Cannon safe, electronic lock, low battery, my solution

[Jeffrey]

Good day all. I wanted to share my solution to a problem that could happen to many of us. I have a Cannon safe with an electronic lock. According to the manual, when the battery is getting low, a series of beeps will occur as the combination is entered. These "beeps" are at a very high frequency: apparently in my hearing loss range. The day came when my safe would not unlock. Instructions say When changing the battery (9v) first unlock the safe (duh). I was able to remove the battery and its connecting wires from the battery compartment. The top cover of the battery connector is removable, exposing the terminals. I electrical taped a fresh battery to the worn one, aligning polarity. Eighteen gauge solid copper wire (approximately 3 inches long each) was soldered to two 1 1/4 inch alligator clips. Each clip was connected to the terminal on the fresh battery with the bare end of its connecting wire inserted into and making contact with the terminal of the worn battery (+ to +, - to -). It would not unlock immediately, so I waited 24 hours (for a capacitor to charge?). After that time passed, the combination was entered, the unlock wheel turned, and the door opened. HUGE sigh of relief. During the two weeks between the times the door would not unlock and when it finally did, I literally lost sleep over this. Needless to say, spare batteries will be stored in the safe with notes on when the one in service was last changed. This is being shared in an effort to save others the grief I experienced.

[WebMonkey]

Thought there was a keylock under the electronics ?

[Char-Gar]

Combinations don't need batteries. All that is new is not better. It takes less than 20 second for me to get my safe open. The other one uses a key and keys don't require batteries either. The electronic age is not all it is cracked up to be.

[Jeffrey]

Not on the "Lexam" lock. Maybe on others.

[Jeffrey]

Combinations don't need batteries. All that is new is not better. It takes less than 20 second for me to get my safe open. The other one uses a key and keys don't require batteries either. The electronic age is not all it is cracked up to be.

Agreed. Unfortunately the combination lock is not able to be retrofitted to this door. Hindsight 20/20, I would have paid a bit more for the combination lock.

[dragon813gt]

Combinations don't need batteries. All that is new is not better. It takes less than 20 second for me to get my safe open. The other one uses a key and keys don't require batteries either. The electronic age is not all it is cracked up to be.

I agree. The only safe I have that's electronic is a quick access pistol safe and a safe it certainly isn't. But it has a key that will open it in case the electronics fail.

I don't understand why people want electronic locks. It's not a matter of if it will fail. It's a matter of when it will fail. Tumbler locks can fail as well but the instances are far less.

I guess I don't see the need to get into any of my safes quickly. Home defense guns are secured outside of them but still allow quick access. What irks me is that manufacturers are offering less dial locks on their models. I needed a cheap safe because I ran out of room in the larger one. Ended up w/ a Liberty because it's the only one w/ a dial lock in the price range I wanted to stay w/in. Give me a S&G lock over an electronic every time.

[rancher1913]

the local store that stocks gun safes has to special order combo lock safes, they only stock the electronic lock safes.

[tdoor4570]

I've got a liberty with dial lock there is a guy that is at all of our gun shows that sells liberty

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Clever solution, Jeffrey, and glad that you were eventually able to open it.

[bob208]

I went in to buy another gun safe all they had was those electronic locks. i left with outa safe. if it does not have a s & g combination lock it does not come home. after all it takes no time at all to run the combination especially if you do it every day. then it becomes mussel memory.

[Petrol & Powder]

Combinations don't need batteries. All that is new is not better. It takes less than 20 second for me to get my safe open. The other one uses a key and keys don't require batteries either. The electronic age is not all it is cracked up to be.

/\ Well said and absolutely true !! /\

I still carry a paper calendar and people laugh at me. The battery has never gone dead. The calendar has never "crashed". It only has to last a little over a year and the initial cost is pretty low. Electronics have their place but not everything electronic is better.

[mold maker]

Last year I had to pay a locksmith to come open my S&G lock. Cost me $350. plus $50 for the new (I doubt it) lock. If he would have had to drill it to open, that would have been an additional charge. I seldom open that safe and the discs in the lock had stiffened to the point they turned together.
I have concerns about the fancy modern digital locks, but the older S&G locks aren't immune to failure either.
BTW I only gave $160. for the safe (used) in the early 90s.

[Vinne]

Katrina caused the whole area to flood for weeks and 99% of the safes had to be drilled. On top of the pain of paying to get it open, all the guns were all rusted. Talk about your insult after injury.

[RP]

Anyone every goggle how to break into your safe ? you may be surprised.

[Duke3026]

I have two safes here, one is a electronic cannon. Personally, I'd never purchase a cannon again, had my electronic housing fail. Cannon, was good with shipping new parts, but install was on me. If your thinking of buying one! Read Michael Bane's blog, Dec 2008 into Jan 2009. Supposedly, the issue was corrected, but I was told failure on the same part will occur again. When I move, the new owners can have the one here.

http://michaelbane.blogspot.com/2008...e-failure.html

[smokeywolf]

I have friends who have Cannon safes and are happy with them. I kinda like Champion Safe's line. https://championsafe.com/superior-safe/
And although I know about S & G's dials freezing up, I still wouldn't want an electronic lock.

[shoot-n-lead]

I have had both...much prefer the electronics...to each, his own.

[OS OK]

Thanks for your post on this...battery problem. I think I'll make up a label and put it on my safe that tells me when to change the battery (at least twice a year...these new fangled batteries don't last like they should anyway) So...if I go to do it twice, maybe I'll actually do it at least once.

After all, I'd sure hate to have to get a can opener to get into the safe...

[dragon813gt]

Anyone every goggle how to break into your safe ? you may be surprised.

Their are residential security containers and then there are safes. Both simply buy you time. A true safe buys you more time. I'm under no assumption that the Liberty "safe" I bought is a safe. It's price reflects what it is. Any real valuable guns are stored in an actual safe.

[crash87]

Another solution, when you change your batteries in your smoke detectors add the safe to the list.
Of course this is done spring and fall when the clocks change with daylight savings time. If your one of the
areas who dont observe this, you will have to schedule it a different way.
Crash