American Security (AMSEC) UL 2-Hour Fire & Impact Safe - 2.28 cu ft Interior, UL Group II Lock, UL1812X

 American Security (AMSEC) UL1812X - External Dimensions - 25"H × 18"W × 23.5"D - 298lbs

A fire safe with Underwriters Laboratories' two-hour rating: the interior held below 350°F for two hours in a furnace at 1850°F, then dropped 30 feet to test whether it survives a fall through a burning floor. It is a compact safe, and at 298 lbs it is heavy for its size.

The door is 3.5 inches thick and recessed, with a 0.625-inch front to resist prying. A spring-loaded relocker fires if the lock is attacked. Inside: plush velour and an adjustable shelf.

What it holds

Room for a document box set lengthways, a jewelry case on the shelf above, and the stock certificates nobody has thought about since they were issued.

Specifications

Interior

18.5"H × 12.5"W × 17"D

Interior volume, calculated: 2.28 cu ft

One adjustable shelf

Interior finish: plush velour

Exterior & siting

25"H × 18"W × 23.5"D

298 lbs

Anchoring: internal anchor bolt hole; anchor bolts included

Security

Lock: UL-listed Group II combination dial; ESL10 electronic lock offered as an option — ask us which ships with this listing

Locking bolts: 0.875" solid steel, chrome-plated; number not stated by the manufacturer

Relocker: spring-loaded, triggered by a severe impact attack

Door assembly thickness: 3.5" recessed door with a 0.625" front

Wall thickness: 2.75", fire clay fill

Hinges: heavy-duty steel; door opens 180°

Handle: L-handle, chrome or brass

Fire, water & media

Fire rating: UL listed, 2 hours at 1850°F, with 30-foot impact test

Media / data rating: Not a media safe.

Water rating: None claimed.

The rest

Warranty: lifetime fire replacement; one year parts and labor

Manufacturer part number: UL1812X

Finish: textured charcoal gray, chrome or brass hardware

The fire rating

Most fire ratings test heat alone. The UL two-hour test with impact adds a fall: the safe is heated, dropped 30 feet onto rubble, then put back in the furnace. It is the test for a safe on an upper floor, where the floor may give way before the fire is out.

The interior has to stay below 350°F, under the point at which paper chars, for the full two hours. It is the rating to look for if the papers inside matter more than anything else in the safe.

Delivery and Siting

At 298 lbs it travels by freight and is delivered to the curb by a liftgate truck. This part of the service is free. Bringing it in is a job for two people and a stair-climbing hand truck, taken slowly. At 18 inches wide it clears any doorway. The weight sits in a small footprint, so check the shelf or floor before you set it down. Bolt it down through the internal anchor hole; the bolts are included. If you would like help with this, we can help find a moving company near you, this is an extra charge.

What this is not

It is not a media safe. The rating protects paper. Hard drives, USB sticks, discs and film need an interior kept below 125°F, and this safe makes no such claim.

It is not water rated. No claim is made. A house fire usually brings a great deal of water from the hoses, so keep papers in sealed bags inside if that matters to you.

It is not a UL burglary-rated safe. The UL listing is for fire and impact. The Group II lock is UL listed, and the relocker and thick door make it slow to attack, but no burglary rating is claimed.

On the maker

American Security (AMSEC) make safes in Fontana, California, from small home units through to high-security commercial safes. Their UL series is built for fire first, and carries a two-hour UL rating with the impact test. If you need a figure we haven't listed, ask us and we'll put the question to American Security.

Questions

Will it fit through my door?

Yes. It's 18 inches wide; allow for its 23.5-inch depth when choosing a spot.

What does the impact test prove?

That the safe survives a 30-foot fall after heating, and keeps its contents below 350°F once it is back in the fire.

Is the lock a dial or a keypad?

American Security list a UL Group II combination dial and offer the ESL10 electronic lock as an option. Ask us before you order and we'll confirm which this listing ships with.

Will it protect hard drives or USB sticks in a fire?

No. It's rated for paper. Digital media needs a safe rated to keep its interior below 125°F.

Does it need bolting down?

We'd recommend it. There is an internal anchor hole and the bolts are included.