Generator Security

[ThomB87]

Speaking of generators and the front storage box, ideas for security. Ideas for locking down a Honda 2000 or 2200?

[SeaDawg]

There used to be a locking plate for truck bed and foot. We'll designed, but no longer available. 

The plastic handle can be protected with one of these. (I'm showing home depot, but available from a myriad of places)

Honda    EU2000i Generator Theft Deterrent Handle
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Honda-EU2000i-Generator-Theft-Deterrent-Handle-63230-Z07-010AH/206798584
SKU# 206798584

[ThomB87]

Yes I was on line looking for some kind of bolt on locking plate. Got the bracket. Just not as trusting of a cable lock but will invest in a good one. 

[John Dehne]

I purchased a metal handle guard off of Amazon and use a good lock and cable. I have been thinking about trying one of Apples air tag under the cover. Has anyone tried one? Not sure if the Honda inverter will affect it.

[HDRider]

14 minutes ago, John Dehne said:

I purchased a metal handle guard off of Amazon and use a good lock and cable. I have been thinking about trying one of Apples air tag under the cover. Has anyone tried one? Not sure if the Honda inverter will affect it.

Maybe someone has tried it?

 

Good reading on AirTags

https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/apple-airtag-tips

 

[MAX Burner]

13 hours ago, John Dehne said:

I have been thinking about trying one of Apples air tag under the cover.

Excellent idea.  I'm sure it will work just fine.  In fact, just last Friday I departed Frankfurt on a fairly tight layover and my checked bag didn't make it...  I'm the Middle East right now, and I've been tracking the progress of my bag to my current location.  It made it to the local airport late last night.  Thanks to Apple's Air Tags - you can easily track your lost/missing items so long as its within a cell signal...  

I've got one on Magnus' collar, too!  WOOF!

[Patriot]

2 hours ago, MAX Burner said:

Excellent idea.  I'm sure it will work just fine.  In fact, just last Friday I departed Frankfurt on a fairly tight layover and my checked bag didn't make it...  I'm the Middle East right now, and I've been tracking the progress of my bag to my current location.  It made it to the local airport late last night.  Thanks to Apple's Air Tags - you can easily track your lost/missing items so long as its within a cell signal...  

I've got one on Magnus' collar, too!  WOOF!

Yes on Air Tags. 👍🏻👍🏻

[Ollie-Haus]

Got Airtags for the dogs yesterday and even though my phone is a little older, they connected and work real good. Probably get a few more for specific items. 

[topgun2]

In the interest of full disclosure - 

I'm sure that you fully advised Magnus of his rights and that he is now being followed 24/7?

[Patriot]

A concern I had with the use of Air Tags is would heat from running the gen have an impact on the AT performance? It appears Air Tags are ok from -4 up to 140 degree mark. Naturally you would not want the AT secured and hidden around the much hotter exhaust end of the gen. Air Tags are not considered anti-theft, merely a tracking device if an item should grow legs 🏃🏽. I don’t see us leaving our Ollie without our gen secured and out of sight.
On the other hand, at $30 per AT with no monitoring fee this seems like a reasonable way to track items of high theft value. There is an easy hack to disable the (speaker) pinging feature of the AT so that the thief will not hear the ping. This audible pinging sound starts after 72 hr window has closed after the tracked item has gone missing. 

Even Mr. Magnus woof 🐕 as @MAX Burner mentioned. 😄

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0932QJ2JZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BZHLR988/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP840?locale=en_US

 

Patriot🇺🇸

[mossemi]

On 4/27/2023 at 8:50 PM, ThomB87 said:

Speaking of generators and the front storage box, ideas for security. Ideas for locking down a Honda 2000 or 2200?

There was a product called LowPro LockDown that was built for the Honda EU2000i, but it is no longer available.  This one is similar.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1253698861/generator-lock-security-low-profile
 

Mossey

[Patriot]

1 hour ago, mossemi said:

There was a product called LowPro LockDown that was built for the Honda EU2000i, but it is no longer available.  This one is similar.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1253698861/generator-lock-security-low-profile
 

Mossey

I saw that and like it but wondered if it could be modified to work with the Honda eu3200i? I am thinking it’s a no go given the specs. Maybe they will come out with one for the 3200i. I may reach out to the manufacture. 

Honda 2200i specs -    20.0" x 11.4" x 16.7" 

Honda 3200i specs -    22.5”x 12.0”x 17.8” 

Patriot🇺🇸

[Ollie-Haus]

Went over to my sister-in-law's house today and my phone notified me that both dogs had been left behind. Airtags doing their job!😃👏

[ScubaRx]

22 hours ago, MAX Burner said:

Excellent idea.  I'm sure it will work just fine.  In fact, just last Friday I departed Frankfurt on a fairly tight layover and my checked bag didn't make it...  I'm the Middle East right now, and I've been tracking the progress of my bag to my current location.  It made it to the local airport late last night.  Thanks to Apple's Air Tags - you can easily track your lost/missing items so long as its within a cell signal...  

I've got one on Magnus' collar, too!  WOOF!

It's my understanding that airtags use the proximity of iPhone's to track objects. If your tracked item (dog or generator) is not within 200ft from an iPhone, the Airtag system won’t be able to find them. Airtags do not have GPS or LTE to allow them to function independently, so without an iPhone around they can’t locate anything.

[ScubaRx]

Fifteen plus years ago when I bought our Yamaha generator to accompany us on our travels, I wanted a way to secure it in the basket. I had a vinyl covered cable with looped ends that perfectly fit around the generator and the basket twice. I secured the ends together with a puck lock.

I now keep the lock on the top of the generator under the cover to protect it from road grime and the weather. It also makes it much easier to get to when I want to unlock it (about once a year to change the oil.)

 

This has worked all these years as I still have the generator. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the generator weighs in at about 165 pounds, so it'll take a big ole girl to steal it.

[MAX Burner]

7 minutes ago, ScubaRx said:

It's my understanding that airtags use the proximity of iPhone's to track objects. If your tracked item (dog or generator) is not within 200ft from an iPhone, the Airtag system won’t be able to find them. Airtags do not have GPS or LTE to allow them to function independently, so without an iPhone around they can’t locate anything.

Negative,Brother.  

As long as the AT on the tracked item is within a cell signal, your "Find My" app will give you a location - doesn't matter how far away you are.  

For example, I departed the Good 'Ol USofA last Thursday for a 26+hour series of flights to the Middle East.  My lay over in Frankfurt for my final leg on Lufthansa was tight.  My checked bag didn't make it on board.  On arrival to my destination, I brought up the app and took this screenshot...

I labeled this particular AT, "Art's Lost Gear" using the app.  The smiley face is my bag in Frankfurt, note the "directions" block in lower left.  2,678 miles.  Not bad.  The "AirTag Not Reachable" popped up when I, just for the heck of it, selected "Play Sound."  This function only works with a good signal when you're "close" to the AT - maybe within 50 feet or so.  When within this distance the AT gives off an audible "ping" - granted you've got to have good hearing (unlike mine) to catch the ping, but its better than nothing.

I tracked my bag as it was loaded into the next flight (lost contact when airborne) - but caught up to it 6 hours later when it landed here. Went to the airport, collected the bag - no worries, and peace of mind!  

We got the 4-pack from Amazon for $90.  Strongly recommended for just about anything you own of value that you want to keep tabs on.  Pets, baggage, generators, cold 6-pak, etc...  HA!

 

[MAX Burner]

OBTW:  Here's another example...  I just took this screenshot of the AT on Magnus' collar in NM, we labeled it "Where's Magnus" using the app.  Note the "directions" block in lower left:

As far as the address goes - I trust y'all...

[Tom and Doreen]

2 hours ago, ScubaRx said:

It's my understanding that airtags use the proximity of iPhone's to track objects. If your tracked item (dog or generator) is not within 200ft from an iPhone, the Airtag system won’t be able to find them. Airtags do not have GPS or LTE to allow them to function independently, so without an iPhone around they can’t locate anything.

This is true,  AirTags use Bluetooth and NFC to network with compatible Apple devices. The network of compatible Apple devices is massive so interaction is pretty likely in populated areas. 

[ScubaRx]

7 minutes ago, Tom and Doreen said:

...The network of compatible Apple devices is massive so interaction is pretty likely in populated areas. 

I agree. I want to try them and I'm confident they'd be great in finding my keys at home. How would these perform if one were in the trailer and it was stolen?

[KenB]

I’ve been disappointed with our AirTags, especially the ones attached to our two grouse hunting English Setters.  Every few months they decide to take themselves for a walk and leave our yard to chase a bunny or just explore the neighborhood.  They have a GPS verified average gait of 6 mph; in other words they can cover some ground quickly.  When we go hunting they’d run 20+ miles every day if I’d let them.  They’re high energy.  I put AirTags on each of them to try and quickly locate them before they get hit by a car or picked up by a bad person.  

In the last six months they’ve run away twice.  Over the course of several hours of missing dogs I got exactly one pinged position from just one of the dogs.  They were running through back yards, front yards, and city parks the whole time.  They were certainly near Apple phones and personal networks most of the time but weren’t showing up at all on my Apple phone locator.   I’ve found they are worthless for a dog on the move, even in a populated residential neighborhood.  Admittedly, the directions say they are NOT meant for tracking animals.  Except for that one time ping, Apple said they were at home the whole time when they were really away and running without me   

I’ve used a different AirTag to find my lost keys in the house before.  That worked well, but I probably would have found them eventually anyway.    For $25 they are better than nothing for dogs, but not much.   I can’t imagine a AirTagged stolen camper or generator would fare much better than my lost dogs for live tracking.  Be sure to be realistic in your expectations.  

[Patriot]

6 hours ago, ScubaRx said:

I agree. I want to try them and I'm confident they'd be great in finding my keys at home. How would these perform if one were in the trailer and it was stolen?

I ordered a set of (4) AT’s from Amazon and I too am  interested on how well the AT will track a vehicle or a camper etc. We’ll be leaving our Oliver at Oliver Service for a few days next week having the Truma Aventa AC installed. I will leave an AT in the Oliver to get an idea of how well it tracks it location. 
I am also going to place an AT inside our new Honda 3200i run it for awhile and see if it will hold up under the heat of the internal engine compartment. Apple says ATs will operate up to 140 degrees. We’ll see its survives or cooks.
I will report back my findings in the next several weeks. 

Patriot🇺🇸

[Tom and Doreen]

6 hours ago, KenB said:

I’ve been disappointed with our AirTags, especially the ones attached to our two grouse hunting English Setters....

I believe the detection range to be approximately 30 feet at best.  The Setters would have to pass pretty close to an Apple compatible device to be detected.     

[Tom and Doreen]

9 hours ago, ScubaRx said:

I agree. I want to try them and I'm confident they'd be great in finding my keys at home. How would these perform if one were in the trailer and it was stolen?

I believe that AirTags operate in the low GHZ region and as such fiberglass will offer little attenuation compared to other materials so if the trailer is rolling down the highway the odds are pretty good that someone will be driving by with an Apple device, less so out on the back roads / country.  The good news is that a lot of thieves also have Apple products so their own devices may squeal on them!  😁

[Patriot]

A link to the Apple Air Tag hack.  A how to disable the AT speaker.

 

 

[Patriot]

I presently collaborating with a family owned steel fabrication company in developing a “puck lock” security tray for the new Honda EU3200i. The design is very similar to the Honda 2200i. A bit if rough draft work measuring and many photos of the new 3200i. It’s a bit larger than the 2200i with a different bottom where the rubber feet are located. The numbers and design are now in the CAD stage. It will be crafted from 10 gauge metal and powder coated black.

This will allow the me to lock the gen down in the Oliver cargo basket during travel covered of course. And the option to actually run it in the cargo basket. I am hoping to have the first copy in a few weeks so I can conduct a fit and finish test on the our 3200i. My measurements have been redacted until final development.
I was hoping to have this Rally ready and installed however the timing is not working out. We are headed off to Oliver soon, so it will be after the rally before I can post up a few pics. 

Patriot🇺🇸

rough draft presented for CAD.

 

 

 

IMG_2342.avif