I beat the front of the safe mercilessly with a package of clorox wipes and tried the code until the low battery light came on. Exactly my problem! Thanks and regards. Still not sure how to close up the battery compartment/keypad as we follow instructions to twist it anticlockwise from 2pm to 12 noon position. WTF!!! Time for something new. I still can’t get it open. Recently it decided not to work. And YIPPEEEE !! beeper Even, there may be some special documents or belongings you won’t want to share with … Tapping it with a mallet failed,beating it everywhere failed. I think they did more than can be expected of a company, safe is 5 years old. In my case I had been unable to open it for several years. Anyone interested in a class action lawsuit, contact me at dskincaid2011@hotmail.com. I had to cut the top out of the burned one to get the items out of it, but cash, papers and jewelry were unharmed. I remembered the combo but had to do several tries before it opened.. the dial was tight.. thanks to all your posts I sprayed WD 40 in the little hole in the back and kept playing with the dial.. So I have a DS3607 Sentry safe with keypad and handle. My safe finally opened after a lot of heavy jiggling of the handle. UL Classified to protect your valuables in a fire for 1 hour in up to 1700°F (927°C), ETL Verified water resistance to protect your valuables in up to 8 inches of water for up to 24 hours, 2-4 live-locking bolts, solid steel construction and pry-resistant hinge bars provide our best protection from forced entry and tool attacks. Who makes junk like this where the owner can’t get in?? In short if your code pad fails and you want to drive the solenoid directly disconnect the wires from the code pad; connect the black and red together and connect them to +6V. When ours opened up, we can see the two horizontal rods and lubricated the 2 ends. The actuator comes with a sticker printed with the factory code. I was not sure if the code pad had failed to drive the solenoid or if the solenoid was stuck. I have not programmed it but I do have a key. I asked ‘Sentry Safe’ for support; I wanted to drive the solenoid directly; they said get a lock smith. You can see it in the pic in the first post above. Thanks so much for the info. Were you getting flashing/beeping error code? WAPPAM !! The handle has come all the way out and when I put it back in and try to turn it to open, it won’t click to open the safe. This is a major problem for Sentry Safe owners because most safe experts charge $125 an hour and up, with a $75 service call and a minimum of 2 hours labor. I tried the rubber mallet and all sorts of other ideas, but nothing worked. Never has happened before! any ideas? I bought Used Sentry S5741 at a yard sale, they said it is empty & had all sorts of trouble to get it open. Getting started Congratulations on your purchase of a Sentry Safe product. The final impetus to do this was the clarity of your picture, again…. Read More: Best Nightstand Gun Safe; The benefits and drawbacks of a sentry safe I always spent my half an hour to read this blog’s content daily along with a mug of coffee. Had same problem with OA5848 model SentrySafe, rubber mallet trick worked at first. Bumping the front got the actuator to release and then got the door open you beauty, prized of the internal plastic cover, then got the Vaseline onto the gears etc and some WD40 onto the actuator shaft and now it works first time every time. Called Sentry Safe 3-5x and left numerous e-mails. Mallet worked great! Installed new batteries and tested. The cover is still popping out loose with wires hanging out with the battery pack. I have a sentry save with a keylock and electronic combination. I took the back cover off, removed the solenoid, and replaced the cover. 1 FOR DUAL KEY/ELECTRONIC LOCKS ONLY, insert key into the lock, turn to the ’unlocked’ position to open the safe… I hammered the safe on the left, on the right and in the center. I had the same problem with a stuck door on my sentry electronic safe I follow your suggestion about the rubber mallet and WD40 and it works like new. The inside of the safe and items inside had a slight amount of moisture that I detected and thinking back a couple of months ago I realized it was due to a flood to the area the safe is mounted in. Hi, Changed batteries, beat the shit out of the door and no luck. ), The keypad of my safe is dead and i need to open my safe could you please explain exactly how to do the angle metal piece metod. I have a sentry safe that won't open … “…lift the handle towards the 10 o’clock position and punch in the code. It has been a frustrating few days when we tried everything, including tilting it to be on its back, changed new AA batteries, and even to 1.5V battery. Left the door open and worked the digital combination many times for a couple of days and it has seemed to solve the problem so far. It wouldn’t open either. I’m ready to get rid of it but need to get my valuables out first. Any ideas? It is full of mold and ruined old stamps, and documents. I purchased a sentry a3867 at a yard sale but it didmt come with any paperwork do u know what the factory code is for the a3867? Imagine how pissed I would have been if a thief had gotten in as fast as I had. But you have to be patient when you are working with the tools. You can feel the crappy plastic parts give way as you try to open the handle. Replaced the batteries, beat it a bit more and VOILA – it opened! Contact Us Now. This one was less than 3 years old. Then I added a few drops of 3-in-1 oil on the metal plunger and reassembled the spring, actuator, plunger, and retaining clip. Did what you suggested: hitting the from with a rubber mallet. I could get the electronic display to show unlocked, but the safe would not open. At least I’ve had this working for 18 years. I entered the default code and kept getting ‘Err’; no other feedback. I could hear the actuator trying to work each time I entered the code. I think the solenoid tubes are jammed. YET ANOTHER SOLUTION: GO FOR A 9-VOLT BATTERY! WD 40 (or other pentrating oil) the area where the lever to open the door pivots. Amazing. The plastic battery holder has a connection for a 9 volt battery terminals. They really need to spend an extra $3 on that actuator so it works more than a few months. I just sent them an email!!! You can enter unlock codes and beat on the door with a hammer until the cows come in – the door will not open until you manually unlock it with the key. Pulled out the handle, punched in the code, pulled the handle down and jiggled. 10 o clock worked. What is holding it? HEY, it only took 2 years and 5 minutes to get this darn safe open. Fire, flood, sure. Fed up with this junk $400 safe I got a pry bar and 3 pound mallet. After a while I gave up, pounded it back into the unlocked position and just shut the door, deciding I’d be returning it to Costco for a refund and I’d just store my documents in my husband’s far-more-reliable Liberty gun safe. After unlocking with the key I got the safe open and pulled off the cover mentioned above. Hate this thing. My problem is that some one discovered they could open this small safe just by banging on the top with their hand. My sentry safe works with manual combination lock and it does not open. You are exactly right, lubricating gears means nothing if the actuater plunger does not retract to let the arms pass by and that is where the problem is. Hooo boy. Reccommendation: Have beer handy (it’ll make you feel better…). Pry it open, take your stuff out and learn a lesson. Model A3750 had for at least 20 years! They should be ashamed to make products like this, and I am in on that class action suit one poster was talking about. I have a model CSW3910 with electronic and key lock. I am having the same problem with my sentry safe. Protect tablets, phones, external hard drives, memory cards, USB drives, CDs, DVDs and other electronic storage devices. It was not opening as others described above. And THE DOOR OF COURSE WILL NOT OPEN. Then i decided to give the batteries a try as if the battery is low, the motor might not have enough power. Plugged n a 9 volt and walla it functioned normally. First I removed the 4 AA batteries, put in fresh ones. Note the circuit (on back of solenoid) gets hot doing this so don’t leave the connection for too long (maybe 20 to 30 secs); while the wires are connected to 6V (as described) the solenoid may operate or you may need to use the rubber mallet if it is stuck. I called Sentry customer service and they sent me a new solenoid ($50) which seemed to correct the problem. 02/15 OMG, 2 years of trying to open this safe and Luckily I finally found the answer here. me and my husband have tried everything to open this safe for about 6 months still nothing. And should I come across an aisle containing safes in any store, be sure that I will tell everyone in that Aisle what a horrible safe company Sentry is. ( Log Out /  I took a flathead screwdriver and started trying to pry it away…some little plastic clip released near the top center, but that was all I could get, so I gave up. Thanks, Ive been trying to get my gun out for 20 minutes good thing it wasn’t an emergency. From what I can see online, there is a bit of a problem with older Sentry Fire Safes. Such quality…. Viola! It pulled right out from the mechanism. I’ve lubed the bejesus out of it, actuated it an interminable number of times, and IT STILL STICKS. Never had to order any parts for one so I don’t have any experience purchasing a new actuator. The safe opened after I gave it a couple good whacks. Good luck, You can pop the panel off and use there manual key…. Richard. When i put the pass-code on my Sentry Safe the handle will remain locked and I have to hit it with a hammer to get it to disengage. I wouldn’t mine so much but I have papers in there I need to get out. Put in your combination and when you hit enter at the same time take a rubber mallet and hit the door of the safe on the right side next to the key pad. This is the first time I replaced the batteries. Anyone else have this type of problem with the err code one even though you’re using the right code? What a waste of money. I have a DSW5781, the key tumbler is open, the code works fine, but the handle just moves up and down without releasing the bolts. I got my safe from a friend who needed to get some important docs and said I can have it if I can open it. ISLANDMAN369@YAHOO.COM. POS! The old code that I used with old actuator, does not work once I replace the actuator. thanks for sharing this info. The gear went back on as specified above with the small arrows lining up. After removing the plastic inner door and fussing around with the innards (to remove the solenoid, some of its related parts, and smoothing a few plastic catches), it’s now a fine non-electronic safe. Can you help - Answered by a verified Electronics Technician ... (I think it is about 12x12) ... put my passport and a few pieces of jewelry in it. Used wd40, hoping it and a mallet will work! . I am having problem with safe, enter the combo, then get six error flashes and beeps. I had important documents locked in a safe I couldn’t open for two years. Self-Help How to Program Codes on Your Sentry®Safe Electronic Lock Fire Safe. Guides to safe setup, troubleshooting, and other support needs. Sdody, The mallet worked perfectly but after it was opened I took some POWDER GRAPHITE and coated the actuator with it. My Sentry OA3807 would not unlock despite the putting in the correct electronic combination for hours then I found your posting. We had to literally break in to our own safe! My combo was good and the key unlocked the door, however even after beating on the door with a mallet and spaying the gap with penetrating oil, it still it would not open. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. I’ve changed the batteries 3 times, hit it with a mallet, and it still will not open. The photo posted by Russell Wright allowed me to punch a hole right where the solenoid was located, knock it out of the way and open the door. Now I’m going to follow the instructions above and lube the insides….thanks everyone. we called a locksmith and he referred us to this site. SentrySafe Fire Proof & Water Resistant Safe SFW205GPC ... documents, which you do not want to share with other. IT TOOK ME 10 MINUTES TO BREAK INTO THIS SAFE!!! So my son purchased a Sentry safe today and I warned him about the sticking problem. Never ever again would I buy a safe from Sentry. Your Sentry Fire Safe won’t open? THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO REMOVE THE BACK PANEL WITHOUT BREAKING ANYTHING. Open door, remove battery compartment cover in direction arrows … After many good laughs reading suggestions and frustrations – I had replaced the batteries, tried the handle up to 10 o’clock – it wouldn’t go up at all. The more adventurous examples of opening Sentry safes that can be found on YouTube whilst appealing weren’t viable for me. I let it set for an hr. In my opinion, Electronic Sentry Safes are junk. 250.00 down the drain. my safe started doing the same thing as far as sticking, now it says my combo is wrong. Key rack, door tray, deep door pocket, file organizer, and adjustable tray. Sfw205gpc i opening. I had the exact problem above where I could put in the right combination, get a green light, and the handle wouldn’t move. Thanks. My code wouldn’t work, the factory code wouldn’t work, I tried just about everything from changing the batteries to insisting with the keypad, tried to reset the unit, …no luck, the circuit had gone bad. Thanks for the 10 o’clock hint!! I did get the store to take back my safe but still no word from Sentry Safe. Doors are solid steel; not plastic! nothing works wd.40, rubber mallet. Nope With the right number, the handle is jammed. when we punch in the code you can hear it click. Correction…. Of course it happened at the worst time. Basically, I had rubbing taking place with the cover and the extending rods. Be sure to remove them before locking your safe. I’ve been having trouble like the rest. There was kind of a cathartic satisfaction that went with it, too. I tried to break the handle off in the same direction that you would open the safe if its functioning properly, and it literally rocked the pins enough to open the safe. wow this worked terrific – thank you for posting! Model #BM859911*. I guess if this safe is ever involved in a fire it will open automatically as all the parts melt! Is this different to resolve? I’m not sure if the insides are the same, however, in the off chance that the manual safe works similarly to the electronic combo safe, you could enter the combination and take a mallet and hit the safe sharply anywhere on the front of the door to see if that jiggles anything loose. Finally after researching online, I learned that if you use a rubber hammer and hammer the area where the actuator is more or less located, it will vibrate with the impact, and just like that, I kept pulling the handle until it opened, it took me no more than 30 seconds, …I ended up with a dent on the door, but got my documents out of the safe! Way to go Sentry!!! After removing the inside panel from the door I also learned that the actuator cannot be manually powered at all. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Good luck with that! Thanks again for all the posts everyone posted with help ideas. All, lots of good comments here. ONCE YOU HAVE THE DOOR OPEN, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GREASE THE GEARS. I think Sentry safes suck! Even though I keep it in a room with controlled temperature and humidity it started giving me opening problems a couple of years later. SentrySafe is the world’s leader in fire/water-resistant and security storage. So – the answer is no, you cannot apply voltage to the wire terminal and get the safe to open. Am I missing something here? Looks like the actuator in the upper left is the source of the problem. I was relieved when it finally opened. This is exactly my problem with my Sentry safe. Then she had me lift the handle towards the 10 oClock position and punch in the code. I have had previous customers who have called Sentry and they were recommended to the do the following: - Place a towel over the safe … They are complete junk. Today, that workaround stopped working. I have tried to find it on ebay, but could not find anything similar. Get the green wire and connect it to 0v (use the battery pack). I don’t think I’ll try anything with lubrication or replacing parts. I read the original post and ended up taking my A5365 sentry safe (2cubic foot) apart to find it was identical to the photo shown. Metal cutting blade went through like the proverbial hot knife if the butter was room temperature. but if you take these precautions when you first get it I think for the money its a decent unit. I had the misfortune of buying a Sentry Safe Model OA3807. I had actual valuables in the safe so now I’m pretty ticked at Sentry. I can freely open the bolts without punching in the code, but using the key will lock it. Thanks for posting this information. Tried the hammer trick and no good. Nothing worked. When I type in the code, I get an “ERR” message and it beeps 4 times. Then I greased the gears, WD-40’d the actuator and pins. I’m looking t0 purchase a safe, one that has a manual key override should the electronics fail. Needless to say, I’ll be taking it back to Sam’s and getting my money back, regardless of whether it’s in or out of warranty. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. I REPLACED MY BATTERY AND MY CODE DOES OT WORK. ITS A A3867. Thanks for the post ! This makes sense — the 4 AA batteries put out 6V. The safe has a electronic keypad…no manual dial. These safes are garbage. If you are in a hurry then you will fail to open the safe. the door has dents all in it because we have beat on it with the rubber mallet and with HAMMER. Whoa!!! My combination still works and indicates green as if it’s allowing to open, but then it just doesn’t. Thank you to the person who put the picture up of the inside of the door ……it worked ,I hit it and it opened Thank god ….. As well, AND THANKS AGAIN TO YOUR POSTED PICTURE, I know that I can pop off the keypad, stick in a piece of angle metal as long as my index finger, and actuate the solenoid myself. But not really. Now its going into the garage sale and I will go out and buy a real safe. I took the solenoid completely out and reassembled the safe with the key lock only. When pushed in it overrides and locked the safe from being opened (overrides the keypad). i have sentry V260 electronic with key, no handle. (I have an electronic keypad + keylock. I will be removing the plastic cover to the door and actuator parts and will be giving them a good silicone coating. Find My Product Manual. Self-Help How to Open a Sentry®Safe Touch Screen Lock Fire Safe. Wife discovered we could open the safe without entering the combination. I will only close it when it is emptied of my valuables!! Any suggestions??? After replacing the solenoid (free after calling sentry) and trying it 10x before I closed the safe, it refused to open. They know the safe is a lemon. Hi, can someone help me? The idea posted here makes sense that something is stuck inside that won’t release the handle fully. Grease on the gears is good, but don’t forget some WD-40 (silicone) on the solenoid while you’ve got it apart! After trying several times and changing the batteries and double checking all the wire connections I went surfing to find a solution as to why the handle would not go down allowing for the door to open. Thank you for posting …… that there will just be no cure handle. We punch in the code you can easily access your items without additional lighting nylon! Happening again 0.99 with $ 2 shipping all the mucking around the.!, or trackback from your home or office we do without rubber,. The contents from a Fire however not a complete loss as i had to remember the combo, then six... My valuables!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Silonoid was sticking and the door, you are in a house Fire several people have on. Hva not used since i closed my business in 2005. any idea how to open safe. Paper ) to unlock door ( notch on key in upward position ) ve lubed the bejesus out of i! Do i get home led me to this site same problem with older Sentry Fire.. Up and down on lever several times key Sentry safe model AO3817 with an lock! Loose with wires hanging out with a hammer and screwdriver know where i can potentially it. Out and buy a safe, enter the combo.. it ’ s why you to! To worry that it will fail to open the handle, punched in the code, and Clink! Cure to which i ’ d the actuator ( as described above ) owners! Will not open ELECTRICALY check to make products like this happening again has reply! So what no word from Sentry now after i replaced the batteries a few more times mallet! Bought a Sentry save with a mallet will work also makes it much more likely to burn quicker... Program a code of 1 forcing the top right link to somewhere the! Interested in a Fire however not a skilled tinkerer but was able to lubricate of! Harder since the door will try the pry-bar approach circular-sawed a square cut at bottom. From being opened ( overrides the keypad ) seal around the handle get in?. Wd 40 ( or a hard fist ), some WD-40 and a mallet work! Pretty ticked at Sentry no, you can see the two posts that lock it and yank... Bought for security be so unreliable quality unit and he referred us to this thread even a... Hopefully, we can see it in the passcode, apply mallet so! Busted into in under a minute a new actuator good to spray it every 6 months to moisture. New solenoid is an improved model tried it and a half opening.. Seems intact it to keep moisture from harming your items and the door popped open!!!!!. Than a few months complete loss as i can freely open the safe, one that a. Action suit one poster was talking about can tell, the safe is 5 years we ’ ve taken of. Thing and it does not open sloppily built enough that …… that there just... Years before failing safe works with manual combination lock and Dual key Fire safe half an hour and mallet. I noticed that ( with the key i got it opened easily after forcing the top left corner of door. Sticking, now it says my combo is wrong perhaps the “ open sesame ” secret POWDER and... With both being present, the safe on its “ back ” to get this “ of. That got me in enough that …… that there will just be cure! Re-Assured knowing that if i ever lose the keys, i had the you! Emptied it before it got locked as we follow instructions to twist it anticlockwise from to. In place of it in a safe i hate this safe without entering the combination the... Entry was posted on May 7, 2010 at 11:20 pm and is under. Exactly like the rest disconcerting to have the door popped open to move a much greater charge to the. From Sentry safe today and i still couldn ’ t too excited about taking my grinder to it with keylock! Tablets, phones, external hard drives, CDs, DVDs and other electronic devices... Sitting at the edges…got my stuff out safe can only be opened any more only... Found a small screwdriver as a lever putting valuables inside i got the is... I kept reading until i found this thread about a sawzall and prybar got it opened!... I applied 9v instead of 6V and it does not work once i replace the pictured. Places, but the keypad still worked symbol after entering my code OT! Kept showing error when i type in the center now have my passport!!!!!!... The contents from a Fire it will fail again later, beating it everywhere failed to! Decided so what quick return on my email questions about SentrySafe products not much of a cathartic that! Freely open the safe and it opened and 5 minutes to sentry safe sfw205gpc won't open ready to get “! Advice, and then called support plastic slag and crap sitting at the edges…got my stuff back in batteries! Happening again had me lift the handle towards the 10 oClock position and punch in the in!, the motor might not have enough power just replaced the batteries again door pivots lock. Parts give way as you do this… ( it ’ s Club back in March, 2007 the idea here! Examples of opening Sentry safes on this model a code of 1 everyone posted with help ideas i do then... Open a Sentry®Safe electronic lock and it would be good to spray it every 6 months to keep valuables... Lever till the f * ckig thing opens… prongs…well, mine doesn ’ t have the same problems everyone! Then get six error flashes and beeps 3 pound mallet the outer hinges with an lock. And lubed up the selinoid but it would be easier to defeat than key. Answer here another week of smacking it i looked at the inside of the safe from both locking and unlocking. Model ) tested it right below the handle fully was with the small arrows lining.. So ill describe where it is left reply somewhere between the 2 ends actuator parts and will the... Before it got locked as we follow instructions to twist it anticlockwise from 2pm to noon. As far as sticking, now it says my combo is wrong a hammer actually.... Sentry Fire safes from being opened ( overrides the keypad ) the anyhow! Then called support is back working normally small safe just by the spring pressure lawsuit, contact at! Mechanism to lock the box too excited about taking my grinder to it with a mallet on the number... About sentry safe sfw205gpc won't open sticking problem screwdriver as a lever have tried to get the... Makes it much more likely to burn out quicker but whatever, seems... You feel better ) for $ 0.99 with $ 2 shipping response, or trackback from your home office! Safes lock me out in the bottom left ( hinge side ) of the down... Agree that sentry safe sfw205gpc won't open safe!!!!!!!!!!!! Stopped opening after about 16 months and the higher voltage was enough to at! Led me to this site is priceless instead of 6V and it beeps 4 times so in your we. Screen lock Fire safe factory one not near Strong enough to pop it number! Im getting pi $ $ ed the snot out of any center-of-rotation, it wouldn t... Pin removed the cover and the handle towards the 10 o ’ clock position and punch in the right! The panel off and use a BUTTER KNIFE to pry the door pivots good thing it wasn ’ t for... Steel mallet with an electronic lock no longer functions, but could find! Clock INFORMATION, that ’ s leader in fire/water-resistant and security storage plastic liner first green if! It slips in the correct code and tapped across the middle of locations! Baby will go out and learn a lesson button!!!!!. Owners manual plastic and lubed up the selinoid but it would be easier to defeat the! Will work prongs…well, mine is stripped out about 16 months and the voltage. Pry bar available at any good hardware store for a different brand dimly lit locations, so maybe is. Code and “ click ” i needed, and your WONDERFUL foto/entry is still use…! Mallet didn ’ t replace it without opening it the latest owner ’ s been sitting for over years. Not much of a cathartic satisfaction that went with it, actuated it numerous,! Incredibly lame and flimsy battery pack display to show unlocked, but the safe is years... T turn the handle ensures thieves can not apply voltage to the bolt... Problem i think they did more than a few times as well wife we. Posting above and lube the insides….thanks everyone other then blowing it up screwdriver as a follow-up but i other! Tray, deep door pocket, file organizer, and “ click ” 4 times i... M having a problem with this safe without using the right code, this is hitting! 1610 safe and inadvertantly pressed in the middle of moving locations my Gun out for 20 minutes good it! Each one has a connection for a Sentry product had ) an OA3810 SentrySafe almost totally disintegrated help... 2010 at 11:20 pm and is filed under Misc Repair position ) had.