Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)For years we have been using a key pad activated deadbolt for front doors in our various homes - no keys to lose or give to various family members - only four digit codes. Up until now, all of the key pad units we have installed, extend and retract the deadbolt using a small battery powered electric motor.
This issue we've encountered is when the batteries become weak, the motor (in some cases) does not have enough power to retract the bolt and we must revert to another entrance to get into our home. Although these unit allow one to use a key to override the electronics, we never seem to have the key "on us" when it's needed. Fortunately we have a keypad on our garage door and that serves as an alternative entrance when this occurs.These deadbolt retraction failures have been occurring more and more often even with fresh batteries. I suspect the motor is or has worn out.
With this in mind, I shopped the market for an electronically activated dead bolt with manual bolt action. In other words, instead of a motor extending and retracting the deadbolt, one would use a lever or knob to perform this function. The keypad (electronic segment of the unit) would serve to activate the manual knob or lever. I found the Schlage BE365VCAM619 Camelot Deadbolt Keypad, Satin Nickel on Amazon at an extremely reasonable price and it has all of the features I wanted - electronic key pad activation, manual extension and retraction of the deadbolt upon activation.
The unit arrived yesterday and after a few problems with the unit being confused as to whether the bolt was retracted or extended (my fault), the unit works perfectly. Note, I already had a deadbolt lockset on the door, so it was a simple process of removing the old, and installing the new.
It's an extremely high quality unit without the cheap plastic casing my prior unit had on the inside casing. It's all metal. Changing or adding key pad codes (combinations) is relatively easy. One must enter the units six digit master code (don't lose this code, keep it in a place that you can go to each time you wish to change the codes - Using a permanent marker, I wrote it on the inside of the lock), and then enter your personal four digit code. We use two codes however the unit can store many codes. You may want to add a temporary code to let a service technician into your home, then delete that code when the work is completed.
One feature I like is the lighted key pad which our old unit did not have. If we forget to turn on the porch light, by simply pressing the "schlage" button at the top of the keypad, the keys light up.
Here's the basic operation.
When you're leaving the house, close the door, press the "schlage" button, wait for the click, then extend the deadbolt. You'll hear a confirmation click confirming that the locking knob/lever has been disengaged from the deadbolt after the deadbolt has been extended.
When you arrive home, simply enter your four digit code, you'll hear a click, then manually retract the deadbolt and enter the home. I you wish to use the keypad light; simply press the "schlage" button to light it up. Obviously this is not needed during daylight hours.
Basically the nine volt battery is operating the keypad, a knob/level engagement solenoid and the keypad back light and should last for hundreds and hundreds cycles.
Bottom Line - I highly recommend this high quality unit.
Click Here to see more reviews about:
Schlage BE365VCAM716 Camelot Keypad Deadbolt, Aged Bronze
Get 50% OFF
Click here for more information about Schlage BE365VCAM716 Camelot Keypad Deadbolt, Aged Bronze
