Theft concern for plug-in 30A power cord??

[myredracer]

Am thinking of installing a Marinco exterior receptacle for the 30A cable on or TT. How concerned should we be about someone stealing the cable which obviously could be so easily removed? That's about a $100 cable or so to replace.

We were at a campground in Oregon last summer and had 2 loads of firewood stolen while we were out for a country drive. The b*****ds. Copper wire theft is a real problem these days. Should we be worried about it or just live with it and hope it never happens?

I guess I *could* rig up a relay with a 12V siren that would go off when the cord is unplugged.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks!

[Hob]

Maybe get a big mean dog and chain it to what you don't want stolen. Of course, then some jerk would steal the dog.

[yvesm]

You might be able to adapt something like this

Technology Research Corp - Surge Guard Universal Lock Hasp - 34590-001 - Surge Protectors - Camping World

[caper]

What is the difference if the cable is a plug in style or hard wired in if you want the copper the hard wired can be cut off.

[youroo]

You will have to lock the campground box to keep the cord (HOT). Locking it (CORD) to the RV will not prevent someone from killing the power and taking the cord,by cutting off the RV end. Youroo!!

[myredracer]

Hmmm, I was kinda thinking about a piece of string and a shotgun, that'd be a bit messy. We have dog that we could tie up but he would just lick anyone to death.....

One thought I had was mounting the receptacle under the trailer with a locking device to hold the cable plug in place, but then it'd be more difficult to get the cable up into where the panel is. We could take a spare cord along with us everywhere, but that's just more money. Or maybe a 15A adapter as a spare so we'd at least have some power. Or maybe unplug the stupid thing every time we go out? Has anyone else had one of these plug-in cords ripped off?

[LadyWindrider]

We went through this about a year ago, do a search. I hate the firewood got stolen, and I hate thieves in general. If you are hungry, ask I will share food with you, put you up for a night, whatever you need. As for people stealing things while camping, what about the propane tanks sitting on the tongue, and the battery or two? Yes is copper is high, but not that much copper in a power cord, because to get top dollar, you have to strip all the insulation. Maybe 5 pounds when all said and done, really not worth it, even at $2.00 a pound. Batteries will bring that much, and much lass work.

[Labzy]

My dad gave me a lock (his suggestion) to put around my cords and lock them together so if somebody wants them they have to be cut.

I look at this two ways:
1. If there are people with cable cutters wandering around, then I am probably not at a good CG.
2. If they do decide to cut the cords, maybe they will forget to unplug them first

[Len & Cheri]

Originally Posted by Labzy

My dad gave me a lock (his suggestion) to put around my cords and lock them together so if somebody wants them they have to be cut.

I'm curios how you lock your cord to prevent theft. Do you lock it to the box or what? Or are you talking about locking the box?

[Malco]

Originally Posted by youroo

You will have to lock the campground box to keep the cord (HOT). Locking it (CORD) to the RV will not prevent someone from killing the power and taking the cord,by cutting off the RV end. Youroo!!

Not really.All they need would be an ax,and hack through the cable,tripping the breaker,then being able to finish cutting the cable with anything and not even get a shock.

Also to Windrider the thieves would probably take the batteries and the cable.People where we live have had the lines stolen off their exterior oil tanks on the houses.What would be in these,less than a pound of copper,while hundreds of dollars of heating oil spills on the ground.Usually the foresight of a petty thief is not very far,more just for the moment.

[Labzy]

Originally Posted by LFugate

I'm curios how you lock your cord to prevent theft. Do you lock it to the box or what? Or are you talking about locking the box?

My dad just gave me 2 normal key locks with long openings (u part). He thinks cords are worth more intact and people that might steal them are just too cheap to buy their own.
I usually need extension cords to reach the box so I connect 2 cords and put a lock just below the 2 attached plugs, (loop it around), and the other end nearest the TT I just lock to a stabilizer. Someone would have to cut them to steal them and if I am in a CG that I am worried that this might happen, I wouldn't camp there.

I just lock them like this because I was taught to obey my parents and I guess, old habits die hard.

[Len & Cheri]

Ahh... I see, thanks for the info

I just noticed I spelled curious wrong also

[dezolen]

Leave the wire bare at trailer connector so that thieves fry themselves upon attempted theft.
Remember to flip breaker when storing cord

[acadianbob]

Originally Posted by yvesm

You might be able to adapt something like this

Technology Research Corp - Surge Guard Universal Lock Hasp - 34590-001 - Surge Protectors - Camping World

Can't figure out by the picture exactly how that lock works . . .

[fast murray]

Probably idiot kids stealing the firewood. I used to know a guy that would steal anything that would burn (lawn furniture, picnic tables, whatever) that would keep the party going. I"ve never thought of someone stealing a cord. There's less money in copper there than the time it would take to strip it down.

[F and E Damp]

Our rig has a tethered shore power cable hooked into the transfer switch box. I guess if someone really wanted $10 worth of scrap copper, they could unplug from the pedestal and cut the cable off at the transfer switch box.

I would hope they'd try to cut it without unhooking it so they'd get fried.

Maybe campground owners could offer some kind of theft-proof hook-up at their end of the chain, for a fee, naturally. Then, if both ends were secure, any attempt to cut through the cable would result in electrocution.

[campdohbrew]

Originally Posted by Labzy

My dad just gave me 2 normal key locks with long openings (u part). He thinks cords are worth more intact and people that might steal them are just too cheap to buy their own.
I usually need extension cords to reach the box so I connect 2 cords and put a lock just below the 2 attached plugs, (loop it around), and the other end nearest the TT I just lock to a stabilizer. Someone would have to cut them to steal them and if I am in a CG that I am worried that this might happen, I wouldn't camp there.

I just lock them like this because I was taught to obey my parents and I guess, old habits die hard.

Kim’s post reminded that I used to use a cable to lock my laptop in my vehicle. I see where a cable could be used with a lock for this. If you got a good cable, ran it any length you choose parallel the power cord and looping around the cord and back to itself along the length of the cord, you could lock it to the trailer or the electrical box.

Kim nailed it, “…because I was taught to obey my parents and I guess, old habits die hard.” If more people thought like this, we would be talking about crime a whole lot LESS! Too, Kim’s statement took me way back in time to my own parents (in memory) – thanks Kim.

[Mountainmanbob]

Originally Posted by myredracer

How concerned should we be about someone stealing the cable which obviously could be so easily removed?

if you want
you can spray paint the ends of your cable
like maybe
bright orange
the rats will not wish to get caught with one
that they can not lie and say
it belongs to me

MM

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by acadianbob

Can't figure out by the picture exactly how that lock works . . .

It is a "Surge Guard" lock. It looks like it might just fit the surge guard to keep someone from stealing just it.

[shurack24]

there is a installation sheet buried on the web page and it looks like a clamshell thing that closes around there the female plugs into the male plug and then you can padlock where the clamshell comes together. Essentially keeps someone from simply unplugging and walking away.