By Kent · Lock Depot Staff Writer

SDC built the Excel series for people who were buying cheap maglocks

Most of what we write about SDC maglocks covers the 1510, 1570 and 1580 families, with their long suffix codes. The Excel series is simpler on purpose. Three part numbers, E300, E600 and E1200, and the number is the holding force in pounds. There is no suffix chart to read. The catalog says the series is designed for system integrators, installers and building owners who are currently using low-cost import or private-label access control hardware. In plain terms, it is SDC's answer to the bargain-bin maglock, from a manufacturer you can name when a customer asks.

That makes the choice here mostly about holding force and what status signals you get. Here is each one.

E300: 300 lb, lock status only

The E300 is the light one. The listing gives 300 lb (136 kg) of holding force, clear anodized aluminum, an interlocking quick mount assembly, a wire access chamber with a terminal block, and dual 12 or 24 VDC input. The status feature is lock status only. There is no door status output on the E300.

Three hundred pounds is a light holding force. We would not put it on a door that people push or pull hard, or on anything exposed to wind or a crowd. It suits an opening where the main job is to keep a casual user out and the door is lightly loaded. If you are unsure, step up to the E600. The price of being wrong is a door that opens when it should not.

E600: 600 lb, door and lock status with an LED

The E600 is listed at 600 lb (272 kg). The features match the E300, plus door status, lock status and a bi-color LED. The listing says the door and lock status outputs are included for remote monitoring, mantraps and system application needs.

This is the sensible middle choice for an interior door. It gives the access panel the two signals it normally wants: is the door shut, is the lock engaged. One point to be aware of: the catalog finish field for the E600 reads primed, while the description text says clear anodized aluminum like the other two. We have not resolved that. If the finish matters on your job, ask us before you order and we will confirm.

E1200: 1200 lb, the same signals

The E1200 is the top of the series at 1200 lb (545 kg), and it carries the same door status, lock status and bi-color LED as the E600. Same quick mount assembly, same wire access chamber with terminal block, same dual voltage.

Choose it for the perimeter door, the door with a lot of traffic, or the door where somebody leans on the frame. The listing names perimeter and interior door security as the use. For a comparison with the larger SDC lines, see our guide to the SDC 1510 series, which sits above this at a higher holding force.

Excel against SDC's own 1570

The E1200 and the 1570 series both hold 1200 lb, so the fair question is why you would pick one over the other. The 1570 listing says UL, CSFM and MEA listed, ANSI Grade 1, with a BHMA certified holding force, and it offers door position and bond sensors by suffix. The E1200 listing gives the holding force and the status outputs, and does not state a listing or grade. If your job is a school, a hospital or any project with a spec that names a listing, start with the 1570. If you are replacing a bargain maglock on a small business door and want a name-brand lock with door and lock status, the E1200 does the job.

Using the status outputs in a mantrap

The listing calls out mantraps for a reason. In an interlocked pair of doors, the controller must know that door one is shut and locked before it lets door two open. Door status tells it the door is closed. Lock status tells it the magnet is engaged. The E600 and E1200 give you both from the lock itself, so you do not have to add a separate door contact to each leaf. The E300 gives you only lock status, which is why it is the wrong lock for an interlock.

What stays the same on all three

• Interlocking quick mount assembly.
• Wire access chamber with a terminal block, so the wiring has a place to land.
• Dual 12 or 24 VDC input.
• Value-engineered positioning against low-cost imports.

How to choose

1. A light interior door, status not needed: the E300.
2. An interior door where the panel wants door and lock status: the E600.
3. An exterior or high-traffic door: the E1200.
4. A mantrap or interlock: the E600 or E1200, since the listing names mantraps as a use for the status outputs.
5. You want a sensor suffix menu, bond sensing or an anti-tamper contact: look at the 1510, 1570 or 1580 lines, which offer those. The Excel series does not.

Whichever you pick, remember the lock is one part of an opening. A maglock on a path of egress needs a code-compliant release, usually a request-to-exit device plus a fire alarm release where your authority requires it. For a worked example with another brand, see how we size holding force on a DynaLock, and browse our full SDC lineup.

What the catalog does not tell us

• The dimensions of any of the three. The listings do not give them.
• The current draw at 12 or 24 VDC.
• Whether the E300 can be upgraded with a door sensor later.
• UL listing or an ANSI grade. The listings do not state either.

If a project needs any of those, we get the manufacturer sheet and read it before we send you a part number.

Common questions

Does the number in the name mean holding force?

Yes. E300 is 300 lb, E600 is 600 lb, E1200 is 1200 lb, per the listings.

Do these come in black or bronze?

The listings show clear anodized aluminum only.

Can I use one on a pair of doors?

The three listings are all described as a single magnetic lock. Ask us before ordering one for a pair.

Which one reports door open?

The E600 and E1200 include door status. The E300 reports lock status only.

Is the Excel series the same as the 1510?

No. It is a separate value-engineered line with a simpler model number and no sensor suffix system.