Subscriber Discussion

Protecting AC Units?

JH
Jay Hobdy
Jul 05, 2017
IPVMU Certified

I have seen a couple devices out there like the AC whip but for an apartment community with 100+ units, it is hard to justify the cost with installation.

 

Has anyone just used an 18/2 wrapped around the freon lines like a thermostat wire? Then when the Freon line is cut, they would be cutting the wire? The wire could be connected to a relay/siren or an alarm?

 

Any other ideas for protecting mass units of AC's? I am not concerned with each unit being on it's own zone. All the units behind a building could be on one zone.

 

 

U
Undisclosed #1
Jul 05, 2017

Post signs on the units. This video from Copper Watcher speaks about the costs of installation:

JH
Jay Hobdy
Jul 05, 2017
IPVMU Certified

The copper watcher may be good for a business with a handful of units, not an apartment community. $165 each, plus install and markup. $300 each? that is $30,000 for a 100 units. The loss is not large enough to warrant spending that much.

 

 

U
Undisclosed #1
Jul 05, 2017

Well, you did not deploy the AC units without a security measure and you are being asked for a solution. If $30k breaks the bank is there any possibility the units can be fenced in? Is there an existing VMS on premise? 

 

U
Undisclosed #2
Jul 06, 2017

I think running a line into the AC unit with a EOL resister would achieve what you are looking for. If you just run the wire in without in EOL resister it could be shorted when cut and not trigger the alarm.

Also as long as the wire looks similar to a thermostat wire I think most thieves would not be sophisticated enough to realise it would trigger an alarm.

I would also individually zone each unit as if there are 100 units it could take an hour or two to discover which one was tampered with. If the aircon is on a balcony of an apartment with no public access you would need to enter each premises with owners permission which could take weeks to accomplish

JH
Jay Hobdy
Jul 06, 2017
IPVMU Certified

You think there is a way to do this without an actual alarm panel?

 

For example 4 AC units wired in parallel to a relay connected to a siren. How could we factor in a resistor?

JH
Jay Hobdy
Jul 06, 2017
IPVMU Certified

Remember most communities have staff on hand that repair AC's. They do not call an AC company and pay $100+ an hour and markup on parts.

 

If they they get a handful of AC units stolen/damaged, this may cost 3 or 4K. This may happen once or twice a year. It is not worth 30K to prevent. Simple math. But at the same time, its an issue as they have residents without AC or heat (if the units are heat pumps)

 

We are only concerned with units on the ground. There are 8 units there, 2 groups of 4. Probably keep each batch separate so we are not trenching wires, and use the disconnect for power. I think a simple siren if the wires were cut would work.

 

Here is a typical scenario

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #3
Jul 06, 2017

DMP has a transmitter rated -10 to 120F that could be installed in a plastic box and wired with an EOL.    Maybe one panel per POD or more?

JE
Jim Elder
Jul 06, 2017
IPVMU Certified

The cost involved with the loss  of the AC unit can go well beyond the unit itself: it can cause the business to shut down, undermine processes which may require cooling (i.e. IT closets overheat, mechanical equipment needs to restart, etc, etc), or even undermine customer relations (i.e. unable to complete work on time).  Also, lets not forget the labor involved with running cable or installing the devices as well

Things that detect when lines or cut or when freon is discharged  are good, but by that time, the damage has begun. I would suggest a more preventative approach. A motion light with a voice warning; or better yet,  couple it with a camera that provides view of the area involved and transmits a clip off site.  There are a couple of offerings that are not all that expensive such as the Arlo Pro and the Floodlight Cam that may fit this application.  

 

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #4
Jul 06, 2017

a simple solution, pet immune motion sensor can be hard wired into a IPC via  alarm input plug.  

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #5
Jul 06, 2017

Perhaps exterior multi-technology motion sensors are the least expensive method?

Avatar
Mark Jones
Jul 07, 2017

There are others, but we are DMP dealers so...

Wireless transmitter with an inexpensive XTL panel.  You can have one wireless point per unit or figure out how to wire all units to one transmitter.  The wireless transmitters are not much, and the XTL is their least expensive small panel.  You will need the app to monitor it, and don't HAVE to have central station.

If you have wifi available, there are no additional charges.  If you don't have wifi, then you will need to add a cell card.  

The wireless transmitter can monitor any 2 conductor wire terminated to anything.  It does not care what it is.  You can just monitor the continuity of a wire if you want.  

We once used this to monitor the mounting brackets for a camera system.  If the mount was removed from the wall, it interrupted continuity, sounded an alarm and called police.  It worked well except the thief lied about what he as doing and the officer believed him.  Go figure.  

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