Any experts here on safe locking mechanisms?

[jnyork]

Having trouble with my safe (yes, I know , it isn't really a safe) . A few years ago I stupidly bought a Liberty safe with one of the electronic locks ( S&G), now I getting my comeuppance.

It only opens about every 6 tries, and even then the handle has to be in just the right position to the 1/64th of an inch or so. Replacing batteries seems to have no effect. Some of the little chimes that sound when you press a button sound weak. Any ideas? What does it cost to replace this confounded thing with a manual lock?

Serves me right for buying something electronic that could be operated manually.

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[Lastmohecken]

I would check with Liberty on it. Maybe it could be serviced or replaced.

What I would really do is sell it, and buy a safe with a good quality dial mechanical lock. I have heard of plenty of bad stories regarding electronic locks, which scared me off of them. I know one guy who had one of the electrical locks fail, and it was a slow go on getting it fixed, and he went six months without accessing his safe.

I have never been happy with anything electronic in the long run, they always fail, sooner then anticipated.

[Pete44ru]

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I have a small, unobtrusive safe with an electronic keypad, which I've bolted in a dark area to a cellar floor joist, right above a main beam, pretty much out of sight, unless you know where to look.

The only reason I bought it (my gunsafe has a mechanical dial), besides for it's small size, is that the manufacturer supplied an over-ride key for if/when the battery's low.

JNY, I would suggest disassembling the inside of the door the very next time you get the door to open, and investigate the mechanism.

I found, with my small safe, that a sliding, flat, slotted, sheet metal part of the mechanical opening mechanism had developed a slight bow along it's length, which apparently was enough to make for an "iffy" door opening (since the issue disappeared after I removed/straightened,replaced the part).

Also, I bought an aerosol can of clock lubricant, which I apply to the internal parts of both the small safe & my gunsafe, which keeps them happy.


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[BrianSH]

Can't help with the S&G, but if you can replace it with a Kaba-Mas X09, that's the way to go. They sure as shootin' don't give them away, but their legacy is bomb proof.

[Rusty]

Don't touch a thing, call Liberty. They'll make it right if you give them a chance.

[jnyork]

Well, I finally got the dang thing working. After sitting overnight, I tried it again and it popped open. It appears I had one too many guns in it that was jamming it up somehow. I took out the first two, lubed the locking bolts where they slide in and out of the door, closed it and tried again. Open right smartly, slick as snot. Have tried it several times since with same result.

Hope this helps someone else.

Thanks, all, for your helpful replies. :

[92&94]

Sounds like you have too many rifles.... feel free to send some to me for safe keeping

(glad you got it fixed too)

[JohndeFresno]

Well, I finally got the dang thing working. After sitting overnight, I tried it again and it popped open. It appears I had one too many guns in it that was jamming it up somehow. I took out the first two, lubed the locking bolts where they slide in and out of the door, closed it and tried again. Open right smartly, slick as snot. Have tried it several times since with same result.

Hope this helps someone else.

Thanks, all, for your helpful replies. :

That is one of the problems with electronic safes - at least the ones within the price range of most consumers:
Any pressure on the door that pushes sideways on the bolts,
or slamming it while closing it,
or even opening/closing (moving) the bolts too vigorously -
...can jam the darned thing up. One more argument for manual dials.

I have also been informed, without verifying, that if you use
magnets on or near the door, like magnetic hooks,
...they can interfere with the operation of the rather weak motor that moves the part or parts that allow you to unlock the bolt(s).

I have used a few electronic locking pads -
* a small hidden electronic safe like Pete44ru,
* an external garage door opener switch sold by a leading international alarm company,
* and a rather expensive electronic gate lock
These three entirely different products are made by three different companies, they suffer from a common malfunction. malady.

With all three of these systems, I have found that they frequently refuse to unlock unless you pause a second before entering the last number, e.g. -
1 2 3 4 5 - won't work
1 2 3 4 (pause 1 second) 5 - opens up.
And - this is with fresh batteries in each device.

As a side note, all three of these locks can be bypassed (by an alternate high security key or key-locked side door) if they fail. If they did not, I would get rid of them. My two cents regarding your locked up thousands in inventory.

With your steel full sized electronic safe, it gets expensive to call a locksmith to open it for you. And if it was made with the proper tight tolerances at the door and frame (as Liberty advertises proudly online), prying the bolts and door is a difficult process that destroys the safe.

...What I would really do is sell it, and buy a safe with a good quality dial mechanical lock. I have heard of plenty of bad stories regarding electronic locks...

Yup. My main safes have mechanical dials.