I bought the Costco Special Sentry 1.6cf Safe a while back.  I entered the combo today but it refuses to open...  I get the "open" indicator but I don't hear the Solenoid/Actuator inside anymore.  I emailed Sentry, hopefully they have something positive.  Anyone know of any good Locksmiths if I need one?!?!?!

Thank you in advanced.

Damn, that sucks! Wishing much success in opening your safe! 

I have a torch and big crow bars if that helps.

I am very wary of electronic safes.

My friend Barbara. 8082245526

that's why I never buy electronic key pad safes!  I'm old Skool and I have a combination safe!

that's why I never buy electronic key pad safes!  I'm old Skool and I have a combination safe!

Yeah, live and learn...

I have a torch and big crow bars if that helps.

I am very wary of electronic safes.

My friend Barbara. 8082245526

Speedtek, is Barbara a Locksmith?  I don't wanna call her and not know what to ask:-)

Yes she's a locksmith. Old school.  She programs keys too for cars.

The battery may be almost dead, so it will light the lights but not kick the solenoid.  A couple of years ago I read on a gun board about a trick you can use with an external battery connected to the safe body and the other terminal to somewhere on the keypad to "boost" the internal batteries.  However, I can't seem to google it up now. Not very helpful, but if someone can dig up that technique, it would be nice.

I didn't really pay that much attention at the time, since I don't use safes and frankly would not trust an electronic safe anyhow.

ETA:  See ETA below.

Amusing side note:  My younger son's neighbor had his car battery go dead because they left something on inside it and the electronic lock wouldn't let the car open and the key was inside the car.  I told him to get under it with extension cables to an outside battery and connect neg to car chassis and hit the starter terminal with the plus while the neighbor kept punching the remote control or the door combo, I forget which.  Told him to be careful of sparks.  Door lock opened right up and they could open the hood and give it a regular charge or jump start, I forget which.

Neighbor gave him 20 bucks.

But I didn't see a dime of it.

For decades I have kept spare keys to everything squirreled away everywhere.

Terry, 230RN

ETA:  I wonder if you could probe around on the keypad with a voltmeter to see if there's any voltage anywhere on the keypad (to the safe body).  If you find it, that probably is the place to connect the external battery.  Just thought of that.

The mechanism that unlocks the door may be stuck. Try giving it a few whacks with a rubber mallet or something while you are trying to open it up. For the money it might cost to have a locksmith come you could just pry it open yourself, and put the money towards something that would be reliable. Costco might even take it back once you pry it open and explain it did not work anymore.

no keyed backup? 
on some of those keypads there's a hidden panel you pop open to access 9v leads to jumpstart.  or there are terminals on the pad itself.
try look for either.

try the smack it with a rubber mallet trick too.  some of those small safes you just drop it on the ground and the things pop open if get the angle right.

Here's what you do.

A lot of these safes have a weird safety mechanism,...

The turn handle needs to be turned completely to the disengaged position or the combination won't work.

I have one that I used to turn it as if I were going to open it, and left it in that position. The combination wouldn't open the safe.

When I turned it all the way to the "locked" position and entered the combo, it would open.

Give that a shot.

Have you changed the batteries?  The batteries should be accessible from outside.  Check your owner's manual for instructions on removing the keypad and installing fresh batteries.  You can find most manuals on the SentrySafe.com site.

Good luck!!

Have you changed the batteries?  The batteries should be accessible from outside.  Check your owner's manual for instructions on removing the keypad and installing fresh batteries.  You can find most manuals on the SentrySafe.com site.

Good luck!!

Yes, I'm actually pretty good about that.  thanks for all the suggestions.

Have you changed the batteries?  The batteries should be accessible from outside.  Check your owner's manual for instructions on removing the keypad and installing fresh batteries.  You can find most manuals on the SentrySafe.com site.

Good luck!!

and usually have a factory set code in the owners manual

can I join? ill bring the C4!!!! lol jkjk

Bummer!  That's why I spent the extra $$$ and converted my last safe from digital to an old-school dial.

I have a Honeywell digital safe that I bought from Costco a few years ago, but it came with a backup key.
My batteries cannot be accessed from the outside.

Here's what you do.

A lot of these safes have a weird safety mechanism,...

The turn handle needs to be turned completely to the disengaged position or the combination won't work.

I have one that I used to turn it as if I were going to open it, and left it in that position. The combination wouldn't open the safe.

When I turned it all the way to the "locked" position and entered the combo, it would open.

Give that a shot.

Sometimes I have to do this or wang the handle completely back and forth.

Bummer!  That's why I spent the extra $$$ and converted my last safe from digital to an old-school dial.

How did you have this done?

How did you have this done?

I was lucky--I know someone who had a spare dial set and knows how to change out the locks.  Bought the safe cheap because the previous owner couldn't get the electronic lock to work properly.

Make sure you let costco know.  I don't know how to return a safe lol, and even moreso don't know how to return a safe with guns inside of it.  But, costco has lifetime guarantees on all their sold products, minus electronics.

Make sure you let costco know.  I don't know how to return a safe lol, and even moreso don't know how to return a safe with guns inside of it.  But, costco has lifetime guarantees on all their sold products, minus electronics.

I will, thanks for the suggestion.