Securing outside A/C unit

[Waynedb]

One could replace exposed bolts with security bolts such as these or similar.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#security-bolts/=6j6ewp

i thought about installing steel rod in the center of each side, 3ea (not the back against the house) and across the top. These would be powdercoated and anchored to the concrete pad with tamper resistant anchors. It would take a while to hack saw or sawzall your way through 1 or 1 1/4" steel rod. If the unit died, it could all be unbolted using the proper tools. The chances of theives having the tools to unbolt, i would think, are slim.

still just thinking about it...

Chain link fence usually has carriage bolts with a rounded heads so those wouldn't change anything, you take the nut off. Even if you used something more secure it would only take a short time to cut the fencing with a pair of heavy guage wire cutters.

The only way a chain link fence is halfway secure is when there is a dog inside the area. Where I used to work we even had someone cut through a wall of a heavy guage steel building and then took a bunch of computers, the security cameras got good video of them and they were caught.

 

[judge_l]

What about just leaving the power turned on to the unit? If you locked the outside shut off box, it would make it harder for one to disconnect it w/o consequences.

 

[mdonovan]

A coworker pointed this out to me:

http://pandhmechanical.com/PH-Newsletter-2008-10-07.pdf

I'm going to look into something similar.

And locking the power cut off is a good idea. Maybe I could come home and find one of them laying there twitching. Gee, wouldn't that be too bad.

I have a guy coming over this evening to give me an estimate and I'm going to ask about having the unit bolted to the concrete pad.

Matt

 

[jrfuda]

I'm going to look into something similar.

Those look just like the cage on the unit at the house I'm buying!

 

[apostolakisl]

I'm going to look into something similar.

Those look just like the cage on the unit at the house I'm buying!

Keep in mind that when you spend lots of money on an enclosure, you will have to pay to have the enclosure repaired when someone tries to break in (even unsuccesfully). If you put an enclosure that doesn't try to physically stop the intruder but rather serves as a "trip wire" for your alarm, there will be no damage to repair when the intruder decides that the blaring sirens and soon to arrive police isn't going to allow them enough time to get the unit off of your property, so they just take off instead. Plus those enclosures are kind of ugly (as is an AC unit) but a decorative enclosure set to trip the alarm will make things look better.

 

[KentDub]

I wonder how expensive it would be to turn it into an electric fence....

 

[mdonovan]

Keep in mind that when you spend lots of money on an enclosure, you will have to pay to have the enclosure repaired when someone tries to break in (even unsuccesfully). If you put an enclosure that doesn't try to physically stop the intruder but rather serves as a "trip wire" for your alarm, there will be no damage to repair when the intruder decides that the blaring sirens and soon to arrive police isn't going to allow them enough time to get the unit off of your property, so they just take off instead. Plus those enclosures are kind of ugly (as is an AC unit) but a decorative enclosure set to trip the alarm will make things look better.

That may be so, but hopefully they will also have a deterrent effect: ie this one looks like too much work. That one over there is unsecured. Let's get that one. After my house got broken into I started thinking a lot about securing the place (although until now I never even gave the AC unit a thought), and my plan is simply to delay, delay, delay. Frustrate at every turn. Something else in the way everywhere they go. In the mean time the cameras are recording, the alarm activates, and hopefully they are caught. Or at least leave without getting anything.

I liked to watch "It Takes A Thief" when it was on, and one house was a magician's house. The burglar guy kept picking things up that stuff popped out of, or one box burst into flames, and after while he was so wierded out by all this stuff he was like "Let's get the h*ll out of this place". That's what I want to accomplish. Now, where can I get one of those boxes that burst into flames when you open it?

Matt

 

[mdonovan]

I'm going to look into something similar.

Those look just like the cage on the unit at the house I'm buying!

What do you think of them? Are they heavy duty? Do you think someone with bolt cutters could get through them? I like the black wrought iron look, even though mine is out of sight.

Matt

 

[programmergeek]

run a switch to the alarm into the disconnect box, I assume that is the firs thing they will do if they are going to steal it. You could even have a slient alarm so they get cought. You need a car or truck to get it out of there so if the police roll up they can't really run.

 

[ano]

I think you should be more proactive and not just prevent it or detect it, but prevent it happening again. Just mount a hand grenade under the unit, and wire the pin to a bolt in the cement base. Its doubtful anyone stealing it the first time will ever do it again.

Also, is the theft of HVAC a problem in your area? If it is, maybe just a camera and video recorder is the best solution. Then if its stolen, they will put the video on the local news, and I bet if won't be missing long after that.

 

[mdonovan]

I think you should be more proactive and not just prevent it or detect it, but prevent it happening again. Just mount a hand grenade under the unit, and wire the pin to a bolt in the cement base. Its doubtful anyone stealing it the first time will ever do it again.

Also, is the theft of HVAC a problem in your area? If it is, maybe just a camera and video recorder is the best solution. Then if its stolen, they will put the video on the local news, and I bet if won't be missing long after that.

A hand grenade. Why didn't I think of that???

I don't think theft in general is a problem in the area. Some of the others that live nearby had burglary attempts, but nothing recently or repeatedly. It seemed to be more of a drive by smash and grab type of thing to me.

Matt

 

[mdonovan]

run a switch to the alarm into the disconnect box, I assume that is the firs thing they will do if they are going to steal it. You could even have a slient alarm so they get cought. You need a car or truck to get it out of there so if the police roll up they can't really run.

This is a good idea. I'll use it!

Matt

 

[Sandpiper]

run a switch to the alarm into the disconnect box, I assume that is the firs thing they will do if they are going to steal it. You could even have a slient alarm so they get cought. You need a car or truck to get it out of there so if the police roll up they can't really run.

This is a good idea....all except for two items:

First, the silent alarm part. You will be better off sounding an alarm to let the thieves know they have been detected and the authorities are on the way. A typical response time to burglar alarm dispatches in many localities is 30 to over 60 minutes. Most thieves will be gone with the goods way before then. A better deterrent is to scare them off immediately when they are detected.

Second, to make this work by code, you will need to install a set of auxiliary contacts on the disconnect, install a relay or a magnetic sensor to detect the disconnect arm position. Just a small but overlooked complication......

Instead of this, many alarm companies are just wiring a loop in the A/C unit. Just don't forget to install an EOL resistor at the end of the line. This will need to be incapsulated to prevent corrosion, as the resistor leads and connections tend to corrode quickly in the weather outside.

 

[mdonovan]

I don't think theft in general is a problem in the area. Some of the others that live nearby had burglary attempts, but nothing recently or repeatedly. It seemed to be more of a drive by smash and grab type of thing to me.

Matt

Ya, crime like that is why I moved to PA!

*Notices mdonovan's location*

Oh....nevermind.

<snip>

Yea. I moved out into the country on a back road because I love the woods, but then the idiots see this as an easy mark. When the cops were here he said "It's nice being isolated like this, but the problem is, you're isolated like this". It's a real drag there are idiots like these in he world.

I got all my doors secured with deadbolts and Door Jamb Armor (djarmor.com), and next comes the 3M window film. And in amongst there will be getting my Elk working and getting sensors on all doors and windows. And of course the cameras. I have some up and running at the most vulnerable points, but there are more I want to install. If I could just hit the Powerball!

I had a guy out yesterday to give me an estimate on replacing the condenser, and he told me the condenser uses a refrigerant that is being phased out, and he's going to have to check to see if he can get a replacement, otherwise I'll have to replace the whole central AC. He was also concerned that the copper refrigerant pipe was open and exposed to the elements all winter. On the previous break in I just bit the bullet and paid for it myself. This I'm probably going to turn into the insurance co. I lose my "no claims" discount however

Sometimes you just can't win.

Matt

 

[beelzerob]

Well, the guilt finally got to me about hijacking mdonovan's thread here, so I created a thread for discussing geothermal installs. If one of the red guys want to move the particular threads over to there, please feel free.

Otherwise, I do want to mention that a pond that size is an excellent candidate for geothermal usage, but NOT as a source for open loop water. See the other thread for further discussion on that....