Looking for some kind of alarm system for condensers

[gesellman]

I have a customer who owns a couple apartment buildings and some office buildings near bad parts of town. I have had to replace so many condensers already that I'm pretty much more pissed off than he is. We're down to 2 condensers left in storage, (out of 10 we bought last year to keep around.) Whats the best way to secure a condenser? Loss of pressure alarm, loss of power, tree chair with a high powered sniper rifle? Does anyone know brands, or a website to buy them? Cages dont work as it seems these crackheads will rip them apart with their teeth.. Between the time a tenant heard the lineset being cut until they were gone with a unit couple nights ago, only a minute had gone by.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[sup3rh3at]

I was wondering about this as well. A pressure sensing wireless alarm seems like a very good direction to go in but there would have to be some kind of audible alarm or straight to owner response. There a market for it, so i'm sure someone sells it. Anyone with any info please post.

[johncockerill]

The unit will require a power disconnect to remove. You might start there with a box cover sensor connected to a local alarm and security dialer. A silent dialer will give the police time to respond during disconnect, and haul away. You could GPS the unit. You can put shock detectors on the enclosure. If it was broken you might call an HVAC expert. If it is stolen you might call a security expert.

[beb]

How about a low psi switch hooked to an alarm

[rfhcms]

acwatchdog.com system will watch low voltage, high voltage and pressure.

[BaldLoonie]

https://jacksonsystems.com/search/category/238

[OldSchoolMech]

The Member SIX Posted a whole write up on this same situation Just this Month. search for it I believe it is in the wall of pride section.

I don't get it how they can get threw a cage and disconnect a unit with out being seen?
Have you heard how loud a cut linset is?

Do you have pics of them mounted before the theft?

[PapaFuse]

I have installed two units where the owner wanted to use a silent alarm system and secure the units to the ground.

What I did was take out one compressor bolt and run a threaded rod through it. The owners burried a piece of steel
(one was a lawn mower blade) in two concrete blocks and then cover that with concrete all under the pad. The
threaded rod just connected the condenser unit to 160-200 lbs. of concrete.

I bolted the compressor down with the threaded rod and then further up the rod put a nut and jam nut and welded
the nuts together.

The idea is the silent alarm goes off as soon as the t-stat wire is cut/torn and the theif is taken by surprise when
the unit won't budge and it takes a lot more time and effort to move it than they thoguht it would.

The owner/police are given a little more time to get there before the thief leaves -or- the thief gives up and leaves
without taking the condensing unit.

Either you catch the crook or you still have your condensing unit. You have to re-install it, but you don't have
to buy a new one.

[ncboston]

Maybe the manufacturer's should start installing Lojack as an option. And remember, this was my idea so I'm entitled to all the royalties.

[OldSchoolMech]

Smart Idea But nothing a chain and Truck wouldn't fix. I could still steal that unit in under a Minute I bet.

I was talking to PapaFuse

[ncboston]

Exactly. you'll never be able to stop the thefts, but maybe they can start catching the people doing the crime.

[Thorazine]

A small limit switch like a lid switch on a washing machine on the disconnect door to the line side> then through the flex> to an alarm (Radio Shack) in the condenser? I made something similar for a really rough apartment complex one time. They stole the alarm (pretty red fire bell) while it was going off.

[matt1124]

I have installed two units where the owner wanted to use a silent alarm system and secure the units to the ground.

What I did was take out one compressor bolt and run a threaded rod through it. The owners burried a piece of steel
(one was a lawn mower blade) in two concrete blocks and then cover that with concrete all under the pad. The
threaded rod just connected the condenser unit to 160-200 lbs. of concrete.

I bolted the compressor down with the threaded rod and then further up the rod put a nut and jam nut and welded
the nuts together.

The idea is the silent alarm goes off as soon as the t-stat wire is cut/torn and the theif is taken by surprise when
the unit won't budge and it takes a lot more time and effort to move it than they thoguht it would.

The owner/police are given a little more time to get there before the thief leaves -or- the thief gives up and leaves
without taking the condensing unit.

Either you catch the crook or you still have your condensing unit. You have to re-install it, but you don't have
to buy a new one.

Unless you piss them off enough to destroy it in place. At least YOU'D get the scrap money and not them!