Okay, last night I was having a difficult time posting pictures. Today I have at least half of my problem sorted out and I think I will shift to IMGUR as my default image posting link.ABOUT MY POWER CORD LOCKThere are several times when it is either necessary or easier to use a 30 amp shore line extension cord than to pull out my hard wired shore line. I have worried about how vulnerable to theft the extension cord is just laying there. The following photos show how I am making it harder to disconnect and steal the cord. At home I have to use the extension to reach the outlet in the garage.It cost less than $12 and took about 45 minutes to make. Prepping it for painting and actually painting will take longer than making it. I intend to paint it International Orange and will put a warning label on it that says, “Caution High Voltage”. I have to put up the outside Christmas lights first and finish several other pre-holiday projects.These are the two things I needed to make my lock.This shows the places to be at right angles and the place to cut.This shows the position the ends will be in when locked.This is the piece of steel cut and bent.This shows the 19/64 holes drilled for the shackle of the lock.This shows the lock in placed and secured.This is the reverse side.This is picture of how small my shop area is now. The trunks and furniture were in our house prior to the remodeling and are soon to be sold soon. The bench is 69.5" wide and 36" deep. Next in line are my router tables, tablesaw, floor mounted drill press, chopsaw, 8" grinder and 1" sander. I will be so happy when I can reach all my storage cabinets and clear the clutter and effectively use my power tools.Darn I forgot to preview and had to edit.

Nice work, DE! About shop space: I'm about in the same boat. BTW, if you want to beef up that lock, put pieces of pipe on the shackles of the lock. That might slow an inept thief down or discourage him from trying.

Hey David - It was worth the wait.... Nice job showing the changeover...I suspect the thieves will still just cut the cable off where it comes out of the trailer and then you will eventually end up with not enough cable to work with when repairing the cable again. On my IMGUR when posting in other forums that doesn't have the SIZE entry form I select the approximate size I want to display listed on the bottom of the IMGUR page... After you select the size you want (small - medium - large etc) then you can select the URL ADDRESS info of your photo and it will be in this size automatically... I use the IMGUR DIRECT LINK (EMAIL & IM) URL address that includes the '.JPG photo format' to post in the various forums... RV NET is about the only forum I use here that has an actual FORM SIZE entry form function. ALot of the other forums use an auto built-in size function and at the top of the photo is a place to click on to display the actual size of the presented photo... Roy Ken

RoyB wrote:Hey David - It was worth the wait.... Nice job showing the changeover...I suspect the thieves will still just cut the cable off where it comes out of the trailer and then you will eventually end up with not enough cable to work with when repairing the cable again. that is my concern with using these to lock on in line surge protectors. that's why I epoxied a padlock hasp on the back of my SP to run a chain to.bumpy

Nice idea however the thieves want the cord for the copper not to take home and use on their RV.They will simply cut the cord and take it. The thieves don't care about salvaging the cord. . A thief will cut the cord at the camper and take the entire cord and extension cord.Consider many RV's including mine, have a twist lock connection at the RV that can be just removed and taken. Our RV cords are very expensive and vulnerable to theftI like the idea but unfortunately your lock will likely not deter a harden low life thief with cutters.Trying to protect the cord is futile.

Good job and very creative, unfortunately a thief wants your cord for the copper, they will just cut the cord.

RE:Power cord lock | Good Sam Community

LarryJM
Explorer II
Dec 08, 2015
Lantley wrote:
Trying to protect the cord is futile.

I agree

Larry
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Dec 08, 2015
To me it makes sense, why pay for insulation? There could have been different prices inside the building, but that particular sign was as you entered the scrap yard.
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Dec 07, 2015
fj12ryder wrote:
Not my fault, I just reported what I saw. Don't like it? Argue with them.

My comment was NOT meant to be personal at all. I won't do business with that type scrap yard.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Dec 07, 2015
Not my fault, I just reported what I saw. Don't like it? Argue with them.
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Dec 07, 2015
fj12ryder wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
" We pulled all the wire out of it first then burned it off and sold it for copper"

A lot of places will NOT buy copper if the coating has been burned off. Ain't like it used to be.
Around here the scrap yards won't take it unless the insulation has been removed. They're not going to pay copper prices for insulation. Signs plainly state that insulation must be removed from scrap wire.

Well you have a lousy scrap yard. The good ones pay based on the wire gauge and wether is is "Clean" as in with or without it's covering. All types have an associated price per pound.

When cars are scrapped they go thru a machine that in the end removes all foreign materials from the base metals and is all separated.
majorgator
Explorer
Dec 06, 2015
fj12ryder wrote:
Around here the scrap yards won't take it unless the insulation has been removed. They're not going to pay copper prices for insulation. Signs plainly state that insulation must be removed from scrap wire.

That's wierd...I've never seen a scrap yard that doesn't accept insulated copper. They just offer you like 1/3 of the bare copper price.
majorgator
Explorer
Dec 06, 2015
Cummins12V98 wrote:

A lot of places will NOT buy copper if the coating has been burned off. Ain't like it used to be.

Heck, here in FL, many scrap yards won't buy copper unless you have some type of building permit on file. I guess they figure if you're doing something involving wire, then chances are pretty good you're legally required to have a permit for some type of work. But then again, this is FL, and many places make you get a permit for having a porta-potty onsite. I was recently informed of an "excavation" permit that's required on top of the other building permits already in place.

The last time I did any significant copper scrapping, the county had a plain-clothes LEO onsite during business hours. His primary job was to walk around, smoke cigarettes, and give people a dirty look when they drove in with something they clearly shouldn't have had.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Dec 06, 2015
I honestly couldn't say that electric shore cable theft is a huge concern. I've not noticed many people complaining that their power cord was stolen while they were camping. I suppose it does happen, but I can't remember very many instances being cited. But I suppose it could depend on the campground location.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Dec 06, 2015
Cummins12V98 wrote:
" We pulled all the wire out of it first then burned it off and sold it for copper"

A lot of places will NOT buy copper if the coating has been burned off. Ain't like it used to be.
Around here the scrap yards won't take it unless the insulation has been removed. They're not going to pay copper prices for insulation. Signs plainly state that insulation must be removed from scrap wire.
Pogoil
Explorer
Dec 06, 2015
rhagfo wrote:
Pogoil wrote:
Easiest way is to put 1 tire on the cord. Then they have to cut it.

Pogoil.

That is very bad for the cord

Not if you use a 2x6 with a 1 inch notch that the cord goes through under the tire.

Point being we can all do things to slow down a thief but they will just cut the cord if they want it bad enough.

Pogoil.

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