Power Transfers

Door Cords are the least expensive type of power transfer.

They surface mount to the door and frame and use sturdy conduit to carry the wires.

Inswing doors can use a shorter cord (18'') than an outswing door (up to 36'').

A popular brand of door cord is from Locknetics.

But you can save a lot of money using those from Securitron.

Electric Power Transfers (EPTs) can be tricky.

While they offer secure protection for the wires, each half must mortise into the door and frame.

This mortising work is best performed at the factory. Trying to prep a metal frame in the field is not for amatures.

The most popular brand of EPT is from Von Duprin.

A much less expensive version is offered from Securitron.

Comparison of 3 types of power transfer

Item	Price	Installation	Notes
Electric Hinge	$ 100 - 150	Easy	Most popular type of power transfer
Door Cord	$ 12 - 80	Easy	Surface mounts to door and frame
Electric Hinge	$ 30 - 250	Hard	Requires mortise in door and frame

Electric hinges use very thin wires that are embedded into the hinge.


The wires pass through one leaf, into the barrel and out through the other leaf.

Normally, 24 or 26 gauge wire is used which is standard for access control.

Some exit devices require higher amperage and thicker wires. This problem is solved by twisting two wires into one, thereby doubling the wire gauge.

A standard electric hinge has 4 wires, but rarely more than 2 is needed. So it is a common practice to twist two wires together to make one. You will start with 4 thin gauge wires and end up with 2 heavier gauge wires.

It is OK to have thicker wire than the normal 24 gauge. You only have to worry when the wire gauge is too thin for the job.

All hinge manufacturers offer electric hinges.

What most people don't know is most of these manufacturers use an outside source to add wires to their hinges.

This outside source is a company called ACSI, who adds the wires and ships the hinges back to the manufacturer.

But you can also buy hinges directly from ACSI and avoid the manufacturer's markup. This makes ACSI hinges the best value.

Ordering electric hinges is easy.

1. Specify hinge size (4.5 x 4.5 is standard)

2. Specify hinge finish

3. Specify number of wires required (4 is standard)



It is rare for an application to need more than 2 wires, but a standard electric hinge comes with 4.

Some people just snip off the extra 2 wires, but it is better to twist 2 wires into 1.

The wires come color coded, so it is easy to keep track of which wires are being twisted together.

Start with 4 wires and end up with 2 heavier guage wires. Heavier guage is OK.

You only have to worry when the wire gauge is too thin for the job.