By Kent · Lock Depot Staff Writer

Two locks, one pushbutton, one question about the key

Every Simplex 5000 pushbutton lock does the same thing on the keypad side. You punch the code, the lever turns, the door opens. The reason a facility manager calls is the other half of the lock: what happens when somebody needs to bypass the code with a key. The two part numbers in this article look identical on a shelf. The 5010MWL-026-41 and the 5010XKWL-026-41 are built on the same Simplex 5000 Series lever, and the difference is the key override.

• 5010MWL-026-41: prepped for a Medeco LFIC key override. The core is sold separately.
• 5010XKWL-026-41: ships with a Kaba 90 keyway cylinder included.

Both are bright chrome (US26/625), both are ANSI/BHMA Grade 1, and both are 3-hour UL/ULC fire rated. If your building already runs on Medeco, the MWL is the lock. If you want the key override in the box and ready to go, the XKWL is the lock.

What you get with either one

The Simplex 5000 Series is an all-mechanical exit trim. No batteries, no wiring, no low-voltage work. You pick a combination, and you change it at the keypad without taking the lock off the door. The buttons are solid metal and the lever is ADA-style. The catalog lists it as weather-resistant for indoor and outdoor installation. It fits a door from 1-3/8 in. to 2-1/4 in. thick on a standard cylindrical prep, a 2-1/8 in. cross bore and a 1 in. edge bore. It ships left-handed and reverses in the field for a right-handed door. The warranty on both is three years.

The catalog lists the function as exit trim, combination entry. Before you order, stand on the inside of the door and confirm what is there, and call us if it is not a straight swap.

The Medeco side: the 5010MWL

Medeco is the name on the high-security cylinder, and a lot of hospitals, schools and municipal buildings key their doors to it. The MWL is prepped for a Medeco LFIC, a large-format interchangeable core. The core is not included in the box. That is the whole point: you or your Medeco dealer pins the core to your master key system, you drop it in, and the lock now answers to the same keys as every other door in the building.

The trade is simple. You have one more part to buy, and you get a lock that fits the key control you already have. If you do not have a Medeco system, this lock is the wrong starting point, because the core costs extra and you would be buying into a system you do not own.

Not sure what an interchangeable core is and why a building would want one? Our piece on large format interchangeable cores and keying covers how a core lets you rekey a door without taking the lock apart.

The Kaba side: the 5010XKWL

The XKWL ships with a Kaba 90 keyway cylinder in the lock. You take it out of the box, you hang it, and it works with a key on day one. For a small building with no existing key system, that is the shorter road. One part number, one box, and a key that opens the override.

The trade is on the other side. The cylinder is a Kaba cylinder, so the key override belongs to that keyway. If the rest of your doors are on a different system, you now have one door with a different key. If you want the door on your master, call us before you order and we will talk it through.

How I decide, standing at the door

Ask the facility manager one question: what key does the building run on? If the answer is Medeco, you want the MWL, and you add the core from the same dealer who keys the rest of the building. If the answer is "I don't know, we have a ring of keys," you want the XKWL, and you get a working override with the lock. If the answer is a different system entirely, stop and call. The wrong override is a lock that works perfectly and opens for the wrong people.

Mechanical pushbutton locks are the right answer for a door where nobody wants a battery change schedule. A mechanical room, a server closet, a back office, a maintenance gate. If your question is more about the lever and the knob than the key, our write-up on knob or lever on the Simplex 1011 is the place to start.

Managing the code after the lock is on

A pushbutton lock is only as private as its code. The catalog describes a single access combination with thousands of possible codes, and you set it yourself at the keypad. That is the strength of the lock and the part people neglect. Here is what I tell every customer.

• Change the combination when someone who knew it leaves the job. It takes a minute and it needs no tools and no locksmith.
• Do not leave the factory code on the door. Pick your own on day one.
• Keep the override key under the same control as your other master keys. The key bypasses the code, so a loose key defeats the keypad.

The key override is the real reason to choose carefully between the two models. The code handles daily traffic. The key is for the maintenance man, the fire department, and the day somebody forgets the number. Choose the override that lets the right people hold that key.

Common questions

Does the Simplex 5010MWL include the Medeco core?

No. The 5010MWL is prepped for a Medeco LFIC key override and the core is sold separately.

Does the Simplex 5010XKWL include a key cylinder?

Yes. It ships with a Kaba 90 keyway cylinder for the key override.

Do these Simplex locks need batteries or wiring?

No. The 5000 Series is all-mechanical. There are no batteries to replace and no wiring.

Are these locks fire rated?

Both are listed as 3-hour UL/ULC fire rated and ANSI/BHMA Grade 1.

Can I change the code myself?

Yes. The combination changes at the keypad without removing the lock from the door.

Can I reverse the handing?

Yes. Both ship left-handed and reverse in the field for a right-handed door.

More from this maker is on our Kaba Ilco and Simplex page. Call us if you need help matching the override to the keys you already have.