Trailer Security

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Steggy
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Re: Trailer Security

Post by Steggy »

NP317 wrote: Fri Feb 21, 2020 11:35 amBDD: Your electrifying solution made me LOL! I've built such shock units from CRT anode power supplies. (9+ kV, micro current.)
A commercial electric fence energizer would do the job nicely. I can get those at the local Farm Supply stores.
Solutions.
What I used was a 90 volt, 20 Hz ringing generator, which is a power source used with telephones with magnetic ringers. Oddly enough, the low frequency makes the shock more painful than one gotten from 120 volt, 60 Hz line power, but reduces the likelihood of serious injury—not that I'd get all misty-eyed if a thief got hurt while engaging in thievery. :D Better for him (or her) if injury comes from an electric shock than a speeding bullet...
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Music isn’t at all difficult.  All you gotta do is play the right notes at the right time!  :D
SteveM
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Re: Trailer Security

Post by SteveM »

BigDumbDinosaur wrote: Fri Feb 21, 2020 3:55 am I suspect the reason why it was never stolen had something to do with it being electrically energized in a non-obvious way. Touching it was a hair-raising event. :D I only forgot once to turn off the juice before rolling it out and hitching it to my truck. I was shocked by my carelessness. :shock:
I once found a purse in an antique store, the outside of which was metallic, and inside was a Model T spark coil.

Steve
SteveM
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Re: Trailer Security

Post by SteveM »

Greg_Lewis wrote: Fri Feb 21, 2020 1:53 pmHe wrote that it is surprising how many folks don't lock things up.
In my town, we've had a rash of burglaries that were committed by people going into unlocked cars. Some expensive stuff was snatched like a macbook.

It's bad enough that you leave your car unlocked, but when you leave your keys in it, you get to watch your license plate as it goes down the street and around the corner (happened to a friend of mine).

Steve
SteveM
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Re: Trailer Security

Post by SteveM »

Only squirrel-proof bird feeder I ever owned has the feeder insulated from the pole and a 9v battery connected between them.

If you've ever stuck a battery on your tongue (and, admit it, haven't we all?) then you know how that would taste when what you are expecting is bord food.

Steve
pat1027
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Re: Trailer Security

Post by pat1027 »

Glenn Brooks wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2020 11:48 pm Seems like a very good idea to add a GPS tracker. Be interested in your experiences with it, after a few months...

Having retired from law enforcement, I’ve always found keeping a low profile is a good compliment to building a high level of physical security. For example, parking your trailer in inconspicuous, or hard to see/access places when your on the road, or even at home. And Make it look like an invisible or unattractive target... then harden it up so it’s very difficult to physically steal or break into. Everything helps.

Glenn
I've carried the tracker around with me for most of the week. I set both a geo fence alert (it leaves a square around my house) and a movement alert. When it's parked the tracker calls in once a day to report it's location, battery status and temperature. When it detects movement it wakes up and begins reporting its location. When movement stops it reports the last location and stops. The reporting interval is user selected from 30 seconds to several hours. I set it at one minute to see what that does for battery life. A trade off for a smaller unit is a smaller battery. From my phone or computer I can check the last reported location and the tracks of its movements.
Image

My lot makes it impossible to keep the trailer out of sight. The next step was to try and make it more difficult to steal, not just a back up and grab it job. I keep a lock on the tongue. Though after watching how easy the common locks are to defeat I'm thinking of something robust.

SteveM
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Re: Trailer Security

Post by SteveM »

I've seen those first two locks and didn't think they were anything useful, except to thwart amateurs .

When it's my popup that cost me $800, that's one thing, but when there's ten grand worth of trains involved, you definitely have to up your game.

The GPS as a backup plan is cheap insurance.

Steve
rkcarguy
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Re: Trailer Security

Post by rkcarguy »

I have a friend who was involved in Mini-sprint car racing with his dad. Several of those with the fancy enclosed race trailers with the racers # stickers on them and all that jazz vanished into thin air. They sold theirs and bought an old horse trailer instead, no one looks twice at an old and likely poopy and stinky horse trailer.
mspetersen
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Re: Trailer Security

Post by mspetersen »

Here's a guy on YouTube who reviews & shows how easily most locks are defeated so I pay attention when he occasionally mentions one he's willing to recommend. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm9K6r ... 6FQ/videos
Mark Petersen

12" x 36" Logan Lathe
rrnut-2
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Re: Trailer Security

Post by rrnut-2 »

I watched one of the videos, nice.

Many years ago, when I worked for a vending machine company, I would have to drill out a lock on a machine. Yes, they do fail and the route guy can't get in. Not a single person ever asked me what I was doing breaking into a vending machine, or whether or not that I worked for that company. The only time that I could not get into any machines at a site was when the President showed up that company. Secret Service sealed everything including my tool bag!

Jim B
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Steggy
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Re: Trailer Security

Post by Steggy »

rrnut-2 wrote: Fri Feb 28, 2020 8:52 amThe only time that I could not get into any machines at a site was when the President showed up [at] that company. Secret Service sealed everything including my tool bag!
Secret Service got nervous because the drill in your tool bag looked a lot like one of those infamous assault rifles that go on shooting rampages all by themselves. :D
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Music isn’t at all difficult.  All you gotta do is play the right notes at the right time!  :D
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PeterCraymer
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Re: Trailer Security

Post by PeterCraymer »

Watch more of his videos. He drills the lock on the hitch and has it open in less than 30sec. I feel like I have seen a similar hitch cover with that style lock, but has more hardened steel that protects the lock itself. Bottom line is that if they want to steal it, they will. A friend had 2 enclosed trailers as well as car dollies stolen in one night. Looked like rollback marks. where there is a will, there is a way.
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