What is this?

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Roger_Hankey

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Eden Prairie, MN USA
Attached are 2 photos from a St. Paul, MN house circa 1953. The devices are ceiling mounted in each of 3 bedrooms and the living room. Dimensions are about 5/8" deep and widev, and about 2.5" long. Unable to view any wiring in attic above the ceiling due to 14" of blown insulation. Service panel in the house was modern 100 A, 120-240v breakers circa 2003. No other low voltage devices found other than typical thermostat and doorbell. Thanks
 

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some form of fire detector, possibly just heat. maybe just a thermal switch / relay (mercury cell) inside?
is there any central fire control box or an old fire bell anywhere?

pen buzzer? does it have e-field on the wires?
 
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Given its proximity the the wall and what appears to be a door, any chance it's a nightlight that's been painted over? is that a red wire or bare copper?
 
Stebs said:
Given its proximity the the wall and what appears to be a door, any chance it's a nightlight that's been painted over? is that a red wire or bare copper?
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I was thinking an emergency exit light, on a DC circuit originally battery powered. I saw some places from the 50s with something similar. Someone may have given up on having to maintain the battery and just abandoned it in place, then painted over it rather than have to patch the holes.
 
I guess we need to ask if it is a metal housing, not much would have been plastics back in the 50's, if it were a light would either have exposed lamp or glass lens.
 
Roger_Hankey said:
The devices are ceiling mounted in each of 3 bedrooms and the living room. Dimensions are about 5/8" deep and widev, and about 2.5" long.
Click to expand...

FionaZuppa said:
some form of fire detector, possibly just heat. maybe just a thermal switch / relay (mercury cell) inside?
is there any central fire control box or an old fire bell anywhere?

pen buzzer? does it have e-field on the wires?
Click to expand...


I admit I have never seen anything like this. But from it's small size and where they are located I could imagine some sort of heat detection.

People used to smoke a lot in bed back in those days and that would have been a major cause of fires. They also drank a lot more.

I find it hard to believe they would want night lights in bedrooms. Hall or living room yes but many people don't like light in the bedrooms.


If anyone ever finds out what it really is be sure to post it because it is interesting.
 
Roger_Hankey said:
Attached are 2 photos from a St. Paul, MN house circa 1953. The devices are ceiling mounted in each of 3 bedrooms and the living room. Dimensions are about 5/8" deep and widev, and about 2.5" long. Unable to view any wiring in attic above the ceiling due to 14" of blown insulation. Service panel in the house was modern 100 A, 120-240v breakers circa 2003. No other low voltage devices found other than typical thermostat and doorbell. Thanks
Click to expand...

Come on Roger! Get up in that attic, plow through that insulation and trace those wires back. We all want to know what it is. ;)
 
Fascinating. There are four wires and one screw in that thing, and it doesn't seem to be any more that about the size of a surface mount door bell button.

I've never seen any thing like this either.
 
early 1950'ish fire detectors (mercury cell) needed 240ac to work.

if there's no juice to it then snip the wires off and tone them to see where they go, then have a peek inside to see whats there.

is that cover plastic or metal?
 
I did a house for a family where the wife was deaf, and they had some of the lights wired with flashers on a 10 second (or whatever it was) timer that went off when the door bell button was pushed. I cannot identify that device but if it is a light that has been painted it could be something along that line. Signaling for some purpose. Apparently abandoned since it's painted. Just a thought. :)
 
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