Electric Strike Vs Electric Lock

An electric strike is a mechanically operated strike that releases a door when the mechanical part is activated.

Electric strike vs electric lock.

Aside from fire rated openings why would one choose an electric strike over an electric lock or vice versa. We cover two of the most common types of access control locks in use on buildings today electric strike locks and magnetic locks and discuss their different features benefits and potential drawbacks. If power should fail the electric strike unlocks and remains in the unlocked condition. Fail secure and fail safe measures can both be easily taken with an electric strike as well.

Access control locks on doors have come a long way in the past 30 years or so. Electric locks pros cons electric strikes faster install. Benefits of electric strike locks. A fail safe electric strike locks when powered.

This is a powered strike piece which is part of the door hardware package that unlatches upon contact closure or system command depending on control type. Because electric strikes and electric locks operate in the same manner opening a door from a remote location with special access equipment they are often confused with each other. The third most common misconception is that electric strike locks are only fail secure. However electric strikes are very different from electric locks.

This is an electromagnet that can be either embedded in the door frame and door coordination issues or can be surface mounted aesthetic issues. Electric strikes generally cost less than magnetic locks. If the power goes out the fail secure with an electric strike is that the doors remain locked but can be opened manually either by turning the door latch or using a physical key. Many people even use both terms interchangeably.

Some of the benefits of electric strikes include. For this reason if a fail safe electric strike is used for the locking mechanism in a building there must be a back up battery system installed in case of power failure. Although it is no fun dealing with the wiring on the. Electrical power is supplied to the strike which holds the lock bolt in place keeping the door locked until the strike is activated by a buzzer keycard or other device.

Security on only one side of the door. In fact they can be configured for either fail safe or fail secure. An electric strike must be used along with some other form of locking device such as a lockset or exit device panic bar. What makes electric strikes work are actually solenoids magnets inside of the strike shooting back and forth a little element to lock and unlock the strike.

Activation occurs with either the pressing of a panic bar from inside the building or when activated by an electronic key card or fob reader outside of the building.