Testing the Force Required to Open a Door
In Australia regulations exist which stipulate the maximum force required to open a door. This is particularly important for improving accessibility for wheel chair users, older persons and anyone with an injury.
When the standard was drafted in 2009 it stated the maximum forces required to open as below:
For doors other than fire doors and smoke doors where a door closer is fitted, the
force required to operate the door shall not exceed the following:
(i) To initially open the door .......................................................................... 20 N.
(ii) To swing the door...................................................................................... 20 N.
(iii) To hold the door open between 60° and 90°............................................... 20 N.
The Lutron FG-5020 force gauge is used in Australia to test the force required to open a door.
The FG-5020 has a measuring rage of up 196.10 N, which is ideal for this application, as ideally you wouldn’t want the door to require the maximum force to open it.
It also has a 15 N overload capacity, so it will give readings of up 30 N, so it will give readings to show if a door requires more force than permissible to open it.
The peak hold function freezes the highest reading on the display until you are ready to move on.
The LCD display also has a ‘reverse’ view function, so it can be easily read regardless of which way round the device is being held or used.
Data logging software and a USB cable are available as optional extras, to give you this additional functionality if required.
Lutron Electronic Enterprise Co., Ltd. was established in 1976 and has been manufacturing Test & Measurement Instruments for more than 40 years and they are remarkably affordable.
This is because most Lutron test and measurement devices will only have the functions that you need. Some more devices will very like have many features that you may never use, but you still pay for.
Contact ADM if you would like assistance in selecting a suitable force gauge. A member of our expert team will gladly answer any questions that you may have.
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