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100 comments on DrumBeat: August 31, 2008

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Insania on August 31, 2008 - 9:57am Permalink | Subthread | Comments top

RE: PV panel theft. I've had concerns for some time about my roof installation and was wondering when news of thefts would arrive. I'm no longer wondering.

But I am curious, what have you done or what have you seen done to stem theft? I'm actually more concerned about the inverter which is accessable from the front yard. I mounted it in such a way to make it more difficult to lift, but I'm wondering if extra precautions would be prudent.

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nelsone on August 31, 2008 - 11:25am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

When the catalytic converters started disappearing off cars here in Beaverton, the local PD told people to get the bolts welded up. Only takes a couple minutes, and it's done for free (!) at many muffler shops.

Can't the same trick be used to freeze up the bolts on your PV panels? Touch 'em with a stick, and instantly their removal is neither quick nor silent.

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boby on August 31, 2008 - 12:10pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Hmm, can't imagine that electrical welding would do the panels or electrical system much good.

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phreephallin on August 31, 2008 - 12:25pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

I don't think catalytic converter thieves bother with wrenches or bolts. They typically just saw or use a pipe cutter to cut through exhaust pipes. Here was one theft caught on video in Sacramento.

Welding the bolts on anything seems like a bad solution for the time when you might need to legitimately work on it.

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Insania on August 31, 2008 - 1:00pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

I used Unirac mounts, all aluminum. Anything to weld or permanently fix them in place also prevents me from roof repairs, etc., and would more or less destroy the racks for re-installation. The rails/mounts were roughly 10% of the total cost of my installation, not trivial.

They are located right above the garage and face the street...it really would be a bold move on a thief's part to hijack them, but who knows.

My father-in-law's Toyota truck was hit here in Sacramento about 8 months ago...welding bolts on the converter wouldn't do it as they use ratcheting pipe cutters...three minutes, tops, to sever both sides.

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creg on August 31, 2008 - 6:33pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

speaking of bold

i keep & ear out[out of sight in the summer] for a neighbor's place for sale- a year + now. i recently heard a big truck working over there & listened carefully & could tell was a big wench type truck picking up a propane tank, so i thought was legit; they stole it 1/2 full of propane.

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mbnewtrain on August 31, 2008 - 6:37pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Solution to catalytic converter theft:

Get a piece of hardened or wear plate steel (manganese alloy) from a metal fabrication shop, maybe 1/4" (0.75cm) by 1" (2.5cm) about 36 - 42" (90 - 110cm) long (long enough to follow the pipe where it passes above the cross frame. Have the muffler shop MIG weld this bar to the exhaust pipe in front of and behind the cat. converter.
Manganese alloyed steel cannot be cut with any pipe cutter or saw, it can only be cut with a cutting torch or abrassive cutoff wheel. Using the later to cut throught the wear plate steel would take 5 - 10 minutes and create a lot of sparks and noise. Most thieves need to be in & out in less than 3 minutes without creating any sound.

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elwoodelmore on September 1, 2008 - 7:09am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

"Solution to catalytic converter theft:"

but would it protect against rsb's ?

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Todd on August 31, 2008 - 12:16pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Well, being in the boondocks like I am helps. Most people's PV systems aren't visible from the county road so it's unlikely that outsiders would even know where to look...and a strange truck would call attention to itself since we recognize local vehicles.

In addition, it would be almost impossible to fence a locally stolen PV system since the word would be out about the theft.

Finally, at least in my case, you are talking about 48 panels on four tall racks (12 each). This means it would take a lot of time to even unbolt them. And, in the case of the inverters, they weigh ~140# each so it would take a few people to get them unbolted from the wall and moved. Personally, I'm not worried.

Todd

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eric blair on September 1, 2008 - 9:45am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Naw just put the beehives next to the solar panels. Next best thing to dogs that shoot bees from their mouths.

(The bee solution does require more often panel washing due to bee poo)

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100 comments on DrumBeat: August 31, 2008

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