Camden CX-91S-06 600 lbs Surface Mount Magnetic Lock
The Camden CX-91S-06 is a 600-pound holding-force surface mount magnetic lock designed for single-door access control installations. It operates at 24VDC with a 240mA current draw — low enough to integrate into standard access control power supplies without requiring dedicated conditioning. Field-selectable 12/24VDC operation accommodates existing site voltage infrastructure. Vandal-resistant construction and UL 1034 (Burglary-Resistant Electric Locking Mechanisms) / ULC S533-15 certification provide compliance for commercial, institutional, and government deployments where egress code enforcement is non-negotiable.
Key Features
- 600 lbs Holding Force: Rated for standard commercial single doors under normal traffic load. Sufficient for entry doors, secure corridors, and intermediate-security access points without over-specification.
- Surface Mount Design: No frame routing required — bolt the keeper plate and coil assembly directly to the door frame face using the included template. Reduces installation labor and avoids structural weakening of light-gauge or composite frames.
- 24VDC Operation (12/24VDC Selectable): 240mA draw at 24VDC integrates cleanly with most access control panels and networked door controllers. Field-selectable jumper accommodates legacy 12VDC infrastructure without requiring a separate power supply.
- UL 1034 / ULC S533-15 Certified: Meets North American burglary-resistance and egress code standards. Required for commercial and institutional projects subject to jurisdictional compliance audits.
- MOV Surge Protection: On-board metal oxide varistor defends against inductive transients common in long wire runs or shared electrical infrastructure, reducing nuisance failures.
- Manufacturer Warranty: Lifetime warranty on electromagnetic coil and strike mechanism backs long-term reliability in 24/7 access control applications.
- Camden Ecosystem Integration: Compatible with full range of Camden mounting brackets, spacers, and specialized glass-door kits for adaptable deployment across varying frame geometries.
Surface mount magnetic locks eliminate the need for frame mortising, making the CX-91S-06 the standard choice for retrofit installations, light-gauge metal frames, and projects where structural modification is impractical or prohibited. The 600-pound holding force is adequate for medium-traffic single doors; for high-security applications or double-door configurations, verify with your integrator that this capacity aligns with your egress-code and hold-time requirements.
Power budgeting is straightforward: 240mA at 24VDC per unit means four CX-91S-06 locks draw under 1A total at the supply — well within the headroom of a standard 2A or 4A 24VDC access control transformer. On-board MOV protection also means you can run longer control wire from a centralized panel without the added expense of external surge arrestors. If your site already runs 12VDC for other solenoids or signals, the field-selectable jumper lets you avoid dual-voltage supply management.
The lock is passive (no active sensors) — it requires a 24VDC energize command from your access control panel, relay, or networked door controller. Integrate it with any standard mag-lock wiring topology: panel relay, networked electric strike interface, or third-party door controller that delivers solenoid power on command. The included door status switch (mechanical contact closure) provides feedback to your access control system, confirming the lock is energized; if your system requires monitored door position, add a separate magnetic reed switch to the frame.
Installation is non-specialized: lay out the keeper plate using the supplied metal template, drill four holes, and bolt down with the provided fasteners. Verify 24VDC polarity before energizing; reverse polarity will not damage the unit but it will not engage. Current draw and coil temperature are nominal for this form factor, so cooling is not a concern in standard indoor environments. Surface mounting also simplifies future maintenance — unbolting takes seconds if the coil or keeper plate requires replacement.
Jerry TildsenPerspective based on aggregated IP Security Depot and affiliated engineering team experience.
We've installed hundreds of Camden mag locks across the access control spectrum — from small office retrofits to large institutional campuses — and the CX-91S-06 remains the workhorse single-door strike when you can't (or won't) mortise the frame. Surface mount is the pragmatic choice more often than not: it avoids structural damage, speeds installation, and leaves the door frame available for future reconfiguration. The 600-pound holding force is genuine and tested — it will hold a 400-pound person throwing full weight against a secure frame without chatter or drift. Where we see this lock outperform expectations is in retrofit scenarios and lightweight metal frame doors where traditional mortise strikes require expensive reinforcement or are simply infeasible. The field-selectable 12/24VDC jumper has rescued more than one project where we discovered the site was already running legacy 12VDC solenoid infrastructure — no separate PSU needed, just a jumper change and you're live. Against the Assa Abloy 3000-series and HES FS5000, the Camden is less feature-rich but also 20-30% lower in capex, and the serviceability is better — you can swap the coil or keeper in under five minutes without removing the door.
Technical Highlights:
- 600 lbs Holding Force: Tested under ANSI/BHMA A156.13 load cycles. In practice, 600 pounds holds through normal traffic, occasional leaning, and light shoulder-checks — but won't resist a coordinated forced-entry attempt on a high-security perimeter. Know the threat model for your application before speccing; if you're protecting a data center or cash room, step up to an 1200-pound strike or add a mechanical deadbolt above the mag lock.
- 240mA @ 24VDC: Lower than most competitive 600-pound strikes. On a multi-door installation (say, a 12-door secure corridor), you'll stay under 3A total draw — doable on a single 4A transformer without derating for temperature or cable loss. This efficiency matters on retrofit projects where the existing PSU is already loaded.
- UL 1034 Certification: Mandatory for commercial and institutional access control; required by code on medical facilities, government buildings, and higher-ed campuses. The CX-91S-06 holds the listing — you won't face AHJ pushback on this lock if your plan set cites UL 1034 compliance.
- Field-Selectable 12/24VDC: A two-position jumper on the terminal block lets you dial the voltage. Coil impedance and current draw scale accordingly — you lose a touch of holding force on 12VDC, but the difference is negligible for typical single-door applications. This flexibility saved us shipping costs on a retrofit where the site's legacy solenoid rail was already 12VDC.
- MOV Surge Protection: Catches voltage spikes from long wire runs and inductive flyback when a relay switches the lock off. We've seen installations without surge protection fail coils twice in five years on a single-door — the MOV is cheap insurance.
Deployment Considerations:
- Surface mount requires the keeper plate to sit flush against the door frame face. If your frame is inset (recessed into the wall), you may need spacers to bridge the gap — verify frame geometry against the mounting template before ordering. Camden sells spacer kits, but it's a $30 surprise if you forget it on site.
- The 600-pound rating assumes a reasonably rigid frame and proper bolt torque (typically 40-50 in-lbs). Under-torquing the keeper plate fasteners will reduce effective holding force. Use a torque wrench on the final assembly to ensure consistent installation across multiple doors.
- Mag locks draw current continuously when energized — plan your control logic accordingly. If you want the lock to release on fire-alarm, you'll need a relay or networked door controller that de-energizes the strike on alarm input. Passive access panels won't do it; you need active switching.
- The lock provides no mechanical advantage — if the power fails, the door is free-swinging. Egress codes require that the failure mode be fail-safe (unlock on power loss) unless you're protecting a secure internal room where egress to an uncontrolled area is acceptable. Check your local code and AHJ interpretation before final approval.
- The included door status switch is a simple magnetic reed (normally open, closes when coil is energized). It's a supervisory contact, not a position sensor — it tells you the lock is powered, not whether the door is actually closed. If you need to enforce closed-door requirements, add a separate magnetic door-position switch to the frame.
The CX-91S-06 is the right lock for integrators and architects who value simplicity, compliance, and retrofit friendliness over elaborate feature sets. If you're building a small-to-medium access control system with standard single-door requirements and can't (or don't want to) mortise frames, this is your baseline specification. For larger deployments or specialized scenarios — high-traffic double doors, outdoor applications, or high-security perimeter control — consult the broader Camden catalog for rated alternatives.
