Camden Battery Door Alarms: CX-DA800 or CX-DA810, Keyed Alike or Keyed Different, Indoor or Weatherized

Some doors should never open without a reason, and others are fine to use but keep getting wedged open and left that way. Camden makes a battery powered alarm for each case, the CX-DA800 and the CX-DA810, and the letters after the number tell you the keying, indoor or weatherized, and the color.

CX-DA800 vs CX-DA810: which door problem do you have?

Camden describes the CX-DA800 as an exit alarm that gives an immediate audible and visual alarm when someone exits or enters through a mechanically secured door without authorization. A jumper inside sets one of two modes. In Manual Silence Mode, closing the door does not stop the sounder; only turning the key to OFF does. In Auto Reset Mode the alarm silences on its own after 2 minutes, and closing the door earlier does not cut it short.

The CX-DA810 is Camden's door prop alarm. It alarms when a door is held open longer than a time you set. Its manual offers two modes as well. In Door Propped Open Mode the alarm sounds continuously once the delay runs out and keeps going until the door closes or the key is turned to OFF. In Door Chime Mode it gives four short beeps when the door opens, then stays quiet until the door has been closed and opened again.

So if any opening of that door is the problem, Camden's description points to the CX-DA800. If people may use the door but must not leave it open, it points to the CX-DA810.

CX-DA810 door propped open delay

The delay is set with a rotary switch, S6, on the circuit board. The table on page 6 of the CX-DA810 manual lists these positions:

Positions 7 to 9 are marked Future Use and fall back to the 15 second default. The same page covers setting and changing the time.

KA, KD, W and BK: reading the suffix

Camden's spec sheet lists 16 numbers for the series: both alarms in grey and black, indoor and weatherized, keyed alike and keyed different. Grey carries no color suffix.

The spec sheet describes the included mortise cylinder as solid brass, 1-1/8 inch, with 2 keys and a Schlage C keyway. The spec sheet and the manuals do not say what a KA cylinder is keyed alike to, so ask us before you order if the alarms must work with keys you already carry. Camden writes that the alarms accept a wide range of industry-standard mortise cylinders and cams and can integrate with existing master key systems. According to the manuals, the alarm can be configured for mortise cylinders from 15/16 to 1-1/4 inch long, and four cam holders, marked with embossed letters, match BEST SFIC, Adams Rite, Yale 2221 and Camden CM-CYL60 cylinders.

Indoor or weatherized

The W models are Camden's weatherized versions for outdoor applications, rated IP44. The FAQ in each manual says the W model can handle water splashes and dust but is not waterproof. The printed operating range is 32 to 113 F (0 to 45 C) for the whole series, weatherized models included, so its low end is the freezing point. The W box also holds an O-ring that goes into a groove before the cylinder is fitted.

What is in the box

Both manuals open with the same package list, apart from the name of the alarm and of the sign:

• The alarm with a 9 VDC battery
• Magnetic door contact and magnetic contact bracket
• Two #14 x 1 inch self-drilling screws, two 1/4-20 x 1 inch machine screws, two #6 x 1-1/4 inch self-drilling screws and two 1/4 x 1-3/16 inch anchor plugs
• Cover key lock with 2 keys
• Four cylinder cam holders, a cylinder fixing frame, a fixing frame bracket, an M4 x 8 mm screw and a cylinder ring tool
• Cylinder O-ring, W versions only
• A door sign; in the CX-DA800 manual it reads EMERGENCY EXIT ONLY and ALARM WILL SOUND

Camden's product page adds the mortise cylinder with two keys. Cam assemblies for both arming modes come in the box, and an alarm ordered with the lock cylinder pre-installed ships in Standard arming mode by default.

Battery, key and arming modes

Each alarm runs on one 9 VDC battery. When the battery voltage falls below 7 V DC, the alarm gives a short beep every 45 seconds as a reminder to replace the battery. Camden does not print a battery life on the product page, the spec sheet or the manuals. The sounder is rated 105 dB at 3 ft (1 m), and Camden lists the series as UL Listed.

The key arms the alarm at 12 o'clock and disarms it at 2 o'clock. In Standard arming mode, the default, the key comes out in either position. In Always arming mode it comes out only when the alarm is armed. Camden's product page has videos on changing the arming mode, replacing the battery and replacing the mortise cylinder.

Mounting as Camden's instructions show it

Camden says the alarm mounts on the door or the frame, on in-swinging or out-swinging doors, with no external wiring. It measures 8-5/16 inches high, 2-1/16 wide and 2-1/2 deep (211 x 53 x 63 mm). The mounting drawings start on page 7 of each manual. They show the alarm on the door and the magnet on the frame: on an inswing door the magnet sits on the magnetic contact bracket, on an outswing door it can go directly on the frame without the bracket. The manuals give 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) as the maximum space between the magnet and the side of the alarm.

Instead of the built-in contact, the spec sheet lists an input for a normally closed external door contact. Our door position switches guide explains the contact types. The spec sheet, both manuals and the videos are on Camden's CX-DA800 and CX-DA810 Series page.

More Camden guides

• How to read Camden CM, CX and CV numbers
• Camden instructions for strikes, mag locks, holders and alarms
• Camden push plates, touchless switches and key switches
• All Camden Door Controls products and our exit alarms

Not sure which suffix fits your door? Our customer support team is available Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4 PM Central Time, at 1-888-800-7789 or [email protected].