Note of caution - propane tanks stolen!

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   Just a note of caution to fellow podders. I park my trailer in the driveway off of the alley in back of our house. Sometime in the past week, both of our tanks were stolen. I had a cable lock on them and they were covered. So if your pod is in a public place, either put a stout lock on your tanks or bring them inside the trailer over the winter. I have security lights and live in a decent downtown neighborhood, guess it was a crime of opportunity for someone looking to up their bbq game.
Pisses me off - two new tanks, both filled towards the end of last season. New cover on the tanks, with a trailer cover over everything. Now if I can only figure out how to rig up some of those ink-spraying anti-theft devices they have in retail stores nowadays, in case someone tries it again.

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Ben Herman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 26 Apr 2018 Location: Gr Junction, CO Online Status: Offline Posts: 355	Topic: Note of caution - propane tanks stolen! Posted: 26 Feb 2019 at 5:57pm
	Just a note of caution to fellow podders. I park my trailer in the driveway off of the alley in back of our house. Sometime in the past week, both of our tanks were stolen. I had a cable lock on them and they were covered. So if your pod is in a public place, either put a stout lock on your tanks or bring them inside the trailer over the winter. I have security lights and live in a decent downtown neighborhood, guess it was a crime of opportunity for someone looking to up their bbq game. Pisses me off - two new tanks, both filled towards the end of last season. New cover on the tanks, with a trailer cover over everything. Now if I can only figure out how to rig up some of those ink-spraying anti-theft devices they have in retail stores nowadays, in case someone tries it again.

StephenH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6326	Posted: 26 Feb 2019 at 7:01pm
	I'm sorry to hear about some low-life stealing your propane tanks. Cable locks are not that secure. We only have a single tank, but we also have it parked right in front of our house in our driveway. I carry a spare tank separately in the back of our pickup when we travel. I did see this lock that looks to be better than a cable lock: https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Locks/TorkLift/TLA7701.html This is another alternative which would also probably work well: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Propane-Lock-Dual/322922219 It is currently out of stock. The same thing is available on Camping World's site, but at about twice the price.
	StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 27 Feb 2019 at 4:28am
	I haven't tried one but how about something like this? https://padlocks4less.com/cable-alarm-lock/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAh9njBRCYARIsALJhQkG7p6N9RZzt-phM-3Bk_qfuQ9h4CAPHjek8IBh5X9T3Zc_e6pqNwh0aAskBEALw_wcB
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2595	Posted: 27 Feb 2019 at 6:33am
	I use a length of 1/4 inch chain looped around the top of the propane tank and around my two golf cart batteries. It would take about 2 seconds to cut it with a bolt cutter. The only thing I can hope for is that it is a visual deterrent and slows a thief down because of having to thread the chain off the tank or batteries, another 2 sec. operation. What really protects us is that we keep our Pod in a side yard behind a gate at our house. When traveling, well, it's more dumb luck than anything. I like that cable alarm in offgrid's link. I may try one. Sorry you had your tanks stolen.
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

Ben Herman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 26 Apr 2018 Location: Gr Junction, CO Online Status: Offline Posts: 355	Posted: 27 Feb 2019 at 7:34am
	Found this approach - I'm going to do this once I find a new wing nut (they took that too). Looks like a really secure system, no cable or chain to be cut. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM9CsRBzBxs

lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2595	Posted: 27 Feb 2019 at 9:16am
	Thanks for posting the video. That's a great idea with double tanks. Anything you can do to slow down a thief or make it more difficult for him/her, the better. And that would certainly slow down the thief. A determined thief with a bolt cutter could cut the lock, but it's more likely that s/he would go on to the next trailer before going to all that work. Unfortunately, that works for dual tanks, but for single tanks that method is not possible.
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

marwayne Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 25 Oct 2011 Location: Edmonton AB Can Online Status: Offline Posts: 1002	Posted: 27 Feb 2019 at 11:02am
	My belief still is if you can't see it ,it's not there.
	If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd.

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 27 Feb 2019 at 2:05pm
	One of the requirements for fire safety (in the States anyway) is for the fire department to be able to get access to the cylinder valves in order to be able to shut them off, so its a fire code violation for RV's to have propane tanks behind a locked door or to have the valves blocked from turning in some way. There are ventilation requirements too. You might never get cited for it but I'm just sayin'....
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

marwayne Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 25 Oct 2011 Location: Edmonton AB Can Online Status: Offline Posts: 1002	Posted: 27 Feb 2019 at 2:27pm
	There is a vent in the floor and on the roof
	If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd.

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 27 Feb 2019 at 3:09pm
	Good, the vents are both required by code and sensible. FWIW, here's the specs for RV propane enclosures from NFPA 1192 (the RV fire code): One of the vents is supposed to be at the extreme bottom of the enclosure and one within 12 inches of the top in the wall, don't ask me why the wall and not the roof. They don't need to be very large, each vent to be at least 1/2 square inch for every 7 lbs of propane. The enclosure must be vapor resistant to the inside of the RV. The door to the enclosure can't have any locks on it. Max number of cylinders is 3 but they can be up to 45 lbs propane each. They must be secured to withstand 8x their full weight. I didn't see any labeling requirements for the enclosures.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold