How to keep tractors battery from being stolen?

[CliffordK]

But put a totally dead one back in it's place so the idiot thief gets a real surprise.

Is there a way to build a battery that would brick a person's car, without harming one's tractor?

One could probably figure out a way to reverse the +/- poles. You'd have to change the markings on the battery, as well as reshape the battery terminals. What would that do to a modern car? Potentially not as much as one would hope.

On the other hand, if one could push out a massive over-voltage, then it could have some unpredictable results. But, it would take more work to configure the battery to push the over-voltage pulse, as well as protecting one's own equipment.

Unfortunately, one might also expect the thief to come back and vandalize something.

 

[5030]

In reality if some perp wants my starting battery they can have it. I run Group 31's, commercial starting batteries and they are very heavy. No wimp perp is gonna take them. Never heard of anyone taking a battery around here anyway.

 

[5030]

In reality if some perp wants my starting battery they can have it. I run Group 31's, commercial starting batteries and they are very heavy. No wimp perp is gonna take them. Never heard of anyone taking a battery around here anyway.

 

[oosik]

I live very remote - LONG driveway is the ONLY way in/out of my property - very bright yard light - exceedingly heavy Odyssey battery. It's so very heavy - I could not, by myself, lift this new battery into position. Six foot 2x4 thru the lifting loops - my friend and I put the battery in its place.

Plus - it's known, far and wide, I have a very bad attitude towards anybody who would come with less than friendly intentions.

 

[BlueKnife]

One could probably figure out a way to reverse the +/- poles. You'd have to change the markings on the battery, as well as reshape the battery terminals. What would that do to a modern car? Potentially not as much as one would hope.

Generally that's just going to blow the fusible link/main fuse. Better than nothing though. I haven't read through the whole thread, but have trail cameras been suggested?

 

[Eagle1]

Plus - it's known, far and wide, I have a very bad attitude towards anybody who would come with less than friendly intentions.

THIS^^^^^^^^

Once you escort a couple of miscreant of your property properly dressed and with the aid of giant dog or 3, word spreads fast.

I'm the crazy old dude at the bottom of the holler.

 

[ultrarunner]

No way to live, IMHO. I will not live in a place everything has to be locked up , if I need to behind bars let it be my doing not the fear of what others might do.

My parents live behind barred windows and a high fence in a ritzy neighborhood. No way to live........

Even tweakers understand big dogs and shotguns....

You can run but you can’t hide as several of my friends that moved to other states looking for greener pastures… they found no place is perfect…

Padlocking will prevent casual but 3 times I’m thinking removal?

 

[CliffordK]

Another option is to increase the whole property security.

Mom has a gate 1/3 the way down the driveway. 2 buttons on posts to open the gate, but the buttons are disabled at night and one must use remote control clickers.

It also helps with loose livestock.

It isn't a perfect solution, but it could act as a deterrent for casual thieves. If this is vacation property, or a place you aren't at regularly, then lock the gate with a big padlock.

At Mom's vacation property, there was also a gate with a padlock. The utility company wanted through the gate, so they installed their own padlock, two locks interlocking as links in the chain. So, they had one lock/key, and my mother had the other lock/key.

 

[JohnP3616]

Many years ago I bolted a chain to the underside of my car hood. I ran it around the frame and padlocked it. I would be very concerned about losing the entire tractor.

 

[MossRoad]

Many years ago I bolted a chain to the underside of my car hood. I ran it around the frame and padlocked it. I would be very concerned about losing the entire tractor.

My grandfather had to chain his hood shut in the '60s to prevent battery theft. I remember it fondly, watching him lay down in the street to unlock the hood of his 62 Cadillac. "Whatcha doing grandpa?" I was maybe 5-6 years old.

 

[9973720wb19]

since you have a reoccurring problem...you might just have to take the battery with you at the end of the day...maybe after a few times they see it's being removed you might not have to that anymore

 

[workinonit]

Put a dead battery in it's place with a GPS tracker inside so you know where to go shoot them.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

I think the statute of limitations is up but years ago a friend called me & other friends up, he caught some guy stealing his battery one winter. So we drove him out in the middle of nowhere...miles past where we saw even a shack...had the guy strip nekkid.
One guy brought lipstick knowing our plan...painted his lips and wrote "THIEF" on his back, dropped him out. Miles away on another road threw his clothes out over an embankment.
We never ever saw, heard from or know what happened and it was freezing cold. He could have croaked for all I know.
Keep this in mind if you catch a thief.