Honeywell 3035D Lock Box - Save your money

[Craig50]

I recently acquired a Honeywell 3035D lock box that had been used to keep an elderly patient with poor short-term memory away from his medications. In the owner's manual, Honeywell says, "Along with peace of mind, your Honeywell Digital Security Box will provide many years of secure storage for your valuables."

Having taken it apart and looked at it, I can say it will only keep honest people honest. (Bear with me, please, this is my first time posting pictures; I don't know how this posting will really look.)

Honeywell.3035D.1.jpg

Opening up the the box and removing the cover to the lock mechanism, one sees the following.

Honeywell.3035D.2.jpg

The solenoid in the upper left is what the electronics actuate to open the box. The rack and pinion just below it are for a pin tumbler key lock to override the electronics. The bolt to lock the box is just to the right of both of them. It is moved downward by rotating a knob on the front of the lock box when the solenoid is actuated.

Taken apart, it looks like this.

Honeywell.3035D.3.jpg

The front provides the holes into which small screws thread to hold the lock mechanism to the inside of the box.

(And there is apparently a limit of 3 pictures per posting ...)

[Craig50]

The business part of the lock shows attention to proper functioning, but not to strength.

Honeywell.3035D.4.jpg

The backplate of the lock mechanism is plastic. One can see that the solenoid is snapped into place in the plastic and that only things holding the white nylon "stop" on the end of the solenoid are the currently slightly damaged black plastic tab at its lower right and a small black plastic tab just below the stop and just to the right of the its flange. In proper operation, this white nylon stop blocks a tab on the metal lock bolt and keeps the bolt in its locked position. The cam mechanism that opens the bolt (moves it downward) is just to the right of the spring. The Phillips screw is the center and axis of rotation of the front panel lock/unlock knob. The manual says, "Warning: DO NOT FORCE THE KNOB If forced, the knob will break and your Security Box will be damaged. When operated correctly, the knob will function so that it can be turned easily into the opened position." They mean it. However, it appears the knob is strong enough to break the tabs holding the white nylon stop and allow one to open the box. Thus, one could open the box more quickly by putting a crescent wrench on the front panel knob than by keying in the combination.

If that weren't bad enough, looking closely at the bolt, one sees that it is held in place by a thin layer of plastic.

Honeywell.3035D.5.jpg

. I was initially concerned about the thickness of the steel of the box and how it would resist prying. I shouldn't have been concerned. The plastic holding the bolt will give way first.

With all the parts of the lock removed, one can see that the box is made of two layers with some "insulation" in between.

Honeywell.3035D.6.jpg

So, I would trust this box for what it was used for previously, but not much else.

Craig

[n2oah]

The solenoid appears to be able to be "bounced". Have you tried that?

[Dragunov-21]

Just out of interest, have you approached Honeywell about this?

I've just started working (apprentice, mind) in their Building Control and Automation Install Division, which includes security systems. I'd be interested in seeing how they handle this kind of stuff, to be honest.

I don't suppose you have a model number/price etc? Honeywell stuff tends to be high price and high quality, from what little I've seen so far, and I gotta say this is pretty interesting for me lol...

[Dragunov-21]

Sorry, didn't see the model number to start with - what can you get for the same sort of money?

[MacGnG1]

wow pretty interesting. i didnt expect it to be very secure. thanks for the nice pix.

[Craig50]

The solenoid appears to be able to be "bounced". Have you tried that?

I tried a few times, without success. Unfortunately, it requires one hand holding the box and one hand to turn the front panel dial. And, unlike torquing a cylinder to set the pins, any torque on the dial before the solenoid bounces out of the way only serves to bind the solenoid in place against the bouncing force. I really need to take the back cover off and see how far the solenoid moves during a bounce. With a light solenoid armature and a strong spring, it's conceivable that one would have to bounce the box hard enough to damage it. Having to also turn the front panel knob at just the right time makes it that much more difficult.

wow pretty interesting. i didnt expect it to be very secure. thanks for the nice pix.

Thank you for the compliment on the pictures. I had read somewhere on site that 800x600 was the preferred resolution and made them that size. Having a camera with a macro capability (a Nikon 775) helped immensely.

[daddydwreck]

Ummm, ive never picked a lock before in my life. I recieved this safe from one of my roomates where i goto school. I removed the battery cover to change the batteries and forgot to replace it. I closed the safe and the batteries fell out. With my things inside. My roomate moved away with the key, I was terrified about my stuff inside i had left. I searched the internet looking for a way to open it with no luck. Finally i just took a paperclip and half of a broken pair of scissors and picked this lock. Easily. Never tried to pick a lock in my life. Im just curious about why no one else in this thread could do it??

[unlisted]

Im just curious about why no one else in this thread could do it??

I don't think there is any mention of anyone attempting to pick this lock in this thread/

But I can guarantee you many people on this site could easily pick it.

[adrenalynn]

A good percentage of the people on this site could sneeze two rooms away whilst holding lockpicks in their off-hand and that safe would fall open out of fear and/or respect for their skills and experience. This thread wasn't about picking the lock, it was a breakdown.

Welcome to the forum!