Mystery box

[Manus]

My son just moved house and we found this . Tried google image search nothing showed up.
Can anyone help us out and tell us what it is , or does ?.

 

[rsgaz]

Looks like an alarm panic button to me, which you can't operate any more because of the wood panelling! (Is it actually inset into the wood, or a trick of the shadows?)

https://www.electricalworld.com/en/...ck-Hold-Up-Device-Stainless-Steel/m-1523.aspx

You push in the large red bit to activate(as seen in my link), then reset with the plastic key. The small red bit is just an indicator.

 

[JohnD]

good spot.

 

[Manus]

Hi rsgaz
Thanks for the reply. Its on top not inset . Checked out your link , looks like this one could be an older version .
Doesn't give any information how they work or who moniters it . Would it be safe to rip it out , without the risk
of the police crashing in the front door.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Seems an odd way to trigger a panic system. I would expect something much easier to trigger. Could you remove the screw in the middle, take the cover plate and take another photo of the internals? The knob above the red light, looks like a slider type volume control, can it be moved?

The style to me, suggests 1960's.

 

[crystal ball]

I have seen these in a jewellers shop, they were linked to the alarm and then to a monitoring service (ADT) looks like the key is stuck and broken

 

[Manus]

Thanks Harry Boomfield , crystal ball.
Will take the cover off next time I'm there and take a photo of the inside , and post .
The photo is not to clear the red is just plastic not a light , I think , its behind a wardrobe very awkward to see it.
Above the red is like a keyhole.
Thanks again for you're replies.

 

[davelx]

It is definitely a person attack button that would be linked to an alarm system. On a monitored system, pressing it would usually silently alert the monitoring station who would call the police (or in some instances the alarm might call the police directly).

 

[securespark]

Yes, assuming the panic is connected to alive system, if you take the cover off it will either sound off or do as Dave suggests.

 

[AndyPRK]

red flag means it's already been pressed!

No alarm or police, so you can take the lid off and disconnect

 

[AndyPRK]

Seems an odd way to trigger a panic system. I would expect something much easier to trigger. Could you remove the screw in the middle, take the cover plate and take another photo of the internals? The knob above the red light, looks like a slider type volume control, can it be moved?

The style to me, suggests 1960's.

All that is inside is a reed switch and maybe 3 terminals.

When the magnet isn't by the reed switch (either because the buttons been pressed or the cover removed) the alarm goes off.
1980's

 

[sparkymarka]

They still make these ....it’s not that old ...

 

[RF Lighting]

Still fitted all the time in high risk premises

 

[sparkymarka]

I was talking about that model ....you couldn’t use that model on a police response system ...

 

[RF Lighting]

Sorry I thought you meant PA buttons in general rather than that type specifically.

My nephew who was 5 at the time pressed a double button silent PA whilst visiting my fathers post office. Full police response to that