Which HES electric strike do I need? A model-by-model guide

Most electric strike returns come down to one thing: the strike didn't match the latch. HES makes a strike for nearly every opening, but the catalog is organized by series number rather than by the question an installer actually has in front of them. This guide works the other way round — start with the lock on the door and the frame it sits in, and the right series falls out.

Every specification below is taken from HES's published datasheets and selector guide (linked on each product page). If a detail decides your job — fire listing, latch throw, frame depth — read the datasheet before you order, and send us the lock or exit device model if you want us to confirm the match first.

Start with three questions

1. What's on the door? A cylindrical lockset (the common knob or lever with a 4-7/8" ANSI strike plate), a mortise lock, or an exit device (push bar). Exit devices split again: most have a Pullman latch — a beveled, spring-loaded bolt — while Adams Rite storefront devices use a Starwheel or Interlocking latch. HES builds different strikes for the two, and they don't cross over.

2. Can you cut the frame? Concealed strikes mortise into the jamb and finish like a standard strike plate. Surface-mounted strikes bolt to the face of the frame with no cutting, which is why they're the default for exit devices and for retrofits on aluminum storefront.

3. Is the opening fire-rated? On a labeled fire door the strike must carry a UL 10C listing, and HES lists its fire ratings for fail-secure operation (locked when power is lost). That rules out several otherwise excellent models.

Two things hold across almost the whole line: HES's current strikes are field-selectable fail-safe / fail-secure (the 1006 is the exception — fail-secure standard, fail-safe as a separate configuration), and they run on 12 or 24 volts, so the power supply usually decides the voltage, not the strike.

Cylindrical locksets (knobs and levers)

HES 5000 — compact, low profile. HES's "Grade 1, low profile solution" for cylindrical locksets with a 1/2" to 5/8" latchbolt (5/8" with a 1/8" door gap). Metal or wood frames, strike body depth 1-3/16", field-selectable fail-secure/fail-safe, 12/24 VDC/VAC, 1,500 lbs static and 70 ft-lbs dynamic, 1,000,000 cycles. UL 1034 burglary-resistant, UL 294, ANSI/BHMA A156.31 Grade 1. No fire rating in the datasheet. The 5000C Complete Pac includes the 501 and 501A faceplates.

HES 5200 — the adjustable one. Same family, built for the larger 5/8" to 3/4" latchbolt (3/4" with a 1/8" door gap) found on many Grade 1 commercial levers, with HES's in-frame horizontal adjustable design so the keeper can be moved to meet a latch that's slightly off center. Metal or wood frames, body depth 1-1/16", field-selectable, 12/24 VDC/VAC (DC continuous, AC intermittent), 1,500 lbs static, 70 ft-lbs dynamic, UL 1034, UL 294, Grade 1. No fire rating in the datasheet. We stock three versions: the 5200C-630 Complete Pac (501 and 501A faceplates), the 5200C-LBM with a latchbolt monitor, and the 5200C-LBSM with latchbolt and strike monitoring for systems that want door feedback from the strike itself.

HES 8300 — no-cut, fire-rated retrofit. For cylindrical latchbolts of 1/2" to 5/8" (5/8" with a 1/8" gap), with "no cutting on frame required for 4-7/8" ANSI prep" — it replaces the existing strike plate. Metal, wood, and aluminum frames, body depth 1-1/16", field-selectable, 12/24 VDC/VAC, 1,500 lbs static, 70 ft-lbs dynamic. UL 10C fire rated, NFPA 80-07 compliant, UL 1034, UL 294, Grade 1. The 8000 is the same latch class without the fire listing (HES selector guide). We don't currently stock the 8000/8300, but they're the answer when "we can't cut the frame" meets a cylindrical lock.

Rule of thumb: measure the latch throw. Up to 5/8" → 5000. 3/4", or you want horizontal adjustment → 5200. Can't cut the frame → 8300 (fire-rated) or 8000.

Cylindrical or mortise, including fire-rated openings

HES 1006 — the heavy-duty universal. HES's strongest strike: "accommodates every cylindrical and mortise locksets with or without a 1" deadbolt," using a system of 27 interchangeable faceplates. Metal or wood frames. Fail-secure standard (2,500 lbs static, 350 ft-lbs dynamic in fail-secure), fail-safe available as an option, 12/24 VDC continuous duty, 1,000,000 cycles. UL 10C fire rated — 3 hour single door, 1-1/2 hour double door, fail-secure only. UL 1034 and suitable for outdoor use, UL 294, Grade 1. The 1006CLB Complete Pac includes the J, K, KD, and KM faceplates for latchbolt locks; the 1006CLB-F LBM version is the fail-safe body with a latchbolt monitor.

HES 4500C — fire-rated in a shallow body. "Accommodates either cylindrical or mortise locksets up to a 3/4" throw latchbolt," with a 1-3/8" body depth that "maintains 1/2" drywall penetration, even in a 2" UL 10C fire-rated frame." Metal or wood frames, field-selectable fail-safe/fail-secure, 12/24 VAC/VDC, 1,500 lbs static, 100 ft-lbs dynamic, 1,000,000 cycles. UL 10C fire rated, 3 hour single door, fail-secure only. UL 1034, UL 294, Grade 1. The box includes two faceplates, one for cylindrical and one for mortise.

HES 1500 Series — low profile, finished look. "Works with all brands of cylindrical and mortise locksets without a deadbolt" on a 4-7/8" strike plate. Metal or wood frames, body depth 1-3/8", field-selectable fail-safe/fail-secure, 12/24 VDC/VAC, 1,500 lbs static, 70 ft-lbs dynamic, 1,000,000 cycles. HES lists it as UL 10C fire rated (fail-secure operation), UL 1034 and suitable for outdoor use, UL 294, Grade 1. Its modular faceplate kits are the point: the 1500C-630 ships with the 1LB kit for latchbolts, and the strike is designed to blend into the surrounding hardware on a finished opening.

Rule of thumb: fire door with room behind the jamb → 1006. Fire door with a shallow frame → 4500C. Visible opening where looks matter → 1500.

Rim exit devices (push bars) — surface mounted

No cutting on any of these; they mount on the face of the frame, which is why they dominate exit-device work.

HES 9400 — slim and outdoor-rated. For rim exit devices with up to a 1/2" Pullman latch, no faceplates required. 5/8" thick stainless housing, metal or wood frames, field-selectable fail-safe/fail-secure, 12/24 VDC (500 mA / 250 mA), 1,500 lbs static, 70 ft-lbs dynamic, 1,000,000 cycles. UL 1034 suitable for outdoor use, UL 294, UL 305, Grade 1. Not fire-rated per HES's surface-mount selector. A 1/8" spacer plate is included for door-gap variation.

HES 9600 — the windstorm-rated workhorse. "Works with rim exit devices up to a 3/4" throw latchbolt." 3/4" thick stainless housing with a separate base and cover for easier alignment, metal or wood frames with no cutting, field-selectable, 12/24 VDC (500 mA / 250 mA continuous), 2,000 lbs static, 120 ft-lbs dynamic, 1,000,000 cycles. ASTM E330 and ANSI/SDI 250.13 certified, Florida Building Code approved (FL# 14307). UL 294, UL 305, UL 1034 suitable for outdoor use, Grade 1. HES: "non-fire rated." For a standard rim device with a 3/4" Pullman latch, this is usually the one.

HES 9800 — for Adams Rite storefront exit devices. "Compatible with Adams Rite 8700 and 8800 Series Rim Exit Devices" — the Starwheel and Interlocking latches on aluminum-storefront push bars. 1/2" thick strike body, installs on aluminum, hollow metal, and wood frames, horizontal adjustability, field-selectable, 12/24 VDC (500 mA / 250 mA), 1,500 lbs static, 70 ft-lbs dynamic, 1,000,000 cycles. UL 1034, UL 294, UL 305, Grade 1. Not fire-rated per HES's selector. One 1/16" and one 1/8" spacer plate are included. It is not a Pullman strike: a 9600 won't work on an Adams Rite Starwheel device, and a 9800 won't work on a Pullman latch.

Rule of thumb: Pullman 1/2" → 9400. Pullman 3/4" → 9600. Adams Rite Starwheel/Interlocking → 9800. Fire-rated exit opening with a 3/4" Pullman → the 9500 (HES: 3-hour fire rating, fail-secure only), which we can source on request.

Quick reference

Three mistakes we see most

A 9600 on an Adams Rite device. Different latch types; it's the most common exit-device mismatch. Check the push bar's model number before ordering.

Fail-safe on a fire door. HES lists its fire ratings for fail-secure operation, and a labeled fire door has to stay latched when power fails. Fail-safe belongs where the code or the authority having jurisdiction requires free egress on power loss — paired with hardware that still lets people out.

Measuring the latch after the strike arrives. Pull the latch throw and the strike-plate size off the lockset first. It takes thirty seconds and decides between a 5000 and a 5200.

Not sure? Ask before you buy

Send us the lockset or exit device model and a photo of the frame and we'll confirm the strike before you order. Orders placed now ship Monday, October 19, and every strike carries our 1-year guarantee with 30-day returns.