gunvault minivault problem

dakiwi13 · January 4, 2014, 08:41 AM

so i've got a gunvault minivault standard safe

does NOT have the finger print sensor

as of a few days ago, i can put in my code, the green light blinks like normal, but the latch doesn't unhinge and open the door. the code is correct and i've checked to make sure that nobody else has tried to change it or get into it by putting in a bad code. i then changed the code to something else and this still happens

the safe still opens like normal w/the key, but it's a pain in the butt to have to do that every time as compared to the normal way of putting in the access code.

anybody know what the problem is?

1stmar · January 4, 2014, 08:53 AM

I had the same problem with mine. I think I slightly bent the latch and then tested like crazy. It hasn't recurred. You using batteries? Power?

Brian Pfleuger · January 4, 2014, 10:25 AM

Do you hear the motor actuate? If so, the odds are good that the cable between the motor and the latch is broken. It is very, very common. They claimed to have fixed the problem some years ago... they apparently lied.

dakiwi13 · January 4, 2014, 12:18 PM

I don't hear the motor actuating at all and it is on a new battery

Brian Pfleuger · January 6, 2014, 06:46 PM

That sounds like some other kind of issue. Even with a broken cable you can clearly and easily hear the motor whir each time.

Good luck, their customer service is notoriously horrendous.

BarryLee · January 6, 2014, 07:07 PM

I had had an issue with the wires from the battery pack getting pinched when replacing the batteries. This didn’t prevent my unit from working, but if they wore enough I’m sure it could cause an issue.

RodTheWrench · January 6, 2014, 07:16 PM

Huh. I had that one time, held the door in just a titch as I entered the code and it popped right open. Batteries were too weak to overcome the spring tension.

dakiwi13 · February 19, 2014, 10:34 AM

new gunvault came in the mail yesterday

worked great for about 3 hrs. then the motor stopped working AGAIN

FAS1 · February 22, 2014, 10:04 AM

Get rid of the electronics if you want increased reliability.

dakiwi13 · February 22, 2014, 10:54 AM

Isn't that lock electronic also?

FAS1 · February 22, 2014, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Isn't that lock electronic also?

No. All mechanical and you can find several brands of handgun safes that use this style lock. If you ever do wear one out, just replace the lock. You will pay a little more, but you will buy it once.

DT Guy · February 22, 2014, 02:52 PM

I've got a 'handgun box' (that was the brand name) that's more than twenty years old, and uses the Simplex mechanical lock. Still works perfectly, and one of the best gun related purchases I've ever made.

The FAS looks very similar; when I'm looking for another safe, that'll be the first stop.

Larry

dakiwi13 · March 3, 2014, 08:46 PM

A new one ison the way. We shall see how this one will work

Jim567 · March 3, 2014, 10:12 PM

My gunvault does what you describe every two or three weeks.
That's how long the batteries last !!
Tried several brands.
Polished the latch and tried some light lubrication.
Nothing worked except changing the batteries.
I will never trust the unit.

FAS1 · March 4, 2014, 10:24 AM

Quote:

I've got a 'handgun box' (that was the brand name) that's more than twenty years old, and uses the Simplex mechanical lock. Still works perfectly, and one of the best gun related purchases I've ever made.
The FAS looks very similar; when I'm looking for another safe, that'll be the first stop.

Those were very heavy duty safes. The door is 1/4" steel!

dakiwi13 · March 5, 2014, 12:11 PM

have never heard of that brand

eviltravis · March 5, 2014, 07:18 PM

My gunvault is on its second set of batteries in four years. Does your lock actuate of you punch in the code with the door already open?

dakiwi13 · March 5, 2014, 07:19 PM

No it doesnt

FAS1 · March 6, 2014, 10:00 AM

Quote:

have never heard of that brand

They have been out of business for about the last 10 years. While they were heavy duty, they were also considered very expensive for the time. I'm sure that hurt their sales volume.

Brian Pfleuger · March 6, 2014, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eviltravis

My gunvault is on its second set of batteries in four years. Does your lock actuate of you punch in the code with the door already open?

I've had mine since January 2009 and never changed the batteries. Unfortunately, the cable inside broke so it's a mute point that the batteries still work. All they do is make a whirring sound now.

dakiwi13 · March 6, 2014, 11:10 AM

New one is gonna be delivered some time this afternoon, keeping my fingers crossed

newmexicocrawler · March 10, 2014, 08:32 PM

Mine got stuck I messed with it for hours and finally just took a big ass pry bar to it and got my goodies out, threw the safe in the dumpster

Peter M. Eick · March 16, 2014, 03:25 PM

Listening to all the problems of the broken wires with gunvaults drove me to the FAS safes shown above. Very nice and mechanical. It seems like a quite reliable design.

dakiwi13 · March 16, 2014, 04:00 PM

Had the new one for a week now, no probs yet

kymarkh · March 16, 2014, 04:07 PM

Mine started the whirling sound last night... Sucks...

January 4, 2014, 08:41 AM	#1
dakiwi13 Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2012 Location: athens, ga Posts: 150	gunvault minivault problem so i've got a gunvault minivault standard safe does NOT have the finger print sensor as of a few days ago, i can put in my code, the green light blinks like normal, but the latch doesn't unhinge and open the door. the code is correct and i've checked to make sure that nobody else has tried to change it or get into it by putting in a bad code. i then changed the code to something else and this still happens the safe still opens like normal w/the key, but it's a pain in the butt to have to do that every time as compared to the normal way of putting in the access code. anybody know what the problem is? __________________ be afraid of not death, but afraid of anonymity . for when we are gone we still live in the minds of others if we have made an impact

January 4, 2014, 10:25 AM	#3
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	Do you hear the motor actuate? If so, the odds are good that the cable between the motor and the latch is broken. It is very, very common. They claimed to have fixed the problem some years ago... they apparently lied. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

January 6, 2014, 06:46 PM	#5
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	That sounds like some other kind of issue. Even with a broken cable you can clearly and easily hear the motor whir each time. Good luck, their customer service is notoriously horrendous. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

January 6, 2014, 07:07 PM	#6
BarryLee Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2010 Location: The ATL (OTP) Posts: 3,946	I had had an issue with the wires from the battery pack getting pinched when replacing the batteries. This didn’t prevent my unit from working, but if they wore enough I’m sure it could cause an issue. __________________ A major source of objection to a free economy is precisely that it ... gives people what they want instead of what a particular group thinks they ought to want. Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. - Milton Friedman

January 6, 2014, 07:16 PM	#7
RodTheWrench Senior Member Join Date: April 24, 2013 Location: Utah Posts: 365	Huh. I had that one time, held the door in just a titch as I entered the code and it popped right open. Batteries were too weak to overcome the spring tension. __________________ "Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid." - Han Solo

January 4, 2014, 08:53 AM	#2
1stmar Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2012 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2,378	I had the same problem with mine. I think I slightly bent the latch and then tested like crazy. It hasn't recurred. You using batteries? Power?

January 4, 2014, 12:18 PM	#4
dakiwi13 Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2012 Location: athens, ga Posts: 150	I don't hear the motor actuating at all and it is on a new battery

February 19, 2014, 10:34 AM	#8
dakiwi13 Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2012 Location: athens, ga Posts: 150	new gunvault came in the mail yesterday worked great for about 3 hrs. then the motor stopped working AGAIN __________________ be afraid of not death, but afraid of anonymity . for when we are gone we still live in the minds of others if we have made an impact

February 22, 2014, 10:04 AM	#9
FAS1 Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 2010 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 541	Get rid of the electronics if you want increased reliability. __________________ *Glenn* *FAS1 SAFE*

February 22, 2014, 10:54 AM	#10
dakiwi13 Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2012 Location: athens, ga Posts: 150	Isn't that lock electronic also?

February 22, 2014, 02:52 PM	#12
DT Guy Senior Member Join Date: February 4, 2001 Posts: 959	I've got a 'handgun box' (that was the brand name) that's more than twenty years old, and uses the Simplex mechanical lock. Still works perfectly, and one of the best gun related purchases I've ever made. The FAS looks very similar; when I'm looking for another safe, that'll be the first stop. Larry __________________ He who fights and runs away had better run pretty damn fast. Government, Anarchy and Chaos

March 3, 2014, 08:46 PM	#13
dakiwi13 Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2012 Location: athens, ga Posts: 150	A new one ison the way. We shall see how this one will work

March 3, 2014, 10:12 PM	#14
Jim567 Senior Member Join Date: January 4, 2014 Location: NE FL Posts: 656	My gunvault does what you describe every two or three weeks. That's how long the batteries last !! Tried several brands. Polished the latch and tried some light lubrication. Nothing worked except changing the batteries. I will never trust the unit.

March 5, 2014, 12:11 PM	#16
dakiwi13 Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2012 Location: athens, ga Posts: 150	have never heard of that brand __________________ be afraid of not death, but afraid of anonymity . for when we are gone we still live in the minds of others if we have made an impact

March 5, 2014, 07:18 PM	#17
eviltravis Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2001 Location: montana Posts: 283	My gunvault is on its second set of batteries in four years. Does your lock actuate of you punch in the code with the door already open?

March 5, 2014, 07:19 PM	#18
dakiwi13 Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2012 Location: athens, ga Posts: 150	No it doesnt

March 6, 2014, 11:10 AM	#21
dakiwi13 Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2012 Location: athens, ga Posts: 150	New one is gonna be delivered some time this afternoon, keeping my fingers crossed

March 10, 2014, 08:32 PM	#22
newmexicocrawler Member Join Date: April 4, 2013 Posts: 25	Mine got stuck I messed with it for hours and finally just took a big ass pry bar to it and got my goodies out, threw the safe in the dumpster

March 16, 2014, 03:25 PM	#23
Peter M. Eick Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 1999 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 2,991	Listening to all the problems of the broken wires with gunvaults drove me to the FAS safes shown above. Very nice and mechanical. It seems like a quite reliable design. __________________ 10mm and 357sig, the best things to come along since the 38 super!

March 16, 2014, 04:00 PM	#24
dakiwi13 Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2012 Location: athens, ga Posts: 150	Had the new one for a week now, no probs yet

March 16, 2014, 04:07 PM	#25
kymarkh Senior Member Join Date: February 6, 2008 Posts: 181	Mine started the whirling sound last night... Sucks...