- Magnetic locks (maglocks) hold a door shut with a strong electromagnet and a metal plate. When power is on, the door is locked; when power cuts, the door releases.
- They are simple, strong, and great for escape rooms, but they can fail from wiring issues, bad mounting, weak power supplies, or worn hardware.
- Most maglock problems in escape rooms are not the magnet itself, but the triggers, power path, and moving parts around it.
- A basic checklist for voltage, alignment, and load path will save you hours of frustration and fewer panicked calls to your tech during a busy Saturday.
Magnetic locks are just an electromagnet and a chunk of metal that stick together when you send power, and let go when you cut it. That is the whole promise. For escape rooms, this is perfect: control power, control the door. The trouble is, the real world adds loose screws, misaligned doors, messy wiring, cheap power supplies, and players who pull like they are trying to leave a sinking ship. So in this guide, I will walk you through how maglocks work in plain terms, where they fail in real escape rooms, and what I think you should do differently to keep your games running.
What a magnetic lock actually is
Let us start simple, without jargon.
A basic maglock has two main parts:
- The electromagnet body that mounts to the frame or fixed side
- The armature plate that mounts to the moving side (door, hatch, drawer)
When power flows through the electromagnet coil, the magnet pulls the armature plate with a lot of force. Remove power, and gravity or a spring or a player can move the door again.
That is it. No latch, no bolt, no complicated mechanism. Just magnetic attraction controlled by power.
Common specs you will see on maglocks
If you shop for maglocks, you will notice a few key numbers on every product page.
| Spec | What it means | Why it matters for escape rooms |
|---|---|---|
| Holding force (e.g. 300 lb, 600 lb, 1200 lb) | How much pull the magnet can resist in ideal lab conditions | Tells you how hard players can yank before it shears, assuming perfect alignment |
| Voltage (usually 12 VDC or 24 VDC) | What supply you must feed it | Mismatch here is one of the fastest paths to weird failures |
| Current draw | How many amps it needs to hold | Helps you size your power supply and wiring gauge |
| Fail-safe / fail-secure | What happens without power | Safety and game design decision: locked without power or unlocked without power |
| Mounting style | Surface, concealed, shear, etc. | Dictates how you design the prop or door structure around it |
Maglocks are simple, but the system around them is not. Most “maglock problems” start with power, wiring, or mounting, not the magnet itself.
How magnetic locks work step by step
Here is a basic flow for an escape room maglock controlling a hidden door.
- Power supply sends 12 VDC to the maglock through a control device.
- The control device is usually a relay driven by a microcontroller, PLC, or puzzle logic.
- The maglock energizes, grabs the armature plate, and holds the door closed.
- Players solve a puzzle that sets a signal on your controller.
- The controller triggers the relay, cutting power to the maglock.
- The magnet releases, gravity or a spring gives a small movement, and players can now open the door.
This is the theory. In an escape room, each of these steps has real-world failure points.
Types of magnetic locks you will run into
Not all maglocks are the same. Some play nice with flat doors, others work better for secret compartments or heavy props.
Standard surface maglocks
This is the classic rectangular block on the door frame with a plate on the door edge.
- Good for: main doors, cabinet doors, heavier panels
- Mounting: usually a bracket on the frame and a swinging armature on the door
- Strength: starts around 300 lb holding, can go to 1200 lb
These are everywhere in commercial access control, and many escape rooms use cheaper versions from alarm suppliers or online retailers.
Mini and cabinet maglocks
These are smaller versions for lighter doors or props.
- Good for: drawers, puzzle boxes, light panels, secret flaps
- Advantage: easier to hide, lower current draw
- Risk: players can overpower them if they pull hard enough
I like using minis inside furniture where players will not lean with full body weight. For main game doors, they are usually too weak.
Shear locks
Shear maglocks hold in a sliding direction instead of direct pull. The armature and magnet are shaped so the plate “shears” in one direction but resists that motion when energized.
- Good for: flush surfaces where you do not want the plate to swing
- More sensitive to: alignment and precise mounting
Shear locks look clean, but for most escape room owners, they are overkill and harder to install correctly. Unless you really know why you want them, a standard surface maglock is usually easier.
Concealed and custom maglock setups
Many escape room builders hide the magnet inside walls, under floors, or behind decorative elements. You can pair an off-the-shelf magnet with a custom steel plate, or even an embedded metal bar.
This gives you a cleaner visual effect but raises a few design questions that matter a lot more than the catalog tells you.
The more hidden your magnet is, the more you must obsess over alignment and structure. The pretty illusion only works if the hardware geometry is solid.
How maglocks actually fail in escape rooms
Now the part that usually hurts: failure modes. If you run games long enough, you will see almost all of these.
1. Power supply problems
Power is where most headaches start.
- Undersized power supply: The maglock draws 500 mA, your supply is 1 A, but you also run LED strips and logic boards from the same line. Under load, voltage sags and the magnet weakens.
- Shared supply across rooms: One supply feeding several locks across two or three games. During peak times, you hit a weird combo of locks energized and the supply struggles.
- Long cable runs: Thin cable over long distance drops voltage. By the time it reaches the magnet, it sees 10 V, not 12 V.
Result: locks that “mostly” hold. Until a strong player yanks. Or a door with a slight misalignment brushes the frame, breaks contact, and magically “pops” open mid-game.
2. Wiring and connection issues
Escape rooms shake, vibrate, and settle over time. Wiring that looked fine on day one can go flaky after months of use.
Common issues include:
- Loose screw terminals
- Cheap barrel connectors that rotate and cut power when someone bumps a prop
- Wire nuts crammed into boxes with no strain relief
- Solder joints under tension
I have seen rooms where a maglock “sometimes” releases on the puzzle trigger, and sometimes only if the GM slaps the wall. That is not a puzzle, that is a wire shaking back into contact.
3. Alignment and mounting mistakes
This is probably the most visible failure type.
If the magnet and armature plate do not meet flat and fully, your stated holding force becomes fiction. You can lose half or more of the strength just from a small angle or offset.
Common alignment errors:
- Door not square, frame twisted
- Armature plate mounted rigidly with no movement washers
- Bracket flexes when the door closes, so contact is off
- Wood swelling or shrinking with humidity
Any time you see circular washers and a bit of play in the armature plate hardware, that is intentional. The plate needs to float so it can self-align to the magnet face.
If you bolt the armature plate rock-solid to a warped door, you are asking it to make perfect contact with a surface it cannot actually meet.
4. Mechanical load in the wrong direction
Maglocks are strong when you pull straight apart. They are much weaker if you pry or twist.
Imagine a heavy hidden door latched by a maglock at the top corner. Players do not pull dead center; they grab the side edge or the door handle, which might be far from the magnet. The magnet now fights leverage.
You get:
- Prying action that peels the plate from one corner
- Bending of your brackets and screws
- Plenty of noise and motion that makes players think “I almost got it”
Sometimes that is fine. You may even like a little give. But if your goal is a door that stays shut until the exact trigger, you need to place the magnet and plate where force is applied in a straighter line.
5. Controller and logic errors
Maglocks often sit at the end of a logic chain: puzzle sensors, controller boards, relays, timeouts, manual override switches.
Any bug or design oversight can look like a maglock issue when it is actually logic.
Example problems:
- Relay default state wired backward: your “locked” LED lights, but the power path is reversed.
- Software bug: the microcontroller sets the wrong pin high, or runs a reset in the middle of a game.
- Manual override switch forgotten in test mode, so the lock never energizes during games.
From the GM chair, these all look like “the maglock is broken.” From the hardware side, the maglock is fine, it is just not receiving the right signal.
6. Wear and tear on moving parts around the lock
Maglocks themselves do not have many wearing parts, but the door or prop they control does.
Over time, you will see:
- Hinges sagging under weight
- Wood frames loosening
- Decor pieces bumping into the path of motion
- Stops and catches wearing down
A door that once aligned perfectly can start dragging on the floor. That drag can either make the door feel “still locked” even after release, or it can keep it from fully seating against the magnet when closing.
7. Player behavior and abuse
No guide about maglocks in escape rooms is complete without talking about players.
Players will:
- Hang on doors
- Kick panels
- Try to “force the lock” because the story feels urgent
- Use props as levers against seams
Maglocks are tough, but brackets, screws, and wooden frames are not always sized for that level of aggression. You can end up with:
- Bent armature plates
- Sheared off screw heads
- Cracked mounting surfaces
- Complete defeat of the lock without any puzzle being solved
Fail-safe vs fail-secure: what happens when power dies
This part is not just technical; it affects your safety, your fire code, and your game design.
- Fail-safe maglock: when power goes out, the door unlocks.
- Fail-secure maglock: when power goes out, the door stays locked.
Most standard maglocks are fail-safe by nature. They need power to hold. When power drops, they release.
In escape rooms, I think this is usually the right direction for anything that is part of a life-safety path. That includes main exits and any doors players might depend on in an emergency. For inner puzzle compartments, you have more freedom, but be careful with trapping players behind heavy objects that need a powered release.
If a door is between a player and the actual building exit, treat it like safety hardware first and a game prop second.
How to design maglocks that do not drive you crazy
Now let us flip from failure stories to design choices. You can avoid most trouble with a bit of planning.
Pick the right strength for the job
A common mistake is buying the smallest, cheapest lock and hoping players will be gentle. They will not.
- Hidden main doors: at least 600 lb, often 1200 lb holding.
- Standard wooden doors with light aggression: 300 to 600 lb.
- Drawers, boxes, and panels: 60 to 180 lb minis, depending on size and expected behavior.
Ask yourself honestly: if a group of excited teenagers pulls on this like a fridge door, will it survive?
Give the plate room to float
Most armature plates come with a kit of screws and rubber spacers. Use them. The plate should have a bit of swing so that when the door closes, it can find flat contact with the magnet face.
If the door is badly warped, fix that at the carpentry level. Do not try to fix a crooked door with a rigid armature plate.
Think about the load path
Try to make the line from the player’s hand through the door to the magnet as straight as possible.
Two examples (not from any competitor’s article):
- A secret bookcase door with the magnet on the hinge side will feel soft and twisty. Putting the magnet near the latch side, closer to where players pull, will give a firmer feel and less prying.
- A floor hatch that players lift from one side should have the magnet close to that lifting edge, or use two magnets spaced to better resist the tilt.
Use separate power for locks and logic when you can
Mixing everything on one 12 V supply is tempting. It works fine in small setups, but as games grow, you start chasing random failures.
A simple approach:
- One dedicated 12 V supply sized for your maglocks plus some headroom
- Another supply for controllers, sensors, and lighting
This keeps inductive load spikes from locks off your delicate electronics and makes fault finding simpler. If locks flicker, you know which box to check first.
Plan for manual override that is actually usable
You need a way to release doors quickly during a malfunction or emergency. Many rooms hide small bypass switches somewhere only staff can reach.
Two practical tips:
- Label your override switches at the panel in plain language, not cryptic codes. In a panic, “Room 2 main door” is better than “ML-3.”
- Run a test during live play hours sometimes. Not just during build. People behave differently under pressure.
Common symptoms and what they usually mean
Here is a quick reference list of symptoms and likely causes. Not perfect, but it can narrow things down.
| Symptom | Likely root causes | First checks |
|---|---|---|
| Door “unlocks” but still feels stuck | Mechanical binding, door sagging, paint or decor catching | Try moving door while lock is unpowered, inspect hinges and clearances |
| Door pops open mid-game without trigger | Power sag, loose wiring, misaligned plate losing contact | Measure voltage at magnet, wiggle wires, check for full contact area |
| Lock never energizes | No power, blown supply, wrong wiring, failed relay | Check supply output, bypass controller, feed magnet directly from supply |
| Lock gets very hot | Overvoltage or poor ventilation | Verify voltage rating, measure actual supply voltage at the terminals |
| Lock clicks on and off repeatedly | Flaky control signal, overloaded supply, short somewhere in circuit | Isolate magnet with direct feed, watch current draw, inspect cable runs |
Testing maglocks during build and after install
A quick bench test before mounting can save you from blaming the door for a bad lock, or blaming the lock for a bad supply.
Bench test checklist
- Connect the maglock to a known good 12 V or 24 V bench supply, matching its rating.
- Check that it energizes and grabs the plate firmly by hand.
- Measure current draw with a meter and compare with the spec. Too high or too low can both hint at problems.
- Run it for 15 to 20 minutes. Feel the body. Warm is normal, painfully hot is not.
On-site test after mounting
When you have it in the door:
- Close the door naturally, without slamming, and see if the plate seats fully.
- Try pulling at different points and angles to feel where it starts to flex.
- Trigger the release how players will, not just by yanking on wires.
- Watch the plate as it releases. If it sticks, you might have mechanical binding.
I like doing this with someone who has never seen the puzzle. Their instinctive pulling and probing is closer to a real group.
Special cases in escape rooms
Escape rooms use maglocks in lots of ways that commercial building guides do not cover. Let me go through a few patterns I see often.
Hidden doors behind bookcases or panels
These are crowd-pleasers, but they can be tricky to get right.
Key points:
- Use strong locks because players will lean on these while searching.
- Support the weight of the bookcase with proper hinges or floor supports, not the maglock hardware.
- Allow a small reveal or opening motion when the lock releases so players notice it has changed state.
I have seen owners rely on the lock not just as a latch, but almost like a hinge. That is asking for bent plates and repeated repairs.
Locking drawers and chests
For drawers, I like using small maglocks that pull a latch or pin, rather than trying to hold the drawer front directly.
Example approach:
- Maglock mounted inside the chest frame
- Metal pin or bolt held by the magnet
- When locked, pin projects into a slot on the drawer side
- When released, pin drops or retracts and drawer slides
This keeps the magnet out of direct abuse and lets you design the mechanical feel of the drawer separately.
Sequential puzzles controlling one maglock
Sometimes you chain several puzzle inputs to one final door. Each step must be correct before the lock lets go.
Here, be careful with reset logic. When the game resets, you want the lock state to match the puzzle state. I have seen cases where the door stayed unlocked after a reset because the lock only reacted when the “success” signal went from off to on, but not back.
When you design logic for a maglock, always ask: what happens at power-up, and does that match the state I want when a new group walks in?
Choosing hardware brands and parts (without naming favorites)
I am not going to list brands, because that gets dated fast and depends on your region. But I can give some guidelines that hold up.
- Avoid the absolute cheapest unknown imports for main exit doors. Save those for light props if you must test them.
- Look for clear data sheets that show holding force, voltage, and current. If the listing is vague, that is a red flag.
- Pay attention to mounting hardware quality. Soft screws and thin brackets cost you more in the long run.
- Buy one unit and beat it up before kitting out an entire multi-room build.
I know it is tempting to order a bulk pack from the first online marketplace result. But one failed lock on your signature room during a busy evening will cost more in refunds and reviews than you “saved” on hardware.
Maglocks vs other lock types in escape rooms
Maglocks are not always the best choice. Sometimes, solenoid bolts or motorized latches work better.
| Lock type | Pros | Cons | Good use cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maglock | Simple wiring, no moving internal parts, strong holding | Needs constant power to hold, sensitive to alignment, obvious “clunk” | Main doors, heavy panels, situations where you want strong hold and quick release |
| Solenoid bolt | Physically extends a bolt, can hold without power depending on design | More moving parts, can jam if door misaligned | Small doors, hatches, where you want a more “traditional” locking feel |
| Motor lock / servo latch | Controlled movement, can be quiet, flexible behavior | More complex electronics, slower action, needs more protection from abuse | Props and puzzles where the motion is part of the effect |
I do not think maglocks are always better or worse. They just have a very clear profile: strong, simple, but hungry for power and picky about alignment.
A quick troubleshooting routine you can train staff on
Your GMs do not need to be engineers, but they can handle a basic flow. This reduces panic when a lock acts up 10 minutes before a booking.
- Check the obvious mechanical stuff. Is anything physically blocking the door? Has a decor piece fallen into the gap?
- Confirm the intended state. For this part of the game, should the door be locked or unlocked?
- Look at indicators. If you have LEDs on your controller or relay, are they showing a “lock active” signal?
- Test manual override. If you flip the staff override, does the lock release? If yes, puzzle logic is likely the issue, not the magnet.
- Note patterns. Does the problem happen on every game, only with certain puzzle paths, or only when the room is full and warm?
Encourage staff to write short notes in a maintenance log. Over time, you will notice trends: a door that misbehaves when humidity spikes, a power supply that struggles when two rooms run together, or a particular group behavior that causes stress on hardware.
Small design habits that pay off long term
I want to wrap up with a few habits that might feel like overkill when you build, but they save you headaches once you are open.
- Label both ends of every wire pair. Use clear heat shrink or tags like “Room1_MainDoor_Pos” and “Room1_MainDoor_Neg.” When you open the panel a year later, you will be grateful.
- Draw a simple diagram of each maglock circuit: power, controller, relay, lock. Nothing fancy, even a hand-drawn sheet taped inside the control cabinet is better than nothing.
- Log install date on a small sticker on each lock. If one starts failing early, you know whether it is a bad batch or a general wear issue.
- Plan for replacement access. Do not bury the lock behind glued panels. At some point, you will need to swap it or reach its wiring.
- Train at least two people on how your particular maglock systems work. If everything lives in one builder’s head, your business is fragile.
Magnetic locks are not magic. They are just magnets and metal plates, powered and controlled in predictable ways. The more you treat them as a system with mechanical, electrical, and human parts, the fewer surprises you will face during live games.