Triangle screws - bit or screwdriver required

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Triangle screws - bit or screwdriver required

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#2112947 23-Oct-2018 21:35

mdf:
funnyfela:
mdf:

As an aside, what sort of device is this? I've only ever seen triangle screws on stuff that is supposed to be tamper resistant. Smoke alarm maybe?

Without giving too much away, they are electronic locator beacons for my place of employment (big global company). Bluetooth antenna on roof triangulate the location of the beacon. Beacons go to sleep after x time of no movement due to an accelerometer. Batteries are about 2 years old now so pretty good.

The company who designed them is after a decent sum of money to replace them, when I can do it for labour + batteries.

Hah! So the other sort of tamper resistant then (the uone that secures a revenue stream). Best of luck in not having to pay $200 per $2 battery.

Well they don't even offer a replacement service, the cost is simply for a new set of beacons. Seems like a massive waste of plastic to just bin them.

With a little bit more downward force the screw moved using my 2mm flathead, and the screw moved! So got in, but will prob still order the proper ones off eBay.
Each one has 2x cr2032 inside so just got 2 from supermarket and success, the system is now recognising that particular numbered beacon again. So now to get another 118 batteries not from the supermarket haha

Thanks for your help guys, those eBay ones look perfect 👍

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Bung

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#2112948 23-Oct-2018 21:35

If it was my problem I'd try the end of one of my triangle files to see if they fit or take one of the many #2 Philips that's looking a bit worse for wear and file or grind a triangle tip on it.

Rikkitic

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#2112950 23-Oct-2018 21:45

DarthKermit:

What, even for the aforementioned triangles?

Yep. Four of them, different sizes. Triangles, quadrangles, any angles you like. Even hollow for the ones that try to stop you with raised centres. I bought it at Bunnings or Mitre 10 many years ago.

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jonherries

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#2112952 23-Oct-2018 21:51

Fred99:
Unless it's a trick of the light in the photo, it looks more to me like the triangle head on the screw is a male protrusion - not a triangle shaped slot where those drivers / heads would fit.

If there's no off the shelf solution and the screws are in plastic and not too much torque needed to undo, I'd probably try improvising a tool using a bit of metal tube the right diameter to fit over the triangle. Spray some silicone over the screw head for release agent, mix some rapid araldite (5 min stuff) and pack it in the end of the tube, place over screw head and secure until it sets, wait for it to set fully, and with a bit of luck remove every screw with the home-made tool.

If that works I'd take it a step further, and find a maker of gel suppository casings on Aliexpress, buy enough of them to fit all of those screws, pack them inside the casings, send them via FedX to the CE of the company that supplied the devices, with graphic instructions showing where he should put them.

I think all you would need to say to the CE is “screw you”... ;)

richms

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#2112959 23-Oct-2018 22:00

Often they are used to meet some silly requirement of being a "tamper proof" system that places require.

At least they were not one way screws to actually stop you from opening them like most powerstrips seem to use, preventing putting a decent length cord on them when they get damaged.

Richard rich.ms

djtOtago

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#2112982 24-Oct-2018 00:04

When you get the screws out, replace them with somthing a bit more normal. Make it a bit easier for the next guy to replace the batteries.

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Fred99

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#2113126 24-Oct-2018 09:50

richms:

At least they were not one way screws

I guess what annoys me most about those is that they appear to make sense for "security" to attach external latches etc where a fixing through door/frames isn't desirable, and where in theory a burglar could undo a normal screw. My experience fixing stuff after it's been burgled is that perhaps they're not quite meeting expectation - as real burglars seem to use crowbars and bolt-cutters etc for quick access - even when ordinary screws are used they never seem to be inclined to want to spend time delicately unscrewing things.

MikeAqua

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#2113136 24-Oct-2018 10:18

JayCar usually sells sets of security bits for screw drivers.

As already suggested replace with normal screws to make it easier for next time.

Mike

Bung

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#2113137 24-Oct-2018 10:21

Not all thieves are prepared to break in. I've helped a niece who suspected a flatmate was going into her room when she was out. A few screws that couldn't be removed without leaving evidence sorted it.

Fred99

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#2113168 24-Oct-2018 11:42

Bung: Not all thieves are prepared to break in. I've helped a niece who suspected a flatmate was going into her room when she was out. A few screws that couldn't be removed without leaving evidence sorted it.

OK - but that's actually creepy - and the creep remains. I'd have probably taken or encouraged other action.

MikeAqua

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#2113170 24-Oct-2018 11:49

Fred99:

Bung: Not all thieves are prepared to break in. I've helped a niece who suspected a flatmate was going into her room when she was out. A few screws that couldn't be removed without leaving evidence sorted it.

OK - but that's actually creepy - and the creep remains. I'd have probably taken or encouraged other action.

Yep. If someone is unscrewing a lock to gain access, that's highly concerning.

I would want proof before initiating re-education procedures though.

Mike

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Coil

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#2113172 24-Oct-2018 11:50

I could use a terminal drive flat head to get past these on electrical gear. Just needs a firm write and a lot of pressure and slow turning.

1eStar

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#2113216 24-Oct-2018 14:03

A bench grinder can quite quickly turn any screw driver into a triangle bit driver.

Kickinbac

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#2119500 4-Nov-2018 15:31

1eStar: A bench grinder can quite quickly turn any screw driver into a triangle bit driver.

I had a Thomas the Tank Engine toy to fix that had the triangle screws. I found the triangle bits hard to source so I got a square drive bit and ground off a side on my bench grinder. It wasn’t perfect but worked adequately to do the job.

Rikkitic

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#2119501 4-Nov-2018 15:38

Who the hell would use triangle screws on Thomas the Tank Engine? That is seriously anal.

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