being off of the main bedroom. We are thinking of converting the 3rd bedroom to a bathroom- and creating an additional access door to the bathroom from the 2nd bedroom (still with me?)

So in summary in this scenario, the "new" bathroom will effectively be an ensuite to 2 bedrooms, each bedroom having its own door to the bathroom- but how could you organise it so that no one walked in on you? I'm thinking of an electronic solution here? I was thinking about some sort of solenoid system for the doors, which enables both to be locked simultaneously from the inside at the flick of a switch, and likewise both unlocked when open- perhaps with a visual display led (red?) when occupied.

Any ideas? are there kits out there? anyone done this? thanks- Martin

How about this, using the Maglock system mentioned above, I have just jotted down a cct below which would lock door 'a' as you lock door 'b' with a bolt or whatever and vice-versa. The cct would be very cheap to construct but some handy DIY would be required to make the bolts / door locks or whatever act as electronic switches, although this wouldn't be as hard as it seems! The expensive bits would be Maglocks x2 and the power supply!
Also all electronics would be low voltage until door lock stage (altho if I remember correct the magnets are 12 or 24V???) but I don't know how Part-p would come into effect in this case, the PSU would have to be sealed and CE marked I know that for sure!?!

 

[breezer]

How about this, using the Maglock system mentioned above, I have just jotted down a cct below which would lock door 'a' as you lock door 'b' with a bolt or whatever and vice-versa. The cct would be very cheap to construct but some handy DIY would be required to make the bolts / door locks or whatever act as electronic switches, although this wouldn't be as hard as it seems! The expensive bits would be Maglocks x2 and the power supply!
Also all electronics would be low voltage until door lock stage (altho if I remember correct the magnets are 12 or 24V???) but I don't know how Part-p would come into effect in this case, the PSU would have to be sealed and CE marked I know that for sure!?!

is that not doing it the hard way?

Put psu in loft space, pull cord on ceiling, when pull cord operated both doors lock simple & end of.

after all you want both doors locked when you are doing the "paper work".

and maglocks are usually 12v

i dont suppose the job will be done using maglocks since the cost is prohibitve, just for a domestic bathroom.

As well as the chepo bolt idea, you could always use a battery and a couple of flashing leds and a switch

 

[olly_k]

I think I gave him pretty much what he asked for, anyone else going into a bathroom (i.e. guest) isn't going to pull a chord and will more than likely only lock one door, until the paper work is due and they realise there is another door to lock and it sounds like someone is approaching it
If this is too complicated then maybe a couple of blinking leds will be the ideal alternative!

 

[breezer]

I think I gave him pretty much what he asked for,

are you sure about that?

I was thinking about some sort of solenoid system for the doors, which enables both to be locked simultaneously from the inside at the flick of a switch, and likewise both unlocked when open

after all i did say

after all you want both doors locked when you are doing the "paper work".

still, as i also said

i hope you have deep pockets

(meaning "virago")

and

i dont suppose the job will be done using maglocks since the cost is prohibitve, just for a domestic bathroom

but i will agree with you on your point

a couple of blinking leds will be the ideal alternative!

and this will give you a smile, guess what i have on my bathrom door?
(well actually its downstairs, so you can see if the bathroom (upstairs) is in use)

 

[bathjobby]

OK, so you have rigged up whichever solution you have decided on, then as you say lots of red wine etc, mates girlfriend in bathroom, throwing up, asleep or just taking for ever and your bladder is full to bursting. Now what ?