Securing a portable generator outside?

[stickshift]

Now that the Atlantic hurricane season is about to get started, I've been thinking about my generator for the first time since last storm season. When the power is out, I run the genny in the backyard. I don't run it overnight , but I also don't lug it back to the garage. Which means that an enterprising thief or group of thieves could easily swipe my generator in the middle of the night, under cover of all the noise from neighbors running their generators. Given that generators are quite valuable in a local area affected by a multi-day power outage, I've been considering securing it while it's outside. My brother suggested digging a hole, pouring in some concrete, securing a D-ring to the concrete, cover back up with dirt (no grass here, so no turf damage issues). When I need to use the genny during an outage, dig to the D-ring, attach chain and secure to genny. A tree would be a good alternative, but no trees close to where I'd park the generator during use.

Any other ideas?

 

[Stuart in MN]

How hard is it to bring back inside at night? If it doesn't have wheels, you could put it on one of those cheap furniture dollies from the big box store. Seems like less effort than having to build a mounting point outside.

 

[CN Spots]

Chains and dogs and guns.
+ A wireless motion sensor and a solar powered motion detecting flood light.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081RQ18GV/?tag=atomicindus08-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NWFJH9B/?tag=atomicindus08-20

The dog and lights are a deterrent.
The chains slow them down.
The guns REALLY slows them down.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Best deterrent is a big mean dog chained to the generator !

#2, out of site, out of mind. Put it in the garage, in front of the car.

#3, automatic, battery operated light

#4, add chain as you described.

 

[Neggy]

buy a Honda inverter for night use.

When everyone else has their 3600 RPM HF generator announcing to the world that it is available for the taking, your barely above a whisper Honda is not noticed, especially if all your lights are out

All you can do with your is make it harder for them to take so that they will move onto the next one

Chain it to something, chain something to it like cinder blocks

 

[FMB4]

Is it visible from the street? If not, do you trust your neighbors all the way around (not likely). I say this because thieves will often damage or destroy what they can not steal.


That said, I too would go through the trouble of hauling it back into your garage (and even then chain/lock it up).

 

[stickshift]

The guns REALLY slows them down.

In my location, where criminals have more rights than law abiding citizens, using guns to defend property is a no-go. Now that the leash on criminals has been loosened, it will be interesting to see if they venture into the suburbs when the power goes out. Lots of people in my area would be easy pickings during an outage.

All you can do with your is make it harder for them to take so that they will move onto the next one

Chain it to something, chain something to it like cinder blocks

Exactly, just trying to make it more of a hassle than the next guy's genny. And I'm sure many are just leaving theirs unsecured in the backyard during multi-day outages.

Cinder blocks are a good and cheap/easy solution. Of course they could carry the blocks out too, but most criminals are too lazy to do that much work.

 

[nadogail]

The fact that your Generator is portable, works against you. My generator is on wheels and gets rolled into it's shelter as soon as it cools enough to insure the plastic shelter will not be melted.

 

[kelpaso1]

The fact that your Generator is portable, works against you. My generator is on wheels and gets rolled into it's shelter as soon as it cools enough to insure the plastic shelter will not be melted.

The plastic shelter will not melt even if you run the gen inside (as long as the exhaust is pointed outside).

 

[jack stand]

Cordless tools really have made chains, cables and padlocks not much more than a minor deterrent unfortunately.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Why pour concrete wouldn't it be easier to chain it to the building? Could even mount the attachment point high enough that it wouldn't get buried in snow.

 

[quickfarms]

Mine is permanently mounted on a trailer, parked behind a locked gates with several sets of big teeth

 

[Sumboodie]

In my location, where criminals have more rights than law abiding citizens, using guns to defend property is a no-go. Now that the leash on criminals has been loosened, it will be interesting to see if they venture into the suburbs when the power goes out. Lots of people in my area would be easy pickings during an outage.


Exactly, just trying to make it more of a hassle than the next guy's genny. And I'm sure many are just leaving theirs unsecured in the backyard during multi-day outages.

Cinder blocks are a good and cheap/easy solution. Of course they could carry the blocks out too, but most criminals are too lazy to do that much work.

Cinder blocks still exist?

 

[jack stand]

Yes, but now they call them "CMU's" or concrete masonry units.

 

[Metallitubby]

At my previous house, I had a pad poured with a large stainless eyelet anchored in the concrete. The pad served as my generator base and trash can storage. The eyelet had a very large steel washer attached to the base inside the concrete/rebar.

All this being said, the eyelet is worthless if you forget to secure the generator or use a cheap chain/lock/cable.

 

[Showkey]

1. Chain…….
2. insurance witha low deductible.
3. enclosure…….. but $$$$$$ like the zombie box dicussed in several prior posts. Then they might steal the entire box and all ?
4. DIY home made box

If they ( thief) are determined ………….

No chain or lock is going to work.

Move to better neighborhood.

 

[exranger06]

Start using the generator in a more convenient location where you have something to chain it to, or where you can easily bring it inside when you're done using it (just outside the garage door, for example). Relocate the power inlet and/or use a longer generator cord if necessary.

 

[toyotadriver]

For those implying locking up a generator just slows down a thief….you aren’t wrong but………

Your house locks can be defeated too. Anything can be broken into. Luckily, thieves are universally lazy. That works against them. You don’t (can’t) make your house 100% impenetrable. You make your house and your stuff harder to get into or steal from than your neighbors house. Thieves will take the easy pickings every time. Anything that slows down a thief (locks and chains and cables) along with needing to make noise to defeat it is going to greatly ensure you aren’t a victim of a theft. Nothing is 100% but you can get close. Remember, when setting up your security measures, always remember thieves lack time. Make it take work, noise, and time to get your stuff. Motion lights are great (some solar motion lights around your generator for when power is out) and pretty cheap insurance. Even if you don’t have an alarm, get legit looking alarm signs like ADT and post them around your place. Cameras are also awesome (but do require power to work so consider a backup power source for your camera system).

 

[theoldwizard1]

Your house locks can be defeated too. Anything can be broken into. Luckily, thieves are universally lazy. That works against them. You don’t (can’t) make your house 100% impenetrable. You make your house and your stuff harder to get into or steal from than your neighbors house. Thieves will take the easy pickings every time. Anything that slows down a thief (locks and chains and cables) along with needing to make noise to defeat it is going to greatly ensure you aren’t a victim of a theft.

TRUE !

The cheapest is a solar powered motion light. They saved the catalytic converters on my daughter's 2 trucks !

 

[stickshift]

For those implying locking up a generator just slows down a thief….you aren’t wrong but………

Your house locks can be defeated too. Anything can be broken into. Luckily, thieves are universally lazy. That works against them. You don’t (can’t) make your house 100% impenetrable. You make your house and your stuff harder to get into or steal from than your neighbors house. Thieves will take the easy pickings every time. Anything that slows down a thief (locks and chains and cables) along with needing to make noise to defeat it is going to greatly ensure you aren’t a victim of a theft. Nothing is 100% but you can get close. Remember, when setting up your security measures, always remember thieves lack time. Make it take work, noise, and time to get your stuff.

Exactly.

Plus hardly any thieves rolling with cordless angle grinders.

That said, in this kind of scenario, the thief could actually make a fair bit of noise because there would be other generators running overnight, so they would have more noise cover than usual.

But clearly in this thread we are imputing more ingenuity and thoughtfulness than most property thieves are capable of.

 

[Showkey]

Exactly.

Plus hardly any thieves rolling with cordless angle grinders.

That said, in this kind of scenario, the thief could actually make a fair bit of noise because there would be other generators running overnight, so they would have more noise cover than usual.

But clearly in this thread we are imputing more ingenuity and thoughtfulness than most property thieves are capable of.

My thought it’s the tool* of choice for CAT converter, bicycle or motorcycle thief.

* cordless sawsall or cutoff saw

 

[Metallitubby]

But clearly in this thread we are imputing more ingenuity and thoughtfulness than most property thieves are capable of.

Because most of us wouldn't make very good thieves.

 

[stickshift]

My thought it’s the tool* of choice for CAT converter, bicycle or motorcycle thief.

* cordless sawsall or cutoff saw

I don't know about bike or motorcycle thieves, but the CAT thieves are using cordless sawzalls. Gonna need more than that to cut through a decent chain.

Of course if these guys were as into tools as most of us, they'd be rolling with oxyacetylene torches and cut through anything and do so silently.

 

[stickshift]

Because most of us wouldn't make very good thieves.

Oh I don't think that's the case. Most people aren't thieves, but not because they couldn't be at least as good at it as the average thief.

The typical misdemeanor or small felony thief is a complete idiot. Wouldn't be too difficult to outperform him/her if you had a mind to engage in this behavior.

 

[bradpac]

My theft deterrent of choice is 250lbs of dog. So far I've had one guy tear his pants hopping back over my fence when the pair came around the corner. That was the only person that's come in my yard without me being there...he made it about 5 steps before turning and running.

 

[Metallitubby]

Oh I don't think that's the case. Most people aren't thieves

Oh, I am well aware. I sit next to the ONE guy that does registrations for Honda Power Equipment/Marine, and he also does the registration stops due to theft. You'd be surprised how sneaky the generator thieves are. One example:

Louder generators are often stolen because someone takes a stolen lawn mower (push type) and just rolls it up to the house running so that no one notices the generator being taken. Smart? Eh. Resourceful? You bet.

 

[rayra]

battery bank, charge during the day. Put the generator away at night.

 

[Jeffh40]

Braided cables are a lot harder to cut than a chain.



I keep one of these in my truck with some other tools. I've had to cut through 1/4" chain and frozen padlocks before. I could not cut a braided cable.

 

[toyotadriver]

Hardened chain is also not going to be cut through either with a pair of bolt cutters. Regular chain….yes. Hardened chain….no. I like cable especially since it has a plastic cover over it. Little to no damage to the finish of the things it is locking up. Braided cable can still be cut so don’t think it’s 100% either. But again, it’s going to make things take time…:and thieves lack time.

Most catalytic converters theft in my area (not all but most) is occurring at places where vehicles are parked but no one around. Remote car lots. Fenced in bus lots. Remote businesses with vehicles. Places like that.

 

[nadogail]

A world famous distillery in Scotland is patrolled by a flock of geese, they are Territorial, Noisy and Fierce. Junk Yard Dogs and Motion Controlled Lights are also effective.

 

[Neggy]

If they ( thief) are determined ………….

one of the problems with the Honda EU2000/2200 series of inverters is that thieves that KNOW what they are going after ahead of time know that even when those are chained thru the handles, the handles are plastic and can be cut thru in very short order..... there are actually aftermarket kits that encase the handles in steel to prevent cutting the plastic.

As has been said above, all you can do is make it hard to move them by any means/deterrent possible and hope they move to an easier target.

PS I have one of those Milwaukee cut off tools, my air powered one has not been out of the toolbox in 2 years

 

[Metallitubby]

there are actually aftermarket kits that encase the handles in steel to prevent cutting the plastic.

Honda makes them too. I just took pictures of them for the accessory catalog a few weeks ago.

 

[Jim_No_Garage]

I loop a 10' braided cable around the generator frame, under the garage door and lock it to a bent piece of bar stock lagged to the garage door frame.

I take the generator in at night when it's powered down. A neighbor of my Dad had their generator stolen in the same manner as discussed before - someone rolled up with a running lawn mower, unplugged the generator and rolled it away. I would figure you would notice the electricity stopping but maybe it was done in the middle of the night?

Cheers

Jim

 

[Metallitubby]

I would figure you would notice the electricity stopping but maybe it was done in the middle of the night?

It's almost always done at night.

 

[bighouse01]

I’ve cabled mine to wheel of a car during questionable times

 

[RRich]

In addition to many great suggestions above, replace whatever is holding the wheels on with hitchpin clips and remove the wheels.

 

[stickshift]

A neighbor of my Dad had their generator stolen in the same manner as discussed before - someone rolled up with a running lawn mower, unplugged the generator and rolled it away. I would figure you would notice the electricity stopping but maybe it was done in the middle of the night?

Oh, I am well aware. I sit next to the ONE guy that does registrations for Honda Power Equipment/Marine, and he also does the registration stops due to theft. You'd be surprised how sneaky the generator thieves are. One example:

Louder generators are often stolen because someone takes a stolen lawn mower (push type) and just rolls it up to the house running so that no one notices the generator being taken. Smart? Eh. Resourceful? You bet.

This lawn mower technique has me thinking I should chain up the generator during operation, and bring it back to the garage at night.

Because if someone rolled a running lawn mower next to my generator during an outage, even if my generator was off, I probably wouldn't notice it because of the neighbors' running generators, and the lawn mower would effectively mask the sound of whatever tools they were using to cut/break the chain.

@Metallitubby any other examples of how generator thieves operate?

 

[LXCam]

At my previous house, I had a pad poured with a large stainless eyelet anchored in the concrete. The pad served as my generator base and trash can storage. The eyelet had a very large steel washer attached to the base inside the concrete/rebar.

All this being said, the eyelet is worthless if you forget to secure the generator or use a cheap chain/lock/cable.

I did something similar on one of my utility body trucks. I welded a base plate with a massive D ring to the truck bed. Then used a piece of 1” solid round bar that went across the entire bottom of the frame and into receiver plates welded to the gen frame. Welded a 1/2” thick tab to that bar and set it up with a big pad lock buried in the middle. You could just reach in to lock and unlock it but not get bolt cutters or a grinder in there to cut it apart. It worked out great since taking the gen off was regular business and no one ever ripped it off even though there were a couple of attempts.

 

[theoldwizard1]

... set it up with a big pad lock buried in the middle. You could just reach in to lock and unlock it but not get bolt cutters or a grinder in there to cut it apart ...

Just remember GOOD "lock pickers" can pick any commercially available lock (not that there are a lot of good lock picking thieves around) .

Master padlocks are junk. The best are probably ABUS. $$$ ! Tubular (round key) locks do add a bit of a challenge, but not for the experts. What slows locker pickers down is access to the lock cylinder itself.

 

[LXCam]

Just remember GOOD "lock pickers" can pick any commercially available lock (not that there are a lot of good lock picking thieves around) .

Master padlocks are junk. The best are probably ABUS. $$$ ! Tubular (round key) locks do add a bit of a challenge, but not for the experts. What slows locker pickers down is access to the lock cylinder itself.

No disagreement there. There was no way of getting two hands in there to manipulate the lock. Fact is if someone really wanted it and was willing to make a **** load of noise they’d get it. I just made it as difficult as possible.