Security re Electric Socket Usage.

[Emmit]

Didn't know how to describe the title but I hope it will become clear.

No names but I've been chatting to a Funster online who is convinced that, whilst he/she was on a site with metered lekky, a neighbor swapped plugs and used (abstracted) the lekky meant for him/her.

Having been informed of the circs, it occurred to me that there must be a product where one could at least notice that ones plug has been removed, ie, adhesive tape to stick on the box/plug with sacrificial properties where any 'tampering' would cause the tape to tear.

On a similar subject, when we did the Rally at Ashbourne Heights last year, each EHU fixture had the ability to accept a small padlock which 'locked' in some way the plug when it was inserted.

With the present massive increases in the charges for electricity some consideration may have to be taken.

 

[Diabalo]

Cable tie over the end cover would lock it to the socket. Would need to be cut off to unplug

 

[Emmit]

Cable tie over the end cover would lock it to the socket. Would need to be cut off to unplug

The 'end' that goes into the sites end doesn't have a cover.
The other end at attaches to the van has the cover.

 

[Lenny HB]

The 'end' that goes into the sites end doesn't have a cover.
The other end at attaches to the van has the cover.

The cover flap is on the socket so it would still work.

 

[Abacist]

So presumably they switched cables while your friends were out or surely they would have noticed the power outage whilst the plugs were swapped over unless it was done to heat the van overnight after your friends had gone to bed and changed back early doors?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Riverbankannie]

If you just wanted to know if tampered with, that is power interruption, you could use a plug in clock which would revert, normally to 12:00 on interruption.
Amazon product ASIN B0BHWNVXKH

 

[Riverbankannie]

So presumably they switched cables while your friends were out or surely they would have noticed the power outage whilst the plugs were swapped over unless it was done to heat the van overnight after your friends had gone to bed and changed back early doors?

But then the fridge would beep quite quickly

 

[Abacist]

But then the fridge would beep quite quickly

But it only takes seconds to swap the plugs over!

 

[royandsharont]

We once had someone in Austria swap our plugs for no apparent reason. Unfortunately they didn’t replace ours properly and we had no electric until we returned and found it off in the van.

At another site in Austria where our U.K. plugs wouldn’t go through the appature in the metal door into the cabinet someone moved our cable from the open end to the hinged end and closed the door trapping it giving it a slight cut to the outer cable.

You have to keep a sharp eye out I think at some places. Strange both of these incidents were in Austria both at very good campsites.

 

[bilM]

No names but I've been chatting to a Funster online who is convinced that, whilst he/she was on a site with metered lekky, a neighbor swapped plugs and used (abstracted) the lekky meant for him/her.

Maybe the neighbour used less lekky than the Funster so then the Funster would be £££££ in that is if I understand the post.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Richard n Ann]

Such a rare occurrence isn't worth worrying about, I mean even if... What's the worse case scenario..

 

[Tombola]

Little piece of live cable taped to the outside of the socket should keep it safe
Just be careful when you unplug

 

[DelMar]

When in Spain last year, we were allocated an empty pitch which someone else had plugged their electric cable into. As readings were taken when vacating a pitch, this meant I would be paying for electric I hadn’t used.
I spoke to reception about it, but they didn’t seem interested, I thought to myself, why would they when they got paid anyway.

 

[L' Hobo]

Such a rare occurrence isn't worth worrying about, I mean even if... What's the worse case scenario..

Warm Breakfast Guinness in the fridge!

 

[Emmit]

Such a rare occurrence isn't worth worrying about, I mean even if... What's the worse case scenario..

I chip a fingernail when I beat the **** out of the culprit!!!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[gus-lopez]

Little piece of live cable taped to the outside of the socket should keep it safe
Just be careful when you unplug

superglue on the plug also works

 

[Brains]

Over the next few years the majority of cars (tuggers) will be electric.
Motorhomes will follow a few years later. (I've already seen my first EV delivery van)

This means that every campsite will need to switch to metered pitches very soon.

As obviously the cycle tourist with a hike tent should not be paying for the power used on the next pitch with the EV and Caravan with electric heating and TV.

This therefore means that there will need to be some method of securing the cable, otherwise electrical theft will become a big issue and almost impossible to prove after the event.

(The cyclist with the hike tent handed a £30 electrical bill for the night may be obvious what happened, but two EV's and caravans near each other would not)

 

[busbuddy]

You would need a lock both at the bollard and van end of the cable, with the cost of also fitting meters this would make it too expensive to upgrade for most sites
I have seen ev Van's towing caravans to site already

 

[eddie]

I used to build tiny GSM devices that our Air Con customers could plug in, so if the power went they’d get a SMS text message, ideal if you’ve left a pet in the van whilst nipping to the shops for example.

Before I retired I argued lots about not charging for electric or including it in the basic pitch price, but people steal, and that eco zealot that has 67 solar panels on his roof will still plug in overnight when he realises that solar in December is useless, but will be unplugged by the time the wardens open up!

 

[Richard n Ann]

Similar to putting red dye in diesel, could they have different coloured electrons from each post? Then they'd just have to dip your battery and see what's in it

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[SpeedyDux]

You would need a lock both at the bollard and van end of the cable, with the cost of also fitting meters this would make it too expensive to upgrade for most sites
I have seen ev Van's towing caravans to site already

On one smaller site in Italy, the owner had a locked steel cabinet housing the EHU sockets so nobody could plug in or remove a EHU cable unless the owner unlocked the cabinet personally.

 

[Lenny HB]

On one smaller site in Italy, the owner had a locked steel cabinet housing the EHU sockets so nobody could plug in or remove a EHU cable unless the owner unlocked the cabinet personally.

Quite normal on French & Spanish sites.

 

[Stewart J]

I purchased and fitted one of these several years ago, fitted a U.K. plug and plugged into a never used 230vac socket. It’s loud and the very loud alarm sounds when power interrupted it can be heard outside the van

HOT! 120db Power Cut Failure Outage Automatic Alarm Waring Siren LED Indicator | eBay

The siren could be munual silenced by on/off switch. Power out/ failure alarm with led indicator. With indicator indicates the power condition. Due to the difference between different monitors, the picture may not reflect the actual color of the item.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Brains]

I think the easiest/cheapest solution for the camp site owners would be to fit the payment bollards that are very common on the Stellplatz as well as many campsites in Germany.
The electricity would need to be priced to recover the cost of the installation
(As a landlord I'm aware of the issues of reselling electricity at above cost price)

Bollards work like a parking ticket machine on coins &/or card.
The big advantage is the camper can put in little and often.

We typically only put in 2-3 Euro's at a time, which will keep the van ticking over (fridge, lights etc) during the night.

Any swapping of cables/theft then becomes very apparent fairly fast.
Although deliberate theft (sneaking out late at night, swapping cables, and then getting up at dawn to swap back before an early departure) could always happen.

That said, for a few quid you can buy an alarm you plug into an internal socket which will sound if the electricity gets cut off. There is even a iPhone compatible socket alarm so you get the alert on your phone.
You can also buy building site socket locks for external use fairly cheaply

 

[pappajohn]

Last time at Bonterra park the hookup cabinets were locked
Reception came and plugged in and unplugged at the end of the stay.
If for some reason it tripped a walk to reception was the only way to sort it.
That must have been 10 to 12 years ago.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[L' Hobo]

Quite normal on French & Spanish sites.

I thought that was so we couldn't leave without paying any extra's?

 

[scotzsue]

Last time at Bonterra park the hookup cabinets were locked
Reception came and plugged in and unplugged at the end of the stay.
If for some reason it tripped a walk to reception was the only way to sort it.
That must have been 10 to 12 years ago.

Still the same well it was last year

 

[DelMar]

My post above re someone plugged into an empty pitch, was at Bonterra resort. All they did was read the meter the morning we were leaving, but I was left to unplug just before we left. No locked cabinet, in fact no cabinet, hence the ability to plug into an empty pitch.