Vacuum cleanouts and homeless

[Dirtgirl47]

Anyone have success resolving homeless people breaking into the vacuum clean out doors? I have broken latches that we’ve replaced, only to have them destroyed again. Or they dent the body of the unit by trying to wedge the doors open. For now, I’ve left the doors unlocked, but if they are not shut tightly, then the vacs have no suction. It pisses me off how much damage they cause for a few coins.
I just read Carwash Forum post printed in SSCWN magazine where MEP001 mentions that they have “finally stopped the homeless from getting into the cleanouts”. I’d l love to know what worked

 

[MEP001]

I bought some 1/4" thick by 2" angle iron, cut, drilled and bolted it to the vac and put a padlock on it that can't be cut with normal bolt cutters. They haven't messed with them since.

 

[soonermajic]

We gave up, for reasons you stated, & leave em unlocked. They come at night, so there isn't much business loss then.
I have thought serious about putting snakes inside there, @ night. But haven't ever done it...
Yet!

 

[Randy]

We put stainless steel angle iron on our vacuums and they ripped the doors off at the hinge. We leave them unlocked now and clean them every other day. I wish someone made a spring hinge so they'd close on there own.
The big tunnel guys here, pull the coin boxes, turn off the power to there vac's and clean out the vacuums at closing time.

 

[Dirtgirl47]

We put stainless steel angle iron on our vacuums and they ripped the doors off at the hinge. We leave them unlocked now and clean them every other day. I wish someone made a spring hinge so they'd close on there own.
The big tunnel guys here, pull the coin boxes, turn off the power to there vac's and clean out the vacuums at closing time.
[/

 

[Dirtgirl47]

That is what I’m afraid will happen, that they will just go for the hinges instead; we already have damage to some of the hinges. I am thinking of having metal straps fabricated that would wrap all around the vac door, like a belt, with a extra strong abus lock to secure it. But then I’d have to have metal “belt loops” welded to the vac body to secure the strap.
It really bothers me that my customers lose out on the vacuums because of this issue. And of course there are some ppl that get mad at the vac not working and then vandalize it. Like cutting the hose or claw off…we go through a lot of claws

 

[edredtop]

We put stainless steel angle iron on our vacuums and they ripped the doors off at the hinge. We leave them unlocked now and clean them every other day. I wish someone made a spring hinge so they'd close on there own.
The big tunnel guys here, pull the coin boxes, turn off the power to there vac's and clean out the vacuums at closing time.

What a great idea!
Bolting a carburetor return spring on the inside of the door to the opposite side of the tank would do it.
Put a kit together and market it to Kleen-Rite! ;-)

 

[MEP001]

On some of my vacs, the Fragramatics and two IVS, I wanted to get them secured immediately with padlocks, so I bought some heavy coated cable and made a piece that wraps around the vac. They have a heavier catch on them than original, but they would just break the latch off, so I wrapped the cable around and hooked the lock through both the cable and the latch. They can't twist the lock off the latch, they can't get the door open on the hinge side, and they can't cut the cable or the padlock. I'll try to remember to take some pictures.

 

[Keith Baker]

What a great idea!
Bolting a carburetor return spring on the inside of the door to the opposite side of the tank would do it.
Put a kit together and market it to Kleen-Rite! ;-)

I tried the return spring idea and couldn't fine anything that worked. Anything strong enough like a screen door spring won't let the door open. And a closer hinge won't work because the surface isn't flat to allow it to open. If someone comes up with an idea that works, share it please.
I just bolt the latch shut with a carriage bolt and double nut it. Right now I'm there every morning at 7. If they open them up overnight, I close them right away. They usually get cleaned out every afternoon, so there isn't much in them overnight.

 

[Bricks]

I tried the return spring idea and couldn't fine anything that worked. Anything strong enough like a screen door spring won't let the door open. And a closer hinge won't work because the surface isn't flat to allow it to open. If someone comes up with an idea that works, share it please.
I just bolt the latch shut with a carriage bolt and double nut it. Right now I'm there every morning at 7. If they open them up overnight, I close them right away. They usually get cleaned out every afternoon, so there isn't much in them overnight.

Could you use a spring, even if it’s a little weak, yet strong enough to get the door close to shut, Then make a magnet strip on the jamb, and a metal strip on the door to finish the job?

 

[slash007]

I bought some 1/4" thick by 2" angle iron, cut, drilled and bolted it to the vac and put a padlock on it that can't be cut with normal bolt cutters. They haven't messed with them since.

I had that done to 3 vacs and they have held up so far, they keep cutting the cheap latches on my other 4, so I'm putting the same thick latches on all of the rest soon. Hoping they dont' tear the doors off.

 

[jack954]

rat trap. it’s about 3 times larger than a mouse trap. hide under vac dirt, aim camera appropriately and enjoy the show

 

[MEP001]

Could you use a spring, even if it’s a little weak, yet strong enough to get the door close to shut, Then make a magnet strip on the jamb, and a metal strip on the door to finish the job?

You shouldn't need all that. If you can get a spring to close the door, the suction will hold it shut.

 

[MEP001]

rat trap. it’s about 3 times larger than a mouse trap. hide under vac dirt, aim camera appropriately and enjoy the show

And if someone complains, tell the police that you've had a rodent problem in the vacuums.

 

[CheetahExpress]

Gin-San makes something they call a "shroud" which which fits over the clasps on the back of the vacuums and locks with one key. Since installing them on our vacs, we no longer have a problem with bums breaking into the vac buckets. If anyone wants a picture, let me know and I'll put one on this thread. They are expensive, but have solved the problem.

 

[Randy]

Gin-San makes something they call a "shroud" which which fits over the clasps on the back of the vacuums and locks with one key. Since installing them on our vacs, we no longer have a problem with bums breaking into the vac buckets. If anyone wants a picture, let me know and I'll put one on this thread. They are expensive, but have solved the problem.

Yes, a couple of pictures would be nice

 

[Dan kamsickas]

Here it is. It's designed for our Powervacs. I can't guaranteed it will fit other manufacturer's units and it will not fit old GinSan vacuums.

 

[CheetahExpress]

Here's a pic of the one we have on both of our vacs:

 

[Randy]

We had something like that, "HAD" is used in the past tense. They didn't last very long, I think it was about a week.

 

[DRsuds]

I wish I could remember where we got these stainless brackets because I need one more. But these have done me justice. We also have the shroud style at our other location for our JE Adams Vacs. The ones in these photos are Coleman I believe. The only vac we ever have broken into now is the one we have no lock bracket for. If I can find out where I got em I’ll post here.