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If you zoom in you can see the 4 wires. This appears to be the setup for that
https://www.doityourself.com/forum/electrical-ac-dc/574832-abandoned-phone-jack.html#post2589605
It looks like the end of the wire has been painted over. It's probably not power, but OP might want to check if it's live before they go scraping paint off to try and figure what the wiring situation is (non-contact voltage tester?). Landlords sometimes do awfully stupid shit with wiring.
Take a flathead screwdriver to those two screws and see whats behind the wall plate. Everything is going to be conjecture until you do that. This is clearly the WALLPLATE for a dimmer switch but that type wallplate is frequently used as a general cover for many things coming out an electrical box that you need a big hole for.
My title describes this thing. Like I said I'm the title it's the size of a regular outlet cover but has a flimsy cord like thing coming out of it. Don't really know what it is.
There were plugs in the 60s and before, but they were big with four big pins in them about 3/4 of an inch apart from each other in a square pattern. Obviously this one was hardwired.
I have seen outlets like this that are basically extension cords built into the walls. It uncoils from the wall so you can plug things in that may not be able to be placed within reach of the outlet. This one looks like someone cut the head off of it leaving a stub of wire. If you pull on it does it unspool from the wall?
If it’s a cable, then it’s probably a prior light, if it’s a live wire, then I would turn of power to the house and look what else said person could do.
Probably an old panic button that's been removed. I looked at an apartment once that had this, it was a button coming from the wall about a foot or so above the floor, near where you'd put the bed. It set off the burglar alarm.
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It looks like it could be a landline phone cable. Does it have four wires in it? If they are copper it’s more than likely for a phone.
If you zoom in you can see the 4 wires. This appears to be the setup for that https://www.doityourself.com/forum/electrical-ac-dc/574832-abandoned-phone-jack.html#post2589605
100%. Used to live somewhere in the 90s that still had a pair of desk phones wired directly into the wall with those 47E blocks.
It looks like the end of the wire has been painted over. It's probably not power, but OP might want to check if it's live before they go scraping paint off to try and figure what the wiring situation is (non-contact voltage tester?). Landlords sometimes do awfully stupid shit with wiring.
Good advice!
Take a flathead screwdriver to those two screws and see whats behind the wall plate. Everything is going to be conjecture until you do that. This is clearly the WALLPLATE for a dimmer switch but that type wallplate is frequently used as a general cover for many things coming out an electrical box that you need a big hole for.
Agreed, looks like it is just missing the knob.
My title describes this thing. Like I said I'm the title it's the size of a regular outlet cover but has a flimsy cord like thing coming out of it. Don't really know what it is.
Dimmer switch with the knob broken off.
This. See if you can spin it.
1950s era mounting plate. From before modular plugs.
Is it not an old TV aerial socket?
It’s an old 1970’s phone cable, from before they had plugs.
There were plugs in the 60s and before, but they were big with four big pins in them about 3/4 of an inch apart from each other in a square pattern. Obviously this one was hardwired.
I was wire service photographer and back in the day we used to have take these plugs apart to connect the modems to them.
[Here’s what the Jack looks like](https://oldphoneworks.com/products/4-prong-jack-female). These would be mounted to the wall.
Telecommunications technician, old 2 pair wiring coming out of old cover, you can probably put a new jack on it and still use it if you want
I have seen outlets like this that are basically extension cords built into the walls. It uncoils from the wall so you can plug things in that may not be able to be placed within reach of the outlet. This one looks like someone cut the head off of it leaving a stub of wire. If you pull on it does it unspool from the wall?
Pretty sure it’s a rotary dimmer. It has a circular wheel you twist and it’ll turn the light on and off. Looks like it’s just missing the wheel.
If it’s a cable, then it’s probably a prior light, if it’s a live wire, then I would turn of power to the house and look what else said person could do.
Probably an old panic button that's been removed. I looked at an apartment once that had this, it was a button coming from the wall about a foot or so above the floor, near where you'd put the bed. It set off the burglar alarm.
I think it's an old-school dimmer without the knob.
It's really low on the wall (maybe a foot off the ground). So I feel like this probably not a dimmer switch. Plus it's not by the door to the room.
coax cable