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Topic: Electrical Cord Compartment Break-In (Read 8 times) previous topic - next topic
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Electrical Cord Compartment Break-In
Yahoo Message Number: 145828
Hi To Everyone, My Lazy Daze sits in my driveway and we live in a low crime neighborhood (wasn't low crime last night).

The compartment that houses the electrical cord that we use to connect to shore power was broken into and the electrical cord was stolen.
There is a small locking door that is notched for running the electrical cord out of its storage compartment.  Someone pried the small electrical door open, fished out the electrical cord, cut it and took off with the cord.  The cut was very clean, which means someone had large wire cutters (probably something like bolt cutters).  No doubt they stole the electrical cord for the copper content.
To avoid this from happening again, I want to secure the small door with something additional (other than the lock).  I was thinking of somehow securing the small door to the main compartment door in a more positive manner.  This would mean opening the main door to release the small door.
Does anyone have any modification ideas to better secure the small electrical door? I'm probably going to put a security system on the Lazy Daze.  Kinda late now, but I'll sleep better knowing it's there to avoid future incidents.
To bad I wasn't sleeping in the Lazy Daze last night, so I could have come out a cussin' and a shootin' San Diego Bob 2000 MB
2000 MB
Re: Electrical Cord Compartment Break-In
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 145829
What I did with our '83, mostly because it was such a pain feeding the cord in and out, is to have just a stub plug accessible from that door. To connect, I used a 25' 30A extension cord I stored separately. Nowadays you could build a twist-lock connector in behind the door, and connect an extension to that.

Steve
2004 FL
2013 Honda Fit
Re: Electrical Cord Compartment Break-In
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 145907
Hi,

I just finished a simple repair to my electrical compartment after my cord was stolen for its copper content.

Thankfully the thieves left me enough electrical cord to install a 30 amp plug.  In the future an extension cord will use the new plug to make a connection to the coach for shore power.

I capped off the electrical cord pass-thru doorway from inside the compartment.  I found a 4.5" plastic cap at the hardware store.  I put 3 screws through the cap and the circular lip that terminates the pass-thru doorway.  When at home the cap will remain in place, but while traveling, I'll remove the cap and use the pass-thru as normal.

If the thieves break-in now, they'll make a lot of noise and I'll come out cussin' and shootin'

I posted pictures of my repair job.  It's called "copper theft in electrical compartment".  If you sort pictures by latest first, it will pop right up.

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/lifewithalazydazerv/photos/albums/669106173

San Diego Bob
2000 MB
Re: Electrical Cord Compartment Break-In
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 145930
Anyone know what the copper in a 30 amp power cord would be worth? Just curious.

Chris
Formerly: 2002 30' IB
 
Re: Electrical Cord Compartment Break-In - The Travellers - Crime Re
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 145944
About $1.50/lb

I hope somebody learned it wasn't worth the effort or the hazard of being caught.

No doubt it was kids or The Travellers.  Travellers go door to door around here trying to sell home owners a new roof, home remodel, paint job or the latest is a solar installation.  On the daily police report for this neighborhood, I see fraud as the biggest crime for this area.  Never anything juicy like a husband beating his wife, burglary or a murder.  We live in a dull neighborhood except for the Travellers.

It's buyer beware around here, but the Travellers mostly prey on old people that are too trusting.

I was stopped on the street by a guy selling frozen meat out of the back of his pickup truck one day.  I couldn't believe that an older neighbor a few houses down bought some of it.

We obviously have been marked as a prime neighborhood for The Travellers because they are frequently in the area.  I have no idea why the police don't run them off.  They are probably too busy eating donuts, beating their wives or committing sexual attacks.  I do live in San Diego where the police are arrested on an alarming frequency (another one this week).  It's so frequent that the Justice Dept is presently investigating the San Diego Police.  Ain't things grand in the big city.

To receive daily crime reports for your zipcode, sign up at:

http://www.crimemapping.com/default.aspx

San Diego Bob
2000 MB