DORMA 1856 Fire Life Safety Se...
IN STOCK (leaves warehouse same day if ordered before 3pm ET)
$3,633.00
$2,117.06
Dormakaba DORMA 1856 Fire Life Safety Series Surface-Mounted, Electromagnetic Holder/Release Track Closer (with Smoke Detector)- Pull Side DOR-1856-Smoke Detector

DORMA 1856 Fire Life Safety Series Surface-Mounted, Electromagnetic Holder/Release Track Closer (with Smoke Detector)- Pull Side

(No reviews yet) Write a Review

Model: 1856-HT-RH-SD-689
$3,633.00
$2,117.06
Selected Finish is

In Stock (leaves warehouse same day if ordered before 3pm ET)

$3,633.00
$2,117.06
Adding to cart… The item has been added
Free Shipping on orders over $199
We price match and offer bulk discounts! Click Add to Quote. It's quick and easy.
✨
Earn points with this purchase! You can redeem points for giftcards, iPads, XBox's and more. View Rewards
Free Keying on all locks
You may also like

DORMA 1856 Series

Holder/Release Device with Integral Door Closer, with or without Smoke Detector

The 1800 Series is an electromagnetically controlled door closer, available with or without integral smoke detector-power supply for use on fire and/or smoke barrier doors.

Holder/release devices ANSI/BHMA certified.

  • Available with or without integral smoke detector
  • Hold open function
  • Swing free function
  • Reliable door closing control

Product details

The DORMA 1800 Series Hold Open (H) function is designed for buildings where it is desirable to have smoke/fire doors in the open position under normal circumstances, but which must close upon loss of current. These units will operate as a standard door control, whether or not power is applied.

Swing free function

The DORMA 1800 Series Swing Free (SF) function is designed for buildings where it is desirable to have fire/smoke doors operating as if there were no closing device fitted under normal circumstances, but must be self-closing under alarm or loss of current.

Smoke and fire control

The 1800 Series door closer will allow unimpeded, easy access throughout a building while not affecting its integrity to control the spread of smoke and/or fire.

Door closing control

Upon interruption or loss of current in either the H or FS specification, the unit will automatically close the door from any angle of opening. This is caused by release of the electromagnetic solenoid, thus allowing the door closer to perform its function.

Manufacturer Resources

Product Specs

Product Group:
Door Controls
Series:
1800 Series
Grade:
Grade 1
Duty Level:
Heavy Duty
ADA Compliant:
No
Warranty:
25 Year Mechanical, 2 Year Electrical
Closer Size:
5 to 6
Product Subgroup:
Electromagnetic Door Holder / Releases
Product Type:
Fire and Life Safety Closers
Subcategory:
Fire and Life Safety Closers
Door Weight:
180
Commercial/Residential:
Commercial
Electronic:
Yes
Product Model:
1856
Product Voltage:
24VAC/DC/120V
Door Hand Direction:
Yes
Product Size:
48"
Door Opening Size:
180 Degrees
Mounting Method:
Frame Mounted
Product Category:
Door Controls
Product Substrate:
Aluminum
Department:
Door Hardware

Dormakaba 1856-HT-RH-SD-689 – Frequently Asked Questions

1) Does the DORMA 1856 hold-open closer need a separate smoke detector and power supply, or is it all in the unit?
The 1856 is the version with the integral smoke detector and power supply built into the closer body, so you don't wire in a separate detector head or a remote supply for it to release the door. It runs on 24VAC/DC or 120V. That's the practical difference between this and the non-detector members of the 1800 Series, which need their release signal from the building fire alarm system.
2) What is the difference between the HT hold open track and the SFT swing free track on the DORMA 1800 Series?
Two different behaviors on the door day to day. With the HT hold open slide track, the door is magnetically held open at whatever angle you set it and drops closed when the detector trips or power is lost; otherwise it behaves as a normal closer, powered or not. With the SFT swing free slide track, the door swings as if no closer were fitted at all, free in both directions, and only becomes self closing on alarm or power loss. Swing free is what you specify on patient room doors and corridor doors in assisted living where the resident cannot fight a closer. Hold open is what you use where the door should stand open on purpose. You pick one at order time, they are separate tracks.
3) Do I have to order the DORMA 1856 handed?
Yes, handing is required. The 1856 is built left hand or right hand and it is not field reversible, so you determine the hand of the opening before ordering. Stand outside the door on the side it swings away from you: hinges on your left is left hand, hinges on your right is right hand. Ordering the wrong hand means the track and closer will not mount correctly.
4) How big a door will the DORMA 1856 electromagnetic closer handle?
It's sized 5 to 6, which is the heavy end of the closer size range, and rated to a 180 pound door. That covers wide, heavy commercial fire and smoke doors, including labeled openings in corridors and stair enclosures. Swing is up to 180 degrees where the frame and wall conditions allow it. On a light interior door a size 5 to 6 closer is more spring than you want, so this is not the unit for a small residential leaf.
5) Is the DORMA 1856 pull side mount, and what does that mean for my frame?
Pull side. The closer body and slide track mount on the frame on the side the door pulls toward you, which is the standard hinge side mounting for a fire rated corridor door swinging into a room. The track is frame mounted, so you need a clear, flat frame face the full length of the track to land it. If the only surface available to you is on the push side of the opening, this is the wrong configuration and you want a push side unit instead.
6) What happens to the door if the building loses power or the fire alarm goes off?
The door closes. In both the hold open and swing free configurations, loss of current releases the electromagnetic solenoid and the closer takes over, closing the door from any angle of opening. That is fail safe behavior by design, which is what a fire or smoke barrier door has to do. With the 1856 specifically, the integral smoke detector will also drop the door on smoke at the opening itself, without waiting for a signal from the panel.
7) Is the DORMA 1856 holder/release ANSI/BHMA certified and what grade is it?
It is a Grade 1 device, and the holder/release function is ANSI/BHMA certified. Grade 1 is the highest of the three ANSI/BHMA performance grades and it is what most institutional and government specifications call for on commercial openings, so it will meet a Grade 1 line item on a hardware schedule.
8) Can I use the DORMA 1856 on an ADA accessible opening?
Not as an ADA compliant device. The 1856 is listed as not ADA compliant, and at closer size 5 to 6 the opening force is well above what an accessible route allows. If the opening is on an accessible path and has to meet a maximum opening force, look at a low energy power operator or a smaller closer instead. The one nuance worth knowing: the swing free SFT version leaves the door free of closer resistance while the building is normal, which is why swing free is often specified where residents or patients cannot manage a closer, but that is a functional benefit, not an ADA rating.
9) What is the closest equivalent to a DORMA 1856 electromagnetic hold-open track closer from another manufacturer?
The Cal-Royal CR441EHO is the nearest peer: a Grade 1 door closer with an electronic hold-open track arm, the same basic concept as the 1856 with the HT hold-open slide track. Both are Grade 1 units that hold the door open electrically and close it when current drops. The 1856 differs in that it is also offered with the SFT swing free slide track, so the door swings as though no closer were fitted until an alarm or power loss, and it is offered with an integral smoke detector so the release signal can originate at the door itself. If the opening only needs magnetic hold-open tied to the building fire alarm, the CR441EHO covers that duty; if the specification calls for swing free operation or a self-contained detector at the door, stay with the 1856.
10) Can a Cal-Royal CR441EHO replace a DORMA 1856 on a smoke barrier door that has no fire alarm wiring at the opening?
It is not a like-for-like swap in that situation. The CR441EHO is a Grade 1 closer with an electronic hold-open track arm, so it needs a release signal brought to it. The DORMA 1856 is available with an integral smoke detector and power supply, which puts the detection and the release in the same unit at the door, and it runs on 24VAC/DC or 120V. On an opening where nothing but line voltage is available and detection has to happen locally, the 1856 with the smoke detector is the unit that suits; the CR441EHO belongs on openings already tied into a building detection system.
11) What voltage do I need to run to the DORMA 1856 hold open closer?
Wire it for 24VAC, 24VDC, or 120V. That flexibility matters on retrofits: if you are tying into an existing fire alarm power supply you are usually pulling 24V, and if you are on a standalone corridor door with no panel connection you can feed it 120V line voltage. Power has to be run to the head of the opening either way, so budget the conduit or raceway on the frame if there is nothing there now.
12) How is an electromagnetic hold open closer different from a standard closer with an electric hold open arm like the Cal-Royal CR441EHO?
Both are Grade 1 closers that hold a door open electrically and drop it on release, and either will do the job on a plain corridor door tied back to a fire alarm panel. The difference with the DORMA 1856 is that it carries its own smoke detector and power supply in the unit, so the opening self releases on smoke without any connection to a panel. If you have alarm infrastructure at the opening already, a hold open track arm closer like the Cal-Royal CR441EHO is the simpler install. If the opening is isolated, or you want detection at the door itself, that is what the 1856 is for. The 1856 also offers the swing free SFT option, which a plain hold open arm does not do.
13) For a heavy commercial door that needs magnetic hold-open, is a Grade 1 electronic hold-open closer like the Cal-Royal CR441EHO enough, or is the DORMA 1856 the right call?
Both are Grade 1, so the certification line on a specification is satisfied either way. Match the rest of the opening instead. The 1856 is a heavy duty commercial unit sized 5 to 6, frame mounted with a 48 inch aluminum track, rated for a 180 pound door and 180 degrees of swing, and it is handed left or right. If the door falls inside that weight and swing and the frame will take a 48 inch surface track, the 1856 is built for it. On a lighter opening, or one where a track that long will not fit the frame, the CR441EHO electronic hold-open track arm is the alternative to price out.
14) What finishes does the DORMA 1856 track closer come in?
Six finishes, in both handings and on both track types: 689 aluminum, 690 dark bronze, 691 light bronze, 693 black, 695 dark bronze, and 696 satin brass. For a property manager matching a run of existing openings, 689 aluminum and 690 dark bronze are the two that pair with most aluminum storefront and hollow metal frames already in the field.
15) Is the DORMA 1856 suitable for a residential door?
No. It's a commercial device, heavy duty, sized 5 to 6 for doors up to 180 pounds, and it needs 24V or 120V power run to the frame. On a house door it is oversized, overpowered, and there is no code reason to hold a residential door open on a detector. This belongs on fire and smoke barrier doors in commercial and institutional buildings, corridors, stair enclosures, healthcare, hospitality, and multifamily common areas.
16) What is the body of the DORMA 1856 closer made of?
Aluminum, both the closer body and the slide track. That keeps the weight down on a 48 inch frame mounted assembly and it is why the 689 aluminum finish is the base offering. The other five finishes are applied over the same aluminum substrate.
How fast can I get the Dormakaba 1856-HT-RH-SD-689 delivered?
Most orders ship the same day from our distribution partners, with quick delivery throughout the continental U.S. Need it urgently? Contact Us for expedited shipping options.
Can I return it if it doesn’t work for me?
Yes—ZenSupply offers a hassle-free return policy. If the product isn’t the right fit, reach out to our support team for a return authorization or setup a return by following our return instructions.
Does the Dormakaba 1856-HT-RH-SD-689 come with a warranty?
Absolutely. The Dormakaba 1856-HT-RH-SD-689 is backed by a manufacturer’s warranty. For full warranty terms, check the product documentation or Contact Us.
How do I get technical support or installation help for the Dormakaba 1856-HT-RH-SD-689?
You can call, text, or email our expert support team for fast answers. We’re here to help with product selection, installation tips, and troubleshooting. Contact Us
Why buy the Dormakaba 1856-HT-RH-SD-689 from ZenSupply?
ZenSupply makes it easy to get the commercial door hardware you need—fast shipping, expert support, and rewards on every order. Our team is always ready to help you choose the right product for your project.
!