Amsec digital safe lock beep beep .... (quiet)

[milktree]

Eight years ago I got a safe from a friend moving to Texas who didn't want to move it. I promptly replaced the dial lock with a push-button type because the dial had gloss black numbers on polished gold that were super hard to read in low light, and it took me a long time to open it - every time.

A couple days ago I went to open the safe and instead of, "Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep click" it went "Beep beep ... ... ..."

Nothing. First beep ("C", to start entering the code) worked fine (went beep), sometimes the second beep (the first number) went beep, but then nothing. repeatable. "C" always worked (beeped), the first number sometimes worked, the second number *rarely* worked. But that's it. I tried swapping batteries (the old ones were at 8.9v) I tried leaving the batteries out overnight, I tried disconnecting the keypad from the cable going into the safe door. Nothing changed the behavior.

Knowledge Base | American Security

Use American Security's Knowledge Base to find answers to FAQs, easy-to-use guides to troubleshoot and perform basic functions like changing the combination.

americansecuritysafes.com

ESL 10/20 Series Locks

Q: My keypad is only responding to "C" or "C" and one number.

A: Rotate the ESL 10/20 keypad counter-clockwise and lift off
the base. Unplug and then replug the lock cable. If this
does not solve the problem, please contact an authorized
dealer. Click here to find an authorized dealer in your area.

Well, that sucks.

This happens often enough that it's the top question/answer in the "ESL 10/20 Series locks" section. That implies they know it's a
problem.

I hope it doesn't mean destructive entry and replacement.

Any of you have experience with this kind of failure?

 

[zboys]

You sure the new battery is good.
Mine does that when the battery gets low

 

[milktree]

You sure the new battery is good.
Mine does that when the battery gets low

Not the batteries. I tried new ones with the same symptoms. And when the batteries get low it still "works", but the beeps get weak and sometimes the latch doesn't open. (but it tries)

 

[Twigg]

This is why I prefer a spin dial. No batteries or electronics. Hopefully you have a bypass key.

 

[milktree]

Well... American Security doesn't inspire confidence.

Even though the FIRST question in the FAQ is the exact problem I have, their answer (I called their tech support) is, "yea, electronic things wear out and you should get something newer."

WTF? No, goddamnit, it's a gun safe. You can't say with a straight face that the electronics in a gun safe are supposed to be replaced every seven years. That's batshit insane.

I think I might have been talking to a punk-ass kid who didn't realize how stupid it was to say that, he sounded like he was in his early '20s and didn't really understand the technology.

He transferred me to someone with more knowledge who hasn't called me back yet. Maybe it was just the front line guy who was a dumbass, and the company as a whole does the right thing.

Meanwhile I called a few locksmiths from their website, and none of them knew what I was talking about. The best answer was that it could be drilled out for $550 and the hole plugged with hardened steel (like a drill bit) to prevent someone else from using the hole later.

"try a different keypad" was common among both AmSec and the locksmith, neither suggested it *would* work, just that it might and it's the only way to test. (which seems bogus) Neither were willing to lend me a keypad to test, or take it back if it didn't. (because reasons)

I did learn, however, that I can just buy a flat black with flat white numbers dial that would work with my old mechanical lock, making the "This gloss black and polished brass sucks" problem go away.

 

[milktree]

For anyone playing along with the home game:

Thistle Safe sent over a guy to drill out the safe. He brought with him a new keypad... which worked.

So, that's good, because it reduced my cost a lot and didn't require a hole in the safe, but frustrating, 'cuz I could have done that had I been willing to risk the $90 on an experiment.

I had already bought a new Sargent & Greenleaf 6730-102 (top reading / spy-proof dial without a key lock) so I had him install it because the minimum charge covered his time to do it. It also meant I could watch and ask questions, which was worth a lot anyway.

The visit cost me $250, which is a lot less than the $500-$600 it would have cost had he drilled it out.

I'm pretty happy with Thistle Safe, they had good communication, easy to schedule, and Anthony (the guy they sent) was happy to chat about how stuff worked and explain what he was doing and why, and give me hints and pointers and tricks.

I hope I don't need a safe cracker again, but if I do, I'd call them.