Cannon safe won't open, LEO needs help

[Shield 9 WV]

I am not the law enforcement officer, my son is and he needs help with a safe which won't open.

The safe is a Cannon, model is Patriot.

My son is in law enforcement in the Myrtle Beach area and he keeps his duty weapons in the safe when not on duty.

The battery went dead on the keypad so he swapped out the keypad's 9 volt battery and now his safe won't open.

He's already talked to Cannon as there is lifetime support. They were unable to help. They had him do a factory reset which would turn the combo back to factory 123456. There is no physical way to reset the combo, it must be done via the keypad.

How to Reset and Change a Cannon Safe Digital Lock | Cannon Safe

Canon has now sent him a new lock and keypad combo as the old keypad has known issues and no replacement is available.

He has contacted a locksmith who is is two hours away from Myrtle Beach and the estimate for someone to work on it is $500 minimum. Even after spending the money no one would guarantee they could open the safe without ruining it.

This is a Canon 16 gun safe, cost about $1500 when new and weighs about 400 pounds. It is very solid with large locking bolts and thick metal. It has an electronic Keypad with a six-digit combination. There is no other factory method to open the safe, no key. It uses a SecuRam lock.

How to Reset and Change a Cannon Safe Digital Lock | Cannon Safe

The safe opened 100% of the time for a year until he swapped out the battery. Now it won't open at all.

The actual combination is kept in the lock mechanism, not in the keypad

Does anybody have any ideas to get this safe opened using the keypad, or frankly in any other way?

Thank you for any advice you can offer.
+++

This isn't the exact same safe but it looks 99% the same.

 

[Kanewpadle]

Check your PM.

 

[Doug44]

Try a different battery.

 

[S&WsRsweet]

According to the instructions you have to open the door to reset the combination correct .My guess would be the reset didn’t take . He probably needs to 1 try a different battery as most electronics are very sensitive to exacting voltage maybe the new battery is old ,try the old combination as I’m thinking the reset didn’t take if this doesn’t work my 2nd choice would be call the locksmith and hope for the best .Of course him being LEO he may have access to well to dynamite but I would call my homeowners company and go ahead and get adjuster on the way if that last option is utilized .Sorry I know this isn’t funny but I had to add that .You know there in S.C he isn’t so far away from Fort Bragg it could be that some of his LEO contacts may have special forces contacts that could use this as a training exercise those guys can do some stuff ,it never hurts to ask and it sounds like thinking outside the box is called for here .I mean if the people that built the safe can’t help.Keep us updated though.

 

[Kanewpadle]

Try a different battery.

He already tried. No luck.

What he described, the lock failed. I’ve seen this too many times when the battery is replaced and the lock fails. Poor design probably. The safe will more than likely have to be drilled open professionally. I hope not though. Maybe he will get lucky.

Not bashing the OP, but this the problem with digital locks. They WILL fail eventually. They are a big help for those with arthritis or have a problem remembering the dialing sequence of a rotary dial lock. Other than that they are no more secure and are certainly less reliable.

I should add that the brand of lock on his safe is known to have problems.

 

[Murphy's Law]

I have a Cannon "Scout" with (to my knowledge) the same electronic mechanism. I've had mine for about 5 years now and change the 9V battery every year without a hitch. I'll follow this thread with interest and wish your son a manageable conclusion to his issue.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Not bashing the OP, but this the problem with digital locks. They WILL fail eventually. They are a big help for those with arthritis or have a problem remembering the dialing sequence of a rotary dial lock. Other than that they are no more secure and are certainly less reliable.

I should add that the brand of lock on his safe is known to have problems.

We shared a weapons storage space with another agency, and we each had a large safe with the space. Ours had a mechanical lock, theirs had an electronic lock. Ours was trouble free for the twenty years I accessed it. Theirs was a constant pain in the rear, requiring replacements, maintenance, etc. I'll never buy a safe with an electronic lock . . .

 

[junglefighter]

I have a Cannon Patriot w/electronic lock and will also follow this thread. I have had mine for approx. 15 yrs. and only change the battery when the combo lights blink.

 

[ACORN]

I have been considering a Cannon Safe but now I don't know. It's nice that Cannon's Customer Support just sort of shrugs it's shoulders and leaves your son to his own devices. Gives me a warm, secure feeling........NOT!

 

[Muss Muggins]

I have been considering a Cannon Safe but now I don't know. It's nice that Cannon's Customer Support just sort of shrugs it's shoulders and leaves your son to his own devices. Gives me a warm, secure feeling........NOT!

It's not the safe, it's the lock, and all the safe companies use the same half dozen locks. It's like Takata airbags in a multitude of car makes and models. Do your research on the lock, and you'll be fine . . .

 

[Kanewpadle]

I have been considering a Cannon Safe but now I don't know. It's nice that Cannon's Customer Support just sort of shrugs it's shoulders and leaves your son to his own devices. Gives me a warm, secure feeling........NOT!

Muss is correct. It’s not the safe. Again, ALL digital locks have their problems. I have yet to see one that was 100% American made.

I bought a new Liberty safe 5 years ago. I insisted on a rotary dial lock with no upcharge in price. They had ONE on the showroom floor. I bought it.

 

[M29since14]

If you have a safe with an electric lock (like I do), is it possible to refit it with a dial-type lock? I really like the speed of opening the electric lock but have to admit I am leery of it. The manufacturer, in my case Browning, recommends replacing the battery every year. I try to be pretty diligent about doing that.

 

[italiansport]

I had this problem with a Cannon safe a few years ago in that I couldn't reset the combination. Cannon finally sent me a new lock mechanism including the keypad and also dispatched a locksmith to install it. I would ask them to do the same.
If I had this to do over again I would get a safe with a mechanical lock.
Jim

 

[NYlakesider]

If you have a safe with an electric lock (like I do), is it possible to refit it with a dial-type lock? I really like the speed of opening the electric lock but have to admit I am leery of it. The manufacturer, in my case Browning, recommends replacing the battery every year. I try to be pretty diligent about doing that.

My safe (Ft Knox) electronic can be replaced to mechanical said the manufacture. I called up a local respected locksmith and he said it could be done but the whole charge would be about $700 total. (that included travel distance)

I know some companies have both a combination and a electric in the same lock, I asked them about changing to that. That was about 2 years ago and they said nothing like that was available for my safe.

My S&G lock used 2 9V batteries that are located in the key pad.
When its time to change it will beep to alert me. The company say it will also work on only one battery but do not recommended that, it sounds like the piece that moves to do the unlocking is rather substantial.

I always change batteries as soon as it beeps, do both with the door open and test it a few times before locking for real.

 

[Kanewpadle]

If you have a safe with an electric lock (like I do), is it possible to refit it with a dial-type lock? I really like the speed of opening the electric lock but have to admit I am leery of it. The manufacturer, in my case Browning, recommends replacing the battery every year. I try to be pretty diligent about doing that.

Yes it can if the safe is American made. Call your local locksmith or safe man. Shouldn’t be be a problem with Browning.

 

[hittman77]

If he's gonna pay a locksmith to come (which I would seriously consider) have that locksmith bring a good S&G "manual" lock set with him to install. The one on my Liberty has been good close to 20 years now.

Seems to me this is something you want fixed right.

Good luck!

 

[Shield 9 WV]

Check your PM.

Thank you very much for your quick response and for sharing your knowledge. I passed everything you suggested to my son, shortly after I got your PM.

This incident is very stressful and I expect the safe to be opened probably within a week, and probably opened the hard way.

I'll follow up and let everyone know how this comes out.

 

[Shield 9 WV]

According to the instructions you have to open the door to reset the combination correct .My guess would be the reset didn’t take .

My guess as well. He did a factory reset with Tech Support on the phone but it is unclear if the numbers actually changed to 123456.

He probably needs to 1 try a different battery as most electronics are very sensitive to exacting voltage maybe the new battery is old ,try the old combination as I’m thinking the reset didn’t take

He tried five new batteries, including Energizer and Duracell, both brands were specified by Cannon. I believe it has to do with consistent voltage getting to the keypad for each button push.



if this doesn’t work my 2nd choice would be call the locksmith and hope for the best .


He contacted several locksmiths who work on safes. The cost of the locksmith opening it would be around $500 then there would be an additional charge for repairing the safe after drilling it open, and another charge for installing the new lock and keypad which Cannon sent him free of charge.

Of course him being LEO he may have access to well to dynamite

The Fire Dept in his city has access to high powered equipment he says could open the safe from the bottom.

but I would call my homeowners company and go ahead and get adjuster on the way if that last option is utilized .Sorry I know this isn’t funny but I had to add that .

Better to laugh than cry at this point. No problem.


You know there in S.C he isn’t so far away from Fort Bragg it could be that some of his LEO contacts may have special forces contacts that could use this as a training exercise those guys can do some stuff ,it never hurts to ask and it sounds like thinking outside the box is called for here .I mean if the people that built the safe can’t help.Keep us updated though.[/QUOTE

Thanks for your suggestions. He is trying them for the 4th, 5th time with no success. He is just about out of options for opening the safe without doing major damage.

 

[Shield 9 WV]

I had this problem with a Cannon safe a few years ago in that I couldn't reset the combination. Cannon finally sent me a new lock mechanism including the keypad
and also dispatched a locksmith to install it. I would ask them to do the same.

If I had this to do over again I would get a safe with a mechanical lock.
Jim

They sent a new keypad and mechanical lock. They refused to send a locksmith.

How did you get them to send the locksmith? That would really help.

 

[LVSteve]

Again, ALL digital locks have their problems. I have yet to see one that was 100% American made.

...and you think having an American made digital lock would solve the problem? My background in electronics says dream on.