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When your safe electronic lock fails. On the weekend!

EBR Works

Well-known member
CAguns Vendor
CAguns Supporter
Verified FFL
Founder 2026 2
Messages
192
We have several large safes from Sun Welding in Simi Valley. The safes themselves have been great. No issues with their product.

We replaced one of the keypad/lock assemblies about 18 months ago with a different brand than what was supplied by Sun. Over the weekend, one of them became inaccessible with the electronic keypad rejecting all codes. Fun!

Here is the model of keypad and lock assembly:


After using advise garnered online to no avail, a call was made to Securam first thing Monday morning.

After following their guidance, the keypad responded to the correct code and the safe opened. We were advised to replace the assembly. Securam support admitted that they had a run of electronics with bad chip sets over about a year. Awesome.

We had a local safe specialist out and he replaced the assembly with a better brand (NL Lock). He noted that Securam products "were not a top lock"!

Check your electronic locks. If you have this brand with serial numbers close to that shown above, you might want to consider replacement or you may have frustration headed your way!
 
What I’ve been having issues with in my Winchester safe is static electricity shorting my keypad. I thought at first it was the battery’s so I bought new ones. Well this last time it happened I noticed that as soon as I touched keypad, there was a shock ⚡️ from my finger to the keypad and sure enough it shorted it. Good thing I just had to reset the keypad after replacing the battery. Now I just ground myself before I touch the fkn thing.
 
That’s rough, @EBR Works !! Glad they finally got you straightened out!!

I’m a +1 on Sun Welding safes. Good stuff!!
 
China might have something to do with it! Need to start manufacturing in the US!
 
i have yet to have an issue from the mechanical safe I got from Dean safes, also in Simi Valley. Glad you got it figured out.
 
I have two Cannon safes. The first safe is over 15 years old and I’ve never had a problem. The second safe is less than a year old and the lock has malfunctioned twice. The lock will not engage but the keypad is fine. Cannon sent me a replacement lock which worked for a couple of months and now it’s doing it again. Now I’m waiting on a replacement lock and keypad from Canon that will, hopefully, rectify the problem.
 
What I’ve been having issues with in my Winchester safe is static electricity shorting my keypad. I thought at first it was the battery’s so I bought new ones. Well this last time it happened I noticed that as soon as I touched keypad, there was a shock ⚡️ from my finger to the keypad and sure enough it shorted it. Good thing I just had to reset the keypad after replacing the battery. Now I just ground myself before I touch the fkn thing.
We get static occasionally in my house, how are you grounding yourself?
 
After spending a few days in Reno, Las Vegas and finally Prescott Valley--all at altitude--and shocking myself repeatedly via static electricity, I'm thinking any of you in the mountains should ground or use a dial.
 
What is the consensus on the electronic locks with the Override Keys that look like skeleton keys?
 
I will never, ever use an electric/electronic lock. I ALWAYS use a manual lock.

Period. End of story.
 
Sun Welding in Simi Valley is an excellent company. They have built numerous RSC’s for us to our specs as to dimensions, finish, etc. The owner is a stand-up guy who backs his products, and answers all q’s Ive ever had.

As to electronic locks, I’m old fashioned and refuse to use them for all the reasons cited. My philosophy is that weapons that are to be used for immediate social purposes are NOT to be put in safes unless they are taken out of service or put away for storage. Immediate use means some type of quick access that still affords safety from normal house guests or others who may be curious. Simplex locks are my preferred method for these quick access boxes. Mechanical, and no electronics here either for the same reasons.
 
I have a cannon with an electronic lock. Had problems with it. Locksmith came out so I got to “pick” his brain.

Cliff notes - s&g or la gard dial locks. TL rated safe and bolt it down.

Kept the cannon, had him install a S&G (link above), it was already bolted down.

Next purchase was an old TL rated safe. They installed a s&g lock on it. Bolted down.

High Noble in Roseville has some old TL rated safes on the cheap. $500 and they will install it. This one is interesting - one for handguns, jewelry and paperwork?


 
Cannon gun safes from Tractor Supply have keypad issues; I"m having mine converted to standard mechanical dial. Too many times it doesn't want open. Have to just barely "kiss" the last number in the combination. Big bummer when it fails X number of times and then have to wait 15 minutes till you can try again.
 
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