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fail safe electric strike/electric lock with pull station

Not sure exactly what you are describing, but welcome to the forum. Maybe someone else will know what you are describing. See maglocks all the time to prevent entry, but not egress.
 
Welcome. How did you find us??

So you have a fail safe electric strike

On the egress side how does the door open?? Turn handle??

Is there a card reader to get in??

And not sure which side the pull station is on?? Egress ingress??

As long as you can normally operate the door to egress you are good

Do you know what building code and edition this is under
 
Fail-safe, Also called fail-open, applying electric current to the strike will cause it to lock.

It operates the same as a magnetic lock.

If there is a power failure, the door opens merely by being pushed or pulled.

What occupancy?

What would the application be?

Ingress? Egress?

FYI

Fail-secure, Also called fail-locked or non-fail safe, applying electric current to the strike will cause it to open. The strike would remain locked in a power failure, but typically the knob can still be used to open the door from the inside for egress from the secure side.
 
cda said:
Welcome. How did you find us??So you have a fail safe electric strike

On the egress side how does the door open?? Turn handle??

Is there a card reader to get in??

And not sure which side the pull station is on?? Egress ingress??

As long as you can normally operate the door to egress you are good

Do you know what building code and edition this is under
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thanks for the quick replies, pull station and card reader on the the egress side. You need to go through these doors to get to the fire exits, there is an exit light above the doors. I am pretty sure we need maglocks and I am not aware of any jurisdiction that accepts an electric strike/lock to fail 'unlock' to provide access to exit, only maglocks in my experience.
 
jamesmayhoffer said:
I am not aware of any jurisdiction that accepts an electric strike/lock to fail 'unlock' to provide access to exit, only maglocks in my experience.
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You need to ask the AHJ, I have used them
 
jamesmayhoffer said:
thanks for the quick replies, pull station and card reader on the the egress side. You need to go through these doors to get to the fire exits, there is an exit light above the doors. I am pretty sure we need maglocks and I am not aware of any jurisdiction that accepts an electric strike/lock to fail 'unlock' to provide access to exit, only maglocks in my experience.
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Once again I walk up to the door to exit

What is the proposal to be able to open the door?? Turn a knob, turn a lever, panic hardware, pull the pull station???

There is no problem with an electric strike
 
If you have a card reader on the egress side and this door is part of a required means of egress, the card reader should be used to shunt an alarm or disarm a delayed egress lock (if allowed for the occupancy). The card reader on the egress side should not be controlling an electric strike, electric lock, or electromagnetic lock. Typically, an electric strike or electric lock would allow free egress, so I'm not sure what service the card reader would serve. The code requirements for mag-locks state that you need a motion sensor and push button to release the lock on the egress side (or a door-mounted release device), so if the opening is code-compliant, the card reader on the egress side would not be used to unlock the mag-lock - the sensor and push button would do that.
 
1008.1.3.4 Access-controlled egress doors.

The entrance doors in a means of egress in buildings with an occupancy in Group A, B, E, M, R-1 or R-2 and entrance doors to tenant spaces in occupancies in Groups A, B, E, M, R-1 and R-2 are permitted to be equipped with an approved entrance and egress access control system which shall be installed in accordance with all of the following criteria:

1. A sensor shall be provided on the egress side arranged to detect an occupant approaching the doors. The doors shall be arranged to unlock by a signal from or loss of power to the sensor.

2. Loss of power to that part of the access control system which locks the doors shall automatically unlock the doors.

3. The doors shall be arranged to unlock from a manual unlocking device located 40 inches to 48 inches (1016 mm to 1219 mm) vertically above the floor and within 5 feet (1524 mm) of the secured doors. Ready access shall be provided to the manual unlocking device and the device shall be clearly identified by a sign that reads "PUSH TO EXIT." When operated, the manual unlocking device shall result in direct interruption of power to the lock—independent of the access control system electronics—and the doors shall remain unlocked for a minimum of 30 seconds.

4. Activation of the building fire alarm system, if provided, shall automatically unlock the doors, and the doors shall remain unlocked until the fire alarm system has been reset.

5. Activation of the building automatic sprinkler or fire detection system, if provided, shall automatically unlock the doors. The doors shall remain unlocked until the fire alarm system has been reset.

6. Entrance doors in buildings with an occupancy in Group A, B, E or M shall not be secured from the egress side during periods that the building is open to the general public
 
steveray said:
1008.1.3.4 Access-controlled egress doors. The entrance doors in a means of egress in buildings with an occupancy in Group A, B, E, M, R-1 or R-2 and entrance doors to tenant spaces in occupancies in Groups A, B, E, M, R-1 and R-2 are permitted to be equipped with an approved entrance and egress access control system which shall be installed in accordance with all of the following criteria:

1. A sensor shall be provided on the egress side arranged to detect an occupant approaching the doors. The doors shall be arranged to unlock by a signal from or loss of power to the sensor.

2. Loss of power to that part of the access control system which locks the doors shall automatically unlock the doors.

3. The doors shall be arranged to unlock from a manual unlocking device located 40 inches to 48 inches (1016 mm to 1219 mm) vertically above the floor and within 5 feet (1524 mm) of the secured doors. Ready access shall be provided to the manual unlocking device and the device shall be clearly identified by a sign that reads "PUSH TO EXIT." When operated, the manual unlocking device shall result in direct interruption of power to the lock—independent of the access control system electronics—and the doors shall remain unlocked for a minimum of 30 seconds.

4. Activation of the building fire alarm system, if provided, shall automatically unlock the doors, and the doors shall remain unlocked until the fire alarm system has been reset.

5. Activation of the building automatic sprinkler or fire detection system, if provided, shall automatically unlock the doors. The doors shall remain unlocked until the fire alarm system has been reset.

6. Entrance doors in buildings with an occupancy in Group A, B, E or M shall not be secured from the egress side during periods that the building is open to the general public
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Thank you all for your responses. My specific question is about the use of "failed unlocked" devices (e.strikes/locks) that incorporate pins/latches etc. In my experience most codes only allow electromagnetic locks (that do not incorporate pin/latches) to be used in failed unlocked exiting situations. The idea being that failed unlocked strikes/locks have a possibility, even remotely of breaking and not unlocking in a certain situation and maglocks without power are going to unlock.
 
Anything can fail

Do you have a link to an example of what you are asking about??

Electric strikes have been around for a long time. And normally with an electric strike you do not have to use it on the egress side to open a door
 
cda said:
Anything can failDo you have a link to an example of what you are asking about??

Electric strikes have been around for a long time. And normally with an electric strike you do not have to use it on the egress side to open a door
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Yes anything can fail and that is why I have never seen fail unlocked electric strikes/locks as acceptable. If a maglock fails at least it will be unlocked and allow access to an exit.
 
jamesmayhoffer said:
Yes anything can fail and that is why I have never seen fail unlocked electric strikes/locks as acceptable. If a maglock fails at least it will be unlocked and allow access to an exit.
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Do you have a link to an example of what you are asking about??
 
Here's a checklist from San Francisco Fire Dept on egress from secure elevator lobbies that may include some criteria to consider:

Proposals to lock elevator lobbies shall comply with Section 1008.1.4.6 of the 2010 SFBC or the following:When approved, exit doors from elevator lobbies may be locked when equipped with an approved unlocking system. Projects will be considered on a case-by-case basis. In no case will an elevator lobby be allowed to be locked if one of the required means of egress for the floor passes through the elevator lobby per SFBC Section 1018.6 exception 2. When applying for the permit the following checklist must be signed, completed and placed on the plan by the architect.

• The elevator lobby is located in an office building.

• The lobby door does not serve an Assembly Occupancy.

• The entire building is equipped with an automatic sprinkler system.

• Sprinklers on the floor are of the quick response type.

• A monitored fire alarm system capable of alerting all occupants is installed throughout the building.

• Smoke detectors are provided within 5 feet of the door on both the inside and the outside of the door, or smoke detectors are part of an open area protection system covering the room, corridor, elevator lobby, or enclosed space on each side of the door and are located and spaced according to their listing.

• An illuminated exit sign complying with 2010 SFBC Section 1011 is installed at the door.

• An approved listed, momentary mushroom-shaped palm button, releasing device is provided.

• This device shall be located between 30” and 44” above the floor and within 6” of the frame. The device shall be installed on the wall adjacent to the latch outside the door. Where there is no space on the latch side, including double leaf doors, devices shall be placed on the nearest adjacent wall, preferably on the right side.

• The door shall unlock (but stay latched) immediately and automatically on any of the following conditions:

a) Activation of the releasing device.

b) Loss of power to the lock circuit, or access control system.

c) Activation of any fire alarm initiating device such as a smoke detector, heat detector, sprinkler water-flow detector, manual pull station, etc. on the floor.

d) Activation of any fire alarm notification appliance such as horns, bells, strobes, voice alarm, etc., on the floor.

e) Loss of power to the smoke detection system.

• No override of the egress control system is allowed.

• A sign shall be provided above each EXIT releasing device.

a) The sign shall have appropriate instructions, depending on the type of device. EXAMPLE: "PUSH BUTTON BELOW FOR EMERGENCY EXIT". In addition, it may add, "ALARM WILL SOUND".

b) The color of the lettering shall be in high contrast with the background.

c) The words shall be in sans-serif upper case letters, raised 1/32” minimum, and shall be a minimum 5/8” in height.

d) Written characters shall be accompanied by Braille symbols. The symbols shall be contracted Grade 2 Braille. Dots shall be 1/10” on center in each cell with 2/10” space between cells. Dots shall be raised a minimum of 1/40” above the background.

e) The sign shall be located directly above the EXIT releasing device at 60” above the floor to the centerline of the sign. Note: See CBC Section 1117B.5 for additional information concerning signage.

• All electrical wiring shall be in metallic raceway or equivalent protection as approved by the Department of Building Inspection.

• No override of the lock release is permitted.

• " Buzzing in" is not equivalent to the above requirements.

In addition to the requirements above, the following features may be used:

• A local alarm may be initiated by activating the releasing device. This alarm may include a local silence feature. The releasing device may be connected to the fire alarm system, but only as a supervisory point. Its activation shall not initiate any public alarm or notify the Fire Department. The door lock circuit may include remote switches or card readers for controlled access. The door lock may be operated by a remote manual lock release ("buzzing in").
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jamesmayhoffer said:
Thank you all for your responses. My specific question is about the use of "failed unlocked" devices (e.strikes/locks) that incorporate pins/latches etc. In my experience most codes only allow electromagnetic locks (that do not incorporate pin/latches) to be used in failed unlocked exiting situations. The idea being that failed unlocked strikes/locks have a possibility, even remotely of breaking and not unlocking in a certain situation and maglocks without power are going to unlock.
Click to expand...
Do you have an example from the codes of where a "fail unlocked" scenario is allowed for egress? An elevator lobby door is one possibility, but the IBC doesn't include this application. Some state codes do and NFPA 101 does as well - just for elevator lobbies when you have to exit the lobby through a tenant space to get to the stairs. But typically an egress door needs to provide free egress all the time, not just unlock on fire alarm to allow egress.
 
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