Electrified Door Hardware for Access Control: Strikes vs. Mag Locks – Northeast Remote Surveillance and Alarm, LLC. For comprehensive access control, the two most common types of electrified door hardware are electric strikes and electromagnetic locks (mag locks). They both use low-voltage electrical power to operate and are integrated with an access control system (like keypads or card readers) to secure doors.

Strikes vs. Mag Locks – Northeast Remote Surveillance and Alarm, LLC – Electromechanical Door Strikes

An electric strike is an electromechanical device that works with the existing lockset on a door (cylindrical, mortise, or rim exit device) by replacing the standard, fixed strike plate.

Mechanism: When activated by an authorized credential, a hinged component inside the strike, called the keeper, pivots to release the door’s latch bolt, allowing the door to be opened without turning the handle.
Fail-Secure (Most Common): These locks are locked when power is not applied. This means during a power outage, the door remains locked, which is ideal for exterior doors requiring high security.
Fail-Safe (Less Common): These locks are unlocked when power is not applied.
Egress: Allows for easy mechanical exit from the inside simply by turning the door handle or using a push bar, even without power (in fail-secure mode), which is important for fire and life safety.
Installation: More complex to install as it needs to be compatible with the existing mechanical lockset and door frame.

Strikes vs. Mag Locks – Northeast Remote Surveillance and Alarm, LLC – Magnetic Locks (Mag Locks)

An electromagnetic lock, or mag lock, uses a powerful magnetic force to secure the door.

Mechanism: It has two main parts: a powerful electromagnet mounted on the door frame and an armature plate attached to the door. When power is supplied, the electromagnet energizes, creating a strong magnetic bond that holds the armature plate and keeps the door locked.
Fail-Safe (Most Common): Mag locks are inherently fail-safe, meaning they require power to remain locked. If power is cut (e.g., during a fire or power outage), the magnetic force dissipates, and the door is instantly unlocked, allowing for safe exit. This makes them excellent for emergency exits.
Security: They are durable and offer strong holding force, making them very difficult to force open manually.
Egress: Requires a separate electronic exit device (like a push-to-exit button or motion sensor) to momentarily cut power to the magnet, allowing someone to leave.
Maintenance: Generally very low maintenance as there are no moving parts.

Electrified Door Hardware for Access Control: Strikes vs. Mag Locks – Northeast Remote Surveillance and Alarm, LLC – Which to Choose?

The decision between an electric strike and a mag lock depends on the security, life-safety, and operational requirements of the door:

Feature	Electric Strike	Magnetic Lock (Mag Lock)
Fail Mode	Typically Fail-Secure (Locked when power is off)	Typically Fail-Safe (Unlocked when power is off)
Security	Excellent for exterior doors where security during a power outage is paramount.	Strong holding force; security is compromised during a power outage.
Egress	Allows mechanical exit (turn door handle) for life safety.	Requires separate electronic exit device (e.g., push button) to cut power.
Door Type	Works with various existing locksets.	Often preferred for building entry doors and glass doors.

Northeast Remote Surveillance and Alarm, LLC would assess your specific facility and security needs to recommend the most appropriate hardware, often utilizing both types in different locations to meet various security and safety codes.

Would you like to know more about the other electrified door hardware options mentioned in your request, such as exit devices or power supplies?

🚪 Other Electrified Door Hardware Options – Electrified Door Hardware for Access Control: Strikes vs. Mag Locks

In addition to electric strikes and magnetic locks, an access control system often requires or uses other electrified components to manage access and ensure life safety:

1. Exit Devices (Panic Hardware)

These are devices required on doors serving high-occupancy areas to allow immediate egress.

Electrified Trim/Lock: An exit device (like a push bar or panic bar) often uses an electrified trim (the outside handle) or an electrified lock body to integrate with access control.
- Electrified Trim (Most Common): The outside lever handle is electrically locked or unlocked. Pushing the panic bar on the inside always allows free egress, regardless of the electrical state.
- Electrified Latch Retraction (ELR): The motor pulls the latch bolt fully into the device, unsecuring the door. This is often used for automatic door openers.

2. Delayed Egress Locking Systems

These systems are used where the goal is to deter unauthorized exiting and provide an audible local alarm while still meeting fire code for safe egress.

Mechanism: When the panic bar is pushed, the door remains locked for a predetermined time (usually 15 seconds), during which an alarm sounds. After the delay, the door unlocks automatically.
Code Requirements: Highly regulated by codes (e.g., IBC and NFPA 101). They must meet specific criteria:
- They are only permitted in certain occupancies (e.g., healthcare, nursing homes) and specific rooms (e.g., utility rooms, storage).
- The lock must release immediately upon activation of the fire alarm system or upon power failure.
- The release action must be simple and non-binding, requiring a single, readily apparent force application (e.g., pushing the bar).

3. Power Supplies

Every electrified component relies on a dedicated, regulated power source.

Components: The power supply typically includes a transformer, a rectifier, and often a battery backup (uninterruptible power supply or UPS) to ensure the access control system continues to function during power outages.
Capacity: The power supply must be properly sized to handle the cumulative current draw of all electrified devices (strikes, mag locks, readers, exit devices) to ensure reliable operation.

4. Door Position Switches (DPS) and Request to Exit (REX) Sensors

These are essential safety and monitoring components.

Door Position Switch (DPS): A magnetic switch used to signal the access control system whether the door is open or closed. This helps the system track security status and ensure the door closes and re-secures properly.
Request to Exit (REX): A button (push-to-exit) or motion sensor placed on the secure side of the door. When activated, it momentarily shunts the alarm and/or cuts power to the lock (like a mag lock) to allow authorized egress, without needing a credential.

Don’t guess which hardware to use. Northeast Remote Surveillance and Alarm, LLC will assess your security and life-safety needs to recommend and install the most appropriate electrified door hardware.

Call Today 1-888-344-3846 for Unified Enterprise Grade Security Solutions for your facility