IT IS STUPID THAT SENTRY SAFE DOESN’T GREASE THE GEARS SO AFTER A WHILE, THE GEAR CAN GET STUCK. Worked like a charm. Mallet didn’t work for me. Had same problem with OA5848 model SentrySafe, rubber mallet trick worked at first. This makes sense — the 4 AA batteries put out 6V. It’s giving me an err code of 1. If I had to do this all over again and purchased a new safe I would mount it only slightly off the floor with something strong and spray the inside of the door and lugs with a silicon that would not hurt the things you put in the safe. Ok, electronic combination works, hear the click, turn the handle down, hear the bars retract and the door still will not open. All help is very good! Dual digital lock with key, solid steel construction, and live locking bolts offer versatile security you can depend on. Perhaps the “snot” was making it stick? They are a piece of junk, I’ve had so many issues opening the safe, I put in the code…error, I replace the batteries and error, it opened when it wanted to, I conducted 2 hours of research online trying to get a solution to open this safe, nothing, in the end I did what I say on my youtube videos, I pried it open in less than 3 minutes, I will never buy another one again! Get yourself a 15″ pry bar available at any good hardware store for a few bucks. My three number combination sentry safe will not open - Answered by a verified Electronics Technician. Thank you for this post! My thanks to this posting above and all the responses. Took a B & D grinder and cut the back open rather surgically cut open a hole on the back of safe..15 min.. From the money I saved from not using a locksmith I will buy me a new one, I about gave up on the hammer trick. I called Sentry customer service and they sent me a new solenoid ($50) which seemed to correct the problem. Original review: June 1, 2020. Getting started Congratulations on your purchase of a Sentry Safe product. You just push the 5 metal locking pins inward and you can pull the plastic off ..? I have just experienced the same issue. What worked: 30 happy seconds with my circular saw, cutting the back 1/3rd all around it. I tried this 10 o’clock thing and it immediately opened. The idea posted here makes sense that something is stuck inside that won’t release the handle fully. You’d have to contact Sentry. I removed the cover and whatever it is/was has almost totally disintegrated. Key rack, door tray, deep door pocket, file organizer, and adjustable tray. Find answers to the most frequently asked questions. Hi, can someone help me? serial inputs off of the keypad back into the safe. Read More: Best Nightstand Gun Safe; The benefits and drawbacks of a sentry safe Easy fix Twenty (20) seconds later I had it open, with very little effort. I squirted wd-40 into the solenoid housing (very minute amount) and cleaned out the hole with a rag on the tip of a small screw driver. OPEN!!! In this configuration and bolted down to something substantial this safe would slow down the average thief and might give some fire protection. As for the metal plunger, I used some 220 sand paper to remove the larger corroded/bumpy areas. Now I have to figure out how to open the plastic cover and grease everything and maybe simply remove the pin from the solenoid. Be sure to remove them before locking your safe. This has happened many times in the last year. At least I’ve had this working for 18 years. To open a Sentry Safe with combination, you can follow the below steps: Open the door of the safe, and ensure those shipping screws have been removed (if any) Find the combination code on the user manual (usually there is a sticker on the user manual) If you are using a dual key/combination model of the Sentry Safe… 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. For the last couple of years, banging around the handle got the solenoid to engage. Nothing but the finest materials and reliability!! Anyway I beat the crap downward on the handle on both safes they it opened right up. Whoa!!! My safe finally opened after a lot of heavy jiggling of the handle. ONCE YOU HAVE THE DOOR OPEN, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GREASE THE GEARS. My only problem is putting the cover back on, it is binding on the hinge side, the inner spacer does not want to go over the inner wall I think and it is binding the plungers, any suggestions? 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. I was able to see the actuator sticking however, it was not the problem, atleast for my safe It seems that the issue was a tension clip that lets the safe handle stay in the locked position. Glad it worked as i wasn’t too excited about taking my grinder to it with hundreds of rounds of live ammo inside. Now I’m going to follow the instructions above and lube the insides….thanks everyone. Used wd40, hoping it and a mallet will work! Now it won't open… Find My Product Manual. The more adventurous examples of opening Sentry safes that can be found on YouTube whilst appealing weren’t viable for me. I have a sfw205gpc sentry safe and it does not open. Do it again. Took me 10 min. The advice regarding the sentry safes on this site is priceless. After unlocking with the key I got the safe open and pulled off the cover mentioned above. ® Gain entry with the combination lock Opening your safe for the first time (keep door open … 4AA X 1.5V is 6V but the connector is for a 9V battery. SentrySafe Fire Proof & Water Resistant Safe SFW205GPC ... documents, which you do not want to share with other. Thanks. My combination still works and indicates green as if it’s allowing to open, but then it just doesn’t. I hope this helps someone and saves them breaking in with a crow-bar (this was not fun). They manufactured both plastic and metal security/fire safes. One was 1 year old one was 6. Anyone else have this type of problem with the err code one even though you’re using the right code? I could get the electronic display to show unlocked, but the safe would not open. From the front it was apparent that the battery seemed to be quite low, but the keypad still worked. ( Log Out / Success! Fed up with this junk $400 safe I got a pry bar and 3 pound mallet. FWIW, the engineering of the innards (and their apparent cheapness) has to do with making the lock mechanism impervious to hard actuation (of the handle, for example). Removed one screw off the actuator and then unplugged the actuator. Time for something new. I think Sentry Safe has sold many of us a bill of goods…what do you think? Looks like something perhaps designed for preventing moisture. Then I stumbled upon this tread, hunted down the ole rubber mallet, gave it a good whack, just below the handle, entered the code and VOILA!!!! Maybe! I just kicked the snot out of it in the front by the two posts that lock it and it gave up and opened. I’m not sure exactly which spot worked on this model. So…problem solved, I guess? 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. Nope. I haven’t had the problem you guys have had. Now I don’t have to worry that it will fail again later. Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about SentrySafe products. Installed new batteries and tested. I’m also re-assured knowing that if i ever lose the keys, i can potentially crack it open pretty quickly. TOTAL PIECE OF CRAP!!! Nothing worked. Exactly my problem! I learned this the hard way after my wife tried to get in the safe and inadvertantly pressed in the manual lock button!! 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