Excelsior! Academy Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 What is it for and how do I replace it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Is there a small speaker or microphone there that doesn't show in the picture? If so, it could be an old intercom system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Was the house ever split up into apartments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excelsior! Academy Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 No to both. I would love an intercom system and was hoping one could install here. Pretty sure it has always been a single family house. We have met two of the previous owners. The house was built in the 70's. Could it be for entry? The box is to the left of the front door on the brick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soufflegirl Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 I used to live in a neighborhood with a large Jewish population, and a lot of the houses had keyless locks, so that was my first guess. Most of the ones I saw had the keypad on the door itself, but maybe this is an older model? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Have you unscrewed it? Does it have wires in the back? It doesn't look like it was made in the 70s to me, which makes me wonder if is just an older piece installed for decorative/visual interest purposes. The styling is wrong for the 70s, IMO. If it was a code box from the 70s, then I would expect the numbers to be laid out like the numbers on a phone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Have you unscrewed it? Does it have wires in the back? It doesn't look like it was made in the 70s to me, which makes me wonder if is just an older piece installed for decorative/visual interest purposes. The styling is wrong for the 70s, IMO. If it was a code box from the 70s, then I would expect the numbers to be laid out like the numbers on a phone. That's what I was thinking too. From the picture, it's hard to tell if it has wires in the back or is actually hooked up ton *anything*. Could it be an odd design for a mezuzah? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 A Mezuzah is on the right side of the door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excelsior! Academy Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 I have a Mezuzah. This is definitely a keypad. I will unscrew it an explore tomorrow. I feel like Sherlock Holmes. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomOfOneFunOne Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 AMDG is it keyless entry? I have a code instead of a key. It doesnt look like that exactly but it could still be that if its wired into the door. Also, alarm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 It could possibly be a replacement door bell that someone used. Maybe the numbers Could have a purpose in another application, but just not hooked up at your house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arstephia Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 We rented a vacation house that had that but it had another layer on top that the number pad stuck through. If you punched in the right code it would release and a house key was stuck inside the outer layer/cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excelsior! Academy Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 It could possibly be a replacement door bell that someone used. Maybe the numbers Could have a purpose in another application, but just not hooked up at your house. We rented a vacation house that had that but it had another layer on top that the number pad stuck through. If you punched in the right code it would release and a house key was stuck inside the outer layer/cover. Hmm...both of those ideas seem feasible. I wonder if it is a key hider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyThreeSons Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 I'm confused -- why do you want to replace it if you don't know what it's for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excelsior! Academy Posted September 13, 2013 Author Share Posted September 13, 2013 I'm confused -- why do you want to replace it if you don't know what it's for? Because I am hoping it is a keyless entry box, and I am really curious. It bugs me to not know what it is. Also, it is clearly broken. If I am going to have some secret code thingy, it ought'd at least work. :P So I unscrewed it and now I am even more confused. It had 12 multi-color wires attached. I can't remember all of the colors, but I know there were more than one black, blue, red &/or orange and purple. I have never seen a purple wire before. So keyless entry? It looks like the decorative bead at the top might light up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 So I unscrewed it and now I am even more confused. It had 12 multi-color wires attached. I can't remember all of the colors, but I know there were more than one black, blue, red &/or orange and purple. I have never seen a purple wire before. So keyless entry? It looks like the decorative bead at the top might light up. I hope you took a picture or drew a diagram of which wire was attached to what before taking it apart... Do be careful if you are not used to working with electrical stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excelsior! Academy Posted September 13, 2013 Author Share Posted September 13, 2013 No need for a picture, I just unscrewed and rescrewed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Well, since there were that many wires I would guess that it used to buzz certain rooms. Maybe it wasn't an apartment, but they rented out bedrooms and the buzzer rang different rooms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Well, since there were that many wires I would guess that it used to buzz certain rooms. Maybe it wasn't an apartment, but they rented out bedrooms and the buzzer rang different rooms. Yes, maybe a boarding house? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excelsior! Academy Posted September 13, 2013 Author Share Posted September 13, 2013 My mind is going crazy now with possibilities. Two of the previous owners still live in the neighborhood. Off to investigate....:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigs Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyThreeSons Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 I just thought you'd like to know that if you do a google image search for "code box near front door", the first hit looks just like your picture. In fact, it is a link to this thread, LOL. I'd show the picture to one of the workers at The Home Depot and ask him what it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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