If you aren’t using Double Pole Double Throw (DPDT) contacts, you’re missing out.
While a standard switch handles a single task, the DPDT contact is a multi-tasking powerhouse. If you are still installing two separate contacts to monitor a single door, you are likely working harder than you need to. Here is why the “2-for-1” DPDT switch has become the gold standard for professional integrators.
What DPDT brings to the table?
Think of a standard switch as a one-way street. A DPDT switch? It’s two isolated switches controlled by a single magnet. When that door opens, the DPDT triggers two separate circuits at the exact same time—without them ever touching each other.
Why You’ll Fall in Love with DPDT (And Your Bottom Line Will Too)
1. The “One and Done” Installation
The most common challenge for modern installers is the “Dual-Monitoring” requirement. A facility may need the front door to:
- Signal the Intrusion Alarm (to detect unauthorized entry).
- Update the Access Control System (to log “Door Propped Open” or “Request to Exit” events).
In the past, this required drilling two holes and mounting two separate sensors. No more! With a Flair DPDT contact, you pull one set of wires, drill one hole, and satisfy both systems instantly.
2. Eliminating the “Wiring Nest”
Nobody wants their office door to be covered in wiring. A door frame cluttered with multiple surface-mount contacts looks unprofessional and “tacked on.” Using a single DPDT contact keeps the hardware invisible. It’s “now you see it, now you don’t” security that keeps the architects from calling you to complain about their “vision.”
3. Safety & Flexibility
DPDT switches are the ultimate “problem solvers.” Because they offer both Normally Open (NO) and Normally Closed (NC) configurations in one unit, they are perfect for:
- Safety Interlocks: Ensuring a machine shuts down when a guard is opened while simultaneously turning on a red warning LED.
- HVAC Integration: Triggering a “Home Automation” event to kill the AC when a bay door is left open, while still keeping the perimeter alarm active.
Why Installers Choose Flair
Not all DPDT switches are created equal. Installers gravitate toward the Flair line because we build our hardware for the “worst-case scenario.”
- No “Sticky” Reeds: We use high-grade rhodium or ruthenium-plated reeds to ensure that even after years of use, the switch won’t stick in the closed position.
- Versatile Form Factors: Whether you need a heavy-duty contact for an overhead warehouse door or a sleek and discreet contact for a commercial entry, we offer DPDT logic in every housing style we make.
- Labor Savings = Profit: When you cut your installation time per door in half, your profit margin goes up. It’s that simple.
The Bottom Line
If you like saving time and having the cleanest installs in the business, the 2-for-1 DPDT contact is your new best friend. Don’t work twice as hard—here’s a switch that does twice the work for you.