Locking The Electrical Panel

[Brandt]

My electrical panel is outside near the front of the house next to the garage. If someone where to attempt a break in they could shut off the power and that would disable any sort home automation and security protection my home may have.

Is is safe and legal to put a combination lock on the panel??

[Dan Lawrence]

Call your electric company, give them the question and suggest a double lock, one for you and one for the company.  They may be OK with it.

[Brandt]

Is it safe though? I mean if someone is being shocked.

[Tuicemen]

I'm not sure how not having a lock on the pannel will help someone being shocked!
Does every one in your area have their pannels outside?
This seems like a strange place to put it to me, But I'm in Canada where every thing is inside!

[Brandt]

I'm not sure how not having a lock on the pannel will help someone being shocked!
Does every one in your area have their pannels outside?
This seems like a strange place to put it to me, But I'm in Canada where every thing is inside!

Well if someone is receiving an electric shock, you're suppose to kill the power right?

I'm in southern California..homes in the neighborhood built in the late 70s. I believe they are all outside.

[HA Dave]

I've never lived in CA.... but isn't that an earthquake thing? I always just assumed that was so the power could be (safely) killed on a collapsed home. Seems to me there was a thread here about using an alarm system with the same sort of power arrangement.

[JeffVolp]

I'm in southern California..homes in the neighborhood built in the late 70s. I believe they are all outside.

Here too.

Our alarm system has battery backup that will carry it several hours.

Jeff

[Brandt]

So the proper solution is to not lock your electrical panel, but to have a battery backup for your alarm system?

[JeffVolp]

Whether you can lock your panel probably depends on your local regulations.  Back east I was told the fire department pulls the meter to shut off the electricity.  A burglar could do that too - it only takes a wire cutter to release the clamp.

Battery backup is the best way to insure your alarm system works through any outage.  Obviously, X10 will cease to function.

Jeff

[Brandt]

Well I don't have a DS7000 console, I use a w800usb connected to Heyu running on a Sheevaplug to handle the alarm algorithms.

So if someone pulls the power, I lose my HA server, my internet connectivity (sms emails), and alarms (powerhorns). I'd be dead in the water.

[HA Dave]

So the proper solution is to not lock your electrical panel, but to have a battery backup for your alarm system?

Many years ago (1978?) my first wife was an antique collector. So, I installed an alarm system. It was all hardwired with a battery backup. I was told then... that the pros would just disable the phones. My brother who worked for the phone company confirmed that. He said the phone company would get trouble calls claiming that burglars had "cut the phone lines". But the lines weren't cut. The thieves would just pull the fuses (from the little plastic box on the home) and throw them in the yard.

I think serious alarms (besides the battery backup) now have cellular/mobile phones. I read [or saw on the news] of a local home that was broke into by cutting a hole in the wall using a chain saw. No alarm was triggered. If you have things that attracts the attention of a professional [scum-bucket] burglar... they will take it. That is what insurance, and safety deposit boxes are for.

If your really more concerned about the local troubled kid down the street. Some sensors and cameras may help as a deterrent. And a UPS on your setup could keep it running.

[Mellowmark]

It is not only legal as well as advisable to put a lock on the switch.  Please do so and don't give it another thought.  And then address the back up power options.  the autority can always cut your lock if they need to.   

[Knightrider]

Whether you can lock your panel probably depends on your local regulations.  Back east I was told the fire department pulls the meter to shut off the electricity.  A burglar could do that too - it only takes a wire cutter to release the clamp.

Battery backup is the best way to insure your alarm system works through any outage.  Obviously, X10 will cease to function.

Jeff

Most FD's are advised against pulling a meter these days.  Not only is it dangerous when you've been playing in water, but newer meters work off an induced current and no connection is broken when the meter is yanked from the socket.

We have to wait for the electric company these days.