Securing Solar Panels

[Clodi]

Is there a favoured way of securing your panels?

I've seen some with great big chains and padlocks and many with no visible security at all. I've paid quite a lot of dosh for my 2 and even though my home mooring is quite private I'd sleep better at the house knowing I'd done my best. I've got a couple of halfords wire-type cycle locks but fitting these will require quite a hefty hole through  my quite narrow frame.

 

[Alan de Enfield]

5 minutes ago, Clodi said:

Is there a favoured way of securing your panels?

I've seen some with great big chains and padlocks and many with no visible security at all. I've paid quite a lot of dosh for my 2 and even though my home mooring is quite private I'd sleep better at the house knowing I'd done my best. I've got a couple of halfords wire-type cycle locks but fitting these will require quite a hefty hole through  my quite narrow frame.

 

With the ready availability of battery powered tools, angle grinders etc don't go to great extremes, you are just wasting money - if they want them they'll get them.

Solar panels are unlikely to be a 'spur-of-the-moment theft and they will come prepared.

 

All you can do is make sure you moor near boats with 'better panels' than yours, and you make yours 'look' as if its more trouble to get them than the next boats.

The more secure you make yours, the more damage will be done to your boat when the get removed.

Edited June 30, 2018 by Alan de Enfield

[Tony Brooks]

Mine are mounted horizontally and the original one had no external fixings for the mounting legs to panel. For the panel to roof I used  security screws wit the pin in the centre of the recess so a thief would need the proper screwdriver. Not fool proof but potential thieves may choose an easier target.

[MtB]

29 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

The more secure you make yours, the more damage will be done to your boat when the get removed.

 

I don't fix mine down on any of the boats as sometimes I want to tip one up to face the sun. This with a 100w panel can raise the current from about 2A lying flat to 5A tilted to face the sun directly. 

 

I'm often vaguely surprised they don't get nicked though. I'm not sure the odd lazy thieving bar steward boater is also likely to be the type to go to the trouble of purchasing a solar controller, cabling etc independently, then carrying out the installation work necessary.

[jddevel]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

The more secure you make yours, the more damage will be done to your boat when the get removed.

As an aside was taught that it`s not advised to lock internal doors. Once in-the perpetrator will cause more damage attempting access.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, jddevel said:

As an aside was taught that it`s not advised to lock internal doors. Once in-the perpetrator will cause more damage attempting access.

Yes - its a sad old world that we live in.

(It'll be better after Brexit when we are in control again).

[Boater Sam]

Not much point in locking any doors unless you have no windows.

Theft off boats is fairly rare, theft of boats is even rarer.

Insurance is the best bet.

[Clodi]

It's partly the insurance side of things I'm concerned about, if I can show I took reasonable precautions, security screws etc they shouldn't find a reason not to payout if they get nicked.

Both my panels are on tilting brackets so I can angle them any which way. 

[MtB]

6 minutes ago, Clodi said:

It's partly the insurance side of things I'm concerned about, if I can show I took reasonable precautions, security screws etc they shouldn't find a reason not to payout if they get nicked.

Both my panels are on tilting brackets so I can angle them any which way. 

 

The value of the panels alone is probably barely higher than your insurance excess.