Key switch next to front door
Anyone have any clue what this is for? My family and I just bought a house that has this by the front door and the previous owner doesn’t know what it is for (they just flipped it).
- Last Updated:
- Dec 16th, 2020 6:07 pm
Tags:
- SCORE
- daironchef [OP]
- Newbie
- Dec 16, 2017
- 24 posts
- 1 upvote
17 replies
- oilerfan89
- Sr. Member
- Sep 15, 2017
- 692 posts
- 732 upvotes
Pull the cover off and see what its wired to? Reminds me of an elevator lockoff key which obviously it isn't.
- daironchef [OP]
- Newbie
- Dec 16, 2017
- 24 posts
- 1 upvote
I thought of the same thing like a lift for elder or something but I’m there isn’t a multi steps by the front door.
- walleye*guy
- Deal Addict
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- Mar 30, 2004
- 2461 posts
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- Edmonton
Old school alarm?
The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten....
- Gee
- Deal Expert
- Aug 2, 2004
- 35149 posts
- 8556 upvotes
- East Gwillimbury
Do you have the key?
Maybe it turns on some lights
Maybe it turns on some lights
- rogerrabbit168
- Deal Addict
- Feb 25, 2007
- 2962 posts
- 700 upvotes
Dunno for your house but In our high school the janitors used to open the garage door with what OP has, turn the key and garage door opener opens the garage door from
Outside
Outside
- ChicoQuente
- Deal Fanatic
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- Jun 21, 2003
- 5324 posts
- 2563 upvotes
- Stoney Creek, ON
That’s a standard (albeit very odd in a home) key switch. It could really be controlling anything a standard switch would control (lights, switch, equipment, etc). You’re likely only going to figure it out by opening it up and determining where the wire goes. If you find the breaker and turn it off, change the switch to a standard switch and turn the breaker back on. Now you can turn it on and off and see what it is doing.
- daironchef [OP]
- Newbie
- Dec 16, 2017
- 24 posts
- 1 upvote
Thanks all for all your input! I guess I have to test it!
- torontotim
- Deal Addict
- Nov 17, 2012
- 4186 posts
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- Toronto
Can't be anything related to security as anyone with a fingernail could open it up and bypass the switch.
I'd pull the plate off, get a multimeter and test for voltage. Then find the breaker that services it.
It may be low-voltage like a doorbell, wired to a transformer somewhere in the basement. The wiring from that transformer would then tell you what it turns on and off.
I'd pull the plate off, get a multimeter and test for voltage. Then find the breaker that services it.
It may be low-voltage like a doorbell, wired to a transformer somewhere in the basement. The wiring from that transformer would then tell you what it turns on and off.
- Jerico
- Deal Guru
- Jan 25, 2007
- 11452 posts
- 6636 upvotes
- Paris
My Aunt, to this day, has a standard doorbell button mounted outside her garage to open the garage door. Lives in the county but urban is very close.rogerrabbit168 wrote: ↑ Dunno for your house but In our high school the janitors used to open the garage door with what OP has, turn the key and garage door opener opens the garage door from
Outside
- MrFrugal1
- Deal Addict
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- Jan 2, 2012
- 4052 posts
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- KINGSTON,ON
Probably a garage door opener.
- iambored
- Member
- Sep 8, 2002
- 297 posts
- 121 upvotes
- Toronto
- dirtmover
- Deal Addict
- Nov 2, 2005
- 4667 posts
- 1939 upvotes
- WFH
if someone's gone to the effort of installing a key switch it would be kind of disappointing if it can be simply "pulled off" without at least the use of some obscure security screwdriver.oilerfan89 wrote: ↑ Pull the cover off and see what its wired to? Reminds me of an elevator lockoff key which obviously it isn't.
- ChicoQuente
- Deal Fanatic
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- Jun 21, 2003
- 5324 posts
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- Stoney Creek, ON
- oilerfan89
- Sr. Member
- Sep 15, 2017
- 692 posts
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- dirtmover
- Deal Addict
- Nov 2, 2005
- 4667 posts
- 1939 upvotes
- WFH
Oh, I didn't open the photo. If it's that easy it must be booby trappedChicoQuente wrote: ↑ The photo shows it is clearly 2 slotted screws just like any old faceplate.
- gr8dlr
- Deal Expert
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- Sep 1, 2005
- 16671 posts
- 11399 upvotes
- Markham
This is like Willy Wonka...don't eat that blueberry candy kid.
Let's stick a finger in there and see what happens. LOL
Looking forward to the mystery key switch answer.
Let's stick a finger in there and see what happens. LOL
Looking forward to the mystery key switch answer.
We're all bozos on the bus until we find a way to express ourselves...
Failure is always an option...just not the preferred one!
Failure is always an option...just not the preferred one!
- hhuggles
- Newbie
- Jun 6, 2018
- 98 posts
- 45 upvotes
30 years ago , that very thing was the way to arm/disarm a security system. You know...before fobs and card readers!
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