Has anyone had their Surge Protector Stolen?

[Jim S JR]

Hi All,
Just spent a chunk of money on a 50 amp surge protector.


Concerned about someone walking away with it.


Has anyone had problems with one being stolen and any suggestions to keep it from being taken?

[marinerjoe]

I’ve not had a problem, but I am someone who prefers to be the “hard target“ for the casual thief. My Hughes Autoformer has a place on the cord that will accept a lock. I bought a cable lock to pass through it and wrap it around the power pedestal. I let them decide to move on to someone or something that’s more readily accessible.

[fonzie]

Originally Posted by Jim S JR

Hi All,
Just spent a chunk of money on a 50 amp surge protector.


Concerned about someone walking away with it.


Has anyone had problems with one being stolen and any suggestions to keep it from being taken?

Here's a few ideas.....

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...0x-190345.html

[youroo]

Originally Posted by Jim S JR

Hi All,
Just spent a chunk of money on a 50 amp surge protector.


Concerned about someone walking away with it.


Has anyone had problems with one being stolen and any suggestions to keep it from being taken?

Sounds like you should have installed a "Hard Wired Unit" instead! Youroo!!

[jeff64]

Go buy one of those Master 5/16 stranded cable locks from Amazon. I usually throw a plastic trash can liner over the post to keep rain [and eyes] off the connections.

[nomad297]

I have never heard of one being stolen, but I have read a lot of threads where people are worried about them being stolen.

No matter what you do, or whatever it is that you are trying to protect, if somebody wants to steal it, they are going to steal it.

As far as a heavy chain and lock to protect your EMS or surge protector goes, just two weeks ago there was a weekender at my campground who made his 50amp EMS “theft-proof” by wrapping it with a very heavy chain and locking it to the pedestal on his site. Well, while he was out sightseeing, the company who provides internet to the campground came out to install a new tower. The tower requires electricity, and the nearest source of electricity was at this site’s pedestal. They needed to get inside of the pedestal to connect and it took them about one minute to cut the chain. They left the chain and the lock on the ground and the EMS plugged into the pedestal. When the guy and his wife returned, they were furious and demanded that the campground refund them for the chain. They got no love and, so, proceeded to tell everybody they could about this intrusion and destruction to their private property and how they were going to report it to the State Police. Nobody seemed to feel bad for them and everybody is thrilled with how great the WiFi is at this end of the campground now.

I have been using a quality EMS on a pedestal for at least ten years at campgrounds everywhere between Georgia and Vermont and nobody has ever stolen it.

Bruce

[cboss]

You can see my "days camped". Never had one stolen, but this summer I did install an onboard EMS. No worries now.

[KyDan]

We do get the occasional report about someone's surge protector getting moisture inside it. Better plan is to keep the rain off it with a bucket or something.
Happy camping!

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by KyDan

We do get the occasional report about someone's surge protector getting moisture inside it. Better plan is to keep the rain off it with a bucket or something.

ONLY if you own a Progressive Industries EMS.

You don’t need to do this with a Southwire Surge Guard EMS.

This is just one of the many advantages of the Southwire EMS over the Progressive Industries EMS.

Bruce

[emm-dee]

Don’t know what kind of RV you have but it’s usually a very simple task to mount the EMS box inside. Out of the weather and away from prying eyes.

[KyDan]

That's an awesome clean looking solution.
Problem is many rigs have the power cord on the other end away from any storage hatches.
Mine goes thru the wall near the back end and straight into my power center. No way to do what you picture.
I installed a permanent one for this reason.
Not everyone is handy around sparky stuff so the plug and play option is a good one for many.
Still recommend a bucket to keep it dry and away from prying eyes.

[emm-dee]

Originally Posted by KyDan

That's an awesome clean looking solution.
Problem is many rigs have the power cord on the other end away from any storage hatches.
Mine goes thru the wall near the back end and straight into my power center. No way to do what you picture.
I installed a permanent one for this reason.
Not everyone is handy around sparky stuff so the plug and play option is a good one for many.
Still recommend a bucket to keep it dry and away from prying eyes.

Understand. My Vengeance TT had the power receptacle midway on the left side. I located the main entry wire under the kitchen sink. Due to the limited working space it was a real biatch moving it there but finally got it.

Side benefit was being able to just unplug the EMS in order to use it on the Forester.

[TitanMike]

Items like the Surge Protector can be secured with one of these:



Combined with a security cable/lock it makes it pretty hard for the device to grow legs and also keeps the power cord from wandering off too.

Also works to protect cords when using an extension.

I believe that just because one hasn't had one stolen in their time camping doesn't mean it won't be stolen in the future. Times change and it's getting to the point in some parts of the country when just about anything that can be stolen for sale to fund drug use is stolen.

Batteries aren't stolen for use but to be sold to recyclers for quick cash

Lawn chairs aren't stolen for sitting on but for their aluminum frames

Power cords aren't stolen for use but for the copper in them.

EMS and Surge protectors are possibly the only things that are stolen for actual use, then maybe they too are being sold to fund a habit.

[Jim S JR]

Good to know that's out there.
Thanks for the info.


I've had a generator stolen, lp tank, friends had bikes stolen.


This would be helpful.


Thanks for the info.

[Wattsworld]

I use a cable and lock to secure my surge protector, but as others have said if some thief wants it they will take it.
I do like emm-dee's set up and would like to check out my Georgetown to see if I could make something like that work.

[Comanchecreek]

I keep the honest people honest by using a bicycle cable lock to lock my Progressive to the post. Keeps it from growing legs and walking away. If someone is bent on thieving your EMS, they'll get it, but usually in the RV parks there's enough people around that will make it hard for them to have the time to do anything, and most people will notice someone walking around with bolt cutters.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Comanchecreek

I keep the honest people honest by using a bicycle cable lock to lock my Progressive to the post. Keeps it from growing legs and walking away. If someone is bent on thieving your EMS, they'll get it, but usually in the RV parks there's enough people around that will make it hard for them to have the time to do anything, and most people will notice someone walking around with bolt cutters.

That's all any security is supposed to do, slow the thief down. Even high security vaults aren't impregnable, they just take a real long time to break into and thieves can't take a lot of time or they get caught.

In msny cases there enough items with ZERO security measures used they don't even need bolt cutters.

[campitout]

I had thought about that when I shopped around for mine and went with the hardwired protector. Progressive Industries 30Amp unit was an easy install.

[Slow Moon]

Originally Posted by nomad297

ONLY if you own a Progressive Industries EMS.

You don’t need to do this with a Southwire Surge Guard EMS.

This is just one of the many advantages of the Southwire EMS over the Progressive Industries EMS.

Bruce

My Progressive Industries EMS is outside in Central Florida heat and humidity 27/7/365 FOUR YEARS RUNNING no problems.

Just sayin', in case anyone wants a data point on this item.

[Slow Moon]

Just my thinking, but I do nothing to protect my Progressive Industries EMS at camp or home from thieves for two reasons.

1--You'd have to be pretty unlucky to have a thief who wants one of these things amble by and decide to take yours. Most thieves have no use for these things and would be unlikely to notice it as useful or valuable. (That said, in very high risk areas, they'll take anything worth $3.00 at the pawn shop.)

2--Locks are to keep the honest people out. If a thief wants to take it, a lock won't prevent it.