Electrified Cylindrical Locks

Electrified cylindrical locks are the backbone of access-controlled commercial door openings. They combine the familiar cylindrical lockset format, standard ANSI 161 door preparation, and either a solenoid or motor-driven mechanism that allows the lock to be controlled electrically by an access control system, card reader, keypad, or remote release. Every lock in this category installs in a standard cylindrical door prep, connects to a power supply or access control panel, and delivers remote locking or unlocking on a door that would otherwise require a conventional mechanical key at every access point.

What Is an Electrified Cylindrical Lock?

An electrified cylindrical lock, also called an electronic cylinder lock or electric cylinder lock, is a mechanical cylindrical lockset with an integrated solenoid or clutch mechanism that engages or disengages the outside lever on a signal from a power supply or access control system. The inside lever remains mechanically operational at all times for egress. The electrical mechanism only controls entry from the outside.

This is the fundamental difference between an electrified lock and an electric strike. An electric strike sits in the door frame and releases the latch; the lockset itself stays purely mechanical. An electrified cylindrical lock puts the electrical mechanism inside the lock body, which means the lock controls the lever directly and offers more function options, better security, and a cleaner installation on doors where a frame-mounted electric strike isn't practical.

Fail Safe vs Fail Secure: The Most Important Specification Decision

Every electric cylinder lock on this page ships as either fail safe or fail secure, and specifying the wrong one creates a compliance problem that's expensive to fix after the door is installed.

Fail safe means the lock unlocks when power is removed. When the building loses power, when the fire alarm activates and cuts power to access-controlled doors, or when the access control panel resets, the outside lever becomes free. This is the correct specification for stairwell re-entry doors, main building egress paths, and any opening where life safety codes require free access during emergencies. The Corbin Russwin CL33900 Series and the Schlage ND Series both offer fail safe configurations as standard ordering options.

Fail secure means the lock stays locked when power is removed. Power must be applied to unlock the outside lever. This is the correct specification for server rooms, pharmacies, evidence storage, secure offices, and any door where the secured state must be maintained even through a power failure. Fail secure should never be used on a primary egress path without a mechanical key override.

Some models in this category, including certain Command Access and ACSI units, are field selectable between fail safe and fail secure, which gives the installer flexibility when the specification changes after the hardware ships.

Voltage, Current, and Power Supply Compatibility

12V and 24V Operation

Most electrified cylindrical locks in this category operate on 12V DC, 24V DC, or both. The Schlage ND Series auto-detects 12V or 24V DC input and adjusts accordingly, with a maximum current draw of 0.4 amps activating and 0.1 amps holding. This low holding current is critical on multi-door access control installations where a single power supply feeds multiple locks simultaneously. Higher holding current forces installers to either oversize the power supply or reduce the number of locks per circuit.

Corbin Russwin CL33900 Series locks operate on 12V AC/DC or 24V AC/DC and use a continuous duty solenoid. Continuous duty means the solenoid can remain energized indefinitely without overheating, which is required on fail secure installations where the solenoid is energized for the full duration that the door is in the unlocked state.

Brands and Product Lines in This Category

Schlage ND Series Electrified Cylindrical Locks

The Schlage ND Series is the most widely specified Grade 1 electrified cylindrical lock in North American commercial construction. ND Series electrified models test to 3,100 in-lb of lever torque and 1,600 lbs of offset lever pull, which is well beyond the ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 requirement. The Vandlgard option adds a free-wheeling lever on locked functions that eliminates lever breakage as a forced-entry method. All ND Series locks install in the standard ANSI 161 cylindrical door prep, making them direct replacements for existing ND mechanical locks without door modification.

Corbin Russwin CL33900 Series

The Corbin Russwin CL33900 Series uses the proven CL3300 Grade 1 mechanical lockset body paired with a continuous duty integral solenoid. The Lever Release design allows the outside lever to rotate freely in the locked position, preventing vandal-style lever snapping on locked functions. The CL33900 is available in fail safe and fail secure, with optional request-to-exit switch and large or small format IC core configurations for masterkey integration.

Command Access Electrified Cylindrical Locks

Command Access electrified cylindrical knob locks and lever locks provide a value-positioned alternative to premium brand electrified cylindrical hardware, with Grade 1 performance at competitive pricing. Available in 12V and 24V DC configurations with standard ANSI 161 prep compatibility.

Applications for Electric Cylinder Locks

Electrified cylindrical locks are the standard specification for stairwell tower access control, pharmacy controlled substance storage rooms, apartment complex lobby doors, school perimeter entry doors, healthcare wing controlled access points, and office suites requiring card reader or keypad entry. Any door that currently uses a mechanical cylindrical lockset and needs to be integrated into an access control system is a candidate for an electrified cylindrical lock replacement.

Browse the full electrified locks inventory at American Locksets, or explore the broader commercial locks catalog for mechanical and electronic hardware across all brands. For doors requiring mortise-format electrified hardware, see electrified mortise locks.

Why American Locksets Is the Source for Electrified Cylindrical Locks

The electrified lock market is where wrong orders are most expensive. A fail safe lock installed on a secure room or a fail secure lock installed on an egress stairwell aren't just specification errors, they're building code violations that require hardware replacement before occupancy. At American Locksets, we've been selling electrified cylindrical hardware to contractors, facility managers, and access control integrators since 2001. We know which Schlage ND Series suffix designates fail safe versus fail secure, which voltage configuration your power supply actually requires, and which IC core format your existing masterkey system uses.

Our pricing on Schlage ND Series, Corbin Russwin CL33900, and Command Access electrified cylindrical locks reflects direct distributor relationships that we've built over more than two decades in commercial hardware distribution. Free shipping on orders over $300 applies to this entire category. Same-day shipping is available on in-stock items.

Frequently Asked Questions About Electrified

Cylindrical Locks

Q: What is an electrified cylindrical lock?

A standard cylindrical lockset with an internal solenoid that electrically controls the outside lever. The inside lever always operates freely. Controlled by access control systems, card readers, or keypads.

Q: What is the difference between fail safe and fail secure?

Fail safe unlocks when power is removed. Fail secure stays locked when power is removed. Specify based on whether egress or security takes priority during power failure.

Q: What voltage do electrified cylindrical locks use?

Most operate on:

• 12V DC

• 24V DC

• Some auto-detect both (Schlage ND Series)

Confirm your access control power supply output before ordering.

Q: Can I install an electrified cylindrical lock in a standard door prep?

Yes. All models in this category install in the standard ANSI 161 cylindrical bore without modification to the door.

Q: What brands of electrified cylindrical locks are available?

This category carries:

• Schlage ND Series (Grade 1, most widely specified)

• Corbin Russwin CL33900 Series (continuous duty solenoid)

• Command Access (value Grade 1 option)