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Doors in the house are a very important part of the decor. This is not only a functional element, but also an ornament that gives the interior completeness and individuality. But the doors must be closed. If you are looking for beautiful, practical and reliable locks, pay attention to the novelty – magnetic locks and latches.
Дверные магнитные защелки: типы, достоинства и недостатки
We are talking about door magnetic latches for interior doors, and not about locks on front doors. This is important because they are structured differently. So, magnetic latches work due to the magnetic field that generates a permanent magnet. As you know, metal is attracted to magnets. This is how the magnetic latch works: there is a magnet and a metal plate. They are fixed on the jamb and at the end of the door leaf. When the doors are closed, they come closer, they are attracted. This is how magnetic latches work, but they are different – active and passive.
Passive magnetic door latches
Everyone knows furniture magnets for fixing doors – these are passive magnetic latches. In the simplest version – for furniture – they are one or two magnet plates in a small plastic case. This case is mounted on furniture in the right place. The second part – a metal plate – is fixed on the doors. We close the doors, the magnet attracts the plate and holds it. This is why they don’t open.
This type of furniture magnets is familiar to everyone, the principle of operation is also clear. There is a variant of magnetic latches for compartment doors. They are placed in cabinets. The handles in this case are made mortise so that they do not interfere with moving them.
There are the same passive magnetic latches and larger sizes. They can already be used for interior, balcony doors. The same ones, but in a different design, are sometimes placed at the entrance, but not as a lock, but rather as a door closer. This is especially true for glass doors, on which it is problematic to install conventional closers.
If we talk about the advantages of passive magnetic latches, they are obvious:
- Easy installation. Both parts are simply screwed to the jamb and door leaf opposite each other. This completes the installation. Very rarely it is necessary to deepen them.
- Very low noise level. Only a click is heard when the leaf hits the door frame. But this sound is much quieter than the sound from a spring-loaded bolt.
- There is no mechanics, only the interaction of magnet and metal.
- Low price. Furniture options generally cost a penny, but for balcony and interior rooms – the price is from $ 20 and above.
Passive magnetic latches are an excellent solution for plastic and metal-plastic balcony doors. We are all faced with the need to go to the balcony or loggia. In this case, the handle of the locking mechanism is installed only indoors. Outside, if they put it, then only an ordinary handle, for which the sash can be pulled. Usually it turns out only to cover, and in winter it desperately pulls cold from under the door. This is where the magnetic latch comes to the rescue. It attracts and holds the door in the closed position.
Active with crossbar
For interior doors, the passive version of the magnetic latch is not very convenient. Nevertheless, we are used to the door leaf being fixed in the locked state. And fixation due to attraction is not very reliable. Even a draft can open the doors. Therefore, they came up with another type of magnetic latches – with a crossbar.
When a magnetic lock is placed on an interior door, a magnet is inserted into the jamb, an overlay with a crossbar (retractable latch, tongue) crashes into the sash. When the leaf is open, the latch is retracted into the door leaf. The doors close, the latch approaches the magnet. Under the action of the force of the magnet, the bolt pops up, falls into the groove, attracted by the magnet, and remains there. This keeps the door leaf closed.
When the magnetic lock needs to be opened, we press the handle, pushing the bolt forcibly, we open the doors. Since the magnet does not attract the bolt, it remains pulled in even after the handle is released. This is how a magnetic latch with a crossbar works.
If we talk about active type latches, there are fewer advantages. Mounting is standard. Parts cut into the box and the sash. The cost of a normal magnetic lock is rather big. Of the real advantages remains:
- Quieter operation. They are far from silent, as advertising often says, but quieter than spring bolts. True, if the bolt is made of plastic, then such a spring latch is almost silent.
- Long service life. The exact figure depends on the manufacturer, but since there are no rubbing parts, there is no particular wear either. Special magnetic plastic, reinforced with fiberglass, withstands up to 200 operating cycles (open / close) without changing performance properties.
And as usual, how well a magnetic latch will work depends on its quality. Don’t buy the cheapest ones. Some may work well, but there is no guarantee that you will get a normal one.
Types of magnetic locks
Magnetic latches can be of different designs:
- Only with a handle.
- Latch with handle and lock.
- With pen and magnetic card.
The option is simple with a handle – for those cases when there is no need to lock the room. The handle is needed only for opening – to take the bolt away from the magnet. It is also pulled when the door leaf is opened or closed. It can be round or oblong, regular and not quite shaped.
For those cases when the doors need to be locked, there are models with a latch and a magnetic card. The latch is an emphasis that, by turning a small handle, jams the bolt. Until the latch is moved to its original position, no one will be able to open the doors.
A magnetic door latch with a card has a more complex device. When the doors are closed, the crossbar is in the counterpart. In this case, the outer handle is blocked by a special device. The blocking can only be unlocked with a specially programmed card. The inner handle works as usual. Such locks are placed in hotels. For a house or apartment, they are unlikely to be required.
Magnetic locks AGB (Italy) — quality at an affordable price
Practicing masters have a lot of complaints about Chinese-made magnetic locks – often the magnetic latch simply does not work. In order not to get into a mess, you should not save on fittings. The products of the Italian company AGB enjoy a good reputation, as evidenced by numerous positive reviews.
For marketing purposes, the term “smart magnetic lock” has been coined.
A smart magnetic lock that overcomes the most difficult climatic conditions. Designed with innovative materials to keep the lock working even in extreme weather conditions (humidity, dust, chemicals).
The Polaris 2XT features quiet closing and precision mechanical connections that provide a pleasant feel for the smoothness of the handle and turn of the key.