Keypad access to equipment

A

applejax

New member
You know what I think would be funny, awesome and pointless all at the same time? A key pad access to "power-up" of all the gear. I know you could just use one on your door and i know there are premade ones for how to do it. But does anyone know how this could be done? I'm not aloud to use a keypad lock on my door cause i live with my parents lol and they'd get REALLY suspicious lol...but just so if anyone does go in my room... my little sister doesnt "turn it all on" and F*** things up... like she's done in the past :p (anyone else have this problem??) Well anyways I want to start protecting my gear...and I know I could just do it with a lock on my door or w/e... but I think it'd look cool to press an "on/off" rocker switch then have to type in a password on the keypad and it turns all the gear on (which are all running off a huge powerbar? Any suggestions :D lol Me and my wack ideas... lol
 
- Build a lockable box to cover up your surge protectors, or whatever power supplies you are using. (buy a 10 dollar cash-box and cut a hole large enough to fit a three pron plug though on one end, and a slot for all your gear power cords to hang out. Then all you do is lock the box when your away.)

Or tie your sister up. LOL :D
 

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Thats a great idea i'll probably end up doing it...but i STILL want to be cool ( :rolleyes: lol) and somehow have it all electronic witht he keypad?
 
applejax said:
Thats a great idea i'll probably end up doing it...but i STILL want to be cool ( :rolleyes: lol) and somehow have it all electronic witht he keypad?
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Get a cash-box with an electronic keypad. :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:
 
Thane not sure...but I think you misunderstood.. lol I ment keypad (with numbers on it? aka numberpad) not a key hole lol...Sorry for the confusion

Well...Here's what I want:

1. Hit the main power button ON.
2. Have to type in the password on the numberpad.
3. If password is correct, it turns the power-bar (that is connected to the power-conditioners etc) ON.
4. If the password is incorrect, the power-bar WON'T turn on.

Understand? Like maybe I can have the main power-button and key pad wired to the power bar's cord before it plugs into the wall/goes to the outlets. I may not be explaining this in perfect terms...sorry for any confusion lol :) but thanks for the help guys. Maybe someone with electrical experience can help me out...lol
 
For a keypad setup, you just put the power on a relay operated by the keypad.

The right combo closes the relay contacts and you've got power.
 
applejax said:
Thane not sure...but I think you misunderstood.. lol I ment keypad (with numbers on it? aka numberpad) not a key hole lol...Sorry for the confusion

Well...Here's what I want:

1. Hit the main power button ON.
2. Have to type in the password on the numberpad.
3. If password is correct, it turns the power-bar (that is connected to the power-conditioners etc) ON.
4. If the password is incorrect, the power-bar WON'T turn on.

Understand? Like maybe I can have the main power-button and key pad wired to the power bar's cord before it plugs into the wall/goes to the outlets. I may not be explaining this in perfect terms...sorry for any confusion lol :) but thanks for the help guys. Maybe someone with electrical experience can help me out...lol
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Well that's fine and dandy.....however that will take more engineering. My electronics courses have given me the knowledge to do that, but I thought this would be a simple solution for you; I have no idea what your abilities are. I just tried to offer a simple effective way to make sure your
applejax said:
little sister doesnt "turn it all on" and F*** things up... like she's done in the past :p
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applejax said:
Thats a great idea i'll probably end up doing it...but i STILL want to be cool ( :rolleyes: lol) and somehow have it all electronic witht he keypad?
Click to expand...

You CAN find cashboxes WITH electronic key/numberpad access.

c7sus said:
How about a car security system?

Then you could power up by remote!
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You'd need a DC power supply for the "alarm brain"
 
Thane, I wasn't trying to stomp on your idea or anything lol :) sorry if it sounded like that. :)

To Thane and C7sus,
So what materials etc would I need for all of this? (if i dont understand it completely...I can get my dad to help me out! Cause he knows a bunch and i know a little lol)

And how would this be wired etc? A diagram would help :rolleyes: LOL !! Thanks alot though guys :D :)
 
Totally doable. But more work than it's worth.

At Home Depot or Lowes, go to the electrical isle and find yourself a $15 Leviton security switch.

Essentailly, it's a 15A lightswitch that instead of a lever to turn the switch on or off, there is a slot. It comes with two funny looking metal things you can put on your keychain, to stick into the slot, and turn the switch on and off.

I have two in my 8-switch power panel in the wall. One for recording gear, one for computer gear. I installed them so if I ask someone to "turn off the room lights" they don't accidentally hit the wrong switch, dumping hours of recording work or screwing up my windows by a hard crash.

18183.jpg


Leviton 1201-2L Features:
- 15 Amp
- Self grounding
- Back and side wired
- Industrial Grade

PDF: http://assets.twacomm.com/pdf/18183.pdf

Home Depot only has the 15A version, however there is a 20A and a 30A version you can get at a real electrical supply place.
 
Here is mine. Haven't cleaned it up and installed yet, but it goes in my console power panel. Got it at a local auto junkyard for .50 cents :D
 

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Hey thats a really good idea frederic :) I'll probably end up doing that!! That's really neat. Now how/where is this wired?? :) thanks guys!
 
applejax said:
Hey thats a really good idea frederic :) I'll probably end up doing that!! That's really neat. Now how/where is this wired?? :) thanks guys!
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It's wired like any other light switch. So, intall it into an electrical box, mount it in the wall or on the console table, then wire a normal 3-prong outlet (59 cents) to the switch, and plug your power strips into the outlet.

It's really just a light switch with the part you "flip" with your fingers missing, and instead you use a metal thing that comes with it to turn it on and off.

Schools have them in the hallways for the hall lights - so that the janitors can turn the lights on and off, and the kids cannot.
 
Ah, I get it :). So could I wire 2, the lock thing you mentioned, then a rocker-switch? (Cause I want a rocker switch REALLY bad for the main "power-on" for gear. But, I could use the key thing to lock everything off?, because I want the rocker switch to be for rack gear and the console, then another rockerswitch for my CPU? Get it :D? Thanks a bunch, you really know your stuff LOL

PS - Thats where i remember seeing those boxes...Once you posted it i was like "ive seen that before" and it was in the hall of my school and my classes. lol
 
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