Subscriber Discussion

Cost Advantage In Using Electric Lock Set Versus Jamb Mounted Strike

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Sam Gordon
•Oct 03, 2018
IPVMU Certified

I have a large project under design in NC, the client has made the decision to use electric lock sets similar too but not necessarily equal to Yale Symphony wiegand interface on all high traffic doors in the facility versus the jamb mounted strike and card reader solution used at other doors on the project. 

 

The argument is cost, the client has been told that the overall cost is much less using the lock set based solution. Is this true? Design documents call for the GC to provide all electrified hardware and accessories for card reader doors including door preparation electric hinges, above door power supplies. The access control vendor has to provide magnetic locks and electric strikes only.

 

I admit I have little experience with pricing these types of items but it seems like a loose argument, I've been told that the MTBF for jamb based strike systems is much higher than the electric lock sets in the long run so maintenance should also be a consideration. 

Side question in terms of cost how do mag-locks compare next to jamb based strikes?

 

Thanks

 

Sam 

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Brian Rhodes
•Oct 03, 2018
IPVMU Certified

Are the power raceways already drilled into the doors?

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Sam Gordon
•Oct 03, 2018
IPVMU Certified

No, the core is to be done on site, unless this specification gets changed prior to construction documents.

 

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
•Oct 03, 2018
In reply to Sam Gordon

A. Field Core Drilling door labor > cutting in electric strike labor (most of the time)

B. Cost of Integrated electrified lockset > cost of a Grade 1 electric strike (usually)

C. Cost of Power Transfer Hinge kind of cancels out the cost of an external REX PIR Motion sensor or equivalent

Depending upon which contractor is bearing the cost for what, the cost can shift off of the access control contractor onto the GC side, so if the ACS contractor doesn;t have to pay for the integrated electrified lever set, power transfer hinge, or the field labor to core drill the door, then their cost will certainly be less .... but the overall cost is still likely higher with the Symphony-type solution you described.

Although the appearance and operational characteristics of an electrified lockset are usually superior and somewhat more secure than an electric strike/separate prox reader install, the field labor to install and wire electrified door sets is usually more involved and takes a little more patience and experience when it comes to fitting all the wiring where it needs to be (inside the door).  

For high traffic doors, nobody likes to hear the additional "noise" an heavy grade electric strike can make when the keeper releases and the door is yanked open, versus the relatively quieter operation of the electrified door hardware.

As far as MTBF stats, I've had more HES 1006's fail over time than I have ACSI or Schlage electrified cylindrical lever sets or mortise locks. However, electric strikes are a lot easier to replace than electrified lever sets.

 

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UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
•Oct 03, 2018

Im not familiar with Yale Symphony locks but if is an integrated lockset with a card reader door sensor etc and still requires coring the door, i believe it will be much more costly to own over time. Traditional access control setups do fail but are likely to fail piece by piece over time and thus are manageable overtime.

I have done many installations with integrated locksets from various manufacturers and In all cases the products did not perform as well as traditional access control components. They worked fine but things like read range were always much lower than traditional access control. The cost of ownership will be higher as one component fails you will be required to replace a whole assembly (in most cases). Also its most likely the device will not last 10 years or the manufacturer may stop servicing/supporting it (seen this happen before).

If your installing 100s of these devices and have any sort of relationship with the end user or desire a long term relationship with them, you have to consider what type of burden will be on them as the system ages in 10 years. Outside of 5or 6 years you would probably start seeing accelerated rate of failure. 

If a longterm relationship is not what your after then i dont see the any issue with installing the integrated lockset and let the chips fall where they may. 

 

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Sam Gordon
•Oct 04, 2018
IPVMU Certified
In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #2

Most of our work comes from repeat customers, or recommendations from prior customers. We do our best to get the best system design for the client that we can, in some instances the client has been given a sell brochure and some information that has sold them on a product. I can lead the horse to water, I want to show them that the water is good and that perhaps may be a better choice than the current selection. 

 

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