Access Strike Selection Guide
Despite being one of the most common access control components, specifying the right electric strike can be deceptively complex.
Understanding the particulars of each device can be overwhelming. In this note, we examine how strikes work, the tradeoffs in their specification, and how using them compares to other access lock types:
- Strike Operation Described
- Strikes DO NOT Add Security
- Two Main Strike Types, Mortise vs. Surface
- Strikes Typically Fail-Safe/Fail-Secure Changeable
- AC or DC Powered and Noisy vs. Silent Tradeoff
- Door/Latch Monitoring Importance
- Strike Prices
- Why Extra Hardware Is Often Needed
- Installation Difficulty vs. Maglocks
Strike *********
******* *** ******** ******** ** *** door *****, ********** ** ***** **** components:
*** ****** ** *** ********* ** the ****** **** *****. **** ******, the ****** ** ***** *** ***** a ******** ****, *********** **** *** latch ** ******* *** ****'* *******.
**** ********, *** ****** ****** *** of *** *** ** *** ***** and ****** *** **** ** ****. The ********* ***** ***** *** *** 'Keeper' ******* *** **** *** ** the *** ** *** ****** ***** in *** **** ****:
**** ******* *** '****' ******* ** a '******,' *** *** ********* ** similar ** **** *** **** *** rigid *** ******* *** **** ***** when ****** *** *** ******** **** unlocked.
*** ****** *** ******** *** ******** components ** *** ****** **** *** inside *** *****. ******** ******* *** typically ****** ** *** ** **** solenoids, ****** ******** ** *** * simple ****** ******** ****** *** ***.
*** ****** ***** ******* *** ****** mechanism ** *** ***** *** ** responsible *** *** ****** ********* ** the ****** ** *** **** ******* hardware.
*** **** ****** *****
*** **** **** ** * ****** in ********* *** ******* **** ** strike, ***** *** ********* ** *** common *****:
Mortise ******
*** **** ****** **** ** ****** is *** ******* *******,***** ********* ******** * ****** ** the ******** *******. ******* ******* *** **** when *** **** ******* ******** ** a ******* ************* ****- ** *** ***** **** ***** latch ** ********* **** *** **** leaf ****** *********.
***** *** **** ********* **** *** frame, * ******* ******'* ****** ******** a ******* ** *** ******. ** we **** ***** ** *** ************ section, * ******* ****** **** ** installed **** ** *** *****, ***** requiring ******* ******* ** *** ***** material *** * ***** ***.
Surface ******
***** ***** ** ******* *** **** when *** ********* ******* ******** ** a '*** *****'**** ******, ***** ** ******* ** *** inside ******* ** *** **** ****** than ****** ** ** *** **** of *** ****.
****** '***' ******* *** '**** *******' or******* *********. **** ****** * ******* ** the ****** ********* ** *** '**** ******', *** ****** *** *** ***** require ** ********** ****** ** *** frame *** ****** ********.
Fail-Safe/Fail-Secure **********
******* *** ** *****-********** *** ****** behavior, ** **** ** *** ****/****** compliance ** *** ******* ** ********* via *** **** ********, ******** **** egress ** ** *********.
******* ******* ***** ****/**** *******, ***** sets, ** **** ***** ****, ****** doors ****** ** ****** ** ******* escape, *** ******** **** **** ** more **** *** ********* ****** ** open *** ****.
*** ****, ******* **** **. **** ****** ********.
AC ** ** *******
**** ****** ******* ****** ***** ********* between ** *** ** ** *** available ** ****** ******* ******* *** can ** ******* ***** ** ******** power ****** ** **** *** *** access ******.
*** ******* *** ***-*******, **** ****** 12 ** ** ***** ********. ***** polarity *** ******* ********* ****** ** several ****** ********, *** ****** ******* generally ******* ** ***** ******** *** better *********.
******* *** ***** ** ******* ******** via *** **** ********** ** *** lock ****** ** '***' ** *** output * ***** ****** ** *********** similar ** *** *** ******* *** be *******.
Noisy **. ***** **********
*** ** *********** ** *** *** solenoids ****** ***** *****, ** ******** strikes **** * ************** '*******' ***** when *********,***** * ** ***** ** ******* (or **** ******).
** *** ****, ******** *********** *** tied ** ******** *****, *** ****** strikes *** ** ********* ******** '***** *' ***********, ******* ******** ******* ******* ** matching ******** ***** ******** ** ********* noise.
Door/Latch **********
* ******** ****** *** **** ******* is * ***** ******* ** * simple ******* ****** **** ******* **** a ***** **** ** ********* ****** the ******.
**** ****** **** ********* ** * defacto '**** ********' ******* ***** *** door **** ** **** *** *** latch ** ** *******. ***** *** all ******* ******* **** ******, ** usually **** *** *** *********** **** to *** ****** *** ******* ******** the ********* ******** ** *** ******.
*** ****, ******* ****** ********** ********.
Installer ***** ********
*** *******, ***** ***** **** *** simplified ** *** *** ** ******** templates ******** **** *** ******, *** position ** *** ******** ** ******* to ******** ************ *** *********** **** the ******, *****, *** ******** ******** are ****** *** ******** *******.
************ ******** * ****** **** ** problems **** ********** ******** *** ********* to ***** * ******** *** ** the **** ********* ****** ********* ****.
****** ********** ****** **** ** ******* structural **** *** ***** ******** ********** ******** **** ******* * ****** **** leaf. *** ****, ******* *** ***** ********* ************* ****** *****.
Strikes **. ***** ********
******* ********** *******:
- **** ********* **** ***** ****** ******* locks
- ****** ******** ********
- ****** *********
Less ********* **** ***** *****
******* *** ***** *** ***** ****** electrified *******, **** ***** * ******* devices ******* ******* $*** - $***.
******** ** ******** **** ***** ******* $400 - $ **** *** ****, strikes *** ********* **** *********.
**** ***** *********** *** ************ *****, the ***** **** ** * ****** is ***** ******* $*** *** $*** per ****.
Reuses ******** ********
******* ******* ** ******* ** **** they *** ********* ** **** **** door ******** ******* ** ***. *** only **** **** ****** *** '**** cost' ** ****** **** *****, *** it **** ***** ** *** '**** costs' ********** ** **-******, ************ *****, and ************** ** ********** ****.
Energy *********
****** ******** **** ******* * ****** impulse ** *********** ** *******, * strike **** **** ************ ******** ** operate. ***** *** *********** ******** ** relatively ***** *** ****** ******, **** multiplied **** **** ** **** ******** of *****, ***** ******* *** *** hundreds ** **** **** * ********'* electricity ***********.
************* ** ******* *******:
- ********** **** / ********
- ******** ********** ** *****
- ******** **** *********
Mechanical ****/ ********
****** ********, ******* ****** ** ********* once *** ******* *** ***** ******* maintenance. ***** ******** ******* **** ****** parts **** *** **** ** ***** over ****. ********** **** **** ******* and ********* ******* ******** *********** *********.
Periodic ********** ** *****
***** *** ****** ** ********* ** the ****'* ******* ******** *** ********, the ************ ******* ****** *** ***** is *****, *** *** ********** *** movement *** *******. **** ****** ******* operation, **** ****** ***, **** ****** shift, *** **** ******* **** *** of *** ******'* ***** *****. ******** strikes *** ****, * ********* **** maintenance ******* ** ***** ** ********* security.
Security **** *********
****** ***** ***** ** ********, ******* do *** ******* ** ******* *** existing ******** ******* ** * ****. A ****** ****** ** ********** **** locks *** ******** *** ****. *** strike ****** *** ******* ******** ** remain ****** *** ***** **** ***** through *** *******.
********, * ****** *** ******** ******** risks ** ****** ** ****** *** an ********* ** *** **** *** frame ** ****** **** ** ***** the ******.
Extra ******** ** ******
******* ** ****, **** ***** **** require ********** ******** ** ******* *** strike.
** *** **** ******/***** ***, *** keeper *** ** ****** ** **** out ** ***** *** ** ***** exposed. ******* ***** *********** **** ** **** ********* ****** of **** *********.
** *** ******* *****, ** ******* exterior ****** ** ********** ** ******* tampering ****** ********** '***** **********' *** installed ** *** ****:
***** ********** **** ~$** *** *** simple ** *******. *******, **** ***** do *** **** *** ***** ***** it ** *** ********* ***** *** aesthetics ** ****** ** **** ** overt *********.
[****: **** ***** *** ************* ******* in **** ***** ***** ***** ********* in ****.]
** ***** ** **** ****** ** door ******. *** *** ** ********* the **** ****** ** ******* ***** unless ****** ****** ** ********* ** the *******.
**** **** **** ****** **** ****** must, ** * *******, ***** **** rating ** *** *******.
***** ******** **** *********, ** *** installer ****'* **** **/*** ** *****, depending ** *** ******** ** *** deadlatch, ** *** *** ** **** back. **** ***** ** ****** **** to **** ***** **** * **** or **** ****** ******. **'* ******* how **** ****'* ***** ******** **** without ********** *******.
* ****** *** ********* ** ** in * ********* ******** **** *** latch. *************, ***** *** ***** ****-****** choices **** **** ******** **** ********.
* '** ***** ** ** ********** common *** *********** ** ** ****** aligned ** ******* ********. * **** a ***** **** **** **** * use ** ******** *********** *** *** into *** *** **** ***** **** it. ***** ** ********** ***** ** finding * **** *********.
**** **** - **** * ****** of ****** ** *** **** ** experience. ** **** * *** ** Clark *********** ******* (******* ** *** in *** ********) ** ** ***'* Mental ****** *****, *** **** *** some *** ******* ** ***** *****.
*** ***** *********** ******* (*** ************ - ****** * ******* *** ** the *** **** ************* ****** *** now ******* ***** ****-**** *******) **** been ****** *********** - ***** ***** availability *** **** ** ***** *******. The **** **** **** ***** *********** is ******* *** *****. **** ** the ***** ******* ** **** ** place **** **** ********* ***** *** for ****** ** ***** ******* *******.
*** *** ***** **** **** **** good - *** **** ***** **** these **'** *** ** *******/**** ****-****** from ****** *******/******* *****. **** ***'* too *** ** ***, *****'* ********** the ******** ** *** **** *** has **** ******** ** * ****** of ****** ************* ********* *** *****, but **'* ** ***** **** ***'* present ** *** ***** *********** ****.
*** *** *** ************ *'* **** is **** ** * ****** *** the *********** *** *** *** ****, it ***** ** ******** *** **** to *** ****** * ******** ******* having ** ***** *** **** ** access ******* ***********.
* ***** ********* ** ********* *** an *********** **** **** ******** ****** as **** *** **** *** ********** to ********. **********, *** *** **** the **** ** *** **** *** strike *** *** ******* *** ************ pin ** ****, *** *** ***** in (********** **** *** ******* ********* of ** **** *********** ******* *******).
*** ***** ******** ** ********* *** of *** **** ************ *****. ***** are ****** ******* *****, *** * full ****** ******** *** **** ****** and ******* **** ********.
* ******** ** *** ***** ***** is **** ** ******** ** **** place ** ****** * *** ***, making **** ****** ** ****** ***** even ******...
*'** ***** **** ******* *** ***** easier ** *********** *** ** ************. However, ********* **** ** *** **** (more ***** **** ** ****** ******) is **** **** *** ***** **** looks ** * **** *******, ************ are *** ***** *** *********** *** made. **** ** * ******** ********* for ********** ******* **. ****. *** all **** ****** *** ******** *****. Furthermore, ***** ********* *** **** ** simple ** * ******* ***** ******, the ***** ** *** ** ** not ***** ****** (**** *** *** slim *** ****'*). **** **** *** have * ********** **** **** **** about ********* ****** ******* * ********. It ***** ****** ** **** ****** and ***** ***** * ******** **** not *** *** * ****** ***** due ** ********* ** ****** ** a ****** ***********.
******** ******* *** *********** ******** *** almost ** ********** * *******, ** that *** ****** ********* ****** **** back ******** **** *** *********** *********, otherwise ** *** **** *** *** retract. **** *** ****** ** "************" as ****** ***** ***, *** **** to ****** *** *********** *** *** open *** ****. * ***** **** another ******* **** * ******* **** is * **** ****** *** ** that *** *********** *** ** ******** from *** *********.
******* *****, ********** ******** ** **** quality **** *******, *** *** ******* electric ******* *** ******* ** ****. Given *** ******, * ****** ** with ** ************ ******** ****, *** not ****** ********.
*** ********* *** * **** ******* over ******** ** *** ******** **** secure ****** ** ** ******** ******, and *** **** ** ************** ** fire **** ***** (** *********, ***).
** *****,
** **** ******* ********** ****-**** ******** for ******* *****.
******* **. ***************** ***** - ** prefer *** ******* (*****... *** ******* to ****** * ********* ********* **** a ****** ***).
*** "**** ** *****" *** ******* - ** *** ****** ******* ** on *** ******* **** ** *** frame/door, **** *** ******* ******...
******