Your Guide to Selecting an Electric Strike

Lew Meltzer
Nov 1 · 3 min read

SUMMARY: An electric strike upgrades your door’s traditional hardware into something more functional. Here’s your functional guide for finding the right one.
Your Guide to Selecting an Electric Strike
There is a seemingly endless array of electric strikes available in today’s market. With so many options, finding the right one can be tricky. This short guide will help you find the key factors that should shape your selection.
Product Application
In general, electric strikes are a great choice for any application in which electrified hardware is cost-ineffective or impractical. When choosing your electric strike, start by determining what kind of application it will be used for. This may involve doors with an entry buzzer or those with emergency alarm triggering capabilities. The strike you choose will typically be tailored specifically for its purpose, so use that purpose as a guideline when choosing your hardware.
Lockset

The electric strike that you select has to accommodate the position and the dimensions of:
-> The latch bolt
-> The deadlatch
-> The deadbolt, when applicable
Always check the compatibility listings when shopping for your hardware, as modifying your strike after purchase to better fit your door and needs will generally void the warranty and fire rating.
Type of Door
Where will your electric strike be mounted? This says a lot about which type of hardware you will choose since the electric strike will replace the traditional strike hardware.
A single door will have a strike mounted to the frame. Double doors will either sport their strike on the inactive leaf or the mullion. If both leaves of your door are active, an electric strike may not be the right hardware for your application.
The material of the door is also important when selecting your strike. A wooden frame will require a longer faceplate to ensure stability. Hollow metal doors may be reinforced, making proper installation more difficult. Aluminum doors may include glass inserts, which makes taking proper measurements of all parts of the door before installation vitally important. In all of these circumstances, knowing what your door is made of and its exact dimensions will aid in safe and proper installation.
Power Requirements
Most electric strikes currently available today are 24 VDC. (This stands for direct current.) There are other options available, including 12 or 24 VAC, or alternating current. It is important to note that all devices powered by the same supply must be rated for the same voltage and possess the same current output capability. The total load of all of your devices combined should also not surpass three-fourths of the listed capacity of your power supply. Failing to heed this can mean serious danger of injury or damage to your products.
Safety and Fire Codes
As with any entry and exit technology, the strikes on a door are rated for fire safety. Knowing the rating of your strike — and selecting the right piece — is vital for commercial applications.
Fail-secure or electrically unlocked strikes are the most common on today’s market and are fire-rated for safety. Fail-safe or electrically locked strikes are far less common and are designed only for specific applications. They are not fire rated for safety and should not be used in applications where this is important.
For more information regarding the selection of electric strikes for various applications, talk to the experts at your local door and hardware supplier.

Lew Meltzer

Written by

Established in 1970, Meltzer Lippe’s founding vision was to be a commercially oriented, tax focused practice with many lawyers who had worked at major law firms

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