Electromagnetic Lock Applications

Like all door hardware, electromagnetic locks (or “mag locks”) have strengths and limitations. This article deals with installation accessories that help mag locks be more versatile.

Consult with your local building inspector whenever considering a mag lock solution.


Single and Double Electromagnetic Locks

Illustrated above are the two most common types of electromagnetic locks; these are made by Security Door Controls. They are exactly the same except that one is made for use with a single door and the other is made for use with a pair of doors.

Below is pictured a side view of the basic installation for either of the mag locks above.


Standard Installation components. – Electromagnetic Lock

The red arrow at the top of the illustration above shows the direction the door swings. Users push the door from the magnet side, so this installation is called “push side mount.”

  • Header – the top member of the door frame
  • Magnet – the powered part of the electromagnetic lock
  • Armature (or Strike) – the block of metal that is attracted by the magnet to lock the door
  • Sex Bolt – the main bolt that attaches the armature to the door

These parts (plus mounting fasteners) are included with the electromagnetic lock.

Mag Lock Accessories

A wide variety of brackets and plates are available to help customize the installs to mesh with the features of the door and door frame.

Install instructions for mag locks are easy to find online. Be sure to consult them for product dimensions that will help you decide whether or not you need installation accessories to make your install possible. The other half of that equation is taking good measurements of the door and frame. Having these measurements will make you confident that your install will work.

Filler or Spacer Plates

The above illustration shows a mag lock installed on a door that has a header with a stop (indicated by the red arrow) that is not wide enough to accommodate the lock. Enter the filler plate (also called a spacer plate). The filler plate acts as a shim, in effect lowering the mag lock so that it clears the stop and can make proper contact with the armature.


Angle Brackets

Above is pictured a standard mag lock installation with an angle bracket that extends off the header to accommodate the depth of the magnet.

Top Jamb (TJ) or Z Bracket Mounting

Above is pictured the magnet installed onto the face of the header on the pull side. The armature is held by a “TJ” (Top Jamb) or “Z” bracket. This is a less common install since egress doors are usually push-to-exit doors. Also, if installed on the exposed side of an exterior door, the magnets would be exposed to the weather.

Below is another illustration of a top jamb installation.



Shear Locks

SAM installation

Shear locks are so called because when users open the door, the armature is moved away in a sideways direction, in other words, in a shearing motion. They are most often mounted vertically, as shown in the installation diagram above, with the magnet in the header and the armature in the top of the door. They are concealed inside the header and door.

The magnet pictured above can be also be mounted in the lock side leg of the door frame, with the armature in the edge of the door.

Shear locks from some other manufacturers can also be mounted in the floor or threshold. One such is pictured below: the Schlage Electronics GF3000BRD. With this model, the magnet is mounted in the floor and the armature is mounted in the bottom rail of the door.

Surface Mounted Shear Locks

Several manufacturers offer surface mounted versions of their shear locks. These can be problem solvers. There are also Top Jamb versions of these surface shear locks.


Electromagnetic Locks for Gates



Above are pictured a mag lock designed for use on outdoor gates and a set of brackets designed to be adaptable to a wide variety of gate configurations. Gate mags are sealed and weatherproof, and have a conduit fitting so electrical conduit can be run directly to the mag to complete the waterproof install.

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