Talk:Magnetic lock

Great article, but most maglocks have mechanisms in them that allow them to be fail-safe (locking system fails in the event of power disruption), or fail-secure (locking system stays active in the event of power disruption, until it it disengaged).

Generally most mag-locks are designed to "fail-open"/"fail insecure" this is due to their usage in emergency exit type scenarios. When a fire alarm is activated, most building codes require that all mag-locks be released, as a fail safe, in the event that a fire alarm should malfunction during a power interruption or a state of emergency exist that is so catastrophic it knocks out all power to the building, it is only natural to want to have the locks "fail-open" ... that being said there is nothing stopping building operators from putting mag-locks on an emergency power supply such as a generator, so that so long as emergency power is being supplied (ie the building/wiring has not be catastrophically compromised) the locks will secure.

eja2k 02:35, 2 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

non-electrical

There is a type of lock that opens by simply holding a special piece of metal that comes with the lock. I guess these kind of locks have a magnetic mechanism, but they don't need any source of electrical power as the locks currently explained in this article do. --Abdull 16:16, 10 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]

solenoid? or electromagnet

Does this type of electromagnet really count as a solenoid? My understanding has always been that a solenoid consists of an electromagnet with a moving armature which is sucked into the center of the coil, such that it produces linear motion perpendicular to the coil direction (as in a solenoid valve). —Preceding unsigned comment added by 38.127.148.182 (talk) 02:16, 9 November 2010 (UTC)[reply]