Author Topic: Paranoia or Foul Play?  (Read 5244 times)

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Offline rossw

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Paranoia or Foul Play?
« on: February 12, 2015, 01:04:04 am »
So, we had a decent storm through last night. Heaps of close lightning (started a dozen bushfires around us, but the fire fighters were straight onto them and got them out quickly). A lot of strong, gusty wind....

Well, I'd been offsite until about 2pm today, when I got home I found the batteries had been charging far slower than they should have. A quick look at the logs and I could see arrays 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 were all nominal but array 5 was dead.

Went up top and....


That's not what I expected, for sure!!

The missing panel wasn't too far away, in a fence... not seriously damaged, fortunately. But this was a worry!


On closer inspection, three of the 4 cap-screws and nylock nuts that held it on were COMPLETELY MISSING.
Nylock nuts do NOT just shake off. Ever.
More curious again, the panel beside this one had TWO if its FOUR nuts also MISSING.

Every other nut and bolt on the array were tight. Also odd that the ziplock cable ties were completely missing.

I reckon some scumbag had tried to steal a couple of panels, been interrupted and not been back to finish the job, then the gusty wind of the storm last night just finished the deal off...

(All fixed and back in production now, fortunately)

Razor wire? Isolate them from ground and leave 'em at 120V DC live?

Offline Wolvenar

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Re: Paranoia or Foul Play?
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2015, 01:33:02 am »
I like the high voltage idea.
Unfortunately it may leave you liable if the scumbag was injured

Your good with cameras, that may be one step. It would also lend itself to some pretty cool time lapse.
Anyone can wear a ski mask or otherwise, so a loud alarm at the site may help as well. At least it would scare them, and text you.
Here I do similar and mms with images.

Further than that I suppose is up to what you can get away with legally or what risk your willing to take in that area .
Trying to make power from alternative energy any which way I can.
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Offline rossw

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Re: Paranoia or Foul Play?
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2015, 02:01:51 am »
I like the high voltage idea.
Unfortunately it may leave you liable if the scumbag was injured

I've got acres, and a bobcat....   <grin>



Offline bj

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Re: Paranoia or Foul Play?
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2015, 06:07:11 am »
   In my opinion,  Ross, you are certainly not paranoid.  It is hard to know what to do about it though.
   The Bobcat solution has many merits, but if your legal system is anything like ours, criminals have
more rights than their victims.
    On the brighter side, glad the panel etc. is OK, and the repairs were relatively easy.
   
"Even a blind squirrel will find an acorn once in a while"
bj

Offline kurt

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Re: Paranoia or Foul Play?
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2015, 08:15:40 am »


 you need a donkey in that pasture or how about a love sick alpaca??
Climate is what you expect. Weather is what you get  Mark Twain

my small engine page

Offline tomw

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Re: Paranoia or Foul Play?
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2015, 08:51:33 am »
Yuck. Nothing would surprise me these days.

Maybe the rowdies with the boats have returned?

Guinea hens (Pea Fowl) are quite noisy watchdog types but are obnoxiously loud in general.

What kind of geek are you? No surveillance system monitoring them?

Well, if they loosened "naturally" the fasteners should be lying there close in, at least the nuts?

If you go the Bobcat route be sure to do the earth work next door.  ;D A pen of hungry porkers will leave absolutely no evidence after a few hours. Don't ask how I know that  8)



 
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Offline MadScientist267

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Re: Paranoia or Foul Play?
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2015, 01:02:56 am »
With friends like this, who needs enemies?  :o

Glad to hear it at least went back together...

I'll go with "D - All of the above" ;D

Steve
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