How do you lock up your portable generator?

Frank B said:

A portable battery powered grinder makes short work of any padlock,

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It gets better. Honda sells a "Theft deterrent bracket", checked it out and it's a metal bracket that bolts over the plastic handle. Something I never thought of, why try to cut the cable/chain, when you can just saw through the plastic handle? Sheesh 

jackiemac said:

We use a stainless steel cable and got loops added at each end and use a good padlock. Got it made up in a hardware store so much cheaper.

We wrap it around a tree or bench and cover with tarp to protect....

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  Small side grinder is how we prefer to cut stainless cable, makes a nice neat cut. I cut one of those Krypton cables with a pair of leatherman tools once when we need to, surprised how quick and easy it was.

Back2PA said:

It gets better. Honda sells a "Theft deterrent bracket", checked it out and it's a metal bracket that bolts over the plastic handle. Something I never thought of, why try to cut the cable/chain, when you can just saw through the plastic handle? Sheesh 

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Agreed, but that pretty much spoils it for resale. Might just as well paint "I've been stolen" on the side. Also make it hard to carry.


One COULD install a theft deterrent bracket on it afterward to patch the hole, I guess.  ;D

Frank B said:

One COULD install a theft deterrent bracket on it afterward to patch the hole, I guess.  ;D

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Now that's funny. 

Frank B said:

Agreed, but that pretty much spoils it for resale. Might just as well paint "I've been stolen" on the side. Also make it hard to carry.

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  isn't that like the craigslist for a big screen TV but doesnt have the remote?  They always forget to steal that also.

My friend of mine used normal steel chain and lock but it didn't work very well because one night burglars came with bolt cutter and generator was gone. After that he started to use stainless steel multi strand cable wire which is bolt cutter proof but it is not easy for manipulation and over all instalation so he is using normal chain again...but not on generator but on dogs that they protecting the generator over night

Cables and pad locks is what I use but I realize if they want it, they'll get it. I think the only way to prevent theft of a generator is to conceal it somehow, either inside your vehicle or make it look like something other than a generator. No matter how you secure it, if it looks like a generator sitting there and no one is around you can say goodbye to it. I usually leave it in the bed of my truck and cabled down with pad locks and a plastic cover over it.

Night time is the prime time to steal them.  A quiet dark campground is a perfect location to grab one. Size doesn't really matter, they can move some incredible stuff if they want it bad enough.  If I was going to go that route again I think I would find a way to bolt it into the truck, inside a tool box, or just take it inside at night. 

Have you seen the LowPro lockDown?  It mounts to your hitch arms and has a plate that bolts to your genny, which in turn locks to the mounted plate.  The genny can be easily removed when unlocked, while the plate stays bolted to the genny.  Cost is around $200, which seems reasonable given the cost of the genny.

http://lowprolockdown.com/

https://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com/Orbital-Machine-Works-SMS-H2000/p12822.html?gclid=CjwKCAiA767jBRBqEiwAGdAOr0YlFWadXS-9P9dTglmybxdsYhK43HaU6s0o73X-Y0QhWlNPJyNSmxoCW9sQAvD_BwE

I've seen some good reviews of this thing, and have seen one in the wild.  It seemed very strong and secure and didn't look at all obtrusive.  If I had a portable genny, I'd strongly consider it.

The reason Honda came with the metal device to cover the generator handles was because the older handles were hollow plastic.  People would chain their generators and come back and find the generator gone and some red pieces of plastic on the ground.  You didn't have to cut the handle, one smack with a tire iron or hammer and the generator was yours...but you got to keep your lock and chain.  The Ranger at a National Park we stayed at told me that they warn people all the time and they still chain up their generators, leave them out and lose them all the time.

I had back surgery a long time ago and we camped in a local National Park a lot with no hook ups.  I'd have a neighbor put the generator in the back of my truck on two narrow strips of thin plywood one on top of the other.  The generator slid easily out onto the trail gate and back in.  I would run the generator during gen. hours right on the tailgate.  When not in use I'd just slide it back in the truck and lock the tail gate and bed cap.  Not really secure but covered with a small rug it was out of site and I never had a problem.  I would stow the extra 30 amp cord I needed to reach the generator and the trailer cord so it didn't look like I had a generator.  When my back healed I could load and unload the generator myself but I still use it on the tail gate and it never come out of the truck on a trip.  Works for me

FunSteak said:

Have you seen the LowPro lockDown?  It mounts to your hitch arms and has a plate that bolts to your genny, which in turn locks to the mounted plate.  The genny can be easily removed when unlocked, while the plate stays bolted to the genny.  Cost is around $200, which seems reasonable given the cost of the genny.

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Interesting and looks pretty stought, although not sure where I'd lock it with a fifth wheel

Have you thought about a rack for the back of your trailer?  You could secure your Honda with the LowPro lock Down by bolting it to the rack.  The hitch locks are pretty secure so it's not likely they'd get it off without a key.  Only issue I can think of would be exhaust fumes entering the trailer. 

garyb1st said:

Have you thought about a rack for the back of your trailer?  You could secure your Honda with the LowPro lock Down by bolting it to the rack.  The hitch locks are pretty secure so it's not likely they'd get it off without a key.  Only issue I can think of would be exhaust fumes entering the trailer.

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For now the generator is primarily an emergency backup power source and as such I think I'll just plan on using it only when I'm present. Right now I have a bike rack in the receiver but things could change down the road