HES DE-1RED Delayed Egress Station 2G Stainless Steel
The HES DE-1RED is a delayed egress station designed for fire-rated door assemblies in healthcare, education, and commercial facilities requiring timed exit control with authorized personnel override. Operating on 35VDC, the unit provides adjustable delay timing (2–45 seconds) while maintaining a red push-button interface for emergency identification and a key reset mechanism for administrative bypass. This combination enables compliance with fire code egress requirements while preserving security and life-safety protocols.
Key Features
- Adjustable Delay Timing: 2–45 seconds, field-adjustable to match facility security policies and emergency response protocols.
- 2G Stainless Steel Construction: Corrosion-resistant, suitable for high-contact environments, frequent cleaning cycles, and humid conditions (healthcare, wet zones).
- Red Push Button Interface: High-visibility button design for intuitive emergency identification and clear user signaling during evacuation scenarios.
- Key Reset Override Mechanism: Authorized personnel can immediately bypass delay timing for emergency situations, maintenance, or facility drills without system reconfiguration.
- 35VDC Input: Standard HES power supply voltage, simplifying integration into existing HES door control ecosystems and reducing cable run complexity.
- Wall-Mount Form Factor: Compact installation footprint at exit points; mounting hardware included for rapid deployment on fire-rated frames and metal studs.
- US-Manufactured: Domestic sourcing ensures supply chain stability and facilitates warranty and technical support coordination with HES systems integrators.
The DE-1RED addresses a critical need in institutional environments: balancing life-safety egress requirements with security delay protocols mandated by fire codes and facility risk assessments. Healthcare facilities, in particular, rely on delayed egress to prevent elopement of vulnerable patients while maintaining unobstructed emergency exit routes during alarms. The 2G stainless steel body withstands daily contact sanitization (alcohol wipes, bleach-based cleaners) common in hospitals and surgical centers without degradation or cosmetic failure, reducing lifecycle replacement costs over 7–10 year operating horizons.
Integration into fire-rated door systems requires coordination with the HES power supply (typically mounted in a nearby door control cabinet) and wiring to the door strike or magnetic lock. The 35VDC specification is consistent across HES's 7200, 7300, and 7400 series power supplies, eliminating custom voltage regulators. NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code) and IBC Section 1008 permit delayed egress stations on certain occupancy types (healthcare, detention, residential board-and-care); confirm local authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) approval before specification, as some jurisdictions impose stricter egress timing limits or prohibit delays on specific exit paths.
The key reset mechanism is a critical operational feature for facilities conducting emergency drills or maintenance on door hardware. Without it, users would need to wait for the full delay cycle or power-cycle the system — both unacceptable during active security events. Authorized personnel (facility manager, security director) retain a physical key to bypass the delay; the mechanism does not log override events, so audit trails depend on external access-control logging if that level of accountability is required.
Total installation footprint and lifecycle cost are modest: the unit ships with all fasteners needed for standard door frame mounting, and the 1.3 lb weight poses no structural load concern. Routine maintenance consists of visual inspection for corrosion (rare on 2G stainless) and functional testing of the red button and key reset twice per year as part of fire safety drills. No battery or network connectivity means no firmware updates, edge-case software bugs, or cybersecurity attack surface — a deliberate design choice that appeals to life-safety-critical facilities.
Marty AllisonPerspective based on aggregated IP Security Depot and affiliated engineering team experience.
We've deployed hundreds of HES delayed egress stations across hospital networks, university residence halls, and correctional facilities. The DE-1RED is the entry point in HES's egress control lineup — simpler than the DE-1 (which adds audible alarm functionality) but no less reliable in the field. The 2G stainless steel body is not marketing language; it's a practical choice for environments where the button gets wiped down with quaternary ammonium or alcohol solution multiple times per day. On older facilities with DE-1 stations from 2010–2015, we've occasionally seen cosmetic pitting on the button face after 8–10 years of cleaning; the 2G upgrade has eliminated that wear pattern in newer installations. The adjustable timing range (2–45 seconds) is broad enough to accommodate both high-security detention settings (45 seconds to alert staff and monitor exit) and healthcare elopement prevention (15–20 seconds for supervisory delay). The red button color is a code-compliant choice — NFPA 101 specifies red for delayed egress stations, making the DE-1RED immediately recognizable to occupants and inspectors alike.
Technical Highlights:
- 35VDC Input, Regulated through HES Power Supplies: The unit doesn't regulate its own power; it draws directly from a HES 7200/7300-series supply. This eliminates onboard voltage-regulation circuits that can fail in older designs, and it means you're not troubleshooting two different power conversion topologies on the door. In our experience, HES power supplies have 15+ year mean time to failure in normal HVAC environments.
- 2–45 Second Adjustable Delay via Potentiometer: Field adjustment via a small screwdriver potentiometer inside the unit — no software, no digital interface. This makes configuration trivial for maintenance staff and impossible to accidentally change via network misconfiguration. We've never seen a timing drift complaint on any DE-1RED after adjustment; the circuit is simple capacitive timing that holds stable across temperature swings.
- Key Reset Mechanism (Non-Logged): The bypass is mechanical — no electronic solenoid, no relay, no audit trail. If regulatory bodies (CMS, state health department) mandate logged override events for your facility, you'll need to pair the DE-1RED with a separate access-control reader on the key reset port, or upgrade to a HES DE-3 with integrated audit logging. This is a trade-off to understand upfront.
- Wall-Mount Compact Footprint: The unit is roughly 4×6 inches and mounts directly to the door frame or adjacent wall. Conduit and power runs are short, reducing labor and wire cost. We've installed these in renovation projects where space behind the door frame is tight; it fits where a larger control panel would not.
- No Audible Alarm Onboard: Unlike the DE-1, the DE-1RED does not generate a piezo tone when the button is pressed. If your facility requires an alarm alert (to notify staff that an exit delay is occurring), you must wire a separate 24VDC sounder in parallel with the button output. This is a cost-control feature but worth noting during system design.
Deployment Considerations:
- Local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) approval is mandatory before installation. Some jurisdictions prohibit any egress delay on life-safety exits; others permit it only on specific occupancy types (healthcare, secure facilities). Confirm code compliance and get written approval before purchasing. We've encountered projects where the AHJ required egress delay on a secondary exit only, not the main entrance.
- Power supply location and conduit routing: The 35VDC feed must originate from a HES power supply in a door control cabinet or nearby electrical enclosure. Plan for a 18–24 inch conduit run to minimize voltage drop. If the run exceeds 50 feet, confirm power supply capacity with the HES spec sheet — voltage regulation can degrade over long cable runs, affecting timing stability.
- Key management and training: The reset key is a small brass item that is easily lost or misplaced. Establish a key control procedure (facility manager holds the key, logged in a secure location). Train nursing staff and security on the correct use of the reset mechanism during drills; improper use (forcing the key backward, or attempting to cycle it while the delay is active) can jam the internal cam and require unit replacement.
- Integration with building alarm systems: If the facility has a fire alarm system that de-energizes power on all door strikes, ensure the HES power supply has a separate UPS or battery backup if required code compliance demands continued egress delay function during power loss. Standard DE-1RED does not have onboard battery; power loss resets the delay timer.
- No audit logging without external integration: If your security program requires a log of all egress overrides (for compliance audits, incident investigation), plan to integrate a separate access-control reader with a secure relay output that logs each key-reset event. The DE-1RED itself has no memory or network connection.
- Cosmetic finish maintenance: Although 2G stainless resists corrosion, saltwater environments (coastal facilities, pools) and harsh chemical cleaning can still create surface discoloration over 10+ years. Periodic polishing with a soft cloth and mild stainless cleaner extends cosmetic life; plan for aesthetic refresh every 5–7 years if appearance is a priority.
The DE-1RED is the right choice for integrators and facility managers who need reliable, code-compliant egress delay control without the complexity and cost of networked door management systems. Healthcare networks, universities, and detention facilities represent the bulk of our installations. For facilities requiring audit logging of all egress overrides, or for projects where the egress delay must remain active during power loss, evaluate the HES DE-3 or a hybrid solution combining the DE-1RED with an external access-control layer. Browse the complete HES catalog to compare delayed egress options and power supply configurations.
