Poke and Wrap Technique

 

The number one method to address tampering is a tampering policy you are willing to enforce. If you will not terminate a driver for stealing time and resources you should not deploy GPS tracking or telematics.

The next step is to do a good install. There are many aspects of a good installation which you want to ensure are utilized. One technique is called the Poke and Wrap.

 

The poke and wrap technique (PWT) is the industry preferred method of connecting GPS vehicle tracking systems to a vehicles wiring harness. Installation of custom sound, audio, video or satellite radio is best done by soldering all connections. The PWT technique for GPS installs ensures a constant and secure connection for the life of the vehicle while still offering a fairly quick removal.

 

Plastic connectors (t-taps, scotch locks, etc) may work lose over time, can be easily disconnected by an employee (intentionally or unintentionally), oxidize and may never provide a good connection from the start. Splice style connectors are often not used correctly and therefore do not work correctly. People will often use a connector designed for a 14 gauge wire on an 18 gauge wire. An even worse scenario is when someone tries to connect an 18 gauge wire to a 16 gauge wire with a connector which is designed for 14 gauge wire so it never cuts through the wire insulation.

The PWT eliminates a couple of these key issues and does not add a significant amount of time to the installation with the right tools. As with all installations, a little more time on the initial installation will reduce your time spent making service calls. Customer satisfaction is a time and money saver. What the mobile installation industry does not need is a bunch of installation cowboys doing marginal work. This technique is an excellent choice when soldering is not practical or desired because a unit may need to be moved at a later time; and time is a factor in a mobile installation situation. Once the technique is understood and mastered it becomes second nature and 3 months from now you are 100% confident that the connection didn�t come loose. The other benefit of the PWT is that it does not matter what size wires you are connecting. You can connect the same size wires or different size wires and get consistent quality and semi-permanent connections.

There are only a few standard tools that are needed for this technique. Which tools you use will depend on personal preference, the wire size you are trying to connect to and the amount of room you have to work with. Most GPS vehicle tracking systems are installed under the dash around the steering column.

Note: Every vehicle is different and you must ensure your work will not create a dangerous situation by impacting the vehicles safety system, creating a short circuit, computer system or voiding a warranty. If you do not know which wires to connect to, consult the manufacturers wiring diagram or another professional. A great source for vehicle wiring tips is www.bulldogsecurity.com.

How to make a basic connection

Step 1

Strip away 1/2 inch to 1 inch of the insulation on the wire you are connecting to in the middle of the wire and about 1 inch to 1 1/2 inch of wire on the wire coming from your electronic device.

There are a couple of techniques for doing this. You can use the automatic strippers shown above if you have room and you are not in danger of bumping the pliers against a metal object and creating a short circuit which will blow a fuse. Automatic strippers are not good for use on 18 and 20 gauge wires because they have a tendency to break the wire. Automatic strippers are fast and easy when the situation permits.

You can use standard wire strippers as well by simply scribing the insulation on one end and push the insulation up the wire. There is generally enough flexibility in the insulation to expose the needed bare wire. If you cannot get enough bare wire exposed, use standard wire strippers to score the insulation all the way around the wire on either end of the section you want to expose. Then remove the insulation in the middle by cutting the insulation away with a razor knife.

Step 2

Take a pointed object (test light, nail, pencil) and poke it into the wire you want to connect to on the vehicle wiring harness. Evenly divide the wires to create a loop.

Step 3

Insert the end of the bare wire from your electronic device being careful not to create a short circuit by bumping a metal object in the area. Push the wire to one end of the loop in preparation for wrapping.

Step 4

Squeeze the loop closed to provide a better contact. Wrap the inserted wire around both sides of the loop causing it to tightly collapse on the inserted wire. Neatly wrap the exposed wires around the loop starting at one end until you run out of wire. A neatly wrapped connection will provide many contact points.

 

Step 5

Using a piece of electrical tape, wrap the connection and ½” of insulation on either side of the exposed wires.

Step 6

Place a zip tie around the section where the bare wires are located under the electrical tape. This is important because electrical tape will come undone with heat and it is firmly holds the all bare wires together. The size of the zip tie needed depends on the size of the connection. A slightly wider zip tie offers more long term security.

 

 

 

Security ties offer another layer of security and tamper detection. They are readily available from many suppliers online. You can order the ties with custom lettering, colors, lengths, types and serial numbers to be specific to your company. Once the tie is connected it will have to be broken to be removed. At this point it is very obvious to you and the perpetrator that they have breached another level of security. Hopefully, the drivers desire to tamper with your work will decline with each layer of security they have to breach.

After placing the device in the vehicle, but before applying torque seal, connect a security tie to the device and the vehicle in such a way that the tie would have to be removed to get to the unit. Some customers who do not want to pay for your services, or drivers who do not want a GPS tracking system installed, may try to “service” a unit on their own. The security tie, torque seal, connection techniques and other value ads you offer, will help you close new business, reduce callbacks and lower service expenses.

 

 

 

 

Once a great installation is complete you want to make sure the customer, another installer, mechanic or driver does not alter your work. Any failure of the device installed starts with a phone call to you. If you are unable to determine the reason for an installation related failure you are unlikely to get paid for the service call. The simple application of a product called Torque Seal (click here to buy online) goes a long way for discouraging the alteration of your work.

 

 

Torque seal (TS) provides visual confirmation of the connection being altered. It also provides a deterrent by indicating to the would be perpetrator that there are measures in place to clearly identify an alternation to the device or connections. When applying TS, think like someone that does not want the device in the vehicle. Think like a company driver that does not want to be tracked by his employer. How or what would he/she do to alter the GPS tracking system to render the system inoperable? Once you take this perspective you will be very thorough in the application of the torque seal.

 

Torque seal comes in a small tube in a variety of colors as a paste about the consistency of toothpaste. Once applied it sticks to the surface and dries hard over 24 hours. Once hard it will crack on removal making the tampering obvious. One special note to implement when using torque seal is to only apply it after the device is in the final resting place. Torque seal is designed not to come off so if you touch it or bump it on the vehicle or your hands you will likely make a mess the customer will not appreciate.

 

When applying torque seal apply a liberal amount to every connection. This would include: access panel screw heads, antennas connectors, wiring harness, cap on fuse holder, butt connectors, zip ties holding poke and wrap connections and auxiliary or PTO connection points. You can also increase the deterrence by applying TS to screw heads that must be removed to get to the device when installed in the dash of the vehicle. Do not skimp on the amount of TS being used. TS starts as a paste but dries and shrinks. If you do not use enough, it will crack when it shrinks and you may get a false impression because it cracks spanning a gap.

 

As with all security, you have to think in layers. Any one security breach might be explained away by a driver or customer but when there are 2, 3 or even 4 layers of protection, you can state with great confidence that someone has altered the installation. Layers of security and tampering detection may included:

1.     Torque seal on screws or bolt heads required to remove the kick panel or trim panel to get to the device.

2.     Hiding the device in an area that is not readily visible or accessible. High up in the dash and behind the instrument cluster are examples of covert placement options.

3.     Applying torque seal to all connections.

4.     Using serial numbered security ties to hold the device in place that have to be broken to be removed. (click here to read more about security ties)

 

Consider the cost of making a return trip at no charge to the time, effort and cost of implementing the above techniques. There is obviously an obvious value in using torque seal and other security measures. Business customers don't want you coming back any more than you want to go back. Implement these techniques, sell your value added services and generate more business.