Blog

Quick Verdict

A Von Duprin number reads left to right in a fixed order: electrical prefix, series, function suffix, fire suffix, trim, length, finish, hand. "RX-QEL-99-L-F 996L-06 3' 626 RHR" is a grooved-case 99 rim device with a request-to-exit switch and quiet electric latch retraction, 996L lever trim in the 06 design, fire exit hardware, sized for a 2'4" to 3' door, satin chrome, right hand reverse. Three rules settle most orders. The two digits after any prefix are the series (22, 33A/35A, 98/99) and the next two are the latching type (27 surface rod, 47 concealed rod, 57 three-point, 75 mortise). The letters after the series name the outside trim, and the trim decides the cylinder. Anything in front of the series needs 24VDC, a power transfer and a harness; -F devices never dog, so LD is implied.

How is a Von Duprin part number built?

Schedules separate the fields with "x" or spaces; carton labels run them together. The order:

1. Electrical prefix (RX, LX, SS, EL, QEL, CX, CXA, E996L); RX-QEL and QEL-RX are the same device.

2. Dogging prefix (LD, CD, SD), panic devices only.

3. Series (22, 33A, 35A, 98, 99), with latching digits on rod and mortise devices (3327A, 3547A, 9827, 9947, 9857, 9975).

4. Function suffix (EO, NL, L, L-NL, K, TP, DT, BE), plus a lever design on L trims (-06 standard; -12, -16, -17 also stocked) and a prep code on trims sold alone (-R/V rim and vertical rod, -M mortise).

5. -F: fire exit hardware, positive latching, no dogging.

6. Trim number when written out (990NL, 990TP, 996L, 996K, 210K, 386NL, 388NL, 360L); a device with a trim function ships with its trim.

7. Length: 3 (doors 2'4" to 3') or 4 (doors 2'10" to 4').

8. Finish, BHMA or the older US code the NLS variant lists still use: 626 = 26D satin chrome, 628 = US28 satin aluminum, 605 = US3 bright brass, 710 = 313 dark bronze, 711 = 315 black, 630 = 32D satin stainless, plus 643E aged bronze. 619 and 630 exist on the 98 series only.

9. Hand, RHR or LHR, only where the device is handed: exit-only rim devices are non-handed, lever rim devices are sold by hand, every 9875/9975 mortise device is handed.

The whole 98 vs 99 difference is the mechanism case, smooth on the 98 and grooved on the 99, with identical internals; the 98 vs 99 buying guide settles that choice. If the schedule itself is the obstacle, start with the architect's hardware schedule guide.

Which Von Duprin series is which: 22, 33A/35A, 98/99, and the rod and mortise numbers

The series digits give the case, the stile it fits and the price tier; the second pair gives the latching.

Series number	Latching	Door and stile	Bolt detail (NLS spec pages)	Fire-rated version
22	Rim	Wide-stile pushpad, stiles down to 3 13/16" (4 3/8" on 22-F)	Deadlocking 3/4" throw	22-F
33A / 35A	Rim	Narrow-stile pushpad, stiles down to 1 3/4"; center case 1 9/16" wide	Deadlocking 3/4" throw	33A-F / 35A-F
3327A / 3527A	Surface vertical rod	Narrow stile	Top and bottom surface latches	3327A-F / 3527A-F
3347A / 3547A	Concealed vertical rod	Narrow stile; metal stiles down to 2 1/8", wood down to 4"	Top and bottom bolts 5/8" throw; rods adjust 6'8" to 8'4"	3347A-F / 3547A-F
98 / 99	Rim	Wide stile; center case 8" x 2 3/4"; smooth (98) or grooved (99)	Deadlocking 3/4" throw	98-F / 99-F
9827 / 9927	Surface vertical rod	Wide stile, exposed rods; RGO = rod guards included	Top and bottom surface latches	9827-F / 9927-F
9847 / 9947	Concealed vertical rod	Wide-stile hollow metal; WDC = wood door version	Top and bottom bolts 5/8" throw; rods adjust 6'8" to 8'4"	9847-F / 9947-F
9857 / 9957	Three-point	Wide stile, all three edges latched	Rim bolt 3/4" plus top and bottom 5/8"; rods for 7' doors standard	9857-F / 9957-F
9875 / 9975	Mortise	Wide stile, handed, mortise lock body	Trim takes a 1 1/4" mortise cylinder	9875-F / 9975-F

The "A" on 33A, 35A, 3327A and 3547A marks the current narrow-stile design; "33" or "3347" on an old schedule means the same family, and the 35A is the smooth version of the 33A (finish 619 exists on the 35A and 98 only). The 22 is the light-commercial rim: ANSI A156.3 Grade 1, painted finishes only (526, 622, 689, 695), a 22EO at about $388 at NLS against about $1,278 for a 98EO, and its own 210-series trims, so "22 x 996L" is a spec error. On aluminum storefront the 33A/35A competes with the door manufacturer's device, covered in the Kawneer 1686/1786 Paneline guide. Choosing between rim, SVR, CVR and mortise is its own article.

What do EO, NL, L, K, TP, DT and BE mean, and what is LD?

The function suffix names the outside trim and therefore the cylinder to add; Von Duprin furnishes no cylinders, so every key function below needs one.

Code	Outside trim it names	What the key does	Cylinder to add
EO	None, exit only	No key	None
DT / BE	DT = 990DT pull or 996L-DT rigid lever; BE = 990TP-BE or 996L-BE, always operable	No key	None
NL	990NL pull (98/99), 386NL (33A), 388NL (3347A; -OP = pull sold separately), 210NL (22)	Key retracts the latchbolt, ANSI function 03	Rim
L	996L lever (98/99 family), 360L (3547A)	Key locks and unlocks the lever, ANSI function 08	Rim with -R/V trims; 1 1/4" mortise with -M trims on 9875/9975
L-NL	996L-NL lever	Key retracts the latchbolt; lever is a rigid pull, ANSI function 03	Rim; 1 1/4" mortise on the 996L-NL-M
K	996K knob (98/99), 210K (22)	Key locks and unlocks the knob, ANSI function 08	Rim
TP	990TP thumbpiece (98/99)	Key locks and unlocks the thumbpiece	Rim

The number after 996L is the lever design, not a function: 996L-06 is what "99L-06" on a carton means, the 996L-12-R/V lever trim is the 12 lever with rim and vertical rod prep, and 996L-16-M and 996L-NL-17-M are mortise-prep levers for 9875/9975 devices, all on the same 2 3/4" x 10 3/4" escutcheon. Which lever or pull belongs on the opening is the exit device trims guide.

Dogging codes sit in front of the series. Panic devices dog with a hex key that holds the pushpad down for push/pull traffic. LD is less dogging, ordered where nobody may leave the door unlatched or where a QEL provides electric dogging. CD is cylinder dogging: a mortise cylinder in the pushpad replaces the hex key. SD is special dogging, a factory-assigned variant on older specs; confirm it with the factory before re-ordering from a label. Every -F device is less dogging, because fire exit hardware must latch each time the door closes under NFPA 80: "LD-99EO-F" is redundant and "CD-99EO-F" does not exist.

What do RX, LX, EL, QEL, CX and E996L need to work?

An electrical prefix changes the bill of materials, not just the device; values below are from the NLS spec pages.

Code	Meaning	Device power	Door-to-frame wiring	Supply and board
RX (SS on older specs)	Request-to-exit: SPDT switch on the pushpad signals a push	None (dry contact, 2 A resistive max, signalling only)	Transfer or door loop, 3 conductors	None
LX	Latchbolt monitor: latch retracted or extended	None (dry contact)	Transfer, adds conductors	None
EL	Electric latch retraction, solenoid	24VDC, high inrush	Transfer, 2 conductors	Supply rated for solenoid inrush (PS914 class)
QEL	Quiet electric latch retraction, motor driven	24VDC, 1.0 A inrush for 0.5 s, 0.14 A holding	EPT-2 transfer, 2 conductors	PS902 or PS914 with 2RS, 4RL or 4R board
CX / CXA	Chexit delayed egress: 15 s hold with alarm, release on fire alarm; CXA = motor-driven blocking actuator	24VDC, 1.25 A inrush, 390 mA holding	Transfer, plus NC contacts for fire alarm, inhibit, door position	PS902 runs 1 Chexit, PS904 runs 3
E996L	Electrified 996L lever trim, fail safe or fail secure by spec	DC to the trim	Transfer, 2 conductors	Access-control supply

The QEL99EO rim device is about $2,176 at NLS and is the default for card-reader openings on wide-stile doors: mechanical egress at all times, UL approved for Class II circuits, and an inrush low enough for standard Schlage supplies, which the solenoid EL cannot use. The CXA99EO Chexit is about $3,182 at NLS; it satisfies NFPA 101 "special locking arrangements" and IBC "special egress control" on its own and ships with the 6" x 20" "push until alarm sounds" decal. RX adds nothing to the power budget, so RX-QEL costs conductors, not amps: QEL alone runs on a 2-wire EPT-2, QEL plus RX needs five conductors and a 10-wire transfer. The RX9975EO mortise device is the RX in handed mortise form. Where the frame side is an electric strike instead of latch retraction, the HES electric strike model guide pairs strikes to rim devices.

How do you turn a schedule line into a Von Duprin order?

Three real lines, each resolved to the NLS page whose variant list carries the string.

Line 1: "1 EA EXIT DEVICE 99L-NL-06 x 3' x 626 x RHR, RIM CYLINDER BY OTHERS." Grooved-case 99 rim, lever night latch with the 06 lever, 3' bar for a 2'4" to 3' door, satin chrome, right hand reverse. The 996L-NL trim is inside the device number. This is the 99L-NL rim device with 996L-NL night latch trim, variant "99L-NL-06 3 26D RHR". Add one rim cylinder on the building keyway; a 9854 or 9954 mullion only if it is a pair.

Line 2: "1 EA EXIT DEVICE QEL-99-EO x 4' x 628, PS902-2RS, EPT, HARNESSES." Quiet electric latch retraction, 99 grooved case, exit only, 4' bar for a 2'10" to 4' door, satin aluminum: QEL99EO, variant "QEL99EO 4 US28". The prefix forces the rest of the line: one PS902 with the 2RS board (which also times two QEL devices on a pair), one EPT-2, one CON-44 harness inside the door, one CON-6W at the supply. A QEL can be held retracted from the panel for free entry, so most integrators write LD-QEL.

Line 3: "1 EA EXIT DEVICE 9847-EO-F x 4' x 630, HM DOOR 8'-0" HIGH." Concealed vertical rod, 98 smooth case, exit only, fire exit hardware, 4' bar, satin stainless (32D). Two checks: 630 exists on the 98 series only, so the line is consistent (a "9947EO-F 630" would need a finish change), and an 8' door sits inside the 6'8" to 8'4" top rod range, so no extension kit. This is the 9847EO-F fire-rated concealed vertical rod device for metal doors, variant "9847EO-F 4 32D". It ships less dogging because it is fire-rated; do not add LD, and do not accept the wood-door 9847WDC-F on hollow metal.

Which Von Duprin parts, cylinders and conversion kits are ordered separately?

Cylinders. Rim cylinders go with NL, L, K and TP trims on rim, SVR and CVR devices (996L-12-R/V, 996K-R/V, 33ANL, 3347ANL-OP). A 1 1/4" mortise cylinder goes with -M trims on 9875/9975 devices, with the 360L on the 3547AL, with any CD device, and with every Chexit (36-083 compression ring, straight cam, Schlage 20-001-114 recommended). Match the trim's finish code.

Dogging conversion. A 98/99 panic device converts from hex key to cylinder dogging in the field with the 050132 cylinder dogging kit plus a mortise cylinder. No kit fire-rates a panic device: a 99EO on a fire door is replaced with a 99EO-F.

Harnesses and transfers. The Allegion Connect harness family is ordered by length and end type: CON-6W (6", Molex to bare leads, the supply end), CON-12 (12", Molex both ends), CON-44 (44", Molex both ends, inside a hollow metal door), CON-192P (192", Molex to crimped pins). Add the EPT-2 or a 10-wire transfer per the conductor count.

The 6211 is not an exit device strike. The most-searched Von Duprin strike number resolves at NLS to the 6211 12V electric strike for cylindrical or mortise locks: 4 7/8" faceplate, 0.60 A at 12VDC continuous, UL 1034, UL 10C 3-hour fire rated as fail secure, a retrofit for the 3140FA 712, for a cylindrical or mortise lock without deadbolt on a single door. Rim devices take the 6100-series strikes made for the 3/4" rim bolt.

Common mistakes when ordering Von Duprin by part number

1. Ordering "99L" with no lever design. 99L-06 ships by default; if the building runs 12, 16 or 17 levers, the mismatch shows on day one.

2. Putting LD on a -F device. Fire exit hardware is already less dogging; the extra code confuses the order.

3. Specifying 630 or 619 on a 99. Both exist on the 98 only (619 also on the 35A); change the series or the finish.

4. Buying a 3' device for a 3'6" door. A 3' device covers 2'4" to 3'; anything wider takes the 4' bar cut down.

5. Ignoring the conductor count. RX plus QEL needs five conductors; a 2-wire EPT-2 leaves the RX switch dead.

6. Reading "6211" as the strike for a 99. It is a cylindrical and mortise lock strike; rim devices use the 6100 series.

7. Treating 3347ANL-OP as complete. It is cylinder only; the pull is a separate line.

FAQ

Is a 99EO the same device as an LD99EO? No. The 99EO has hex key dogging; the LD99EO ships without the mechanism. Both are Grade 1 grooved-case rim exit-only devices, non-handed, with a 3/4" deadlocking latch.

Can a panic device be converted to fire-rated? No. The listing belongs to the -F device as built; there is no field kit. Replace a 99EO with a 99EO-F, a 9847EO with a 9847EO-F.

Does the trim come with the device? Yes, when the function is in the device number: 99L-NL includes the 996L-NL, 22K the 210K, 3547AL the 360L. Cylinders never do. Trims are also sold alone (996L-12-R/V, 996L-16-M, 996K-R/V) for replacement or a field change of function.

What does RHR mean on a Von Duprin number? Right hand reverse: the door swings away from you when viewed from the secure side, hinges on the right. 98EO, 99EO and 22EO are non-handed; 99L and 99L-NL are sold by hand; 9875/9975 mortise devices are field reversible.

Next step

Decode the line, then go to the matching page: the Von Duprin catalog at NLS is organized by series and prefix, and every device page above lists its variants by length, finish and hand. Orders placed before 3:00 p.m. EST ship the same day from Brooklyn by UPS or FedEx; ground shipping is free at $450 and up, which any single device clears. For a string that mixes prefixes (RX-QEL, LD-QEL, CX with options) or names a trim the series cannot take, send the line as written to the commercial desk at 718-814-6300 and it comes back as the orderable number with the cylinder, transfer, harness and supply it needs.