Security for outdoor electrical outlet
 

This might be a bit of a stretch, but try to find where that outlet is
being fed from, possibly from another outlet directly on the opposite
side of the wall, and disconnect it from there so the outlet is dead.
That way you can keep the breaker on.

Mikepier wrote:
This might be a bit of a stretch, but try to find where that outlet is
being fed from, possibly from another outlet directly on the opposite
side of the wall, and disconnect it from there so the outlet is dead.

I forgot to add that if that outside outlet feeds other outlets in the
condo, then obviously you cannot do what I said.
Instead it might be easier to just disconnect the wires from the
outside outlet, but wire nut them together in the box so it can
continue to feed the other outlets.

"Marina" wrote in message
...
Trying to locate online a cover to secure the outlet. My sister found the
painters at her condo using her outlet to operate their sanders for the
entire complex. They had to jump on her balcony to get at the outlet. I
told her to turn off the breaker to the outlet. That's fine except she
has
to do it each day because the breaker also controls lights in her LR.

I've seen little cages that fit over thermostats that are in public
buildings. I was hoping to find something like that. Most of the results
I get on Google are for simple covers to protect children.

Does anyone know of such a cover that is lockable?


I would think the cost to buy and install such a cover would exceed the cost
of the electricity the painter's are using. Perhaps a polite request to the
painters to use another outlet?

For added fun, add a switch. Wait till they start using the outlet, and
then turn it off. When they come to see if anything came unplugged,
turn it back on. When they get back to their sander, turn it off.

Repeat.

Oh yeah, when all this is going on, also call the cops. File trespass
and theft charges.

Marina wrote:
Trying to locate online a cover to secure the outlet. My sister found the
painters at her condo using her outlet to operate their sanders for the
entire complex. They had to jump on her balcony to get at the outlet. I
told her to turn off the breaker to the outlet.

Cut their cord end off, throw it and the cord off of the balconey.

Marina wrote:
Trying to locate online a cover to secure the outlet. My sister found the
painters at her condo using her outlet to operate their sanders for the
entire complex. They had to jump on her balcony to get at the outlet. I
told her to turn off the breaker to the outlet. That's fine except she has
to do it each day because the breaker also controls lights in her LR.

I've seen little cages that fit over thermostats that are in public
buildings. I was hoping to find something like that. Most of the results
I get on Google are for simple covers to protect children.

Does anyone know of such a cover that is lockable?
Marina

Hardware stores throughout the US and Canada now stock "while-in-use"
outdoor outlet covers; these have a big cover that can be closed while
a plug is in the socket. These are required by code for new
installations, so the stores stock them. Some of these have padlock
hasps. They may just be plastic but they'd stop this kind of
theft-by-convenience, and they'd also discourage someone walking away
with your Xmas lights extension cord.

Here's a manufacturer's PDF for one such device:
http://www.passandseymour.com/pdf/Q02-03.pdf
And here's another:
http://tnbelectricalworld.tnb.com/co...romogm1230.pdf

I've got nothing to do with either of these, I just googled for
"lockable while-in-use".

Installation is a do-it-yourself job for someone who's used to
electrical jobs, otherwise you'll need an electrician. Whether your
condo board wants you mucking with the electrics is another question.
But be aware that flicking the breaker on and off frequently may cause
it to fail prematurely, as most breakers aren't designed for frequent
switching.

As another poster has mentioned, it's likely to cost you more than the
power savings, but it gives creeps one less excuse to be on your
balcony.

Chip C
Toronto

On Fri, 10 Jun 2005 11:34:38 -0500, "JRanieri" heck no wrote:


"Marina" wrote in message
.. .
Trying to locate online a cover to secure the outlet. My sister found the
painters at her condo using her outlet to operate their sanders for the
entire complex. They had to jump on her balcony to get at the outlet. I
told her to turn off the breaker to the outlet. That's fine except she
has
to do it each day because the breaker also controls lights in her LR.

I've seen little cages that fit over thermostats that are in public
buildings. I was hoping to find something like that. Most of the results
I get on Google are for simple covers to protect children.

Does anyone know of such a cover that is lockable?


I would think the cost to buy and install such a cover would exceed the cost
of the electricity the painter's are using. Perhaps a polite request to the
painters to use another outlet?



Or... You could make a deal with them to sell them the electricity
they need at a flat rate per day.

Beachcomber

Depending on the age of the condo, that receptacle should be on a GFCI. If
the outlet itself isn't the GFCI, have her find it and push the test buttom.
Don't reset it.


"Marina" wrote in message
...
Trying to locate online a cover to secure the outlet. My sister found the
painters at her condo using her outlet to operate their sanders for the
entire complex. They had to jump on her balcony to get at the outlet. I
told her to turn off the breaker to the outlet. That's fine except she
has
to do it each day because the breaker also controls lights in her LR.

I've seen little cages that fit over thermostats that are in public
buildings. I was hoping to find something like that. Most of the results
I get on Google are for simple covers to protect children.

Does anyone know of such a cover that is lockable?
Marina

"Marina" wrote in message
...
Trying to locate online a cover to secure the outlet. My sister found the
painters at her condo using her outlet to operate their sanders for the
entire complex. They had to jump on her balcony to get at the outlet. I
told her to turn off the breaker to the outlet. That's fine except she
has
to do it each day because the breaker also controls lights in her LR.

I've seen little cages that fit over thermostats that are in public
buildings. I was hoping to find something like that. Most of the results
I get on Google are for simple covers to protect children.

Does anyone know of such a cover that is lockable?
Marina

google is your friend

http://www.asihome.com/ASIshop/produ...roducts_id=392

Personally I would have more fun getting the money from the HOA.

Marina wrote:
Trying to locate online a cover to secure the outlet. My sister found the
painters at her condo using her outlet to operate their sanders for the
entire complex. They had to jump on her balcony to get at the outlet. I
told her to turn off the breaker to the outlet. That's fine except she has
to do it each day because the breaker also controls lights in her LR.

I've seen little cages that fit over thermostats that are in public
buildings. I was hoping to find something like that. Most of the results
I get on Google are for simple covers to protect children.

Does anyone know of such a cover that is lockable?
Marina

Most in-use covers are lockable. Code Keeper® weatherproof covers by red
dot have a padlock hasp built in for a small padlock.
--
Tom Horne


"This alternating current stuff is just a fad. It is much too dangerous
for general use." Thomas Alva Edison

We're getting this story second hand so we will acept it as presented.
What did your sister do when she saw all this happen? Did she object,
call the police, or allow the use? The painters were at fault for
trespassing and for not acking permission to use the power. They had to
use power somewhere and apparently this was the most convenient place.
Your sister benefited in some respect by having the work done
efficiently to her complex. For other projects the power usage will
probably be somewhere else and your sister will gain the benefit of the
workers plugging in at the easiest place then. The value of the power
usage was likely minimal. I think a better solution is to make sure the
management has a standing rule to notify owners ahead of time and seek
permission where power is needed.

"SQLit" wrote in
:


"Marina" wrote in message
...
Trying to locate online a cover to secure the outlet. My sister
found the painters at her condo using her outlet to operate their
sanders for the entire complex. They had to jump on her balcony to
get at the outlet. I told her to turn off the breaker to the outlet.
That's fine except she
has
to do it each day because the breaker also controls lights in her LR.

I've seen little cages that fit over thermostats that are in public
buildings. I was hoping to find something like that. Most of the
results I get on Google are for simple covers to protect children.

Does anyone know of such a cover that is lockable?
Marina

google is your friend

http://www.asihome.com/ASIshop/produ...roducts_id=392

Personally I would have more fun getting the money from the HOA.



Yeah,that would be SUCH a great amount of money,well worth the effort.


--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

In article , G Henslee wrote:
Marina wrote:
Trying to locate online a cover to secure the outlet. My sister found the
painters at her condo using her outlet to operate their sanders for the
entire complex. They had to jump on her balcony to get at the outlet. I
told her to turn off the breaker to the outlet.

Cut their cord end off, throw it and the cord off of the balconey.

Unplug it first...

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

Mikepier wrote:
Mikepier wrote:
This might be a bit of a stretch, but try to find where that outlet
is being fed from, possibly from another outlet directly on the
opposite side of the wall, and disconnect it from there so the
outlet is dead.

I forgot to add that if that outside outlet feeds other outlets in the
condo, then obviously you cannot do what I said.
Instead it might be easier to just disconnect the wires from the
outside outlet, but wire nut them together in the box so it can
continue to feed the other outlets.


"...wire nut them together in the box..." ???

That ought to shut things down.

HeyBub wrote:
Mikepier wrote:

Mikepier wrote:

This might be a bit of a stretch, but try to find where that outlet
is being fed from, possibly from another outlet directly on the
opposite side of the wall, and disconnect it from there so the
outlet is dead.

I forgot to add that if that outside outlet feeds other outlets in the
condo, then obviously you cannot do what I said.
Instead it might be easier to just disconnect the wires from the
outside outlet, but wire nut them together in the box so it can
continue to feed the other outlets.



"...wire nut them together in the box..." ???

That ought to shut things down.


He did say to do that way only IF the outside outlet feeds other outlets.

He meant, remove all the wires from the outside outlet and connect them
black to black, white to white and ground to ground with three wirenuts,
to continue the feed to the other outlets.

You really ought to read, think about, and try to understand the post
before jumping in and trying to be cute, HeyBub.

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"Truth exists; only falsehood has to be invented."

"Matt" wrote in news:1118421779.118717.215420
@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

For added fun, add a switch. Wait till they start using the outlet, and
then turn it off. When they come to see if anything came unplugged,
turn it back on. When they get back to their sander, turn it off.

Repeat.


This would be the most fun of all the answers...

--
Anthony

You can't 'idiot proof' anything....every time you try, they just make
better idiots.

Remove sp to reply via email

http://www.machines-cnc.net:81/

Doug Miller wrote:
In article , G Henslee wrote:

Marina wrote:

Trying to locate online a cover to secure the outlet. My sister found the
painters at her condo using her outlet to operate their sanders for the
entire complex. They had to jump on her balcony to get at the outlet. I
told her to turn off the breaker to the outlet.

Cut their cord end off, throw it and the cord off of the balconey.


Unplug it first...


Or leave it and cut it on the 4th of July.

Grow a ****ing spine and address the problem.

What a ****ing side-stepping pussy.



"Marina" wrote in message
...
Trying to locate online a cover to secure the outlet. My sister found the
painters at her condo using her outlet to operate their sanders for the
entire complex. They had to jump on her balcony to get at the outlet. I
told her to turn off the breaker to the outlet. That's fine except she
has
to do it each day because the breaker also controls lights in her LR.

I've seen little cages that fit over thermostats that are in public
buildings. I was hoping to find something like that. Most of the results
I get on Google are for simple covers to protect children.

Does anyone know of such a cover that is lockable?
Marina

Have your electrician wire the outlet for 220 VAC. And then their tools will
burn out. Or disappear in a puff of smoke.

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com

In article , "Stormin Mormon" wrote:
Have your electrician wire the outlet for 220 VAC. And then their tools will
burn out. Or disappear in a puff of smoke.

To the OP: better hire a good lawyer if you plan on doing this.

To the Stormin MORON: Can you say "Code violation"? I knew you could. And, no,
that was *not* a typo.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

Get a copy of my NEW AND IMPROVED TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter
by sending email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com
You must use your REAL email address to get a response.

To Drag Mother (no that wasn't a typo):
Can you say "theft"? No, I don't think you can.
Can you say "folks who steal deserve what they get"? No, I don't think
you can.

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com


"Doug Miller" wrote in message
. ..
In article , "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:
Have your electrician wire the outlet for 220 VAC. And then their tools
will
burn out. Or disappear in a puff of smoke.

To the OP: better hire a good lawyer if you plan on doing this.

To the Stormin MORON: Can you say "Code violation"? I knew you could. And,
no,
that was *not* a typo.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

Get a copy of my NEW AND IMPROVED TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter
by sending email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com
You must use your REAL email address to get a response.

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message
...
Have your electrician wire the outlet for 220 VAC. And then their tools
will
burn out. Or disappear in a puff of smoke.

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com



My thoughts exactly Stormin....now that would be interesting to watch. That
sander will spin real fast for a little while.....yeah...that's a good one!

"G Henslee" wrote in message
...
Marina wrote:
Trying to locate online a cover to secure the outlet. My sister found
the painters at her condo using her outlet to operate their sanders for
the entire complex. They had to jump on her balcony to get at the
outlet. I told her to turn off the breaker to the outlet.

Cut their cord end off, throw it and the cord off of the balconey.

Then wait for brick through window while you are absent!...

In article , "Stormin Mormon" wrote:

Can you say "folks who steal deserve what they get"? No, I don't think
you can.

The law does not recognize that concept. Anyone who deliberately sets a booby
trap (such as you're suggesting) will find himself both civilly and criminally
liable for any injuries that result.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

All my outdoor outlets are on switches. Not only for security, but I
consider it safer.