Electric Strikes & Maglocks error codes, explained
Badge-access door hardware — strikes, maglocks, and their power. Codes below: Symptom guides (buzzing strikes, weak maglocks). Each guide covers what the code means, what you can safely try yourself, when to stop and call a technician, and what the repair typically costs.
Electric strike buzzes but the door won't open
The buzz means power is arriving — the mechanism is mechanically bound. The classic culprit is 'preload': pressure on the door (HVAC stack pressure is the leading cause, plus warped doors, weatherstripping, sagging hinges) pushes the latch against the strike's keeper so hard the keeper can't pivot even when energized. The diagnostic is beautifully simple: have someone pull/push the door to relieve pressure while badging in — if it releases, it's preload. Other documented causes: wrong voltage or AC/DC mismatch (note AC strikes buzz by design; DC strikes are silent, so a NEW buzz on a DC strike means wrong power), and only after eliminating those, a failing solenoid.
Maglock not holding (door pulls open)
A magnetic lock's armature plate must FLOAT slightly on its rubber washers to self-align with the magnet face — a rigidly overtightened or misaligned plate can't make full contact, and holding force collapses. Other documented causes: low or incorrect voltage (12/24 VDC jumper set wrong), dirty or rusty mating faces, a sagging door that changes the contact geometry, or an external input (stuck exit button, fire-alarm relay) silently cutting power. Two facts worth knowing: maglocks are inherently fail-safe — they unlock when power drops, by design, for life safety — and slight warmth during operation is normal, not a fault.