Selecting the Right Electric Strike

Choosing the best electric strike ultimately requires avoiding two ‘no-win’ situations. On one hand, choosing the wrong product wastes money because you pay more than necessary. On the other hand, if the product fails, you face the high cost of sending a technician back to the job site.

A warranty service call greatly exceeds the cost of a more expensive electric strike, so it’s no surprise that any installation manager might become complacent and stick with the strike they’ve always used successfully. But, to quote McKinsey & Company, “Complacency is the enemy of growth."

This is especially true now, as the market for electrified locking products is evolving, particularly regarding electric strikes. One key point is that the performance gap between different manufacturers is closing quickly. Not long ago, only two manufacturers offered grade 1 performance, universal features, and a 5-year product warranty. Now, many manufacturers do. In fact, we're now seeing distributor house brands that offer these features.

To select the best strike, you have to evaluate the strike value which is determined by obtaining the actual performance and quality you need at the very lowest price. Let’s look at each of these in turn.

Strike Performance

Beyond all other considerations, the electric strike you select must conform to the specifications of the project. This includes the regulatory and physical attributes of the door, frame, and lockset.

Commercial building specifications typically cite two UL standards that apply to electric strikes. Each addresses a different aspect of strike application. These are:

• UL294 Standard for Access Control Systems (required by NFPA 101 and IBC)
• UL1034 Burglary Standard for Electrified Locks (Requirements based on strength and endurance testing)

This should not be interpreted as a summary of all codes and standards applicable to the installation of an electric strike. But it is a good indication of strike performance.

You should avoid relying on UL compliance for selection if a building's occupancy or insurance doesn't require the use of a UL-listed strike. Residential strikes and gate strikes are two examples of this.

Suggestion #1: Don’t pay extra for a UL Listed strike if your local authorities
and the customer does not require it.

Type of Door

Doors and frames may be constructed of wood, hollow metal, aluminum, or glass. Each of these materials will affect the design or mounting of the strike, but will seldom limit strike selection, as most manufacturers offer solutions for all materials.

Beyond construction, there may also be another non-optional requirement. Only a fire-rated electric strike can be installed in a fire-rated door frame. This is a bottom-line spec item. If in doubt, check the frame for a UL stamp or plate.

Compatibility with the Lockset

One of our “must-haves” is the strike compatibility with the mechanical lockset that is installed in the door. There are various classifications of locksets, including ANSI, offset, and centerline mortise, gate, and RIM, among others.

Regardless of how commercial-grade strikes are classified, BHMA rates them into Grades, with one being the highest and three being the lowest.

Grade 1: 1500lbs static strength,
Grade 2: 1000lbs static strength
Grade 3: 500lbs static strength

This is precisely how the locksets are graded, so the minimum requirement is to match the grade of the strike to the grade of the lockset. It’s surprising how many installers put a Grade 1 strike on a Grade 2 (or even 3) door without considering the (usually) avoidable cost.

Suggestion #2. Don’t install a higher-grade strike than the grade of the lockset.

The Hidden Cost of Additional Features and Accessories

At the same time that we are seeing universal packages becoming the norm in the industry, we are also seeing added expenses for any changes to the base package. A notable example of this is latch monitoring. It is free from some – but not all –  manufacturers.

Suggestion #3. Check the cost for extra strike features and accessories that you need.

Everyone is familiar with strike packages containing up to eight faceplates, along with universal features (12/24V, AC/DC, fail-safe/fail-secure, etc.). These ‘everything-in-a-box’ strikes are extremely valuable for a service van that needs emergency or ‘one-off’ replacement strikes; however, universal strikes are inherently more expensive than non-adjustable models. There is a cost for each component or feature that is not used.

Suggestion #4. Avoid using multi-faceplate universal strike packages on projects. Select the specific grade, voltage, operation, and faceplate you need, and pay less.

Strike Quality

Choosing strikes based on their manufacturing quality seems to vary from installer to installer. Ultimately, you'll need to hold a sample in your hand, but there are objective criteria you can use to judge product quality first.

Current Draw: The current draw of an electric strike directly affects the long-term durability of the strike. A low current draw, particularly on peak power, performs better over time. Of course, they also have the advantage of consuming less energy.

Product Warranty: How a manufacturer supports their product reflects the quality they put into it. Manufacturers most commonly offer a 5-year warranty replacement.

Certification Standards: A recognized standard for rating the quality of a strike is part of BHMA and UL1034 compliance. Simply stated, the quality of the strike increases as the endurance increases. The price of the strike also increases, as we’ve discussed regarding holding force.

 (Min.) Endurance cycle rating
Grade 1 has 500,000 cycles
Grade 2 has 300,000 cycles
 Grade 3 has 250,000 cycles

Suggestion #5. The best strike is the one that meets your project specifications
at the lowest cost, not the one with the highest quality and price.

The Final Selection

Once we have considered all the factors, we have narrowed it down to a few strike models that will meet the project specification. Unfortunately, we cannot make a final selection without ordering a sample of the strike to test on the bench. 

Suggestion #6: Finding new strikes that provide better value should be a continuous
process for any locksmith company.

Yes, researching, selecting, and testing new strikes is challenging in an era of squeezed budgets and stretched resources, but it will yield a significant return on the time you invest.

If you are like many installers who have been using the same strike model for years without giving it much thought, now is a good time to try something new. It will lead to better service for your customers and higher profits for your company.

David Price is Category Manager for ROFU/CDVI Americas and one of the spreakers for Locksmith Ledger’s Nov. 18 webinar, The Business of Locksmithing. Register at www.locksmithledger.com/webinars.