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How to get electrics into an antique safe?

Forgot how to dial the combination on that old safe? Think you got the right numbers but the handle is stuck? What safe should you buy? Ask your safe questions here!
Forum rules
You are posting this in This Old Safe, a public area of the forum.

Safe manipulation discussion is allowed, but safe drilling or other destructive entry is only allowed in the Advanced - Safes and Safe Locks area.

If you are a guest of the forum and have a safe you need to open, but you do not have the combination, we cannot tell you how or where to drill it.

How to get electrics into an antique safe?

Postby Geebird169 » 20 Jan 2021 13:49

I have a client who wants to put an electrical watch winder inside an antique safe I have (complete with keys). Can anyone point me in the right direction for drilling the safe to get electrical cables into the safe please?
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Re: How to get electrics into an antique safe?

Postby Kenneth_V » 20 Jan 2021 14:19

I doubt that this post will stay here long.

Although the topic seems innocent, "safe drilling or other destructive entry is only allowed in the Advanced - Safes and Safe Locks area". You could be drilling for nefarious reasons as well as what you posted.
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Re: How to get electrics into an antique safe?

Postby GWiens2001 » 20 Jan 2021 17:42

I don’t think it is that odd a question. He is not trying to learn where to drill to open the safe. He is asking where it is safe to drill a hole for an electrical cord to enter the safe.

How old is the Safe? Old means different things to different people. Does the safe have wheels on it from the factory? Where is the electric winder to be located in the safe? Where is the power source compared to where the safe will be located?

If it is on wheels, then I’d go through the floor of the safe closest to the power outlet. If not, then through the back or side of the safe.

Be sure the safe does not have asbestos, if it is old enough to have the stuff!!! If it does, the. Forget about the project.

Stay clear of the door or front third of the safe and you should be alright.

Gordon
Just when you finally think you have learned it all, that is when you learn that you don't know anything yet.
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Re: How to get electrics into an antique safe?

Postby Kenneth_V » 21 Jan 2021 10:47

Thanks Gordon for clarifying.

I thought someone could also be drilling a hole to scope what might be inside.

Great reminder about the asbestos. Many of the older safes have asbestos and people never think about it when working on, restoring, or modifying antique safes.
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Re: How to get electrics into an antique safe?

Postby femurat » 21 Jan 2021 10:54

Remember that a hole in the safe will reduce drastically its fire resistance.

Good luck :)
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Re: How to get electrics into an antique safe?

Postby MartinHewitt » 21 Jan 2021 12:14

Fire safes are IMHO black magic. There are basically two mentioned methods:

1) Just isolation, like with a pot cloth.

2) Energy consumption by phase change and bonding energy, i.e. substances with chemically combined water, which must be separated and evaporated.

In the US apparently it is always 1+2. I have no idea what is used in Germany. Maybe I should do some patent research on that topic. I have also no idea if method 2 is really working and what is done for lower temperature limits than the boiling point of water.

Anway, if method 2 is applied and in a fire lots of gasses of water are created, they create a high pressure inside the safe. This pressure must be blown off. Do to this the safe must have openings. So perhaps a hole with a power cord is not that bad.
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Re: How to get electrics into an antique safe?

Postby Geebird169 » 21 Jan 2021 13:43

Gordon, it is Victorian E. Hopkins & Co safe (UK). No wheels - the winder ideally located at the bottom of the safe for ease. Power source within 3 feet.

The safe is around 120 years old.

It sounds as though it will have asbestos, so if I do gown up with respirator and then drill and use fire safe silicon would that work?

Thank you.



GWiens2001 wrote:I don’t think it is that odd a question. He is not trying to learn where to drill to open the safe. He is asking where it is safe to drill a hole for an electrical cord to enter the safe.

How old is the Safe? Old means different things to different people. Does the safe have wheels on it from the factory? Where is the electric winder to be located in the safe? Where is the power source compared to where the safe will be located?

If it is on wheels, then I’d go through the floor of the safe closest to the power outlet. If not, then through the back or side of the safe.

Be sure the safe does not have asbestos, if it is old enough to have the stuff!!! If it does, the. Forget about the project.

Stay clear of the door or front third of the safe and you should be alright.

Gordon
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Re: How to get electrics into an antique safe?

Postby Geebird169 » 21 Jan 2021 13:44

Thanks Kenneth, but I have the key, if I want to find out what’s inside I just open the safe. :D

Kenneth_V wrote:Thanks Gordon for clarifying.

I thought someone could also be drilling a hole to scope what might be inside.

Great reminder about the asbestos. Many of the older safes have asbestos and people never think about it when working on, restoring, or modifying antique safes.
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Re: How to get electrics into an antique safe?

Postby billdeserthills » 21 Jan 2021 15:19

MartinHewitt wrote:Fire safes are IMHO black magic. There are basically two mentioned methods:

1) Just isolation, like with a pot cloth.

2) Energy consumption by phase change and bonding energy, i.e. substances with chemically combined water, which must be separated and evaporated.

In the US apparently it is always 1+2. I have no idea what is used in Germany. Maybe I should do some patent research on that topic. I have also no idea if method 2 is really working and what is done for lower temperature limits than the boiling point of water.

Anway, if method 2 is applied and in a fire lots of gasses of water are created, they create a high pressure inside the safe. This pressure must be blown off. Do to this the safe must have openings. So perhaps a hole with a power cord is not that bad.




It's my understanding that one thing older fire safes have lost is a great deal of the moisture that was originally held in their concrete, which is one more great reason not to use an older safe as fire proof protection
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Re: How to get electrics into an antique safe?

Postby GWiens2001 » 21 Jan 2021 19:21

I am unfamiliar with all of the safety precautions required for working with asbestos. There are a fair number of them from what I understand. Best to check with an expert. There is a very good reason the stuff was banned.

Gordon
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Re: How to get electrics into an antique safe?

Postby oceanservice » 21 May 2021 3:21

Geebird169 wrote:I have a client who wants to put an electrical watch winder inside an antique safe I have (complete with keys). Can anyone point me in the right direction for drilling the safe to get electrical cables into the safe please?


Kind of an old post but I was cruising through parts and this one seems like an interesting problem (and certainly not uncommon for a watch collector). I did a little digging and found some reputable watch winders that are available with battery power. Their standard batteries last surprisingly long (years) but the largest case I found only holds six watches. IYour client has almost certainly settled on a solution by now, but if not this might make them happy without modifying their safe. Bonus: would work in a large deposit box, or any other safe, if they ever decide to adjust their security.
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Re: How to get electrics into an antique safe?

Postby stratmando » 21 May 2021 9:31

Just to add, A small hole could be drilled through the safe with Teflon Insulating Washers that would allow a Stainless screw to be a conductor, Ring Terminal inside, Could be a Ring or Push on terminal on the Outside, other conductor would be the Safes Body.
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