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Telephone entry system

DoorKing 1812 Repair for Classic, Plus and Access Plus Units

We repair DoorKing 1812 gate intercoms on private driveways and small gated streets across Dallas–Fort Worth. Most calls are the same: the box stopped ringing the house phones, or it started humming, after something changed on the home’s phone line.

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  • Licensed & Insured
  • 16+ Years Experience
  • Open 24/7
  • Residential & Commercial

Is this a DoorKing 1812?

The 1812 is DoorKing’s residential gate intercom: a black steel box, flat or curved, with a numeric keypad and one large PUSH TO CALL button. It has no scrolling directory. A visitor presses the button, your house phones ring, and you open the gate by pressing a number on the handset. Some units have a small camera window above the keypad.

There are three versions, and they are not interchangeable. The 1812 Classic runs on a 24 VAC transformer and uses board 1871-010. The 1812 Plus runs on 16 VAC and uses board 1971-010. The Access Plus adds PC programming, card reader expansion and holiday schedules. The version and part number are on the label inside the cabinet, and the board part number is printed on the board.

  • Black steel housing with a keypad and one PUSH TO CALL button, with no display
  • Flat surface-mount, curved surface-mount or flush-mount faceplate
  • Model label inside the cabinet door: 1812 Classic, 1812 Plus or 1812 Access Plus
  • A separate bypass switch box where the phone line enters the house
  • Transformer rating: 24 VAC points to a Classic; 16.5 VAC points to a Plus or Access Plus

Also labelled: 1812 Plus, 1812 Classic, 1812 Access Plus, 1812AP, 1812-081, 1812-087, 1812-089, 1812-090, 1812-091, 1812-092, 1812-095, 1812-096

1812 at a glance

Versions
1812 Classic, 1812 Plus, 1812 Access Plus
Dial-out phone numbers
Classic 3; Plus and Access Plus 27
Relays
2
Voice circuit
Classic analog; Plus and Access Plus HD digital
Power
Classic 24 VAC transformer; Plus and Access Plus 16 VAC transformer
Expansion
Access Plus only: 2 RS-485 inputs, up to 6 additional entry points
PC programming
Access Plus only (free Access Plus software)
Phone line run
Up to 800 ft at 24 AWG, 1,600 ft at 22 AWG, 2,200 ft at 20 AWG, 3,600 ft at 18 AWG (1812 Plus manual)
Cellular option
DoorKing 1800-081 voice + data kit (AT&T 4G LTE), listed for 1812 and 1812 AP
Circuit boards
Classic 1871-010; Plus 1971-010

From DoorKing’s published documentation. Your unit’s label and manual take precedence.

What your 1812 is doing, and what usually causes it

  • Visitors press the button but the house phones don’t ring

    Usually: The bypass switch was left in BYPASS, a do-not-disturb or call-forward time zone is active, the clock reset after an outage and time zones are now wrong, voltage is low on the 16 VAC supply, or the home line was changed and the 1812 is no longer in series with it.

    What we do: We check the switch and time-zone settings first, then connect a test phone to PHONE OUT to see whether the 1812 is ringing out and where the signal stops.

  • There’s a hum or buzz on every call in the house

    Usually: Indoor phone wire used underground, where it absorbs moisture; phone and power in the same conduit; a phone line or 16.5 VAC wire shorted to ground; or a substituted transformer.

    What we do: We follow DoorKing’s noise-isolation sequence: bypass the unit, remove external devices, then separate the PHONE IN, PHONE OUT and power runs until the noise goes away.

  • The house phones ring, but nobody can talk to the gate

    Usually: Reversed wires on the PHONE IN or PHONE OUT terminals, or the demarcation wiring to the bypass switch done backwards.

    What we do: We test with a phone on PHONE OUT, correct the polarity and wiring order, and confirm two-way audio from every handset.

  • Nothing works and a small LED marked OV is lit

    Usually: A 24 VAC supply, often a gate operator’s accessory output, connected to an 1812 Plus or Access Plus.

    What we do: We disconnect power immediately, fit the correct 16.5 VAC transformer, and test the board. If the board has been damaged, we tell you before quoting a replacement.

  • Pressing the number on the phone doesn’t open the gate

    Usually: The tone-open number was reprogrammed, the phone sends short pulses instead of steady tones, a relay was left on hold from a previous command, or the relay is working and the fault is in the gate operator or wiring.

    What we do: We use the homeowner-phone relay check, which reports by beeps whether either relay is latched, and then fire the relay directly to split the 1812 from the gate operator.

  • Keypad access codes stopped working

    Usually: A code is limited to a time zone that is now active, a code was stored as a hold-open code instead of a momentary one, or the keypad ribbon cable came loose.

    What we do: We review how the codes are programmed on each relay, correct the time zones, and reseat or replace the keypad.

1812 down? Tell us what it is doing — we will tell you what it needs.

(214) 735-4314

How the 1812 works — and what that means for repair

It sits in series with your home phone line

Unlike DoorKing’s apartment panels, the 1812 isn’t a separate phone line that calls out. It is wired in series with the home’s own line. The phone company’s line comes in on the PHONE IN terminals, and the house phones connect to PHONE OUT, through a bypass switch near the demarcation point. That is how the box rings your phones and lets you talk to the gate from any handset, with a call-waiting tone if you’re already on a call.

It is also why so many 1812 problems start outside the box. DoorKing’s manual says a system not wired in series with the resident line will put dial tone on the 1812 speaker. Phone line polarity matters too: reversed tip and ring on PHONE IN or PHONE OUT is a listed cause of phones that ring but won’t connect.

Classic, Plus and Access Plus differ in more than name

DoorKing’s reference guide gives the 1812 Classic three dial-out phone numbers, 11-digit dialing, an analog voice circuit and a 24 VAC transformer. The 1812 Plus stores 27 dial-out numbers under directory codes 24–50, uses five-digit access codes, dials 20 digits, has an HD digital voice circuit and runs on 16 VAC. The Access Plus keeps the 27 numbers but adds two RS-485 inputs, up to six additional entry points, PC programming and holiday schedules.

All three have two relays, typically a main door and a gate. Call forwarding and do-not-disturb time zones decide whether the box rings the house or forwards the call, and those settings are behind a good share of “it stopped ringing” calls.

The wrong transformer destroys a Plus board

DoorKing is blunt about this: the 1812 Plus operates only on 16.5 VAC, and powering it from 24 VAC, including from a gate operator’s accessory supply, damages the board and is not covered under warranty. The Plus has an OV (over-voltage) LED in the bottom-left corner of the board that lights when too much voltage is applied.

Because the Classic ran on 24 VAC, this mistake is most common when an older 1812 is swapped for a Plus and the original transformer is left in place. We check which transformer feeds the box before powering up a replacement board.

Programming is done from the keypad or a touch-tone phone

The 1812 Plus has no PC software. It is programmed from its own keypad or from a touch-tone phone connected to it. The master code can only be set from the keypad inside the cabinet and cannot be read back; replacing it keeps the rest of the programming. The time and date clock holds for about 48 hours without power, after which the time zones need resetting even though the codes survive.

The Access Plus version can be programmed from DoorKing’s free Access Plus software, and DoorKing sells an 1812-074 kit that upgrades older 1812 units to Access Plus.

1812 parts we repair, adjust or replace

A failed part is not a failed operator. These are the components that actually wear or fail on the 1812, and what we do about each.

  • Main control board (1871-010 Classic, 1971-010 Plus)

    Part replaced

    Handles ringing, two-way voice, the two relays, codes and time zones.

    Signs it has failed: OV LED lit, no response with correct power, or relays that won’t switch. Surge damage is common.

  • Interface board and phone-line-in-use LED

    Repaired

    Connects the board to the home line. A yellow LED shows when the phone line is in use.

    Signs it has failed: LED stays on with no call in progress, or calls never seize the line.

  • Bypass switch

    Part replaced

    Lets the house line bypass the 1812 completely during service or a fault.

    Signs it has failed: Noise that stays when the switch is in BYPASS, or a switch left in BYPASS by mistake.

  • Keypad and PUSH TO CALL button

    Part replaced

    Visitor call button, code entry and on-site programming.

    Signs it has failed: Dead or sticking keys, or a button that doesn’t start a call.

  • Speaker and microphone

    Adjusted

    Two-way voice at the gate, with speaker volume and mic gain adjustments on the board.

    Signs it has failed: Weak or distorted audio, or feedback when volume is set too high.

  • Transformer and backup battery

    Serviced

    Supply 16.5 VAC (Plus/AP) or 24 VAC (Classic). An optional 12 V 0.8 Ah battery carries the unit through outages.

    Signs it has failed: Wrong transformer fitted, voltage drop on long runs, or a dead battery.

  • Phone wiring, ground and phone-line surge suppressor

    Serviced

    Direct-burial twisted pair, a 12 AWG ground and a suppressor within 3 ft of the ground point.

    Signs it has failed: Hum after rain, or board damage after storms.

Repair or replace your 1812? The honest answer

An 1812 is a simple, repairable box, and most faults are wiring, programming or line changes rather than failed electronics. We repair it when the board is healthy or a single part has failed. The real reason to change it is a home that no longer has a phone line to put it in series with. Even then, DoorKing lists cellular and video upgrade kits that reuse the location.

Repair it when

  • Noise, no ringing or one-way audio caused by wiring, polarity or the bypass switch.
  • A failed keypad, speaker, button or battery.
  • Codes or time zones that have become disorganized after an outage.
  • A board damaged by the wrong transformer, where the rest of the unit is sound.

Replace or upgrade when

  • The home has dropped its landline completely. DoorKing’s 1800-081 cellular kit is listed for the 1812 and removes the dependence on a phone line.
  • You want video and phone-app control. DoorKing sells 2112-581 and 2112-582 kits to convert an 1812 to its 2112 video entry system, which needs an internet or cellular connection and a subscription and has no expansion capability.
  • You need card readers or more entry points. The 1812-074 kit converts older units to Access Plus.
Call Now — (214) 735-4314Request a Free Estimate for DoorKing 1812 repair

Case studies

DoorKing repairs we have documented

Other DoorKing operators, written up in full — the same diagnose-first approach we take on a 1812.

All case studies

Our DoorKing work

Photographs from our own DoorKing jobs — a mix of models, not all of them the 1812. None of it is stock.

  • Close view of a DKS DoorKing gate operator in its cast grey housing, mounted at ground level beside a driveway gate
  • A pair of black iron swing gates closed across a garden entrance, with planting and a paved path behind them
  • The same iron swing gates standing open, showing the driveway running between hedges toward the house
  • A DoorKing operator and its drive linkage connected to the lower rail of an iron swing gate leaf

How we diagnose and repair a 1812

  1. Identify the version and power supply

    We confirm Classic, Plus or Access Plus from the label and board, and measure the transformer output before anything is connected.

  2. Test the line through the bypass switch

    We switch to BYPASS and test the house phones, then put the 1812 back in the circuit and test PHONE IN and PHONE OUT separately with a test set.

  3. Check relays, codes and time zones

    We check relay status from a house phone, fire each relay directly, and review codes, call forwarding and do-not-disturb settings.

  4. Quote, repair and record the programming

    We quote before working, repair or replace only what has failed, and fill in DoorKing’s programming log so your codes and settings are on paper.

DoorKing warranty on the 1812

DoorKing’s published 2-Year Limited Warranty lists the 1812 among its telephone entry models: two years from purchase by the original customer, against defects in material and workmanship.

  • DoorKing’s 1812 Plus manual states that powering the unit from 24 V causes damage not covered under warranty.
  • Lightning, power surge and flood damage are excluded, as is improper installation or connection to the wrong voltage.
  • The warranty covers bench repair at DoorKing only. Removal, reinstallation and on-site labor are not covered.
  • Batteries and external transformers are treated as maintenance items.

Our warranty on the repair

Every repair is backed by a clear written warranty. No hidden terms and no confusing fine print: what is covered is explained before we begin, and it is separate from whatever DoorKing covers on the operator itself.

What our warranty covers

The 1812 in Dallas–Fort Worth conditions

Homes dropping their landline

An 1812 needs a working phone line to ring the house. Across the Metroplex, homeowners have moved to fiber, cable voice or mobile-only service, and carriers have been retiring copper. When that happens the 1812 is often left wired to a line that no longer exists. We find this is the most common reason an 1812 that “worked for years” suddenly stopped ringing.

Long driveways, clay soil and wet conduit

Estate driveways put the 1812 hundreds of feet from the house, and DoorKing’s run table limits 24 AWG phone wire to 800 feet. North Texas clay swells and shrinks with rain and drought, which cracks conduit joints and lets water reach indoor-rated wire. The result is hum that comes and goes with the weather, which DoorKing’s manual attributes to phone wire that absorbs moisture.

Storm surge on a single copper pair

The 1812 is connected to the telephone network and the house, so a spring lightning strike can reach it through the line as well as the power run. DoorKing recommends its 1877-010 phone-line suppressor and a proper ground within 10 feet, and notes that a gooseneck post set in concrete doesn’t count. We add both when they are missing.

DoorKing 1812 repair across DFW & Surrounding Areas

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DoorKing 1812 repair questions

What’s the difference between an 1812 Classic and an 1812 Plus?

The Classic dials three phone numbers, has an analog voice circuit and uses a 24 VAC transformer. The Plus stores 27 numbers, has HD digital voice and must run on 16.5 VAC. Their boards are not interchangeable.

We cancelled our home landline. Can the 1812 still work?

Not as originally wired, because it rings the house through that line. DoorKing lists its 1800-081 cellular kit for the 1812, and a 2112 video conversion kit. We’ll explain which fits your gate.

Can the 1812 run off my gate opener’s power?

Not an 1812 Plus. DoorKing warns that 24 V supplies, such as a gate operator’s, damage the board and void the warranty on it. It needs its own 16.5 VAC transformer.

Why did the time zones stop working after a power outage?

The 1812 Plus clock holds for about 48 hours without power. After a longer outage the time and date need resetting, although codes and phone numbers are kept.

Is the 1812 under warranty?

DoorKing’s published warranty for the 1812 is two years from original purchase, for bench repair at DoorKing. It excludes lightning and surge damage and does not cover labor.

Request a free estimate for your 1812

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