ESL5/ESL5LP Electronic Lock Operating Instructions

The ESL5/ESL5LP uses a fixed length 6-digit combination. Your AMSEC ESL5/ESL5LP Electronic Safe Lock has a default factory combination of: 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Opening Your ESL5/ESL5LP Lock for the First Time

• 1. Press the "C" key.
• 2. Key in the factory preset combination.
• 3. Press the "#" key.

If the combination was entered correctly, the lock will cycle open for three seconds. During this 3 second period, turn the handle of the safe to the unlocked position and pull the door open.

Changing the ESL5/ESL5LP Combination

You may change your combination any time you'd like, and as many times as you'd like. To insure security once your safe is installed, you must change the factory preset combination to a new 6-digit combination.

CAUTION: Combination changes should always be done with the door OPEN to prevent accidental lockout.

• 1. Press the "C" key. The keypad backlights turn on.
• 2. Press the "#" key. You should hear a short warbling tone and see the red LED flash.
• 3. Key in your old 6-digit combination.
• 4. Press the "#" key. You should hear a short good combination tone.
• 5. Key in your new 6-digit combination.
• 6. Press the "#" key. You should hear a short good combination tone.
• 7. Re-key in the new 6-digit combination again.
• 8. Press the "#" key. If the combination input matches the first pass, you should hear a long good combination tone indicating your new combination has been recorded.
• 9. Test your new combination several times prior to closing and locking the safe.

See the ESL5/ESL5LP Beep and Backlight behavior table on Page 5.

Stealth Mode –Silent Operation

The ESL5 and ESL5LP can be set for Silent (Stealth) Mode, such that the Beeper does not make any noise during normal operation.

To turn Stealth Mode ON (silent) or OFF (beeping):

ON (silent): Press C-# (short warble tone), then 8-0-# (short warble), then 1-# (long warble).

OFF (beeps): Press C-# (short warble tone), then 8-0-# (short warble), then 0-# (long warble).

Note that the beeper will still sound during combination changes and programming. It is only silent during normal opening operations.

Low Battery Warning

The ESL5 and ESL5LP locks provide a warning when the battery is getting low.

When the battery power drops to a near critical level, after a normal lock opening cycle is completed, a low battery warning warble tone will sound for 3 seconds and the keypad LED(s) will flash. The lock will not open soon.

Change your Battery!

A Few Things to Remember

• With each keystroke, the backlights on the keypad will flash OFF and the beeper will chirp.
• If 4 incorrect combinations are entered, the lock will go into Penalty Lockout for 15 minutes to prevent trial-and-error attempts at opening the lock. The backlights will flash once every 5 seconds during this period. If you press any key during the Penalty Lockout Period, the backlights will flash and you will hear 8 rapid chirps. Removing power does not reset the Penalty Lockout.
• Before keying the combination, be sure that the handle of the safe is centered in the locked position to allow the lock to open freely.
• If the lock fails to open or acts strangely, replace the battery with fresh alkaline 9-volt battery. See "Replacing the Battery" on Page 3 of these instructions. It is a good practice to replace your battery once a year to prevent corrosion damage from leakage and assure you always have ample power to open the lock.
• During the input sequence, if you make a mistake, you can press "C" to clear the previous input and start over again.
• Use only your fingers to key the combination. Do not press hard or strike the buttons. Sharp objects will result in damage, which is not covered by the warranty.
• If at any time during opening the lock or changing the combination, no keys are pressed for 10 seconds, the lock will return to a resting condition. If this occurs during a combination change, the old combination is retained.
• When opening or changing the combination on your lock, the ESL5/ESL5LP will register the first 5 digits of the combination into the buffer that receives input. The 6th digit will be the last numeric key pressed. For example, if you press C-1-2-3-4-5 -7-4-5-2-7 -6-# the program recognizes only the C-1-2-3-4-5-6-# input. The last numeric key pressed continues to replace the one prior until the "#" key is pressed to indicate completion. This is a security feature that allows you to baffle any onlookers who may be trying to memorize your combination.

Replacing the Battery

Always use a fresh name-brand Alkaline Battery for best results.

ESL5 Locks (Round Keypad)

• 1. Grip the keypad and rotate approximately 1/8 turn counter-clockwise to disengage the keypad from the base.
• 2. Carefully pull the keypad away from the base, taking care to not stress the cable that connects the keypad to the lock inside the safe.
  • Do not allow the keypad to hang on the cable.
• 3. Lift the 9-volt battery out of the pocket where it is retained.
• 4. Carefully remove the battery clip from the end of the battery, making sure you don't pull on the wires and disconnect the battery clip from the PC board.
• 5. Snap the new 9-volt battery onto the clip, making sure it is tight with no loose contacts.
• 6. Press the battery back into the battery holder pocket, taking care to route the wires in the open cavity so they are not positioned where they will get pinched under the battery when the keypad is placed on the base.
• 7. Replace the keypad on the base, starting with the top of the keypad around the 11:00 position, pressing down to seat it where the three retaining tabs go into the receiving slots, then rotate clockwise to vertical. You should feel a bit of a snap as it locks into position when the keypad is level.

ESL5LP Locks (Long Keypad with integrated Handle)

• 1. Slide the Battery Door on the bottom-right corner of the Keypad to the Right to expose the battery.
• 2. Lift out the old battery.
• 3. Place the new battery in the battery cavity.

Note:

• The larger (minus) battery terminal is on top.
• Make sure both of the battery tabs are clean and making a good contact with the battery's terminals.
• 4. Replace the Battery Door over the battery, and slide it to the left until it's seated.

Troubleshooting Tips

The two most common causes of opening issues with the ESL5/ESL5LP are as follows.

1. Weak or Dead Battery.

This is the #1 cause of opening issues. Symptoms of a low battery can include lack of keypad response to input or lack of bolt actuation (clicking sound) after inputting your combo. The ESL5/ESL5LP does not have a low battery indication.

The ESL5/ESL5LP uses a 9-volt alkaline battery. The simple and reliable nature of the ESL5/ESL5LP is centered on a large Solenoid that requires high current delivery very quickly. Batteries that may appear to have a good charge level may not have the capacity to deliver high current as they decay. Low quality batteries tend to show poor performance when they are placed in demanding conditions like this.

If you have changed your battery, and there is still no keypad response to input:

• Remember to first press "C" when entering your combination
• Make sure the cable has not become disconnected from the keypad. Remove the keypad and check the connection to make sure the cable is securely installed in the socket. The locking tab should engage, so that pulling on the cable will not dislodge the plug.
• Make sure the Battery Contacts snap firmly onto the battery posts. A loose connection cannot deliver high current.

2. Bolt Binding.

a. This is the second most common cause of opening issues. Bold binding occurs when the locking mechanism (boltwork) presses on the locking bolt of the lock inside the door. The ESL5/ESL5LP relies on a solenoid to actuate this bolt. That solenoid can only overcome so much resistance, and if that resistance is too great, the bolt does not retract.

To resolve this problem, you must find a handle position that does not push the locking system up against the lock's bolt. To find that place, it helps to know which way the handle turns when you open the door.

• If your handle turns clockwise to open, turn the handle all the way counterclockwise before attempting to open the lock.
• If your handle turns counterclockwise to open, turn the handle all the way clockwise before attempting to open the lock.
• If you don't remember which way your handle turns, you can find the center of the free-play. Move the handle clockwise and counterclockwise to the stopping points to find the range of motion. Then, move the handle to the center of that range before actuating the lock.

If the bolt pressure is causing the problem you are experiencing, this should solve that problem. Once you figure this out, make it a habit to position the handle in the best position when you leave the safe so it's ready for the next time you open it.

b. If you have persisting intermittent opening success, and changing the battery seems to make it better for a while, there may be a bolt binding condition in the Boltwork that should be corrected. Many assume the Battery is getting drained at an abnormal rate, but in reality it is taking all the power of fresh battery to reliably overcome the binding. This would be evident because you can't find a sweet-spot to position the handle to allow the lock bolt complete freedom to operate, and replacing the battery seems to resolve the issue temporarily.

ESL5/ESL5LP Beep and LED Patterns

Beeper Behavior

• Standard Beep: A short, distinct beep or chirp
• Warble: A high-low-high-low beep-chain, sounds like "dee-del-dee-del-deee."

Beep Pattern	Description
1 Beep	- Response to any keystroke during input. - Notice when lock exits Penalty Lockout.
2 Beeps	Indicates the Lock is Open after proper code entry.
4 Beeps	This indicates an incorrect code was entered. After four incorrect attempts, the logic will enter a "penalty lockout" for 15 minutes. During this period, the lock will not accept any input. You must wait for the penalty lockout to expire. The lock will Beep/Flash once when this period ends.
6 Beeps	The lock is in Penalty Lockout. During this period, the lock will not accept any input. You must wait for the penalty lockout to expire. The lock will Beep/Flash once when this period ends.
Short Warble – 3 high-low tones for about 2.5 seconds	Short "Good Combination Tone" indicates the input is accepted during a Combination Change
Long Warble – 13 high-low tones for about 10 seconds	Long "Good Combination Tone" indicates the input is accepted at completion of a Combination Change

Keypad Backlight Behavior

LED Backlight	Description
Backlight ON, Flash OFF	- Response to any keystroke during input - Notice when lock exits Penalty Lockout - Any time a beep is sounded - With each high-note in the Warble Sounds
Flash ON	- Once every 5 seconds without User Input, indicates Penalty Lockout - Notice when lock exits Penalty Lockout.
On Solid	- When awake waiting for keypad input
On Solid (3 Seconds)	- While lock is activated after successful code entry

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