Lockdown Plans Walkthrough

Topics included in this article:

• Overview
• Firmware Requirement
• Lockdown Plans
  • Creating a Plan
  • Aux Relay Setup (Optional)
    • Hardware
    • Console
  • Adding Rules (Optional)
• Activating or Deactivating a Lockdown
  • Rhombus Console
    • Locations Page
    • Dashboard
  • Rhombus Key App
• Helpful Links
• Contact Support or Sales

Overview

The Lockdown feature allows for unique door access conditions in emergency situations. A Lockdown Plan manages who can enter or exit, which doors will be locked or unlocked, and triggers hardware connected to the auxiliary relays. This article covers how to set up, activate, and deactivate a lockdown plan, and how to use auxiliary components with it.

Firmware Requirement

Make sure your DC20 firmware starts with 2024_0514.. or above. Contact support if you require assistance.

1. Log in to the Rhombus Console, navigate to "Settings," and click "Door Controllers."

2. Select your desired door controller.

3. Scroll to the bottom of the door controller configuration page. The firmware version will be displayed in the bottom left corner.

Lockdown Plans

Lockdown Plans determine what occurs in an emergency situation. They allow you to set what doors will be locked/unlocked, who will still have access to unlock a door, and who has permission to activate a lockdown in the Rhombus Key App.

To activate a lockdown, you must have specific permissions granted. 

• For console activation, you must have permission to manage Access Control peripherals for the location the lockdown plan is associated with. Review our article on Role Creation and Management for more information on roles and permissions.
• For activation within the Rhombus Key app, you must be included as a Rhombus Key user who can activate a lockdown plan when the plan is created.

Creating a Plan

1. Navigate to "Settings" and click "Lockdown Plans."

2. Click "Create Lockdown Plan" in the upper left corner.

3. Name the lockdown plan, and click "Next."

4. Select the location for the plan, and click "Next." If you have not set up a location, follow the instructions provided in this article. Note: Only one lockdown plan can be created per location.

5. Use the dropdown menu to choose the default door state during a lockdown (Locked Down or Unlocked). Assign specific states to doors as needed, and click "Next."

6. Select individuals or groups of users who will still have access to a locked door when the lockdown plan has been activated, and click "Next."

7. Specify which users or groups can activate or deactivate a lockdown through the Rhombus Key app. This step is optional; you do not have to enable this permission.

8. Review your plan summary and click "Save" if all details are correct.

Aux Relay Setup (Optional)

In the event of a lockdown, it is common practice to include strobe lights and/or sirens to trigger and alert those in the building that a lockdown is occurring.

Hardware

Locate your DC20, and connect the auxiliary device using the NC/NO and COM ports. Refer to the wiring diagram provided for correct connections. For more information, review the DC20 manual provided in the DC20 Install article.

Example wiring diagram:

Console

Once you have appropriately wired your device, you'll need to return to our Rhombus Console and set it up. 

1. Navigate to "Settings," and click "Door Controllers."

2. Select the corresponding door controller you wired the device to.

3. Click "Configure" next to the corresponding Aux Port. 

4. Set the steady state for the device and click "Save."

• Active: The device is set up in a normally energized state.
• Inactive: The device is set up in a normally non-energized state. 

5. Your device will now appear in the Aux Relay Port section, and you can Edit or Delete as needed. You will now select this device within the Rules Engine and Lockdown Plans.

Adding Rules (Optional)

Once the lockdown plan has been created, additional rules can be added to the plan.

1. From the Lockdown Plans list, select a plan. 

2. Click "Add Rule" in the bottom left corner.

3. Name the rule. For this example, we will trigger the strobe light we set up from this step.

4. Under "If," click "Add Trigger" to choose between activating or deactivating the lockdown.

5. Under "Then," click "Add Action" to select between playing audio, triggering a relay, or sending data to a connected integration.

• If choosing "Trigger Relay," select the appropriate port and configure the relay’s behavior.
  • Temporarily/Permanently: How you want the relay to perform
  • Seconds: Frequency in seconds of triggering the relay
  • Active/Inactive: How you want the relay to behave when triggered

• For "Play Audio," choose the audio clip and device(s) from which it will play. For more information, please read our article on Audio File Management.

6. You can add additional actions to the rule by clicking "Add Action" again.

7. Click "Save" to finalize the rule.

Activating or Deactivating a Lockdown

Rhombus Console

To activate or deactivate a lockdown plan in the console, a user must have permission to manage Access Control peripherals for the location where they wish to activate a lockdown.

Locations Page

1. Navigate to the "Locations" tab, and select the relevant location.

2. Click the "Lockdown" button in the upper right corner to initiate a lockdown.

3. The pop-up window will outline the terms of the lockdown plan. Click "Activate Lockdown" to confirm.

4. Deactivate the lockdown by clicking the "Deactivate Lockdown" button in the upper right corner.

Rhombus Key App

To activate and deactivate a lockdown in the Rhombus Key App, you must be set up as an authorized user within the lockdown plan.

1. Inside the Rhombus Key app, you will see a red star in the upper right corner.

2. Tapping on this star brings up the initiation page. Select the location and tap "Initiate."

3. To deactivate the lockdown, tap "End Lockdown."

Aux Input Button (Optional)

The DC20 supports wiring a button to the Aux Input. This button can then trigger a lockdown. 

Note: The DC20 to which the button is wired must be registered to the same location as the desired lockdown plan. 

1. In "Settings," navigate to the "Door Controllers" page, and select the DC20 that is at the same location as the lockdown plan and has the button wired to the Aux Input.

2. Scroll down, select the "Rules" tab, and click "Add Rule."

3. Name the rule, click "Add Action," and select "Activate Lockdown."

4. If desired, add another action such as triggering a relay. Click "Save" when finished.

Helpful Links

• Rhombus Key App Walkthrough
• Role Creation and Management
• Managing Locations
• Installing/Registering the DC20

Contact Support or Sales

Have more questions? Contact Rhombus Support at +1 (877) 746-6797 option 2 or support@rhombus.com.

Interested in learning more? Contact Rhombus Sales at +1 (877) 746-6797 option 1 or sales@rhombus.com.