# What the hell is this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 21, 2003, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this/169970 "2003-04-21T04:04:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this/169970/21 "2003-04-22T05:41:10Z")
Please describe the ends, particularly if they are closed or not, and if there are any holes/slots/openings into it. My assumption is that it is one of two things as already dscribed: - a station key box for a watchman. here’s a description of the process: [http://www.citramasa.com.my/time.htm](http://www.citramasa.com.my/time.htm) - a key box for containing other keys. Frankly I’m doubtful of the second one because a key box is typically secured much better, as it contains something important (the keys to access something, typically a house). ---
**Author:** ![NevarMore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7feea3/32.png) [@NevarMore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NevarMore)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this/169970/22 "2003-04-22T05:44:09Z")
Might be a motion alarm too. The gate is opened or the fence is climbed and the box notices and sends out a radio signal. Go give it a good whack and see who shows up. ---
**Author:** ![RaginAzn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@RaginAzn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaginAzn)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this/169970/23 "2003-04-22T06:44:12Z")
(sorry, no clearer picture yet) The most I can give you now is that the two “fins” at the bottom are for holding the bottom in place with the two locks on the side. The locks are very simple pin/tumbler locks (which is why I would doubt it’d be for keeping _better_ keys in). The housing looks to be about half inch thick. I’m not sure if it’s any sort of watchmen’s clock device because campus police doesn’t tend to patrol on foot, and it’s not really in a place that you can park next to and run over to do whatever it is should be done there. I’m getting really tempted to just loosen the bolts with a wrench, and crack it open in my room, but it doesn’t seem like much of better idea than what Pandora pulled off. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this/169970/24 "2003-04-22T06:53:27Z")
Why don’t you just ask NYSEG what it is? ---
**Author:** ![NoGoodNamesLeft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@NoGoodNamesLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoGoodNamesLeft)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this/169970/25 "2003-04-22T17:47:22Z")
Does it have any wires? It could be a [Fence Vibration Sensor](http://www.rbtec.com/sl3.htm). ---
**Author:** ![NoGoodNamesLeft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@NoGoodNamesLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoGoodNamesLeft)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this/169970/26 "2003-04-22T18:03:05Z")
This thread reminds me of the old TV show “The Liar’s Club” where a panel of ‘Liars’ were given an item, and each gave an explanation of what the item was (but only 1 knew what it really was), and what it was used for. The show contestants then had to WAG on who was lying and who was telling the truth. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this/169970/27 "2003-04-22T18:22:31Z")
God, I loved that show! Larry Hovis! moving along… bondage device. Definitely. ---
**Author:** ![RaginAzn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@RaginAzn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaginAzn)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2003, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this/169970/28 "2003-04-23T00:53:04Z")
Nope, no wires. It’s also about ten times bigger than that. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this/169970/29 "2003-04-24T02:09:43Z")
No ideas on what the doohickey in question is, just posting to say “So _that’s_ what those things on the doors of the houses-for-sale are!” (y’see, I’m a newspaper photographer and I occasionally take pictures of the houses for the real estate ads, and never knew what those things were) ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this/169970/30 "2003-04-24T02:21:24Z")
it’s a metal newt, climbing the fence in search of the electricity it needs to survive. ---
**Author:** ![Payne\_N.Diaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Payne\_N.Diaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Payne_N.Diaz)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this/169970/31 "2003-04-24T03:03:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by weeril \* > \*\*Could it be a time clock device? Many places that use security patrols have a device that either, (a) you insert a key into and it records the time you patrolled the area. Or (b) an electronic recorder that records your rounds. They are often encased in something to protect them from vandalism or theft. Also they typically are not made permanent so they can be moved when patrol routes are changed periodically. The clocks or recorders are then checked by a supervisor to see that the patrols are being performed. Also they get locked down so the Security Officer cannot take the device back to the office and “hit” his rounds from the comfort of his desk. > > Just a WAG > > Weeril \*\* It doesn’t look like the ones at work, which are just little magnetic buttons that one reads with a “pipe”, a small tubular reader that records the time. ---
**Author:** ![Flying\_Monk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/48db29/32.png) [@Flying\_Monk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flying_Monk)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this/169970/32 "2003-04-24T11:06:52Z")
Since it’s on a fence around transformers, maybe it’s got something to do with that…some sort of electrician’s tool, perhaps, for servicing the equipment? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-this/169970.md?page=1)