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ERA euro cylinders - yuk, avoid

For those that don't know, ERA manufacture low cost locks for the European market.

Just had a problem with an ERA euro cylinder where the drive to the cam had worn out in just a few months of light use. The application was for an apartment lock where a morticed lock had a deadbolt and latch combined. One turn unlocked the deadbolt and another part turn actioned the latch. The latch had quite a hefty return spring and operated over only 30degrees of key movement so the action was quite heavy.

On dismantling the cylinder I found that the cam wasn't operated by the rotation of the plug but by the nose of the key that protruded through the plug, tolerances were high and the contact between the key and the brass actuator was so tiny that given the heavy action the accelerated wear was inevitable.

I suppose the moral is that you get what you pay for but I hadn't expected it to be quite this crap. If anyone knows other euro cyls that rely on the nose of the key to operate the cam please let me know so I can avoid them in future.

Thanks,

Reply to
fred
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Well, it is always the nose of the key, this is the working of an euro cylinder, but usually the tip of the key moves a sliding part into the lever to move it when the key is turned.

regards - Ralph

Reply to
Ralph A. Schmid, DK5RAS

Yes, of course, I wasn't thinking, otherwise no clutch action between front and rear cyls. Direct contact of the key in the 'clutch' plug here and a very sloppy fit at that, the wear profile suggests the contact was only 1x1mm or so. Although this was a copy key it was well cut. I'll have a closer look at the factory key, copy key and the clutch plug tomorrow.

I notice a theoretical exploit on this one too if the clutch plug could be manipulated independently of the main one, but that is another story; hopefully not present on all euros.

Hopefully replacing with a better quality cyl will solve the wear problem.

Thanks,

Reply to
fred

Update: Just replaced it with a Medeco which is much better made. As you suggest, the plug does the turning and the key tip just engages the 'clutch' plug to the pawl. This shouldn't show the same wear problem.

Thanks,

Reply to
fred

Yes, I have seen cylinders of such make, being installed in the sixties in heavily used entrance doors, and they still work.

regards - Ralph

Reply to
Ralph A. Schmid, DK5RAS

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