electric safe lock

[pmer]

Well digital locks are faster to open and they can be used with little to no light in the room, compared reading the dial. But digital locks have a higher replacement rate compared to mechanical locks.

Some of the electronic locks have options that out pace spin dial locks. Things like delay timers, only opening at certain times and days, more than one person to open. Some have auditing and more.

So electronic locks are here to stay and the higher fail rate seems to be out weighed by lower operating costs because customers don't need locksmiths to change combos, most of them change their own pins.

Edit, looks like Winger Ed covered it already.

[Winger Ed.]

So electronic locks are here to stay

If you catch them when they give their warnings, changing them out is no big deal.

I retired a few years ago, and back then, I was waiting for voice recognition ones to hit the street.

[pmer]

Winger Ed, I don't see those paddle keys in use that much any more. Its the same style of lock but they get a different combo each time the lock is used. If you lock it the code you used a minute ago won't work.

[Winger Ed.]

Winger Ed, I don't see those paddle keys in use that much any more. Its the same style of lock but they get a different combo each time the lock is used. If you lock it the code you used a minute ago won't work.

A lot of hotels have those in the rooms with a small personal safe.
I never worked with them, but I figure management would need to have a gu-ru number to
open them when the customer forgot the number they keyed in.

For the big safes, I'd heard of them, but we never sold any.
Our suppliers had some that when you wanted to open the safe, you called their office
and they gave you a number--- but it only worked once.
Next time, you had to call them again and get a different one.
The lock probably held held a very large number of combinations, but they only worked in a sequence.

[Brokenbear]

Obviously there are folks on here that know far more than I but I feel compelled to share that my key pad battery died on one of my safes not long ago and I put in a new Energizer 9V button type and it still would not function so in desperation I called the safe company and got an old guy like me who had been with the safe company for a gagillion years ...He said they had learned that it took a really hot battery to get things back in order and that I was to go purchase a Copper Top Duracell 9V whose "good date" was 2025 or longer ..that their company experience has been the Copper Top install has solved 90% of the failures they encounter ..in the conversation he said they tested all the name brands I know of and some I never heard of and they failed (in reliability ) to have the required power to do the needed jolt for a proper reset ..except the Duracell Copper Top

His words not mine.. but I can tell you I was thankfully one of the 90 percenters his advise worked for ..great joy for sure !!!!

Bear

[Winger Ed.]

I put in a new Energizer 9V button type and it still would not function

Energizer bunnies used to be the benchmark of the industry and came in the new high end locks.
Years ago, we had a generation of Energizers that dropped below peak voltage way, way too soon and we switched to Duracells.
When a battery goes below a certain voltage, they just quit-- like a light bulb.
They don't usually slow down, drag, or make a 'chirp' like smoke alarms.

The other day, I was on Amazon looking to get a small package of AAs.
There was a bunch of complaints about the Energizers not being strong, even right out of the box.
I wonder if it isn't some sort of deal where the 'suspender boys' in the corporate office are trying to save money.

Our service desk would sometimes get calls where people had put a el-cheapo Radio Shack
battery in and the lock wouldn't fire.
We had one that insisted the cheap battery was fine, and called for a Service Tech.
The Customer Service guy told them if a Tech. came out and only put in a premium battery-- it will still cost $300.
They got a "Let me call you back"....... and the customer never did.

[Brokenbear]

Energizer bunnies used to be the benchmark of the industry and came in the new high end locks.
Years ago, we had a generation of Energizers that dropped below peak voltage way, way too soon and we switched to Duracells.
When a battery goes below a certain voltage, they just quit-- like a light bulb.
They don't usually slow down, drag, or make a 'chirp' like smoke alarms.

The other day, I was on Amazon looking to get a small package of AAs.
There was a bunch of complaints about the Energizers not being strong, even right out of the box.
I wonder if it isn't some sort of deal where the 'suspender boys' in the corporate office are trying to save money.

Our service desk would sometimes get calls where people had put a el-cheapo Radio Shack
battery in and the lock wouldn't fire.
We had one that insisted the cheap battery was fine, and called for a Service Tech.
The Customer Service guy told them if a Tech. came out and only put in a premium battery-- it will still cost $300.
They got a "Let me call you back"....... and the customer never did.

Ed I thought I read'em all but sure missed yours but isn't a shame the amount of $$ folks have wasted by simply not using the correct battery ..and shame on the safe industry for not better getting this message out in better fashion to the users of their products

Bear

[Winger Ed.]

isn't a shame the amount of $$ folks have wasted by simply not using the correct battery ..and shame on the safe industry for not better getting this message out in better fashion to the users of their products

Well,,,, Like so many other things that come with a manual or instructions, the information isn't really a guarded secret.
All the new locks I've seen & installed come with a booklet telling ya how to take care of them,,,,
and to change the battery every year or at the first sign the lock is acting goofy.

The high end AMSEC ESL 10 or 20 takes two premium brand 9V.
It will work with one good hot one,
but with two, they normally last at least a year with people going in and out/opening it once a day or more.

People have asked if they'll last longer. Sure it will. But if you have any doubts, change it anyway
and save the old one for a smoke detector. It will chirp and tell you when the battery really does get low.

When buying electronic tools or stuff, I looked for ones that took a 9V.
On the job, I had a endless supply of 'gently used' ones that were still good.
All I had to do was rescue them from the trash can.


One thing that doesn't get mentioned or talked about much is that when an electronic lock
hits about 10 years old, it's a real good idea to replace it no matter how well it works right now.

[Kestrel4k]

[...] The other day, I was on Amazon looking to get a small package of AAs.
There was a bunch of complaints about the Energizers not being strong, even right out of the box.
I wonder if it isn't some sort of deal where the 'suspender boys' in the corporate office are trying to save money. [...]

Woudn't surprise me if the change was the offshoring of the manufacturing facility; a brief Google search indicated that Energizers were US-mfg but who really knows on the details; what about their specific 9V line, or 'Made in the USA with imported materials', or whatever.

When I was buying my Zanotti, I enjoyed a few phone calls with the company owner.
He said (this was a while ago), that electronic locks were 10% of their installs, but 90% of their problems.

[MaryB]

At the casino we didn't use combo locks. Everything used a high security magnetic key and locks were randomly changed on the main vault so stealing a key for later use wouldn't work... if you managed to get it out of the building, "losing" it was a firing offense... had to check out your key set start of shift and check it back in end of shift in the security office.

[ulav8r]

Bought some Rayovac batteries at Menards about a year ago. Was several months before I opened them, had gotten a Battery Buddy to store batteries in. As I started putting them in I found a few that were leaking. Checking the packaging found a date of 2021, the batteries were dated 2007. Had 2 leaking batteries out of a package of 48, should have accepted Menards offer of a replacement but the gas to take them back for an exchange is about $36. Did tell Menards that they need to have their buyers check the merchandise they are buying.

Sent Rayovac an email saying I considered that false advertisement as the packaging touts their long life and premium quality. Got no response from them.

[hiram]

I got in touch with the business where I purchased the safe. I have it ten years, He said he recommends changing the electric lock every 7-8 years. He never told me that. Someone who does safe work will call and I'll make an appointment for a S&G dial lock to be installed.

My dad had an American Securities safe (I think that was the name) and the S&G lock worked at least 30 yrs. without a hiccup.

Thank you all for your input.

[Winger Ed.]

and the S&G lock worked at least 30 yrs. without a hiccup.

Keep it out of fires, floods, and resist the urge to spray oil in it-- they just last & last.
I've never seen anyone have 'buyer's remorse' when the got a S&G spin dial.

The S&G on my gunsafe came off a (retired) bank vault that was about 20 years old- maybe more.
It was doing fine, but I took it apart and cleaned it out of guilt & boredom as much as anything.
That was about 20 years ago, I don't open and go in & out a few times a day like the bank did,
but it's still on the job working as well as it did when it was new.

[WILCO]

My electric safe came with a key that opens the safe with the key hole behind the battery.

That's been my experience.

[abunaitoo]

There is a guy on utube that shows how to get into safes.
He did one on a digital safe.
After seeing it, I will never buy a digital safe.
I'll try and find it, and post it.

[Winger Ed.]

There is a guy on utube that shows how to get into safes.
He did one on a digital safe.
After seeing it, I will never buy a digital safe.
I'll try and find it, and post it.

There's several videos on opening those el cheapo safes.
Do a search of 'opening a digital safe lock'.
They are not high security by any means, but are really just fire resistant boxes to keep papers in.
Or, if all you need to keep out of it is little kids.
Even then, they should be bolted to the floor and/or in a corner where it's hard to get tools on it.

However;
If you only have $50. worth of stuff, it's OK to put it in a $50 safe.
Actually, one of those is the only kind of safe I'd want to put a digital lock on.

To see openings on higher security stuff, there's a bunch of youtube videos under 'opening high security safes'.

For regular gun safes with 1/8th inch thick walls, they'll keep most of the high school kids out.
Cutting a hole in the side with a angle grinder & sawz-all is the method of choice.

Nothing is 100%. Not even a posted armed guard.
Safe security is all about time. Making a target hard to attack and breach for longer and longer periods of time,
and needing more and bigger power tools.

Something that has been proven true many times is that the fastest way to open any safe is yelling at the owner with a crazy expression,
and hitting them a few times behind their ear with a .22 pistol.

[MaryB]

There's several videos on opening those el cheapo safes.
Do a search of 'opening a digital safe lock'.
They are not high security by any means, but are really just fire resistant boxes to keep papers in.
Or, if all you need to keep out of it is little kids.
Even then, they should be bolted to the floor and/or in a corner where it's hard to get tools on it.

However;
If you only have $50. worth of stuff, it's OK to put it in a $50 safe.
Actually, one of those is the only kind of safe I'd want to put a digital lock on.

To see openings on higher security stuff, there's a bunch of youtube videos under 'opening high security safes'.

For regular gun safes with 1/8th inch thick walls, they'll keep most of the high school kids out.
Cutting a hole in the side with a angle grinder & sawz-all is the method of choice.

Nothing is 100%. Not even a posted armed guard.
Safe security is all about time. Making a target hard to attack and breach for longer and longer periods of time,
and needing more and bigger power tools.

Something that has been proven true many times is that the fastest way to open any safe is yelling at the owner with a crazy expression,
and hitting them a few times behind their ear with a .22 pistol.

Friend had his safe in his basement with poured concrete walls on 3 sides and top/bottom. High end safe, he had some very expensive full auto stuff...

He was gone for a weekend and a guy he knew broke in, welded large loops to the safe in 8 spots, attached cables and tore it out with a wrecker. He did not know he was on camera the entire time... cost him his tow truck and business, and 10 years in prison! Safe was recovered unopened, guy was cutting on it with a grinder trying to get at the door lock bars and wasn't getting very far. Friends insurance company paid for the house damage and a new safe(was way less than the cost of the guns kept in it!) and went after they thief to recoup the losses. How he lost everything he owned.

If someone wants it bad they will get it out!

[Winger Ed.]

attached cables and tore it out with a wrecker.

We got a call late one night. One of our customers that had one of those 'check-o-cash-o' places had been hit.
The bad guys backed a wrecker in through the store front, got a cable around & under a safe that weighed a little
less than a ton, and was about a 3x3x3 foot cube.

The alarms had time to work, and as they were pulling out- the Police were pulling in.
During the chase, the safe fell off the truck and landed out in the middle of a rather busy street.

The wrecker had crashed, and the Police had managed to push it off to the side of the road with a squad car.

Our mover guy got it loaded, and asked if they wanted him to drop it off at the station for evidence.
"Oh no,,,, we'll just take a couple of pictures and get a statement."

Except for a little road rash and chipped paint, the safe was OK.
The next day the owner came in and got his money out of it. We repainted it, gave it a quick tune up,
and delivered it back to him at his new location.

[45_Colt]

We got a call late one night. One of our customers that had one of those 'check-o-cash-o' places had been hit...

We repainted it, gave it a quick tune up, and delivered it back to him at his new location.

Good story, good ending, that in blue sums this up. Seems a lot of folks are moving away from those areas.

45_Colt