5th wheel front storage security

[Hawgwild]

Hi all, like many of you I have a substantial investment in lithium batteries, Victron components etc. in my front storage bay. I would like to add a better locking system for added security. Has anyone beefed up this area? Thanks in advance!

[Country Campers]

I have thought about making some type of removable prison type bars to put inside the front storage door. Have a lock or 2 to remove to get the bars out. Make the bar spacing small enough that you can not fit anything good I keep in there out. But it just seems that I have not done anything with it, just an idea. I have indoor storage at home so I really do not need it. Storage away from home I would be making some kind of provisions.

Brian

[Madonnell]

I've thought of all sorts of additional locking and reinforcement, but in the end that is a thin flexible door - won't take much to pop or tear it out. I've even thought about reinforcing the door.

I did swap from 1 lock in the middle and 2 handles on the outside the 2 locks and 1 handle.

I also installed my batteries & inverter in the main passthru utility space (under the bedroom steps). The front bay has mostly parts & supplies.

[Hawgwild]

Yes, I agree, it is a flimsy door, I just want to make it a little more difficult to get into. I also added 2 locks but those are flimsy as well. Once I come up with something I’ll post it.

[Madonnell]

Best I've come up with (but haven't done) would be to replace the center handle with one like they used to use on truck bed shells - with the t-handle and 2 lock bars which extend laterally to lock the cover. Would be pretty easy to adapt for this, perhaps with a steel strip behind it to reinforce the door a bit.

[Sandridge4]

Madonnell I thought about the same however all the work to make it more secure by adding to it makes it more complicated when I want access, in the end I purchased another blink security camera and have it hidden in the pin box, it won’t stop them from stealing but I’ll have them on video doing it. I have a total of 5 exterior blink cameras and 2 interior. All exterior cameras are removed during travel. This system does require internet to operate and get motion alerts but we have unlimited data through the T-Mobile home internet.

[Yoda]

I looked into this a while back and gave up. I think there was a post somewhere over on IRV2 when a person custom built a steel frame and diamond plate door using the T handle lock set from a camper shell rear door. I also looked into stronger slam latches, but the frame would give. Also even with a reinforced door the skin to either side is so flimsy it could be easily ripped away.

I have never had any issues in camp grounds, but who knows now a days. If I was at a storage lot I would be removing the batterys before storage. I'm lucky I can store at home in a safe neighborhood.

The last thing I was looking into was a settable DC sonic alarm system that could be set to trigger if power or a part was removed - physical / mechanical trigger. Never could find anything like that.
Even looked into exploding dye packs, but with my luck I would forget and set it off

Its all covered by insurance should something big happen.

Keith

[Jlawles2]

I looked into this a while back and gave up. I think there was a post somewhere over on IRV2 when a person custom built a steel frame and diamond plate door using the T handle lock set from a camper shell rear door. I also looked into stronger slam latches, but the frame would give. Also even with a reinforced door the skin to either side is so flimsy it could be easily ripped away.

I have never had any issues in camp grounds, but who knows now a days. If I was at a storage lot I would be removing the batterys before storage. I'm lucky I can store at home in a safe neighborhood.

The last thing I was looking into was a settable DC sonic alarm system that could be set to trigger if power or a part was removed - physical / mechanical trigger. Never could find anything like that.
Even looked into exploding dye packs, but with my luck I would forget and set it off

Its all covered by insurance should something big happen.

Keith

something like this? https://www.amazon.com/REMFLY-Perime...BoCHLgQAvD_BwE
or
https://www.amazon.com/Lewis-N-Clark...671773487&th=1 with the battery sitting on top of the switch.