My facility uses pushbutton locks with great success, but we’ve noticed service calls often end in simple solutions by the locksmith. Are there troubleshooting steps store managers should try before requesting service?

With any type of electronic hardware, the locksmith usually fixes it within five minutes. It’s great to get the problem solved quickly, but can be frustrating to pay for a trip for such a simple fix. Try these troubleshooting tips before you request service for your pushbutton locks:

Change the battery –

On the inside of the door, you will see a plate with a screw at either the top or the bottom. Remove the screw to access the batteries. Some pushbutton locks will require battery packs that must be purchased from the manufacturer, while others will take multiple AA batteries. On some models, the battery cover plate has a torx or security screw that requires a specific tool to remove.

The Kaba Eplex pushbutton lock has a battery pack on the outside with the keypad which is a brilliant design aspect – if the door is locked out the batteries are inaccessible from the inside.  This innovative design aspect remedies that problem.

Verify the pushbutton lock isn’t stuck in “passage mode” –

If your push button lock will not lock, it is likely in passage mode.  Passage mode is when a lock remains in an unlocked state for free entrance and egress. Every lock is different and so are their procedures, here are the steps to take your lock out of passage mode for a few of the most common manufacturers.

• Best Locks: Enter the combination followed by # * #
• Trilogy Locks: Enter the master code followed by AL 5 AL
• Simplex Locks: If there is a thumb turn on the lock on the inside of the door, turn it.  If the lock starts operating properly, you know it was in passage mode.  If that does not resolve the problem, you will need to call a technician. **If you were changing the combination and the lock stops locking, you likely set it to a zero combination.  Re-do the steps for changing the combination.

An important thing to note is that most of these pushbutton locks have key override, but many store managers aren’t aware or don’t realize that they have a key that can unlock it.

If neither of these troubleshooting steps returns your lock to operational, a locksmith will be needed.

**Helpful Tip** In the event of a rekey it’s important to remember to change the core in the pushbutton locks as well. In the event the lock isn’t working electrically they should still be able to unlock the door with the key.

 

 

 

Larry Hudson, Account Administrator
Google