Ubiquiti UA-RESCUE Emergency Manual KeySwitch
The Ubiquiti UA-RESCUE is a single pole dual throw (SPDT) manual KeySwitch designed as an emergency backup for UniFi Access door control systems. When network or power infrastructure fails, this keyed override allows authorized personnel to manually unlock or lock doors without depending on electronic systems, hub connectivity, or auxiliary power. It serves as a critical failsafe mechanism for any access control deployment where doors cannot remain locked indefinitely during outages.
Key Features
- SPDT Configuration: Single pole dual throw design with common, normally-open, and normally-closed terminals. Works with both fail-safe locks (default-unlocked during power loss) and fail-secure locks (default-locked during power loss) without additional relays.
- 28V DC Rated Contacts: Brass internal wave key contacts rated 4A at 28V DC. Supports 18–24 AWG wiring via terminal block. Sufficient for standard electromagnetic strike and mag-lock solenoids used in UniFi Access installations.
- Extreme Temperature Range: Operates -30 to 65°C (-22 to 149°F). Polycarbonate enclosure withstands freezing outdoor conditions and non-air-conditioned mechanical rooms without degradation.
- Compact Mechanical Form Factor: ⌀60 × 74 mm footprint (2.4 × 2.9 inches), 94 g. Fits inside electrical boxes, cabinet cutouts, or wall-mounted enclosures. Two physical keys included; key removal only when switch is in off position adds tamper resistance.
- NDAA Compliant: Meets U.S. Department of Defense supply-chain security requirements. FCC, IC, and CE certified for regulatory deployment in North America and EU markets.
- No Network or Power Dependency: Operates entirely mechanically — zero reliance on UniFi hub, network connection, or auxiliary DC supply. Manual override always available, even during total infrastructure failure.
In operational terms, the UA-RESCUE acts as an air-gapped emergency lever. When a UniFi Access hub loses power, network connectivity, or firmware, doors remain stuck in their default state (locked for fail-secure, unlocked for fail-safe). The keyed override lets a facility manager, security officer, or authorized tenant physically switch the relay, bypassing the solenoid or strike entirely. This is mandatory in jurisdictions requiring code-compliant egress — a locked emergency exit controlled solely by networked electronics violates fire codes.
Wiring is straightforward: the COM terminal connects to solenoid power source or strike coil negative. NO and NC terminals connect to the access control hub's relay output or auxiliary contact. When the key turns, the internal contact arm shifts, energizing or de-energizing the lock circuit. On fail-safe systems (spring-return to unlock), turning the key energizes the lock solenoid, holding the door closed until manually released. On fail-secure systems (spring-return to lock), turning the key breaks power to the solenoid, allowing the door to be pushed open. No additional power supply or logic board needed — mechanical switching is the entire function.
Deployment scenarios include: campus buildings where a single hub failure could trap occupants in stairwells or emergency areas; remote offices where cellular backhaul is unreliable and an air-gapped override is required by facility policy; healthcare facilities and secure warehouses where manual access logs (key sign-out records) must be maintained alongside digital audit trails; and any installation where local fire code mandates a non-network-dependent way to open a door. The two supplied keys should be distributed to multiple authorized personnel (security lead, facilities manager, emergency responder), stored in separate locations, and tracked in an access log — this is a deliberate operational practice, not a design weakness. The key-removal-only-when-off feature prevents accidentally locking someone out by leaving a key in the switch.
Eden PhillipsPerspective based on aggregated IP Security Depot and affiliated engineering team experience.
We've deployed the UA-RESCUE across UniFi Access installations where network resilience isn't guaranteed — and in every case, the mechanical override has proven to be less of a "nice-to-have" and more of a "life saver" during firmware updates or brief hub outages. Unlike networked emergency-unlock buttons (which fail when the hub dies), the UA-RESCUE is entirely dumb: turn the key, relay switches, door responds. That simplicity is the feature. On a three-story office building, we wired it into a fail-secure mag-lock on the stairwell emergency exit — when the hub went down during a software deployment, occupants could exit without calling maintenance. The site manager kept one key in the security office and another in the facilities closet. Fire inspectors signed off immediately because the override didn't depend on any electronic system. The UA-RESCUE fits that compliance requirement perfectly. Where we see friction is integration with fail-secure solenoids that require continuous power: the switch alone doesn't power a locked door during a blackout — you still need a battery backup on the solenoid. But the override itself? Always available, mechanically independent, and tamper-logged by physical key sign-out. That's the correct threat model for a backup.
Technical Highlights:
- SPDT Relay Architecture: Common terminal wired to lock power source, NO/NC routed to hub or local control logic. When key turns, the internal contact arm physically shifts between terminals — no microcontroller, no firmware, no failure modes except mechanical wear. Typical lifespan 100,000+ mechanical cycles (key rotations).
- 28V DC, 4A Rating: Standard solenoid and mag-lock draw — electromagnetic strikes usually 24V / 0.5–1.5A, solenoid locks 24V / 2–3A. The 4A overhead handles dual-lock configurations without derating. Brass contacts resist corrosion in damp mechanical rooms or outdoor cabinets.
- Polycarbonate Enclosure, -30 to 65°C: Plastic housing doesn't conduct heat like metal, so internal contact resistance stays stable across temperature extremes. No thermal expansion issues that would loosen terminal blocks. Rated for unheated stairwells, rooftop cabinets, and freezing outdoor climates without performance shift.
- Key-Removal Lockout: The switch design prevents key removal unless the toggle is in the off (neutral) position. This is a micro-UX feature that prevents accidental door state changes — a facilities technician won't leave the key in the up position and lock someone in. Deliberately designed friction that protects against operator error.
- NDAA / FCC / IC / CE: Meets U.S. federal supply-chain requirements (no Chinese manufacturing or blacklisted components). FCC and IC cover North American radio-frequency emissions (though this is a mechanical switch, FCC approval covers the entire product line). CE marks EU compliance. If you're in a government or defense contracting environment, this passes compliance audits without exception.
Deployment Considerations:
- Fail-secure vs. fail-safe wiring is not interchangeable — wire the solenoid to the wrong terminal and the override opens the door when you turn the key, or closes it when you don't want it closed. Read the UniFi Access Hub integration guide and double-check terminal assignments before live installation. Many integrators label the key with a laminated diagram showing which position (up/down) unlocks.
- The UA-RESCUE supplies no power — it only switches a relay circuit. If your fail-secure solenoid requires 24V power during a blackout, you need a UPS or battery backup on that solenoid supply, not on the switch itself. The switch override will work, but the door won't open without power to the solenoid coil.
- Key management and logging is operational, not technical. Establish a policy: who holds each of the two keys, where are they stored, how are key sign-outs logged, and who audits the log? This is a physical security control that depends on human discipline. Without a log, the emergency override is just a keyed bypass anyone could access.
- Install the UA-RESCUE in an accessible but not-obvious location — emergency stairwell, mechanical room, or locked cabinet near the access hub. Visible placement (e.g., right next to the door it controls) invites unauthorized bypass attempts. Hidden placement slows down casual tampering.
- Test the override annually as part of fire evacuation drills. Verify that turning the key produces the expected door state (unlocked or locked) and that the door mechanism responds without jamming. Mechanical switches wear over time; test intervals catch silent failures.
If you're speccing UniFi Access in any environment where network downtime must not trap occupants (healthcare, education, multi-tenant offices, stairwell emergencies), or where local fire code requires a non-networked manual override, the UA-RESCUE is the correct single component. It's not a workaround — it's a required compliance element. See the full Ubiquiti catalog for hub, controller, and power-backup options that pair with this switch.
