Full mortise, center hinge position
ANSI/BHMA A156.1 · UL 10C · NFPA 80
Maryland, DC & Northern Virginia
An electrified hinge is a commercial butt hinge with wires running through its leaves and knuckle. It carries low-voltage power from the door frame into the door itself. That power runs electrified locks, exit devices with latch retraction, and door position switches. Because the wires stay inside the hinge, nothing is exposed when the door is closed. Most models offer four, eight, or twelve wires for different devices. The hinge takes the center position on a standard door, so the opening looks like any other.
Wires pass inside the hinge, so there is no exposed cable anyone can cut or pull.
UL 10C listed models keep labeled fire door assemblies compliant with NFPA 80 when installed correctly.
It matches the other hinges in size and finish, so the door looks plain and standard.
King Locksmith and Doors Inc. is a commercial locksmith and door company serving Maryland, Washington DC, and Northern Virginia. We install and service door hardware for small businesses, government agencies, healthcare facilities, hotels, and organizations. Our technicians handle the whole opening: hinge, lock, door prep, and low-voltage wiring. One team owns your job from the first site visit to the final test. We work around your hours and keep secure doors locked while we work.
The right electrified hinge depends on what the door must power, how heavy it is, and whether it is fire-rated. Use these five checks before you order, or let our team survey your door first.
Count every powered device on the door leaf before you choose a hinge. An electric lock usually needs two wires for power. Latch monitoring, request-to-exit signals, and a door position switch each add more.
Four-wire hinges suit a simple electric lock. Eight or twelve wires cover exit devices with full monitoring. Order a few spare wires now, because swapping the hinge later means a new hinge, more labor, and pulling wire through the door again.
Each hinge has a voltage and current rating per wire. Many through-wire models list 3.5 amps continuous at up to 50 volts, plus a short pulse rating for the startup surge when a lock fires.
Exit devices with electric latch retraction can draw a large surge each time they unlock. Always compare the device spec sheet with the hinge rating and the full cable run. Wire that is too thin causes weak or failed unlocking.
Electrified hinges come in standard weight and heavy weight versions, most often 4.5 or 5 inches tall. Heavy, wide, or high-traffic doors, like main entrances and corridor doors, need the heavy weight version.
The electrified hinge goes in the center position, between two standard hinges of the same size and finish. Its pin is fixed, so no one can pull the pin to lift the door off. This adds a small but welcome security benefit.
On a labeled fire door, every hinge must fit the published listing for that door assembly. Choose an electrified hinge tested to UL 10C, made of steel or stainless steel, never aluminum.
Drilling a standard hinge to pass wires through voids its listing under NFPA 80, and fire inspectors look for this closely. We install listed hinges, keep the labels intact, and document the work so your fire door assemblies stay compliant at inspection time.
Some hinges ship with loose wire leads that an installer splices inside the frame. Others use plug-in connectors that match the lock harness, so the two parts simply snap together.
Plug-in connectors make service faster, because a technician can swap a lock or hinge without cutting wires. Match the connector to your specific lock brand. Then confirm that the door and frame are prepped with a clear wire path from the hinge to the lock.
Door loops and electrified hinges both carry power from frame to door. Here is how they compare on the points facility managers, security teams, and architects care about the most.
Consideration
Electrified Hinge
Door Loop
Wiring stays fully hidden inside the hinge
Armored cable stays exposed at the opening
No reachable cable to cut or pull
Exposed loop can be pried or cut
Looks like a standard architectural hinge
Visible loop and boxes on frame edge
No exposed loop in patient spaces
Exposed cable can create a ligature point
UL 10C listed models for labeled doors
Listing must be confirmed for each assembly
Most electrified hinge failures show up as a lock that will not release, clicks without opening, or works only sometimes. These are the common causes our technicians find most often.
We mortise, mount, and wire new electrified hinges on hollow metal and wood doors for access control.
We swap worn or failed electrified hinges with matched models, then reconnect and test every single wire.
We add an electrified hinge to existing doors so card readers and electric locks get hidden power.
We install UL 10C listed electrified hinges on fire doors and keep the assembly ready for inspection.
We trace power from supply to lock, find broken wires or voltage drop, and fix the fault.
We check hinge wear, door sag, and wire health on a schedule, so electrified doors keep working.
Tell us about your doors. We will survey each opening, recommend the right electrified hinge, and send a clear quote.
