By Kent · Lock Depot Staff Writer

Four numbers, one lock family

The Simplex 5000 Series is a mechanical pushbutton lock, trusted in government facilities, hospitals and commercial buildings. No batteries, no wiring. You change the combination at the keypad. The 5011MWL, 5015MWL, 5016MWL and 5017MWL all carry a Medeco key override, so a facility on Medeco cores can keep its own key control. What differs is the latch behind the buttons, and that is what you have to match to the door.

What the four share

From the listings, in Bright Chrome (US26/625):

• Series: Simplex 5000 Series, exit trim with combination entry.
• Grade: ANSI/BHMA Grade 1.
• Backset: 2-3/4 in.
• Door thickness: 1-3/8 in. to 2-1/4 in.
• Fire rating: 3-hour UL/ULC.
• Handing: non-handed, ships LH, field reversible for RH.
• Key override: Medeco LFIC. The core is not included.
• Warranty: 3 years.

"Core not included" is the line people miss. The lock arrives without the Medeco core. Plan for it before the door is open and the lock is off.

What separates them: the latch

• 5011MWL: 1/2 in. latch throw.
• 5015MWL: 3/4 in. latch throw.
• 5016MWL: mortise latch.
• 5017MWL: mortise with deadbolt.

That is the whole difference in the data we have. The first two are the cylindrical-latch pair, split by throw. The second two are the mortise pair, split by whether a deadbolt rides along.

1/2 in. or 3/4 in. throw

Latch throw is how far the latch bolt sticks out of the door edge. A longer throw gives the latch a deeper bite into the strike. Which one you need is set by what the door and the frame already have. The listings do not say which door conditions call for which throw, so I will not pretend they do. The practical rule is to match what is already there. If you are replacing an existing lock, measure the latch you pull out and order the same throw. Changing the throw on an existing frame can mean changing the strike.

Mortise or cylindrical: look at the door edge

Look at the door edge. A cylindrical lock lives in a round 2-1/8 in. bore through the door and a 1 in. bore in the edge. A mortise lock sits in a rectangular pocket cut into the edge of the door. You cannot put a mortise lock in a cylindrical prep or the reverse. If the door has a rectangular pocket, you want the 5016 or 5017.

A flag on the data: the installation notes on the mortise listings carry the same "standard cylindrical prep, 2-1/8 in. cross bore" boilerplate as the cylindrical ones. That reads like a shared template. Do not order a mortise model for a cylindrical door, or the reverse, off that line. Confirm the prep on your door and call us if the listing and the door disagree.

Deadbolt or no deadbolt

The 5017 adds a deadbolt to the mortise latch. A deadbolt is a separate throw bolt that does not depend on a spring latch, so it resists being slipped. If the door faces an exposed corridor or an exterior, a deadbolt is worth having. If the door is interior and the pushbutton is the control point, the 5016 is enough. The 5017 carries a higher list price than the other three, and the deadbolt is the difference.

If your inspector or fire marshal has a view on locking hardware for the door, ask them before you choose. Egress rules decide what is legal on a given door, and I will not hand out a ruling I do not have.

Medeco key override: what it gets you

The override is how a building with its own key system gets in without knowing the combination. It takes a Medeco LFIC, a large format interchangeable core. That means a core that matches the rest of your Medeco cylinders, under your own master key system. If the building is not on Medeco, a different override fits and these are not the right locks. Our 5010MWL vs 5010XKWL article covers the Medeco or Kaba question in full.

For the exit-trim versions with left and right hand models, see our LLP1020 and LRP1020 article.

Ordering checklist

1. Is the prep cylindrical or mortise? Look at the edge.
2. If cylindrical, what throw is the existing strike cut for?
3. If mortise, does the door need a deadbolt?
4. Does the building run Medeco? Order the core separately.
5. Door thickness is between 1-3/8 and 2-1/4 in.?

Where this lock fits

A mechanical pushbutton lock suits a door that many authorized people use and where managing keys is the problem. A utility room, an IT closet, a pharmacy back room, a staff corridor. Staff learn the code, nobody carries a key, and the code can be changed at the keypad without taking the lock off the door. When someone leaves, you change the code the same afternoon. That is the case for it over a keyed lock on a door twenty people use.

The Medeco override is the manager's way in, so the combination is not the only door. A building that runs Medeco cores keeps its master key system and still gets pushbutton convenience on staff doors.

Plan the core before the lock arrives

The core is sold separately, and the right one depends on your key system: the keyway, the pinning and the master chart. Order the core with the lock, or you will have a lock on the door and nothing to key it with. If you are not sure what the building runs, ask the facility manager for an existing Medeco key and the key control records.

Common questions

Is the Medeco core included?

No. The listings say the core is sold separately.

What is the fire rating?

3-hour UL/ULC.

Is it right hand or left hand?

Non-handed. It ships LH and can be field reversed for RH.

Which model has a deadbolt?

The 5017MWL, listed as mortise with deadbolt.

What backset do they take?

2-3/4 in. on all four.

See the full line on our Kaba Ilco Simplex page. Send us a photo of the door edge and we will tell you which model it is.