Wondering why the battery in your Schlage Encode Lock dies fast? If so, keep reading as I’ll attempt to explain the reasons behind this issue and how to resolve it. Let’s dive in!
Why is My Schlage Encode Lock Draining Batteries?
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For the most part, your Schlage Encode Lock may drain batteries fast because of weak Wi-Fi signal strength.
Since the lock has built-in Wi-Fi, it tries to maintain the connection to your home Wi-Fi network—and if your network signal is weak; the lock may be forced to continuously search/reconnect to it, hence putting a strain on the batteries.
Of course, your Schlage Encode Lock batteries will drain fast if overworked. So this is one major reason the batteries in your Schlage Encode die fast.
However, keep in mind that smart locks with built-in Wi-Fi usually don’t have long battery life compared to smart locks that use Z-Wave and other communication protocols. The reason is still centered on Wi-Fi connectivity—read more about smart locks battery life.
That said, on average, your Schlage Encode Lock batteries should last anywhere from 2 to 6 months—depending on usage. But anything shorter than that is considered abnormal and requires some troubleshooting. See the next paragraphs for troubleshooting tips.
Schlage Encode Battery Dies Fast: Try These Troubleshooting Tips
1. Check and Improve Your Wi-Fi Network Signal
As mentioned, weak Wi-Fi signal strength may put a strain on your Schlage Encode batteries and this usually causes the batteries to drain fast. This happens because the lock exerts more battery power trying to remain connected to your (weak/unstable) network signal.
So check your Wi-Fi settings in Schlage Home App to see if the signal strength is low. If so, try to bring your router closer to the lock to improve the signal strength.
If moving your router from its current position may cause connectivity issues with other devices connected to it, consider getting a Wi-Fi extender to boost the signal strength.
This way, your Schlage Encode will connect easily to your home Wi-Fi network without overworking the battery.
2. Disconnect Your Lock from Your Network When Your Router is Not Active
Not disconnecting your lock from your home Wi-Fi network when the router is turned off has the same effect as weak Wi-Fi signals. That is, if your home Wi-Fi is turned off but your lock isn’t disconnected from it at the time, the lock will continue to search for a Wi-Fi signal to connect to, and this uses more battery power than normal.
So you can reduce excessive battery usage by disconnecting your Schlage Encode lock from your home Wi-Fi when it’s turned off.
More so, an unstable Wi-Fi network may lead to the same situation. So ensure your router supplies a stable network to avoid overworking the lock—trying to maintain the connection. If needed, upgrade your router to ensure a stable network.
3. Check Whether You’re Using the Right Batteries
If you’ve used lithium or any type of rechargeable batteries, replace them with high-quality AA alkaline batteries—non-rechargeable. Energizer and Duracell are excellent brands to consider.
Schlage Encode (and virtually all Schlage smart locks) uses non-rechargeable alkaline batteries—Schlage doesn’t recommend using lithium or any type of rechargeable batteries.
4. Reset the Lock
If the problem persists after trying the above troubleshooting steps, resetting your lock may help fix any bug causing the battery performance issue. Yes, resetting the Schlage Encode Smart Lock, for the most part, is a go-to solution for most problems you’re having with the lock.
But keep in mind that resetting your lock will erase all previous settings. For instance, all programmed User Codes will be erased, including Schlage Home integration settings. So you’ll have to program your lock again like you did when it was just installed.
That said, here’s how to reset your Schlage Encode Lock:
- Step 1: Press and hold the Reset button on your lock (a black circle button located on the interior assembly—you’ll have to remove the battery cover to find it). The lock will flash red.
- Step 2: Keep holding the Reset button until the lock stops flashing red. Next, the lock will light a solid blue light and this shows the reset is successful.
So, your lock is now reset and that should fix the battery performance issue. But if not, contact Schlage Customer Support for help. They may recommend a fix or replace the lock if it doesn’t work.
Note: Schlage Support may require the email used to set up your Schlage Home account, your router manufacturer, and model number. So be sure you have that information available before contacting them.
Wrapping Up
Though the main reasons behind battery performance issues with Schlage Encode could be weak Wi-Fi signal strength or unstable network, incorrect installation may also reduce its battery life.
That is, if your lock isn’t correctly installed, it may force the motor to work harder than normal, and this could reduce the battery life.
So ensure your Schlage Encode Lock is correctly installed, improve your Wi-Fi signals and always disconnect the lock from your home Wi-Fi network when your router is turned off. This should help improve the battery life of your lock.
And if the problem continues, contact Schlage Customer Support for further help.
You may also like to see how to troubleshoot battery-related issues with Schlage Keypad Locks and how to fix Schlage Connect Programming Code issues.
