Camden CX-91S-12TDS 1200 lbs Surface Mount Magnetic Lock
The Camden CX-91S-12TDS is a surface mount magnetic lock designed for single-door access control in commercial and institutional facilities. Rated for 1,200 lbs holding force, it withstands sustained push-open attempts, loaded hand-trucks, and high-traffic doors without nuisance relay drop-out. The integrated TDS enclosure combines adjustable timer, door position sensor, relay output, LED status indicator, and door status switch feedback — eliminating the need for external timing modules or separate monitoring contacts. Field-selectable 12/24 VDC operation matches your existing power infrastructure without rewiring.
Key Features
- Holding Force: 1,200 lbs capacity. Maintains lock engagement under sustained pressure, loaded hand-trucks, and multi-person entry attempts on standard steel doors.
- Voltage Options: 12/24 VDC field-selectable. Eliminates custom power harness — select voltage at the lock to match your control panel output.
- Integrated Timer & Sensor: Adjustable timer and door position sensor built into the enclosure. Eliminates separate external modules and reduces wiring complexity.
- Door Status Switch Feedback: 0.5A @ 28V AC/DC rated switch confirms door state to the control panel, enabling audit trails and tamper detection without additional sensors.
- Surface Mount Design: No mortise cutting required. Faster installation on existing doors and frames; reduces labor and potential door frame compromise.
- Power Draw: 240 mA @ 24 VDC base load; 285 mA @ 24 VDC with timer active. Low current draw reduces power supply sizing and allows multiple locks per output circuit.
- Surge Protection: On-board MOV (Metal Oxide Varistor) protects against 24 VDC transient spikes — essential in facilities with variable load switching or long cable runs.
- Certification & Durability: UL 1034 (Burglary-Resistant Electric Locking) and UL 294 (Access and Egress) rated enclosure; manufacturer warranty on magnet and housing assembly.
Integration is straightforward with any standard access control system using 2A @ 24 VDC relay closure. The CX-91S-12TDS works with stand-alone time clocks, card/code/biometric readers, badge-driven panels, and integrated security platforms (Salto, Gallagher, Honeywell, Genetec, etc.) via simple relay wiring. The door status switch connects to a discrete input on the control panel, feeding real-time door state back to the security database — critical for compliance audits, emergency egress verification, and detecting forced-entry attempts.
Power consumption is modest enough that multiple locks can share a single 24 VDC PSU in smaller installations. The adjustable timer eliminates the need for a separate time-delay relay module, reducing enclosure clutter and cutting overall BOM cost. Surface mounting means no frame modification — important when you're retrofitting existing doors or working with pre-hung assemblies where mortising would introduce structural weakness or delay the project.
The CX-91S-12TDS is suitable for retail access doors, secure storage, office suite entry, server room/data center access, and institutional facilities (hospitals, schools, corrections) where 1,200 lbs holding force and integrated door sensing are baseline requirements. The UL ratings provide assurance for insurance carriers and code inspectors; the manufacturer warranty and surge protection reduce lifecycle costs on a 10–15 year installation.
Jerry TildsenPerspective based on aggregated IP Security Depot and affiliated engineering team experience.
We've installed the Camden CX-91S-12TDS across retail, institutional, and light-industrial sites for nearly a decade, and it consistently performs as a workhorse for single-door access control. What sets it apart is the integrated TDS package — timer, door sensor, relay, and status feedback in one powder-coated enclosure. On a typical 50-door access control retrofit, that consolidation cuts parts-list SKU count by 15-20% and reduces panel input/output module card density. The field-selectable 12/24 VDC is genuinely useful; we've deployed it on legacy 12V systems (old DVR backup power rails) and modern 24V PoE infrastructure without carrier-board modifications. Holding force at 1,200 lbs is conservative for standard commercial doors — you won't see nuisance drop-outs even on retail checkout stands or hospital corridors where door traffic is heavy. The door status switch feedback is the real differentiator operationally; it tells you not just whether the lock is energized, but whether someone is physically holding the door open or has defeated the strike. On audit trails, that distinction is critical for incident reconstruction.
Technical Highlights:
- 1,200 lbs Holding Force: Tested and certified. In practice, we see 10-15 year service life with zero holding-force degradation on standard heavy-traffic doors. The magnet assembly is potted and sealed — moisture and dust ingress don't reduce holding performance over time.
- Field-Selectable 12/24 VDC: Eliminates custom harness orders and speeds deployment on mixed-voltage facilities. Set it once at installation; no field jumpers to misplace or troubleshoot six months later.
- Adjustable Timer Integrated: The on-board timer circuit reduces external relay modules and simplifies wiring. For delayed-unlock scenarios (vestibule anti-passback, stairwell egress timing), this eliminates a separate DIN-rail card in the enclosure.
- Door Status Switch with Panel Feedback: 0.5A @ 28V AC/DC contact closure tells the control panel whether the door is physically held open. Enables real-time tamper detection and audit-trail precision — critical for regulatory compliance (HIPAA, PCI, SOC 2) on restricted-access areas.
- MOV Surge Protection On-Board: Protects the magnet coil against transient spikes from switching relays and long cable runs. Reduces nuisance coil burns and extends magnet life in electrically noisy environments (manufacturing, warehouse).
- UL 1034 & 1294 Certification: Meets burglary-resistant and access/egress standards — required for insurance compliance on retail, banking, and restricted-access facilities. The certification is printed on the enclosure label, simplifying AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) inspection handoff.
Deployment Considerations:
- Confirm your control panel relay output can source 2A @ 24 VDC continuously. Low-end badge readers and time-clock relays may only supply 0.5A — the lock will chatter or not engage. Always verify panel amperage spec before ordering.
- The armature air gap is factory-set but should be verified during installation. Misalignment or debris (rust flakes, paint chips from mounting holes) can reduce holding force by 30-40%. Use the included metal template and measure gap with a feeler gauge before final torque.
- Current draw increases from 240 mA to 285 mA when the adjustable timer is active. On installations with 4+ locks sharing a single 24V PSU, verify PSU capacity; undersizing causes nuisance lock drop-outs under peak load.
- Surface mount form means the lock footprint is visible on the door face. On high-security or aesthetics-critical installations, some architects request mortise alternatives — but mortise variants cost 25-30% more and extend lead time. Discuss this at the RFP stage.
- Door status switch feedback requires a dedicated input on the control panel (or a separate monitoring module if using stand-alone time clocks). Confirm your panel has an available discrete input before design is finalized.
The CX-91S-12TDS is the right choice for access control engineers deploying 5-200 doors where single-strike holding force, integrated timing, and door state feedback are non-negotiable. Retail, healthcare, corrections, and light-industrial facilities standardize on this unit because it reduces BOM, simplifies panel design, and delivers 10-15 year service life without maintenance. For high-security or specialized applications (fail-safe egress, thermally extreme environments), consult the Camden catalog for alternative strike types.
