What Prevents a Thief From Stealing Your Surge Protector?

[Silver.Sanctuary]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

Couple questions I have not considered:
1) do we really need a surge protector? Is there a real concern here?
2) Boon docking?- do you have electrical when boon doocking other then perhaps with a 30A generator? Should you be using a surge protector between generator- is that a concern?
Appreciate the education in advance...

I think a surge protector with a low voltage cutout is a cheap way to protect your expensive A/C, and electronic equipment inside the trailer.

I don't know if AS has improved on their "converter" but my 2004 had a Parallax power converter that didn't do much of anything well. It wasn't a 'smart charger' for the battery so you could boil them dry, it didn't protect from low voltage, etc.

I bought a cheap version of the polarity/voltage checking before I realized I should have gotten a more complete one. I also saw the possibility of losing a dogbone type to thieves and saw the pitiful boxes mentioned in other posts.

I followed several threads that talked about upgrading the Parallax to a Progressive Dynamics version... one that solve lots of problems including battery charging, low voltage shutdown, etc. By putting in the upgrade of the Parallax I also solved the others since the Progressive Dyamics does it all, and was cheaper than buying a separate dog bone type that was subject to being stolen. The PD 4640 (if I remember correctly) did it all and is inside the trailer so for somebody to take it, they will have to be inside and spend about 20 minutes pulling it out. Problems solved.

I still have the cheap one and if I think of it I can check polarity and a few basic things before I hook up, but no need to keep in plugged into the panel since the protective functions are in the converter now.

[CRH]

Originally Posted by Bbelk

This is a real question. What are you protecting in the trailer that is worth more than $300? I don't have a protection on my house and in 40 years here we took a direct hit once. It cost me about $900 in equipment that was behind small cheap surge protectors that simply didn't work.

I have had mine cut the power due to low voltage. If it saves my AC, it was worth the cost.

[james.mileur]

I bought an EMS model, black box, with a lock ring, vice the internal hardwired model, based on the EMS sales guy who said if the hardwired model fails, now you have a loss of shore power. Mine had tripped several times at several camps on low voltage, low frequency, and once indicated the surge circuit needed to be replaced, then cleared the fault. The EMS saves the last fault code, so I always go tell the camp office the next morning after I hear my microwave beep back on after power returns. Both tv's, microwave, dvd, converter, inverter, rooftop a/c's, and any other device you have plugged into 120 volt outlets can be fried from the above faults, if only the circuit board full of stinky little transistor brains and chips.

EMS has a great warranty upon return of the unit, but if you want one before you send the broken one back, it'll cost you $35 for the new one to show up first. I use 3' of heavy chain, locked to the ring, threaded thru the 50 amp cable handle and around the post, secured with another lock. If someone wants it still, perhaps it will slow them down. FYI, the manual also says never to use with an inverter generator. The EMS is handy to give you current loads for trouble shooting to see if your tank heaters work, if both ALDE heaters work, etc, since it displays current on both 120v legs of your 50 cable. Cheap insurance and peace of mind for all those dang fangled electronic noise makers.

[The Colonel]

Originally Posted by james.mileur

I bought an EMS model, black box, with a lock ring, vice the internal hardwired model, based on the EMS sales guy who said if the hardwired model fails, now you have a loss of shore power. Mine had tripped several times at several camps on low voltage, low frequency, and once indicated the surge circuit needed to be replaced, then cleared the fault. The EMS saves the last fault code, so I always go tell the camp office the next morning after I hear my microwave beep back on after power returns. Both tv's, microwave, dvd, converter, inverter, rooftop a/c's, and any other device you have plugged into 120 volt outlets can be fried from the above faults, if only the circuit board full of stinky little transistor brains and chips.



EMS has a great warranty upon return of the unit, but if you want one before you send the broken one back, it'll cost you $35 for the new one to show up first. I use 3' of heavy chain, locked to the ring, threaded thru the 50 amp cable handle and around the post, secured with another lock. If someone wants it still, perhaps it will slow them down. FYI, the manual also says never to use with an inverter generator. The EMS is handy to give you current loads for trouble shooting to see if your tank heaters work, if both ALDE heaters work, etc, since it displays current on both 120v legs of your 50 cable. Cheap insurance and peace of mind for all those dang fangled electronic noise makers.

[emoji106]

[streamintrip]

We went the hard-wired route inside next to the breaker box. On a rally we hosted a couple of years ago in a VERY up-market RV resort, it would not let us bring in power after repeated attempts, and it turned out there were several wiring faults both at the pedastal and a remote junction box.

I know there are those out there who caution that if a catastrophic fault occurs there could be damage inside the coach, but we accept that risk. IMHO, an EMS, whether pedastal mount or hard-wired, is mandatory!

[tkowalyk]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Many also have rules not to lock THEIR box..

I usually lock the power post box - that's it! Sometimes I also thread my kryptonite cable lock ( I use a cable lock between my tires when storing my unit in my driveway) through a padlock attached to the metal loop on the surge protector.

We've had the surge protector for 4 years and no problems with theft. The protector has saved our unit several times.

[InterBlog]

As others have also stated, we installed an internal surge protector, in our case, under the couch / bed. No chance of theft, but this approach is not without a downside, namely that it produces a faint hum. In most conditions it's not noticeable, but there have been times when I've been in state parks that are so quiet that, in the middle of the night, it becomes audible in comparison to the pin-drop silence that surrounds me. Fortunately we mostly boondock and almost never run into this issue.

[GCinSC2]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

No chance of theft, but this approach is not without a downside, namely that it produces a faint hum.

It looks like you mounted direct to aluminum?

Might try to mount it in a rubber isolation mount style. Rubber washers under the feet and maybe a rubber washer under a metal washer on the top side.

I mounted mine on a wood panel and then added the washers, knocked the hum down a lot.

[Luigi123]

It most cases it keeps the "honest people away", if someone wants it bad enough, it is gone. Usually most loses, are people driving off and forgetting to take it with them. We have recovered two of them and tracked them down through the camp ground records.

[james.mileur]

Wow, that's community living. Hoo yah friends of mine I haven't met yet😊

[Boxite]

Originally Posted by Luigi123

It most cases it keeps the "honest people away", if someone wants it bad enough, it is gone. Usually most loses, are people driving off and forgetting to take it with them. We have recovered two of them and tracked them down through the camp ground records.

GOOD ON YA!

[dcasr]

Originally Posted by Bbelk

This is a real question. What are you protecting in the trailer that is worth more than $300? I don't have a protection on my house and in 40 years here we took a direct hit once. It cost me about $900 in equipment that was behind small cheap surge protectors that simply didn't work.

___________

A few years ago while at a FL WBCCI state rally at St. Augustine, the fairground honcho decided there were so many of us that he probably needed to boost the voltage. Idiots come in all sizes, shapes, etc. Anyway I came back to my AS and noticed that the power was off. Checked the post and saw that my surge protector had clicked off. Put a voltage meter on the post and it registered 160 volts AC. I quickly pulled my surge protector and began banging on my neighbors doors. The organizers finally got an electrician to undo the voltage change the fairgrounds honcho had done. Low voltage, high voltage, reversed polarity, etc. are all good reasons to have one of those $250-$350 units. Lots of suggestions on how to lock them, but definitely get one and always use it when hooking to someone else's power supply.

[m.hony]

RV people don't generally steal from RV people.
Strangers don't know what it is.
It has a tether to padlock it to the pedestal.

[Dennisr]

New 30 Classic owner. Where does a person locate the "Red Letter Number" for their AS?

[Rich W]

Originally Posted by m.hony

RV people don't generally steal from RV people.
Strangers don't know what it is.
It has a tether to padlock it to the pedestal.

I have an older model and it doesn't have the metal tab on the power cord. I was thinking about adding a chain link fence clamp around it which I could then lock to the post somehow.

People will steal, RV or not. In a Florida state park the lady next to us in a Class-C left her plant and step stool on the site picnic table to let people know she was still there. Someone took both before she came back. (Camp host 2 sites down said they didn't take it and none of the staff had seen the items anywhere.)

Sometimes it's just mischievous teens, seizing the opportunity to cause a problem. I lock up my expensive stuff with cable locks, the rest I hope will be there when I get back.

[m.hony]

Most of the theft I have heard of in campgrounds is teenagers or young adults stealing coolers of beer.
I have heard of a bicycle wheel being taken...
Answer to post #54:
The big red numbers are Wally Byam Caravan Club International (or Wally Byam Airstream Club now) numbers. Join the club to get big red numbers.

[FCStreamer]

Originally Posted by Dennisr

New 30 Classic owner. Where does a person locate the "Red Letter Number" for their AS?

You get it when you join WBCCI. And you put it on the front and rear of your AS.

[Wolf Alaska]

Originally Posted by russingr

Just now I saw a Progressive Industries 50 amp unit on Amazon for $330.

I'm wondering if there is a way to secure it when I'm hooked up to shore power and using the protector, but I'm away from the trailer for the day?

To a heavy duty, plastic encased security cable (6 foot long) I used stainless steel cable ties to attach the electrical cables of the surge protector. Then I wrap the security cable around the power pedestal, usually 3 laps around the pedestal, and lock the two loops of the cable together with a padlock. So, now the surge protector is tied to a locked security cable that can't be lifted over the pedestal box.

Finally, I use 3 large hasp padlocks to secure the loops of the cable to each other and to the electrical cables of the surge protector. All four padlocks use the same key...more convenient for me that way.

All of the locks make it appear very confusing as to what's going on. If a thief cuts the main padlock securing the loop ends of the security cable together...the cable is still not free. The other 3 padlocks have hasps that won't allow the cable loops to pass, so the thief would have to deal with the other padlocks. If the thief decides to forget the security cable and get the surge protector free of the security cable, have to deal with the stainless steel cable ties. Those things are sharp and will cut skin and flesh and are very difficult to cut with a pair of side cutters.

By this time, maybe someone around my site will notice and amble over. "hey, what's going on?" Thieves don't like friendly inquiries do they?

[Boxite]

Originally Posted by FCStreamer

You get it when you join WBCCI. And you put it on the front and rear of your AS.

When you join WBCCI they send you your membership numbers along with details of where/how to apply them. Many folks do not ever apply them, however.... some feel it disfigures the trailer after sun-burn patina sets-in... and some just think they're ugly (+1).

The original purpose was for when caravanning... Members could identify which trailer they're observing and contact them on the CB radio if desired. Some folks believe it assists EMS to locate a specific trailer after a 911 call. (I can't figure that one out, personally, since Tow-Vehicle license plates, trailer license plates, and Numbered-campground parking-spaces should be plenty, not to mention TV/trailer description should suffice and the fact that you'll be eagerly waiting for their arrival, ready to assist.)
Some folks just like to broadcast they're "joiners"....or make it easier for fellow-WBCCI'rs to introduce themselves....while others worry about privacy issues.

Many non-'streamers believe they must be "rental unit identification numbers".

I don't need them pasted-on to remind me....I know my number.... and I'm worried it might help fellow 'streamers recognize-and-avoid me.

[rodsterinfl]

They are a hot item in FL. You buy a lockbox with lock for it. That way, they have to unhook your trailer cord to take it. Of course mean pets are great too. Put a sign out "Warning PitBull with AIDS". Dont forget to put out a dog leash.