TECHNOLOGY & ACCESS · Bookable spaces
Adding booking-led gate access with igloo Switch: the infrastructure to plan
Switch can control compatible electric locks. It is a powered controller, not a universal retrofit lock or battery padlock.
A keybox or padlock can be a simple first access layer. A site needing an electric strike, magnetic lock or controlled entrance has a different job: power, locking hardware, entry and safe exit must work together.
What SW1 adds—and what it does not
The selected igloo Switch SW1 is a relay controller for compatible electric locking systems. It can bring a suitable installed lock into a controlled-access workflow. It does not supply the physical lock, standalone PIN keypad or complete gate-safety system.
A compatible keypad is needed for the described PIN route. Confirm the accessory, firmware and booking integration. Ecosystem compatibility alone does not prove rental-platform support.
Power is an installation requirement
The SW1 sheet specifies 9–24 V DC input, not direct mains input. It needs a suitable power supply and compatible electric lock. Mains may feed the supply, but mains availability and DC compatibility are different questions.
Have a qualified installer assess load, wiring, enclosure, backup and mounting. The sheet lists IP50 and advises against direct wet exposure: the bare controller is not an outdoor-weatherproof solution.
Treat entry, exit and power failure together
Document what happens when power fails, a customer remains inside after a booking or the lock does not release. Safe-exit and fail-safe/fail-secure arrangements depend on the actual site and applicable requirements.
This is not wiring or life-safety design advice. Ask the installer to demonstrate the complete system and provide installation and maintenance documentation.
The solar tennis example uses a different controller
igloo’s supplier case describes a public-court pilot in Richfield, Ohio, connected to USTA Serve Tennis. It names an EK2 keypad and SW1X Door Controller and describes solar power. This is not a Tennis Australia case or evidence of the component requirements for SW1.
The transferable lesson is an engineered power budget. A solar panel alone is not proof of adequate energy through winter, bad weather or repeated lock operation.
Price the whole retrofit
Compare controller, lock, keypad, power system, enclosure, installation, software and future service. Reusing suitable equipment may reduce work, but there is no universal “fits any gate” assumption.
If a suitable padlock safely serves a simple rental gate, powered access may be unnecessary. Choose it when the customer journey or site requirements justify the infrastructure.
Switch connects access to a powered entrance; the surrounding installation determines reliability and safety.
Sources
How we research and write our guides
igloo Switch — official product page and linked sheet ↗igloo — USTA Richfield pilot, SW1X and EK2 ↗