Timer padlocks again (new model)

[ruru67]

Browsing AliExpress, I came across this incarnation of the timer padlock: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001848137350.html

The display looks just like the ones that have been [url=discussed at length elsewhere]discussed at length elsewhere[/url], and it appears to have basically the same controls, although the buttons are a different shape. I expect the circuit board is the same or very similar.

From the description and comments, I note:

• The lock case is metal, rather than plastic.
• It claims to hold up to 130 kg force, which is the same as I've seen quoted for the old style locks.
• The lock body is a little taller than the old style, but similar width and depth.
• The shackle is metal, 5mm thick. That's not going to fit a lot of locking buckles (where you put a padlock through a loop in the buckle pin), which are typically around 4mm. I've often found myself drilling such buckles slightly to accept the 4mm end of the old style timer padlocks.
• It does not have a release button on the side; rather, it pops open automatically.
• You can close the shackle after starting the timer. The lock latches whether the timer is running or not; if it's not, you can press the central "lock" button to release it. I imagine that if it fails to open because it was under tension at the time, you can press the middle button again to release it.
• The charging connector is micro-USB rather than that silly little co-axial plug.
• There's a hole near the charge connector, which looks like some kind of reset. I don't know what it does.
• It claims to be "4 grades waterproof", whatever that means. This may be a reference to the second digit in the IP code, in which case 4 would indicate that it should resist occasional splashes of water from any direction, but not jets or immersion. Again, this is the same claim as for the old style.

I think I'll buy a couple - it'll be a month or so before they turn up, shipping to this part of the world being what it is (or at least has been since COVID fucked up air freight).

I also note there's a kinda Kitchen Safe knock-off (again, I suspect using the same timer): https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001637569348.html

[Shannon SteelSlave]

Thank you for the find, and thanks in advance for your future review. This certainly does seem to eliminate the inherent safety feature of being able to be pulled apart under weight, prying or twisting force, or brute strength.
It also claims to be impossible to open before time is up. I am sure you will run it through the ringer in your testing. Also, if you can find out what happens if power is lost, does it fail safe, or does it require power to switch the cam to allow the unlock button to be pressed?

[ruru67]

Thank you for the find, and thanks in advance for your future review. This certainly does seem to eliminate the inherent safety feature of being able to be pulled apart under weight, prying or twisting force, or brute strength.
It also claims to be impossible to open before time is up. I am sure you will run it through the ringer in your testing. Also, if you can find out what happens if power is lost, does it fail safe, or does it require power to switch the cam to allow the unlock button to be pressed?

I'll try it when I get them. But I note that the specs for brute force are much the same as for the old plastic lock - I assume because the latch has similarly limited resistance to pulling. I don't plan to test to destruction though, unless it suffers some other failure (bad battery et c). That said, I've broken one of the old plastic locks by pulling the cable out of the metal ends, which isn't going to be possible with a solid metal shackle. (I suspect the cable wasn't secured properly.)

I would assume that if it lost power, plugging it into the charger and pressing the "lock" button would release the lock, i.e. like the old locks, it just forgets everything when the battery runs out.

Here's a review I saw from a different listing for the same lock:

This is a great step up from earlier plastic timer-locks with a cable hasp. The rigid hasp makes it easy to close with one hand and it can be closed before or after the timer is started. When the timer runs out the hasp actually pops up, unlike the cable models that need a release button to be pressed. The lock has a solid unibody metal housing on five sides, with a plastic front. A minor complaint is that the captive end of the hasp is a sloppier fit than typical of even cheap solid brass padlocks, unnecessarily giving it a feeling of lower quality that would have cost nothing to fix during design. If the hasp is closed without the timer running, it can be released by pressing the Lock button, except that the first time it's closed after a time-release cycle the Lock button restores the last time instead of releasing the hasp. Then another three presses are needed to release the hasp - the first starts the countdown, the second cancels the timer, and the third releases the hasp.

And the description from yet another listing:

Description
Material: Metal
Color: Black / Silver
Locker Size: 45*78*18mm(as picture shown)
Include: 1* SM Bondage Charing Mode Time Locker
Package : Discreet package , protect your privacy

Instructions for use
1. Unlock and lock:
Locking: Align the lock ring with the hole on one end, then press down to lock it. "Lock" appears in the upper right corner of the screen
Unlock: Press the middle "lock" button to automatically bounce. The display is "unlocked".

2. Set the unlock time:
Press: the "H" button on the left to set the hour, and the "M" button on the right to set the minute. After adjustment, press the middle "lock" button to start the countdown. Before the timer starts, there will be a 5-second countdown beep (in sound mode). Within 5 seconds, you can press any key to cancel the set time.

3. Start timing
After 5 seconds, the countdown will start, and the electronic lock will beep for a long time. The lock icon "lock" on the screen, you cannot unlock it by pressing any key at this time.

4. Timing is complete
After the timing is complete, the lock ring will automatically pop up, and the unlock icon "picture" will be displayed on the screen. Press any key to display the time just counted on the screen, and then press the timing key to repeat the timing.

I'm not seeing any really negative reviews (apart from "didn't arrive"). Anyway, will know more when they show up.

[Shannon SteelSlave]

Eagerly looking forward to the Ruru Review, which will carry much more weight than those others.

[kinbaku]

Ruru, looking forward to your review. Is it possible that the time starts when you close the lock? So that your preparation for bondage is not counted towards the time.
I particularly like the automatic opening of the padlock.

[ruru67]

Ruru, looking forward to your review. Is it possible that the time starts when you close the lock? So that your preparation for bondage is not counted towards the time.
I particularly like the automatic opening of the padlock.

I'm pretty sure it starts from the time the "lock" button is pressed, just like the old version. It's just that with the new, you can start the timer with the lock open, and close it later. But will confirm when I have them.

[LogicTrolling]

I actually starting working on a project that is basically a diy electronic lock somewhat like this.
Here is the motor that I'm going to use: https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/4000791064948.html
The lock itself should be pretty strait forward I'll post an update in DIY when I get them and finish the lock
I'm really good with electronics, CAD design and software development, would share my real username to show you my work but it can be easily retraced to my real name/address/..... so it's a big no no

[Shannon SteelSlave]

Hey Logic, send me a Private Message when you get the chance. We should talk.

[Sergio]

Ooh, that looks useful. I have no idea what for but that never stopped me buying something from AliExpress. I'll definitely put an order together this weekend.

[kinbaku]

Ooh, that looks useful. I have no idea what for but that never stopped me buying something from AliExpress. I'll definitely put an order together this weekend.

With 6 V you just have one turn per second.

[redsonic]

it definitely not water proof
and it have also reset hole

[kinbaku]

it definitely not water proof
and it have also reset hole

Thanks for opening.

[ruru67]

Ah, that doesn't look like metal... just metallised plastic.

And the bit I quoted about the lock that says the lock indicator comes on when you close it must be wrong - I can't see any way for the lock to know whether the hasp is open or closed, since the only wires from the PCB are connecting the battery and the motor. I suspect that the "lock" indicator shows whether the timer is running, and whether pressing the middle button will open it or not. Is that the case?

It looks like the main difference is the locking mechanism, with a metal rather than plastic latch, and the motor driving the latch directly, rather than just blocking a manual release as in the old model.

In the product pics, it showed a hole near the USB hole. I don't see anything on the PCB near the hole, so I assume it's just a vent hole?

I see the buzzer is well inside the device next to the battery. Does that make it quieter than the old model, which had it against the outer case with a vent hole right over it?

[Shannon SteelSlave]

I still look forward to your report, Ru.
You have to peel the protective screen to access that hole. Would they hide a reset button access there? Also, does this model fail safe? It would require some power to hold something in place to keep it locked. Wouldn't that run down the battery in short order? The old model can be set for 99 + hours.
If it has no release button, does it spring open when time is up?

[ruru67]

You have to peel the protective screen to access that hole. Would they hide a reset button access there? Also, does this model fail safe? It would require some power to hold something in place to keep it locked. Wouldn't that run down the battery in short order? The old model can be set for 99 + hours.
If it has no release button, does it spring open when time is up?

The hole I'm referring to is in at the bottom of the case (where the face is the "front"), forward of the USB plug. You can't see it in redsonic's pics because of the angle the pics are taken from, but you can in the images on Ali. But I think the pic on Ali showing the hole is a rendering, not an actual photo - it shows the USB hole close to the back of the device, when redsonic's pics clearly show the USB socket at the front of the PCB. So I'm curious as to whether there's a hole there in the real unit. Possibly not.

Re the actual reset, if you look at redsonic's first pic, there's an exposed metal pad to the right of the display, with a squiggly break through it separating two sides of the pad, which corresponds with the reset hole visible in the third pic. I believe you just need to get something metal into the hole and short the two sides of the pad together (bridging the squiggly gap) to reset the thing. Once reset (and any running timer forgotten), you should be able to press the middle button to release the lock. It does need power to do this; if the thing become inoperable even with power, you'll need to dismantle it (or just plain break it) to get it open.

To reset it, you'll need access to tools to get under the plastic cover of the display to peel it open (or pierce it over the hole), and something thin and metal to reach in and short the reset pad.

The second pic shows the mechanism. There's a T-shaped metal latch on top left of the pic, and if you look closely there's a spring to hold it closed to engage the notched end of the shackle. To the left of that in the pic is a motor, with a cam that engages the T to slide it open. The motor only needs to run when opening the lock, which would happen when the middle button is pressed (with no time set) or when the timer runs out.

By comparison, the old version also used a motor and cam, but the cam held the latch shut (against the manual release), turning one way when locking and back the other way to unlock, whereas I believe this one turns one way then back in the same operation to unlatch (and doesn't move at all when locking). I think the motor looks a bit gruntier in the new version, but I can't be sure. The thing is clearly a descendent of the old design in terms of the display and user-interface, and I suspect the electronics, while laid out slightly differently, are pretty similar. The mechanical design appears to be a complete re-work.

Given that the motor doesn't run to lock the device, it's probably wise to test it prior to use - lock it, then press the middle button to unlock again. (From one of the notes on Ali, you may need to press it three or four times, if a timer is set but not activated - the first would start the timer, the second cancels it and zeroes the timer, and the third would open the lock. You may need a fourth press before all that to wake it up.)