Securitron UNL-12, UNL-24 User Manual

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SECURITRON MODEL UNL-12, UNL-24 UNLATCH

®

in door opening solutions

MOTORIZED

ELECTRONIC STRIKE INSTALLATION AND OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

1. DESCRIPTION
Securitron’s UnLatch is a revolutionary new type of electric strike which eliminates the

necessity to perform a routing operation on the door frame for installation. The motor
driven UnLatch also presents a fully concealed appearance on the door which not only

enhances the architectural appeal of the installation but improves security over a conventional
electric strike as an intruder is less able to determine the type of security device p resent on the
door. The UnLatch functions with cylindrical dead latches or spring latches and includes a

latch status output which reports when the door is in latched (secure) condition or is open.
Product Specifications are: Input Voltages: 12 VDC (UNL-12), +20%, -10%. 24 VDC

(UNL-24), +20%, -10%. Current: At rest: 40 mA (either voltage). When operating- 3 Amp
input surge @ 12 VDC; 1.5 Amp input surge @24 VDC for 100 milliseconds an d 300 mA @ 12
VDC or 200 mA @ 24 VDC thereafter. Operating Temperature: -10 F to 125 F.

FIG 1: UNLATCH DIMENSIONS (INCHES)

4.87

4.12

3.37

3.38

1.245

1.33

RECOMMENDED TOOLS

MEDIUM PHILLIPS DRIVER
MEDIUM SLOTTED DRIVER
CHISEL
WIRE CUTTER/STRIPPER

1.50

VOLT/OHM METER
CRIMP CONNECTORS
CRIMP PLIERS

2. PHYSICAL INSTALLATION

2.1 SURVEY
The installer must first be sure that the latch is of

the cylindrical type with or without the deadlatch

function. See Figure 2. Most North American latches
are of this type which is also called tubular. Examples
of latch types on which the UnLatch will not
function include many panic bar latches and rim

MORTISE LATCHES
WILL NOT FUNCTION
WITH THE UNLATCH

latches (rim latches are on the surface of the door
rather than being mortised into the middle of the
door). The UnLatch also will not function on mortise
latches. These are heavy duty rectangular units
similar in appearance to the drawing on the right.
After determining that there is a cylindrical latch, the
installer must determine whether there is a wooden,
or hollow metal (steel) door frame and whether the type of strike present on the frame is of the
ANSI 2 3/4” type (found on many residential doors) or the ANSI 4 7/8” strike (commercial).

© Copyright, 2011, all rights reserved PN# 500-18300
Page 1 Rev. D, 08/11

FIG. 2: IDENTIFICATION OF CYLINDRICAL DEADLATCH AND SPRINGLATCH

CYLINDRICAL DEADLATCH CYLINDRICAL SPRINGLATCH

SPRINGLATCH

DEADLATCH PIN

2.2 HOLLOW METAL (STEEL) FRAME MOUNTING

Most steel door frames include a 4 7/8” ANSI strike. This type of door preparation allows
simple installation of the UnLatch. Remove the existing strike plate (it will be discarded) and
experimentally try to fit the UnLatch in the resulting cavity. In some cases the cavity will be
large enough to accommodate the UnLatch and you will have nothing to do but pull the wires up
the hollow door frame and screw the UnLatch into place. In other cases you will find a “dust
box” within the frame that will get in the way of the UnLatch. The dust box must be cleared
away to make room for the UnLatch. Generally a sabre saw or a drill with a fly cutting bit is the
most effective tool to do this. You can also find that the edge of the dry wa ll panel interferes
with the UnLatch. Simply chip away some of the dry wall with a screwdriver to make room.
Once you are able to fit the UnLatch into the frame, vacuum out any concrete dust and
metal shavings (these can work their way into the UnLatch mechanism and cause problems).

If the hollow metal frame has a 2 3/4” strike, installation of the UnLatch is still possible but it
is much more difficult. You will have to route out a larger strike pla te recess to convert the door
preparation to 4 7/8 ANSI and this includes setting mounting tabs within the frame. Generally,
commercial locksmiths have the skills to perform this work.

2.3 WOOD FRAME MOUNTING

Installation in a wood frame is straightforward. It is a question of using a chisel to create a
space for the UnLatch behind the existing strike. The procedure depends on whether you have a
4 7/8” ANSI strike (commercial) or a 2 3/4” AN SI strike (residential) on the door. In the case
of a 4 7/8” ANSI strike, you will be using the existing holes that mount the strike to mount
the UnLatch. Remove the strike and place the template on the door (registering it to the strike
mounting holes). This will show you the space that must be chiseled out. As you get close to
finishing the chiseling job, experimentally try to fit the body of the UnL atch in the cavity. This
will avoid chiseling too big a space. A tight fit is preferred as it helps the solidity of the
mounting which is important if the door receives abuse. Normally, with a wood frame, the wires
will be run inside the wall. Simply drill from the back of th e cavity you have created rearward
into the wall space to admit the wires into the walls. To mount the UnLatch to the wood frame,
use the two #12 x 1” flat head wood screws which have been furnished. Once you are able to fit
the UnLatch into the frame, vacuum out any concrete dust and metal shavings (these can
work their way into the UnLatch mechanism and cause problems)

In the case of a 2 3/4” ANSI strike, you will be using two new holes which are separated
more widely to mount the UnLatch. You will also have t o perform two chiseling op erations. You
will have to chisel a deep cavity for the body of the UnLatch and a sha llow relief (3/32” or 2 MM
deep) to fit the UnLatch’s face plate flush with the frame surface. A template (see page 9 of
this manual) is provided to guide this chiseling but some work needs to be done to register the
template to the frame:

PN# 500-18300
Page 2 Rev. D, 08/11

FIG. 3: MOUNTING ON WOOD DOOR WITH ANSI 2 3/4” STRIKE

SET THE HORIZONTAL

POSITION OF THE UNLATCH

SO THAT THE SEPARATION
OF THE TWO PLUNGERS IS

1/16" FARTHER FROM THE

STOP THAN THE VERTICAL

LINE YOU HAVE DRAWN

USE THIS LINE TO

CENTER THE

UNLATCH

VERTICALLY

TEMPLATE IS MARKED TO

SET VERTICAL AND

HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT

ANSI 2 3/4"

STRIKE

DRAW VERTICAL LINE

THROUGH EDGE OF

STRIKE HOLE WHICH

CAPTURES LATCH

DRAW HORIZONTAL

LINE BISECTING

STRIKE HOLE

STOP

1/16"

First, draw two lines with a pencil on the door frame (see Figure 3).

The first line is horizontal and bisects the 2 3/4” ANSI strike. The second is vertical and
extends the edge of the strike opening which captures the latch. Next, remove the strike
and introduce the template. Note that the template shows a center line arrow which you
will use to position the UnLatch vertically b y lining it up with the center li ne you have previously
drawn. Next, the template has arrows at the top and bottom which line up with the vertical
extension line you have drawn. These arrows position the UnLatch horizontally so that the
separation between the two UnLatch plungers is 1/16” farther from the stop than the edge of the
ANSI 2 3/4” strike. The latch is captured by the UnLatch at the separation line between the
plungers and moving this position somewhat away from the stop increases adjusta bility of the
installation.

When you have the template correctly positioned, mark your top and bottom mounting holes.
Then you will need to chisel out a shallow space 3/32” ( 2MM) under the complete outline of the
UnLatch and chisel a rectangular cut-out as the template shows, 1 3/4” (44.5MM) deep to admit
the UnLatch body. As you get close to finishing the chiseling job, experimentally try to fit the
UnLatch body in the cavity. This will avoid chiseling too big a space. A tight fit is preferred as
it helps the solidity of the mounting which is important if the door receives abuse. Normally,
with a wood frame, the wires will be run inside the wall. Simply drill fro m the back of the cavit y
you have created rearward into the wall space to admit the wires into the walls. To mount the
UnLatch to the wood frame, use the two furnished #12 x 1” flat head wood screws.

Note finally that we have implied that there are only two types of strikes on wooden doors: t he
ANSI 4 7/8” and the ANSI 2 3/4”. In residential applications there are also square shaped
strikes (particularly found with inexpensive imported latches) which are smaller in outer
dimensions than the 2 3/4” strike. These pose no difficulties. The installation techniques are
the same as for an ANSI 2 3/4” strike.

2.4 FINAL ADJUSTMENT WITH SPACERS

For reliable operation, the door needs to close so that the latch ea sily enters and is retained by
the UnLatch. The door should not have to be pushed to engage as can be the case with a poorly
fitting or poorly closing door. To check this point, when the UnLatch has been mounted, after
the door is closed and latched, you should be able to “rattle” the latch against the UnLatch
plunger by pushing the door in and out. The amount of movement in the door latch should

be about 1/16-1/8” (1.5-3MM).
If the amount of slack or rattling is greater than 1/16-1/8”, you need th e door to “close

earlier”. In effect, the edge of the stop needs to be closer to the UnLatch. To adjust for this,

first check to see if the stop has “silencers” on it. These are cylindrical rubber bumpers which
quiet the noise of a closing door but also have the effect of making the door close ea rlier. If you
have silencers and the door is still rattling too much, contact the fa ctory for additional door stop
spacers (the UnLatch is shipped with two). If you don’t have silencers, add one or two door stop
spacers as is shown in Figure 4 to cause the door to close earlier.

PN# 500-18300
Page 3 Rev. D, 08/11