Electric Strikes: Complete Guide to Types, Applications and Specifications

An electric strike is the most cost-effective way to add electronic access control to a commercial door that already has a mechanical lock. It replaces the standard fixed strike plate in the door frame with a motorized unit whose keeper pivots open on command, releasing the door without anyone touching the lock from inside. The person entering presses a button, presents a credential to a card reader, or answers an intercom, and the strike releases. No key required from outside. The inside lever still operates the lock mechanically, so egress is always free. That combination of controlled entry and unimpeded egress makes the electric strike one of the most widely installed access control components in commercial buildings. But it is also one of the most frequently misspecified. A strike ordered for the wrong lockset type will not fit. A fail-secure strike on an egress door is a code violation. A strike installed on a door with high HVAC pressure differential will buzz and fail to release under load, generating service calls that cost more than the hardware. This guide covers everything you need to get the specification right the first time: how electric strikes work, the fail-safe and fail-secure distinction and when each applies, how to match the strike to the lockset type, what the major brands and series cover, and the preload problem that generates more callbacks than any other electric strike installation issue.

What Is an Electric Strike and How Does It Work?

A standard mechanical strike plate is a fixed piece of hardware mounted in the door frame. The door's latchbolt extends into the strike cavity when the door closes, holding the door shut. To open the door, the latchbolt must be retracted by operating the lock from inside or using a key from outside.

An electric strike replaces this fixed strike with a unit containing a movable keeper, a solenoid, and a housing that fits into the same frame cutout a mechanical strike occupies. When the solenoid receives power or loses it, depending on configuration, the keeper pivots open. This allows the latchbolt to pass through the strike cavity and the door to swing open without the lock being operated from inside. The person entering simply pushes the door. From inside, the lock continues to operate exactly as it does without the electric strike. The inside lever or exit device retracts the latch mechanically, and the strike has no effect on egress operation.

Electric strikes are specified as an access control alternative to electrified locksets because they work with existing mechanical hardware and require only a frame modification rather than replacing the door hardware. In retrofit applications, this means adding electronic access control to a door with a good existing mortise lock or cylindrical lockset without touching the door prep or the lock itself. On new construction, electric strikes allow the same electronic access control function at lower hardware cost than a full electrified mortise lockset, making them the standard specification for office suite entries, apartment lobbies, intercom-released entries, and any access-controlled opening that does not require the higher security of an integrated electrified lock.

Fail Safe vs. Fail Secure: The Most Critical Specification Decision

Every electric strike operates in one of two modes when power is removed, and getting this wrong has code and safety consequences that cannot be corrected after the hardware is installed.

Fail Secure (Fail Locked)

A fail-secure electric strike remains locked when power is removed. The keeper stays closed, the latchbolt cannot pass through, and the door remains secured. Power must be applied to unlock the door and allow entry. This is the most common configuration in commercial access control because the default state of most controlled doors is locked. An office suite entry, a server room, a pharmacy storage room, or a perimeter door on an industrial facility should stay locked when the power system fails, not swing open. Fail-secure delivers that behavior.

Fail-secure is also the required configuration for electric strikes installed on fire-rated doors. NFPA 80 requires fire doors to positively latch when closed. A fail-safe strike on a fire door cannot guarantee positive latching because it releases the latchbolt when power fails, removing the latching function from the assembly. Fail-secure is the only code-compliant configuration for electric strikes on fire-rated door assemblies.

Fail Safe (Fail Open)

A fail-safe electric strike unlocks when power is removed. The keeper opens and the door can be pushed open freely without any credential or key from outside. Power must be continuously applied to maintain the locked condition. This configuration is required on egress doors where the code mandate is that occupants must always be able to exit without obstruction. If power fails during a fire or emergency, a fail-safe strike ensures the door can be pushed open from either side.

Fail-safe strikes are the correct specification for access-controlled exterior doors that are also primary egress paths, intercom-released apartment lobby entries, and any door where NFPA 101 or IBC requires free egress at all times. They are not appropriate for fire-rated doors because they cannot guarantee positive latching on power failure.

A practical check for any access-controlled opening: ask what happens if the power fails at 2 AM with no one in the building. If the door being unlocked creates a security risk, the application needs fail-secure. If the door being locked creates a life-safety risk because people cannot exit, the application needs fail-safe. Most commercial projects have some doors in each category, and the specification must confirm the correct mode for every opening on the hardware schedule before the order ships.

Application	Correct Mode	Fire Rated?	Code Basis
Fire-rated corridor door	Fail secure	Yes	NFPA 80 positive latch required
Office suite entry (egress path)	Fail safe	Often yes	IBC/NFPA 101 free egress required
Server room / secure storage	Fail secure	Varies	Security priority, egress via other path
Apartment lobby intercom release	Fail safe	Often yes	Free egress from lobby
Retail stockroom	Fail secure	Rarely	Security priority
School entry / intercom release	Fail safe	Often yes	Lockdown protocols require fail safe release
Hospital patient wing entry	Fail safe	Yes	High cycle, life safety priority

Electric Strike Types by Lockset: How to Match Strike to Hardware

The most common ordering error on electric strikes is specifying a strike for the wrong lockset type. An electric strike designed for a cylindrical lockset will not accommodate the latch geometry of a mortise lock. A strike for a rim exit device is built to handle the Pullman-style latch on a panic bar, which is mechanically different from a standard spring latch. The lockset type on the door must drive the strike selection before any other variable is considered.

Electric Strikes for Cylindrical Locksets

Cylindrical locksets are the most common commercial lock type and have the widest range of compatible electric strikes. The spring latch on a cylindrical lock is typically 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch throw, and the electric strike only needs to accommodate this single latch component. Most standard commercial electric strikes are designed for cylindrical locksets.

A critical detail on cylindrical locksets: the auxiliary deadlatch. Most commercial cylindrical locks have a small secondary latch called the deadlatch that sits beside the main spring latch. When the door closes fully, the deadlatch is depressed by the strike frame, which automatically deadlocks the main latch and prevents it from being shimmed or carded open. When an electric strike is installed, the deadlatch position relative to the strike keeper matters enormously. If the strike keeper is positioned too far from the latch, the deadlatch falls into the keeper cavity rather than being depressed by the frame. This both defeats the deadlatch security function and can create a preload binding condition. HES provides keeper shims inside every 1006 Series box specifically to adjust the keeper depth for deadlatch alignment. Always verify deadlatch engagement after installing an electric strike on a cylindrical lockset.

Electric Strikes for Mortise Locksets

Mortise locksets present a different geometry. The latch bolt on a mortise lock can throw up to 3/4 inch, and many mortise locks also have a separate deadbolt that throws 1 inch. The electric strike only releases the latchbolt. The deadbolt is not affected by the electric strike and must be retracted separately. When specifying a strike for a mortise lock, confirm whether the application uses the latch only or whether the deadbolt is also in play. A standard mortise electric strike accommodates the latch but does not interact with the deadbolt. For mortise locks with active deadbolts on access-controlled doors, the specification typically moves to an electrified mortise lock rather than an electric strike.

The faceplate dimensions on a mortise lockset are larger than on a cylindrical lock, and the strike must accommodate the full mortise faceplate geometry. Von Duprin 6200 Series electric strikes for mortise or cylindrical locks and HES 1006 Series are the primary strikes specified for mortise applications at American Locksets.

Electric Strikes for Rim Exit Devices

Rim exit devices use a Pullman-style latch that pivots rather than retracting straight into the lock body. This geometry requires a strike specifically designed for rim panic hardware. A cylindrical lockset strike will not align correctly with a Pullman latch. Using the wrong strike on a rim exit device creates a binding condition where the door latches but the strike cannot release the latch under power.

The Von Duprin 6100 Series is designed specifically for rim exit devices and is the standard specification on Von Duprin 98 and 99 Series panic hardware installations. For SVR (surface vertical rod) exit devices, electric strikes are not the correct access control solution because the SVR device requires both the top and bottom rods to be active, and the electric strike only affects the rim latch point. SVR exit devices used in access control applications typically use electric latch retraction (EL) on the exit device itself rather than a frame-mounted electric strike.

Frame Material and Faceplate Selection

The frame material determines which faceplate profile is compatible with the strike. The three common commercial frame types are hollow metal, aluminum, and wood, and each requires a different faceplate configuration.

Hollow metal frames use a square-corner faceplate that matches the standard hollow metal frame profile. Most commercial electric strikes for hollow metal frames use a standard 4-7/8-inch faceplate or a 7-15/16-inch extended faceplate. The Adams Rite 7170 Series covers mortise or cylindrical locksets in hollow metal and wood frames. Von Duprin 6200 Series covers hollow metal with various faceplate options.

Aluminum storefront frames use a radius-corner faceplate that matches the aluminum frame profile. A square-corner faceplate on an aluminum frame creates a gap at the corners that is both aesthetically unacceptable and structurally incorrect. Adams Rite is the dominant brand for aluminum storefront electric strikes because Adams Rite manufactures both the exit hardware and the electric strikes for narrow-stile aluminum door applications. The Adams Rite 7101 and 7160 cover aluminum jamb applications. The Adams Rite 74R2 Ultraline is specifically designed for narrow-stile rim devices on aluminum storefront doors.

Wood frames require a narrower faceplate profile because the wood frame does not have the same depth as a hollow metal frame. The strike body cavity must fit within the available depth of the wood jamb without breaking through the back of the frame. Adams Rite 7110 and 7111 Series cover wood, hollow metal, and aluminum jamb applications in a single strike body.

Fire-Rated Electric Strikes

On fire-rated door assemblies, the electric strike must carry a UL listing for fire door use. An unrated strike installed on a fire door voids the door assembly's fire rating, which will fail NFPA 80 inspection and creates direct liability in the event of a fire. The fire listing must match or exceed the door's fire rating.

Fire-rated electric strikes are always fail-secure as noted above, but they carry additional construction requirements. The strike body and solenoid must maintain structural integrity through the rated fire exposure duration. The UL 10C positive pressure fire test requires the complete door assembly, including the electric strike, to resist both flame passage and pressure differentials that simulate real fire conditions. Adams Rite 7240 and 7270 Series are specifically listed as fire-rated electric strikes for cylindrical and mortise lockset applications on hollow metal frames. Von Duprin 6000 Series carries UL 10C listing across the product line for fire-rated applications.

The Major Electric Strike Brands at American Locksets

American Locksets is an authorized distributor for HES, Von Duprin, and Adams Rite electric strikes. Here is how the primary product lines align with commercial applications.

HES Electric Strikes

HES (Hanchett Entry Systems) is the most widely specified electric strike brand in commercial access control. The HES 1006 Series is the flagship product for cylindrical lockset applications and is the strike most commonly specified on commercial office entries, healthcare facilities, and educational buildings. The 1006 accepts a wide range of cylindrical latch dimensions, operates on 12/24VDC dual voltage, and includes keeper shims in the hardware package for deadlatch alignment. HES offers a five-year no-fault warranty on the 1006, which is the longest standard warranty in the electric strike category, extendable to ten years with the HES Smart Pac III voltage regulator.

The HES 9000 Series covers rim exit device applications. The HES 9500 and 9600 handle rim exit devices with Pullman latches up to 3/4-inch throw. The HES 9700 and 9800 cover rim devices with specialized latch geometries including Corbin Russwin SecureBolt and Adams Rite starwheel designs. All HES products are stocked in the electric strikes catalog at American Locksets.

Von Duprin Electric Strikes

Von Duprin is the dominant brand for electric strikes on Von Duprin exit device installations. When a project runs Von Duprin 98 or 99 Series rim exit devices, the Von Duprin 6100 Series is the natural electric strike specification because both products come from the same manufacturer and are engineered to work together. The 6100 is available in fail-safe and fail-secure configurations, in 12VDC, 16VDC, and 24VDC, with an optional entry buzzer (EB designation) for intercom-released applications.

The Von Duprin 6200 Series covers mortise and cylindrical lockset applications. The 6210 is for mortise locks, the 6211 handles mortise or cylindrical, and the 6212 handles cylindrical. Von Duprin 4200 Series is a lighter-duty option for cylindrical locks with field-configurable fail-safe or fail-secure operation in a single unit, useful for projects where the access control mode may change after installation. The complete Von Duprin electric strike lineup, including the 5100 Series and specialty double-door configurations such as the 6221, 6223, and 6226, is in the electric strikes section at American Locksets.

Adams Rite Electric Strikes

Adams Rite is the market leader for electric strikes on aluminum storefront and narrow-stile door applications, which is the natural consequence of Adams Rite manufacturing both the panic hardware and the access control hardware for the aluminum door market. The Adams Rite 7100 Series covers standard cylindrical and mortise applications across hollow metal, aluminum, and wood frames. The 7400 Ultraline Series is the higher-security option with monitoring signal switches that confirm strike keeper position, providing the access control system with latch monitoring capability that standard strikes lack.

The Adams Rite 74R1 and 74R2 Ultraline covers rim exit devices on aluminum frames, and these are the correct specification for Adams Rite aluminum storefront exit device installations with access control. Fire-rated applications on hollow metal frames use the Adams Rite 7240 (cylindrical) and 7270 (mortise or cylindrical) fire-rated series. The 7800 is a surface-mount fail-safe or fail-secure electric strike for applications where frame cutting is not possible. All Adams Rite electric strikes are stocked at American Locksets.

The Preload Problem: Why Your Electric Strike Buzzes but the Door Will Not Open

Preload is the most common electric strike callback in commercial access control installations, and it is frequently misdiagnosed as a faulty strike. Understanding it before the hardware ships saves significant service time and frustration.

Preload occurs when pressure builds up on the door that forces the latchbolt hard against the electric strike keeper. When the strike solenoid activates and the keeper attempts to pivot open, the friction between the latchbolt and the keeper under pressure prevents the keeper from moving. The solenoid buzzes, the strike activates electrically, but the door does not open. The person at the door has to push slightly against the door to relieve the pressure on the latch while simultaneously pulling the handle, which reduces the friction enough for the keeper to pivot and release.

The causes of preload are direct: HVAC pressure differential across the door (common in multi-story buildings where corridor pressure differs from the space behind the door), tight weather stripping or door seals that compress the door into the frame, a door closer set too tight that holds the door hard against the frame stop, or a warped door that bears hard against the strike side of the frame. None of these conditions are visible at the time of a site survey unless the HVAC is running and conditions are normal occupied-building levels.

The solution set depends on the severity. Adjusting the door closer to reduce door-closing pressure against the frame stop is the first and least expensive fix. If the HVAC pressure differential is the source, a preload-rated electric strike with an internal cam or lever-arm release mechanism provides the additional mechanical force to open the keeper under pressure. HES manufactures preload-capable versions of several strikes specifically for this application. The Von Duprin 6000 Series is designed with robust keeper mechanics that handle moderate preload better than lighter-duty strikes.

A quick field test for preload: have someone trigger the strike electrically while you place your hand flat on the door face at the strike location and apply gentle inward pressure, then try to pull the door. If the door releases with that slight inward push and did not release without it, the installation has preload. That diagnosis confirms the problem before any hardware is replaced or service calls are scheduled. American Locksets can help confirm whether a preload-capable strike is needed for a specific application before the order ships. Call 877-471-4870 with the door location, frame type, and whether the building has significant HVAC pressure across that door.

Why Choose American Locksets for Electric Strikes

American Locksets has been an authorized commercial hardware distributor since 2001, stocking electric strikes from HES, Von Duprin, and Adams Rite across every major lockset compatibility category. Every product ships from authorized distribution with full manufacturer warranty, including the HES five-year no-fault SecuriCare warranty on stocked HES products. Same-day shipping is available on stocked configurations from multiple US warehouses.

Electric strikes at American Locksets ship alongside exit devices and panic hardware, commercial mortise locks and cylindrical locksets, commercial door closers, and builders hardware on a single authorized dealer order. For projects requiring help matching a strike to an existing lockset, confirming fail-safe or fail-secure mode for a specific door, or diagnosing a preload issue on an existing installation, call 877-471-4870. Browse the complete commercial electric strikes catalog to find the right model for every opening.

Frequently Asked Questions About Electric Strikes

What is an electric strike and how does it work?

An electric strike replaces the fixed mechanical strike plate in a door frame with a motorized unit containing a movable keeper. When the solenoid is activated, the keeper pivots open and allows the door's latchbolt to pass through, releasing the door without operating the lock from inside. Inside egress remains fully mechanical through the lever or exit device. The electric strike only controls entry from outside.

What is the difference between fail safe and fail secure electric strikes?

A fail-secure electric strike stays locked when power is removed and unlocks when power is applied. It is required on fire-rated doors and used on security-critical openings where the locked state is the safe default. A fail-safe electric strike unlocks when power is removed and requires continuous power to stay locked. It is required on egress paths where occupants must always be able to exit freely, including during power failures.

Can an electric strike be used on a fire-rated door?

Yes, but only a fail-secure electric strike with a UL listing for fire door use. NFPA 80 requires fire doors to positively latch when closed, so fail-safe strikes cannot be used on fire-rated assemblies because they release the latch on power failure. The strike must carry a UL 10C listing matching or exceeding the door assembly's fire rating. Adams Rite 7240 and 7270 Series and Von Duprin 6000 Series carry fire-rated listings for hollow metal frame applications.

How do I match an electric strike to my existing lockset?

The lockset type drives strike selection. Cylindrical locksets use standard electric strikes sized to the latch throw dimension, typically 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch. Mortise locksets require strikes that accommodate the longer latch throw and the mortise faceplate geometry. Rim exit devices require strikes specifically designed for Pullman-style panic latch geometry. Using a cylindrical lockset strike on a rim exit device or a mortise lock will result in a binding or non-functional installation. Always confirm lockset type and latch throw before ordering.

What causes an electric strike to buzz but not release the door?

In most cases, preload. Preload occurs when HVAC pressure differential, tight weather stripping, or a door closer set too firmly forces the latchbolt hard against the strike keeper under pressure. The solenoid activates but the friction between the latch and keeper prevents the keeper from pivoting open. The field test is to apply slight inward hand pressure on the door face near the strike while the strike is triggered. If the door releases with that pressure and did not release without it, preload is the cause. Solutions include adjusting the door closer, installing a preload-capable strike, or addressing the HVAC pressure source.

What voltage do commercial electric strikes operate on?

Most commercial electric strikes operate on 12VDC or 24VDC, and many modern products including HES 1006 and Von Duprin 4200 Series support both voltages in a single unit through a dual-voltage solenoid. AC operation is available on some models. Always confirm the voltage output of the access control power supply and match it to the strike's input voltage specification. Applying incorrect voltage can damage the solenoid and void the warranty.

Which electric strike brands does American Locksets carry?

American Locksets stocks electric strikes from HES, Von Duprin, and Adams Rite from authorized distribution. HES covers cylindrical and rim exit device applications with five-year no-fault warranty. Von Duprin covers rim exit device and mortise or cylindrical applications across the 4200, 5100, and 6000 Series. Adams Rite covers aluminum storefront, hollow metal, and wood jamb applications with fire-rated options. Same-day shipping is available at americanlocksets.com/electric-strikes and americanlocksets.com/adams-rite-electric-strikes.