Electric door strike for outdoor wood gate

[gdl]

I am looking for recommendations for an electric door strike for a cylindrical lock to install in a wood fence.  It should be outdoor-rated and tolerate at least the expected change in the gate-jamb interface dimensions and alignment that will arise from the wood gate and jamb living in an outdoor environment.  Ideally, the strike would tolerate a preload and not require a face cut.
 
I have found only two manufacturers of outdoor-rated electric strikes, HES and Trine.  It appears that none of their outdoor-rated strikes are rated for a preload.  Although the HES 8000 does not require a face cut, it looks as if it would be more sensitive to changes in alignment than the other outdoor-rated candidates, the HES 1006, the HES 5000 and the Trine EN400.  I would welcome advice from anyone who has experience with any of these strikes or who can recommend another outdoor-rated strike for installation in a wood fence.
 

 

[Del91574]

Neither of those manufacturers products would be outdoor rated in the manner I believe you're intending. They are not IP rated. They are installed in a steel door which is generally weatherproof from water soaking down the interior.
 
You've got to realize, there's a difference between outdoor rated and an IP rating which the lock is going to need to be installed outdoors. To install them outdoors you'll need a sealed backbox and a bunch of other items
 
You're looking at a maglock in most of the outdoor applications. Both from a wiring and reliability standpoint.

 

[gdl]

Thank you for your insight.  If the issue were just sensitivity to misalignment, how would you rank the Trine and the three HES models?
 
You are correct that I did not understand there to be a difference between a UL outdoor rating and an IP rating.  UL does not publish its testing criteria, but they do include a rain test, salt spray corrosion test and dust test, which by title appear to be similar to the IP rating tests for intrusion by water and solid objects.  This, together with the fact that Trine specifically advertises its lock as intended for installation outdoors in a gate and as being suitable for installation in either wood or metal jambs, led me to believe that its location outdoors would not be an issue in my application.  What is a sealed backbox and what are the other items I would need to install it outdoors? 

 

[Del91574]

Trine gives you the dimensions of a backbox/weld box. Something like that would need to be used to mount a strike, not within wood or the same. The cabling would need to be protected and the components of the strike protected from splashing or direct water pouring on/in the lock itself.
 
Honestly, I deal with this stuff daily, you're better off using a maglock unless you must maintain fail secure, like a pool. That would address the preload, alignment and many other issues that a strike does not.

 

[gdl]

I appreciate the advantages of a maglock, but unfortunately, we need fail secure.  We live in an area where the power is out on a routine basis and the gate provides access to all of the doors and and all of the first floor windows of our house, none of which are visible from the street or by our neighbors.  Moreover, because the gate is in the only exit path from our house, my understanding from one of your other posts is that a maglock would require we install a break glass, which would have a very negative WAF.  Even without the breakglass, my wife has made clear her preference for a lock that she can operate like a traditional mechanical lock.
 
If it were the case that no strike will work in our application, then I suppose I would have to find a way to provide backup power for a maglock and mollify my wife.  It appears, however, that your advice is not that no strike will work, but just that a maglock would be a better solution.  
 
In your experience, which of the Trine EN400, HES 1006 or HES 5000 would be superior in terms of tolerance to preload or misalignment?

 

[Del91574]

Maglocks have special concerns, however if you have the fire alarm connected, then emergency egress is handled by interconnecting the power supply with the panel. A secondary means of egress and power interruption should be considered.
 
If you have a traditional cylindrical knob or similar involved, then my suggestion, honestly, would be to have that as the physical hardware, followed by using the maglock for security purposes.
 
In the case of a strike, with it being weather resistant, operating with a preload and misalignment, you've got very few choices.
 
The other problem is going to be your design criteria for egress. I also don't know what you're deeming as the gate construction details themselves. The majority of times, a strike on a wood fence, the easiest solution is going to be to install a steel gate and frame/post and then face accordingly, to take the sag and other issues out of the equation.
 
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