Mechanical Locks vs. E-Locks - WHAT LOCK IS BETTER FOR YOU?
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- Опубликовано: 29 окт 2019
- Want to know whether to buy a safe with a mechanical lock or an electronic lock? We can help.
There are pros and cons to both dial locks and e-locks, and as long as you get a quality lock, neither is a bad choice. To help you make your decision, we go over the differences between the two, and reasons why you might choose one over the other.
Download our guide on Mechanical Locks vs. E-Locks here: www.libertysafe.com/images/do...
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Not sure what safe is right for you? Take the quiz; Which Safe is Right for You: www.libertysafe.com/safe-sele...
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I disagree. I work at a safe dealership and I've dealt with many calls from people who have been unable to open their safes because the e-locks have failed. They change their batteries and the lock will still not engage or remain in lockout mode. We have to send our specialist out and we end up warrantying many locks of the brands you spoke about. I never recommend them. Mechanical is more reliable.
Which mechanical is best ?
@@robertlipperd7352 but with mechanical you have to call an expert aka locksmith to make you a dialog
@@robertlipperd7352 Sargent & greenleaf.
I agree with you. The electric ones are junk and prone to failure. Most safe dealers dont even offer a manual dial or if they do, they arent in stock so they put the sales pitch on, on how dependable these electronic ones are. Rule of thumb....If there are electronic parts they have a propensity to fail. Manufacturers have meetings to determine life expectancy for repeat sales. The day of American made being something lasts and lasts went out the window 30 years ago when greed took over.
Agree. Have you heard about rare earth magnets used to opened E locks? Magnetic pull is able overcome electromagnetic spring, forcing locking bolt open.
Great video, thanks...I have a Cannon Safe I bought about 22 yrs. Ago with a Sargent & Greenleaf mechanical lock and I was able to easily change the combo with a tool that came with my safe.
I don't understand why safe people always say you need a locksmith to change a mechanical lock's combo? I did this a hundred times or more in the Air Force - S&G combo locks on our tippytop secret security containers. Maybe a 5 minute job. Just remember to test it a few times with door open before you lock it up.
Yep, I have done it also. Piece of cake!
Yeah and f electrical locks they have a backdoor code to them no matter how many times you change the code for the 1 user or the manager profile there is another backdoor so they don't even need to know you serial number
My e-lock have failed and I have to pay hundreds of dollars to just have it drilled and opened. If you are in for a safe, mechanical locks are still the best option for longevity. I know e-locks are convenient and by far the fastest way to open your safe but when they fail, and I mean they will all fail specially the safelock behind the door, you're up to days or week not being able to open your safe.
A lot of practice would make you more efficient in opening your mechanical lock in your safe.
Not to mention the safe company or lock company has a backdoor code if it's electrical 😅
@@TheTAEclub I was amazed by that too when I called the company who made the safe. They gave me a code to try to open as a default. But it didn't worked either for my e-lock was completely gone.
@@jeejay98 yup no matter how much or which code you change if your lock is operational they have a code that will work WITHOUT a serial number.. smh
well here is my two cents worth, i chose the dial lock for my liberty safe because, even tho it might be more than 100 year old technology ..its not outdated by any stretch..on the other hand, i trust e-locks too..but will those electronics last 100 years like an dial lock?..no it wont..and a dial lock is solid metal parts that should endure a lifetime..i know you can pay extra for lifetime replacement on an e-lock but in my personal opinion ..dial locks are a better choice..and yes, i always have home defense stashed where i can get to it fast..the safe is for other guns and important stuff and valuables..so no hurry to get into it.
hmm,
but i dislike the idea of calling the locksmith..
others can know your "passowrd" since you need an expert to change your dial code.
But on electronic you change it alone right?
@@cautarepvp2079 yes you can change it as many times you want.
@@yardsausage Changing the combination on a mechanical lock is not difficult. Plan an hour to mess with it but you can do it in 5 minutes if you do it a few times - then when you don't do it again for a few years, plan an hour. In other words, it's minutes for your locksmith but an hour for you (or me)
@@yardsausage why would you want to change it?
Lifetime replacement - maybe. Lifetime lockout service including breeching and repairing the safe upon e-lock failure? Unlikely. Plus any breech and repair destroys any UL rating the safe may have had.
I've owned my E lock S&G about 10 years now. For me it seems to be about 80 % reliable when it comes to consistent performance. Considering going keyed.
speaking of LIBERTY Safes..... why is it they dont reveal the gauge steel used in each safe?
I have a TL15 that has both locks. You can use both or just the elock for quick access. I also have an old safe that uses a flat key.
I have to do a search to find which mechanical I can buy to swap my digital lock with. I'm going to do the dial type next.
I am changing my safe from E lock to mechanical. Manual locks are EMP proof. And the S&G mechanical locks come with the tool to easily change the combination at any time. E lock manufactures claim their locks are EMP proof, but are they? I'm not interested in finding out I can't get in when I need to the most.
The hollon fire &burglary oysters series safes have a digital lock option or a Sergent andGreenleaf dial combination lock I believe the American security BFS home& fire burglar serious safe only comes with a 10 XL American Security Lock do you think these locks would last a long time are they a good option??? I’m not sure what kind of digital lock the oyster series offer?
So what type of service do you offer on your product when it fails?
E-lock is good but need to evolve with time. Need randomised numpad for enhanced security though probably need a small touchscreen with that.
Why is it that many quality safes with e-locks will give you a lifetime transferable warranty on the safe, but only 5 years on the e-lock? What happens after 5 years if the e-lock goes bad? This is a real problem, as most buy a safe as a long-term investment and the lock is critical to it’s functionality.
My #1 question concerning a safe lock would be which one is safer ? I know from experience a sharp blow from a dead blow hammer in the right spot can be enough to raise the weak solenoid spring allowing the locking mechanism to open . Sentry's are famous for this flaw . Aren't electronic locks also vulnerable to EMP ?.The coat hanger wire through a pin hole to allow for reset of the code was a previous method on some brands . Safe security should be first & foremost . But like most everything else these days it's more about marketing sales .
S&G electronic locks are UL certified against military grade EMP attacks.
Electronic locks have a master code that can override the safe owner's personal code. It is kept on file by the safe manufacturer and it can not be changed by the safe owner. It may be useful if you lose your code you will still have a way to get in without damaging the safe. However, it also means that there is a "back door" into your safe that you don't control. On August 30, 2023, the Liberty Safe company handed over a master code to the FBI without being legally obligated to do so. They just gave it out based on a phone call, allowing the feds to open the owner's safe and take its contents. Knowing that, I would never buy a safe with an electronic lock, and I would never purchase a Liberty safe.
Only problem with the Liberty Safes' old school dial combination locks is the dials will only turn to the left . 7@@Denzie53
Get one.
Are the gears in a E lock plastic and are gear shafts pushed into the gear hub? I've seen lots of stripped plastic gears in appliances and slipping shafts. How does the locking mechanism fare in a fire?
Once the gears fail, the safe is locked.
Electronic locks usually operate via a solenoid. Although some operate through gears driven by a servo.
This is great info but... I have seen many demonstrations of people bypassing elocks. How safe are they really....? I have also seen many people bypass or "pick" for lack of a better word a mechanical lock. That being said... my emergency firearms are in easy access with no combinations needed. Im not accessing my safe in an emergency. Ever. So now, whats the best lock for me? What if my safe is in a house fire? With an slick will I be able to get it open later? If so would a thief be able to access my elock the same way I would if it were destroyed by fire? Is this applicable to manual locks IE old school spinners...? Enquiring minds want to know!
Sick should read as " elock"
You bring up some great questions.
1. Any mechanical or elock that is UL listed is very secure and very reliable. You'll want to make sure that the lock is UL tested. You can't simply bypass a lock that has been UL listed. Watch this other video that talks about the added security measures that are added to some safes to prevent unwanted access: ruclips.net/video/HZR3JLJdBsQ/видео.html and watch this video too ruclips.net/video/qaH61CYjXRg/видео.html
2. In the event of a fire you will want to make sure that your safe company's warranty will cover the cost of a locksmith coming out and gaining you access to your safe. Not all safe companies cover this.
3. When properly trained in its use having a firearm on you at all times is a wise move. With that being said, most gun owners own multiple guns and you can't carry them all on you at the same time. It's a good practice to keep those locked up so they don't get into the wrong hands or you don't lose them in a fire.
Will an emp pulse disrupt an e lock !? 🙃
Gotta go with a high security (Assa/Mul-T-Lock, etc) mechanical keyed lock safe. Far too many exploits available on the electronic type.
as an ASSA dealer, a dial lock is still more secure than keyed.
Not to mention, say if supply issues continue to get exponentially worse. E Locks ain't worth a crap without continuously/readily available batteries.
How long to the batteries last in esafes?
About six months in mine. Gives you about two weeks warning when battery getting low
Have had mine in a securam for over 3 years and still going.
didn't answer the question im pretty sure everyone who comes here really wanted to know. Does the filth have a back door to get into your safe quickly? Or even more simply, does anyone have a back door into an e-lock, i.e. a master code that applies to all of that brand?
What happens to an e lock safe if there's an EMP attack???
With liberty locks, they are EMP proof!!
You have bigger problems than getting into your safe. ;)
What makes it emp proof
On a E lock, is it easy to hack because of the master code?
Probably not. Simple e-Locks will control the solenoid from the keypad, proper e-Locks will instead send the code you enter to a protected circuit that will operate the solenoid. I expect a proper e-Lock to have a "3 attempts and longer lockout" functionality, so you cannot brute force a combination. I also expect a proper e-Lock to not be susceptible to electronic decoding (some locks will use electricity differently if you enter a correct number vs incorrect).
I regret not getting a mechanical lock
Can all elocks be opened with a rare earth magnet.
No, they cannot.
BS on "have to call a locksmith" to change a mechanical lock combination. This is not a tricky or high skill operation, and well with the capabilities of many consumers.
There was also no discussion of how e-locks, with the exception of not sold to the public GSA rated e-locks like the Kaba-Mas X-## and S&G 2740B can be opened in about 15 minutes with the Taylor Security Phoneix (yes, really) or the issue of autodialers and skilled manipulation with Grade II and IIm mechanical locks.
This is definitely a generally accurate, but simplified, presentation for the low information consumer.
12345 that’s the same combination on my luggage.
An elock is to easy to break into i bought one from a storage locker and the locksmith wanted $450 to open it and put a new lock i opened it in less than 5 min. Bought a $200 lock and i sold the 40 gun safe for $2200. Elocks are no good.
lool? How you opened it?
I’ve had a safe now for 8 years. I picked the electric lock. Battery lasts me about 6 months. You can disable an e lock easy, just knock it off. But you have bypass keys so no problems. I e never had a problem with my e lock. I have no problem with a spin dial, but it takes me twice as long to open my other safe that has a dial
bypass keys ?
@@robertlipperd7352 Steelwater and Liberty safes have bypass keys on certain models. If your lock screws up, you pop off the lock, and use a long bypass key to open the system. Keys about 6” long. Worth every penny.
@@johnburrows1179 Appreciated.
@@johnburrows1179 Worth every penny to a burglar, too. The key reduces your electronic lock safe to nothing more than a key safe.
Which is more tamper proof. Will a cup of water disable an e.lock?
Nope!
Water might break an e-lock, but it won't unlocked it.
Guy’s after a big fire which is easier to open???
There would not be a difference in a fire situation. They would both be damaged equally.
@@TheHomeandGunSafeChannel Thanks
high voice
Why do you say they test their e-locks a "whopping 2000 times!!" like it's a lot? That's nothing. If you open your safe every morning to retrieve an item and again in the evening to put item back, that measly 2000 cycles will have been eclipsed in 2 yrs and 7 months. That is not long at all. They should be testing 20,000 cycles!
Look up Aaron Parker video on graffunder vault door that the e lock failed do to moisture damage, mechanical dials dont fail. ruclips.net/video/5XBD5fUYqLA/видео.html.
all elocks have bàckdoors. safes, front doors, all of them
For guns: Digital lock
For cash, Gold etc: Combination
There, I hope I made that simple for y'all 🤣😉.. ✌️ From Down Under 🇦🇺🇺🇲
Those plastic locks are as flimsy as a smoke detector and just as cheaply made. I'm sure they just put them on to cut costs.
As a former Safe Engineer, You are so wrong ! in so many ways.
IMHO..Mechanical 100%..nothing against e-locks.
Mechanical lock with locking dial is the best
My 30 year old Safe with a S&G mechanical dial lock works the same today as it did when I bought it. Not one single issue. Works good and lasts a long time.
Thankyu.univerde.3.6.9