Copper wire thieves

[cwerdna]

The EU apparently saw that as obvious too.

In Europe, it isn't bring your own cable for DC fast charging likely because of the reasons I mentioned.

 

[mux]

Heh. I actually considered keeping the cooling water (if present) pressurised. Thieves getting their clothes soaked or stuff in their eyes might slow them down.

I considered even adding something like pepper spray to the fluid, if that didn't adversely affect performance or longevity. But there are always genuine accidents, and you don't want the customers getting injured by a hose wearing out or inadvertently driven over by a previous customer.

I don't think we want a cat and mouse situation like the copy protection days.

All jokes aside, the real solution to avoid vandalism and destruction of utilities is a sense of shared ownership. If more people drive electric and dehumanizing EV drivers isn't as easy, people won't be motivated on a whim to do this kind of stuff.

Likewise, if people aren't absolutely desperate for money, they're not going to steal such an esoteric source of copper.

 

[KazooBruce]

In Europe they carry their own cables. I know hard to believe. I don't think Americans would ever put up with that. That's why the SAE standard has a cable negotiation protocol. We don't use it here.

 

[Bombastinator2]

In Europe they carry their own cables. I know hard to believe. I don't think Americans would ever put up with that. That's why the SAE standard has a cable negotiation protocol. We don't use it here.

I think they would. It would be widely complained about but it would still be done. The fast charging thing I have no answer for though. Those things are over an inch thick for CHadMO. Probably a reel or the marker dye in the cooling fluid thing. Or both.

 

[KazooBruce]

I think they would. It would be widely complained about but it would still be done. The fast charging thing I have no answer for though. Those things are over an inch thick for CHadMO. Probably a reel or the marker dye in the cooling fluid thing. Or both.

I didn't know the super chargers had cooling fluid in the cable! How about just a 10000 volt low current charge like a electric fence when not in use. Cut the wire get A shock.

 

[Bombastinator2]

I didn't know the super chargers had cooling fluid in the cable! How about just a 10000 volt low current charge like an electric fence when not in use. Cut the wire get A shock.

Too easy to get around. Rubber handled. Cutters. Also there is the possibility of killing someone. Not all do. Some apparently have liquid coolant systems. According to someone on here at least. Dye can be gotten around too, it was the go to for banks for a long time. It’s a PITA though. The whole “bring your own” makes the most sense to me. Kryptonite will probably do one…

 

[keith746]

There is a lot of animosity about EV's I wonder how many are damaged just to put the charger out of action and not for the copper? If that is the reason, then who ever is doing it will look for another way to disable the charger.

While researching Quick Chargers in the city of Redmond, Wa today, April 15, 2024, I learned that all 3 of the available locations had all of the cables cut by vandals. The cables were LEFT ON THE GROUND. So copper was not the motive. The stations were from 3 different networks: EVGO, Flo, and Electrify America. Ouch!

 

[Bombastinator2]

Were they aluminum? Someone mentioned cut first check later being a common M.O.

The other possibility of course is coal rollers. It’s a stupid and illogical pipe dream that was shown to be so in the previous administration by the actual people claiming to support it. The mines will not reopen. No stupid behavior will make it happen. Accept reality and move on. Coal mining in the U.S. is deader than Elvis. It’s up there with movable lead type and itinerant whitesmithing. Coal is common and the U.S. is not actually the place that has the most of it. Most of the other countries that have it too (and there are many) have cheaper labor, so cheaper coal, and they can’t sell it either. Their coal regions are dead too. Coal rolling is pidegeon superstition. (An interesting phenomena btw) None the less, as the saying goes “no one ever made money overestimating human intelligence”. People are dumb enough to do that.

 

[KazooBruce]

Too easy to get around. Rubber handled. Cutters. Also there is the possibility of killing someone. Not all do. Some apparently have liquid coolant systems. According to someone on here at least. Dye can be gotten around too, it was the go to for banks for a long time. It’s a PITA though. The whole “bring your own” makes the most sense to me. Kryptonite will probably do one…

I was mostly kidding. If the solution is bring your own cable, then the cars will need retractable cables like toasters. Another idea is to go back to the idea of wireless charging. I wonder what the maximum charge rate is for wireless technology

 

[Bombastinator2]

I was mostly kidding. If the solution is bring your own cable, then the cars will need retractable cables like toasters. Another idea is to go back to the idea of wireless charging. I wonder what the maximum charge rate is for wireless technology

The problem with wireless charging is it’s something like 1/3 as efficient, and some pretty impressive heat is generated as a result. Not a big deal with something like a phone, but with a car that draws more amps than a furnace, it matters. Those toasters you are talking about have reels. BYO has the advantage of being cheaper for the station owner and the lookout of the user, is effectively self-replacing, and has already been done. These three together make it more likely I think.

 

[cwerdna]

 

[Bombastinator2]

Derp. They made a light post thin enough and small enough around you could get a non-chain style pipe cutter around it. Surprised it didn’t happen the night they went up.chain style pipe cutters are too unwieldy to hide under a jacket and too expensive to be shopliftable at home depot

 

[cwerdna]

https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/thr...rom-montrose-houston-charging-station.326718/ - 18/19 stations had their cables cut

 

[Bombastinator2]

https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/thr...rom-montrose-houston-charging-station.326718/ - 18/19 stations had their cables cut

Ouch. Steps clearly need to be taken.

 

[cwerdna]

4 more sites hit thanks to a post on "TMC":
https://www.click2houston.com/news/...-less-than-a-week-but-motive-remains-unclear/

 

[cwerdna]

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/north-bay/thieves-cut-tesla-cables/3537241/

 

[marshallinwash]

Have your state require the scrape buyers mail a check for copper or catalytic converters. Doing that seems to slow things down.

 

[Bombastinator2]

Have your state require the scrape buyers mail a check for copper or catalytic converters. Doing that seems to slow things down.

Because people who do this are poor and desperate, and they’re unlikely to have the money for a PO BOX, which would easily end run this one. Maybe do “no PO Boxes” too

 

[cwerdna]

Came across this on YouTube:
"Stop signs replace some Oakland traffic lights to deter copper theft"
https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisc...oakland-traffic-lights-to-deter-copper-theft/

 

[cwerdna]

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/richmond-explosions-copper-theft/3630331/