Driveway alarms
- Thread starter Panache
- Start date
beenthere
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2001
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- 18,090
- Location
- Southern Wisconsin, USA
- Tractor
- JD_4x2_Gator, JD_4300, JD_425, JD_455 AWS, added JD_455, JD_110, JD_X485(sold)
I have thought about putting in a coil in the drive to 'announce' a vehicle driving in, especially since putting in the 'quieter' asphalt drive. But I should have done it before laying the asphalt. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
I wouldn't do the motion detector, as deer would trip it, and maybe even racoon and turkey. Getting lots of 'alarms' that have to be checked out in the middle of the night isn't my idea of a comfortable life. Also, I might just sleep through the occasional intruder like I would do without the alarm.
Just speaking from my viewpoint.
I wouldn't do the motion detector, as deer would trip it, and maybe even racoon and turkey. Getting lots of 'alarms' that have to be checked out in the middle of the night isn't my idea of a comfortable life. Also, I might just sleep through the occasional intruder like I would do without the alarm.
Just speaking from my viewpoint.
PitbullMidwest
Platinum Member
I don't have experience with any of the new manufactured type but my brother in law built his own about 10 years ago. It uses an infra red beam with a reflector and has a control to adjust sensitivity, when the beam is broken a buzzer sounds in the house.
The manufactured versions eleminate the need for a reflector which is a big improvement since any amount of frost would interfere with the beam reflection (he solved this by placing a small watt light bulb in the reflector box to provide heat). Also his system was hardwired so a battery system seams to be an improvement as well. One down side of the types I've seen is that the alarms only sounds for 3 or 5 seconds regardless of what breaks the beam. My BIL's sounds for as long as the beam is broken making it possible to tell the difference between a car, person or animal. Since installing it the number of curiousity seekers and trespassers has greatly deminished.
I just bought the "Reporter" driveway alarm for my mother in law, $70 at Radio Shack, I hope it works at least as well as my BIL's.
The manufactured versions eleminate the need for a reflector which is a big improvement since any amount of frost would interfere with the beam reflection (he solved this by placing a small watt light bulb in the reflector box to provide heat). Also his system was hardwired so a battery system seams to be an improvement as well. One down side of the types I've seen is that the alarms only sounds for 3 or 5 seconds regardless of what breaks the beam. My BIL's sounds for as long as the beam is broken making it possible to tell the difference between a car, person or animal. Since installing it the number of curiousity seekers and trespassers has greatly deminished.
I just bought the "Reporter" driveway alarm for my mother in law, $70 at Radio Shack, I hope it works at least as well as my BIL's.
Ken_f
Member
I did some research a few years back on this... My driveway is paved and 1100 feet long. I did not want to have anyone surprise me by driving up without me knowing it.
So, The two options were wired or wireless. Did not want to run a line all the way down so wireless was the way. The next decision was the type of sensor. We have 50+ deer running around this place all of the time so I felt that the motion type would give me a number of false alarms. So, we
went with the metal sensing type.
I went to this site:
http://www.reliablechimes.com/dwa7.htm
and ordered the DW-7-2000. It was close to $500 (OUCH !!!)
But, I must say it NEVER has had a false alarm in the two years that I have been running it. Also, it has never missed a vehicle. It will pick up the tractors and ATV's so you don't need the mass of a car to detect.
Photo attached is the sensor installed along the side of the driveway.
A company called www.supercircuits.com has some lower cost equivalents.
I have no regrets in installing this and I like how it wakes me up at night if someone approaches the house.
Ken
So, The two options were wired or wireless. Did not want to run a line all the way down so wireless was the way. The next decision was the type of sensor. We have 50+ deer running around this place all of the time so I felt that the motion type would give me a number of false alarms. So, we
went with the metal sensing type.
I went to this site:
http://www.reliablechimes.com/dwa7.htm
and ordered the DW-7-2000. It was close to $500 (OUCH !!!)
But, I must say it NEVER has had a false alarm in the two years that I have been running it. Also, it has never missed a vehicle. It will pick up the tractors and ATV's so you don't need the mass of a car to detect.
Photo attached is the sensor installed along the side of the driveway.
A company called www.supercircuits.com has some lower cost equivalents.
I have no regrets in installing this and I like how it wakes me up at night if someone approaches the house.
Ken
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heehaw
Veteran Member
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- russellville, arkansas
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finally a subject i know something about: i have tried several different wireless driveway alarms: if you notice they say they will work up to 1000 ft: well, in my case they work pretty well around 200ft: above that and they haven't been reliable, that could be because when i built my house, i put foil covered stryofoam on the entire outside, top to bottom: anyway; the one called the reporter has been the best one i have found; and its not perfect: it misses cars that are leaving, and not warmed up: it cost less than $80: the dakota alert misses the same vehicles, and it cost about $200: lowes has one that senses the metal in the vehicle, and it cost $60, i haven't tried it yet: right now i have 2 reporters, and one dakota alert on my driveway: if one goes off but not the others, i figure it falsed: if they go off in the right order, i know i have company. the driveway patrol, is a piece of junk, lowes had them for $10 each a couple years ago, i went thru 3 of them very quickly...
heehaw
heehaw
heehaw
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2000
- Messages
- 2,058
- Location
- russellville, arkansas
- Tractor
- Kubota M4900, B7510 and RTV
i didn't know radio shack was selling the reporter; i have 2 of them and they work very well: but not at the distance i would like to have: max 250 ft from the house, probably closer to 200 ft: over that and they miss a lot: the tx is just not strong enough, in my case anyway: the led inside the sensor goes off; but the receiver doesn't pick it up but maybe one out of 5 times when i get past the present distances;
heehaw
heehaw
Freds
Veteran Member
I have a Dakota MURS alert. The motion detector didn't work well at all. I had it all over the place and at different angles and it never picked up every vehicle and in one case was picking up a train that was supposed to be well out of the sensor's range.
They let me switch to the probe alert that picks up magnetic change such as a car passing by. I had it on the side of my drive, but the sensitivity had to be set too high and it was going off when storms rolled into the area or a fast car went down the road. I bought a subsoiler /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif and buried the probe in the middle of my drive in yellow plastic gaspipe and it has been flawless. The handhelds have quite a range on them and come in handy as walkie-talkies, too.
I have recommended the same unit to others and they all love it. The batteries in the sensor DO need replaced more often than they say when it's cold.
They let me switch to the probe alert that picks up magnetic change such as a car passing by. I had it on the side of my drive, but the sensitivity had to be set too high and it was going off when storms rolled into the area or a fast car went down the road. I bought a subsoiler /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif and buried the probe in the middle of my drive in yellow plastic gaspipe and it has been flawless. The handhelds have quite a range on them and come in handy as walkie-talkies, too.
I have recommended the same unit to others and they all love it. The batteries in the sensor DO need replaced more often than they say when it's cold.
jfh230
Bronze Member
I've got one of those long drives and was tired of being suprised also. I have the reporter - northern tools - and have been happy. I've got heavy woods and have it set probably about 500 feet away from the barn. Hasn't missed anything yet. I'm about to get another one for the house. I like that you can set up multiple devices to multiple receivers. So it will go off in the barn and the house.
Yes deer will set it off but so will bear so not such a bad thing. What I really like is the looks on peoples faces when they get to the end of the drive and see me waiting for them with our wolfhound and pyr. Tends to discourage the curious, salesmen, and undesirables from making a return trip.
Jack
Yes deer will set it off but so will bear so not such a bad thing. What I really like is the looks on peoples faces when they get to the end of the drive and see me waiting for them with our wolfhound and pyr. Tends to discourage the curious, salesmen, and undesirables from making a return trip.
Jack
tc35dforme
Platinum Member
I've had the Dakota Alerta ( Mier Products ) unit like this vehicle sensor for about 10 years. Its the best. I buried a magnetic sensing club about 500' from the house about midway down my driveway. The indoor chime rings out whenever a vehicle ( iron ) passes by the underground probe. I highly recommend it. I had the advantage of having a spare 2" conduit buried along the driveway ( with my phone and power conduits ). I just ran the wire through and in 15 minutes I was running.
PineRidge
Super Member
Our drive is 600'-650' and we have used the Vehicle Alert system with very good results for the past 4 years. It comes with an audible alert but can be made to turn on or turn off lights or whatever else you care to control. It is a proximity type alarm and you will need to run a low voltage wire to a sensor that will be buried next to your drive. There are also more bells and whistles that may be added to the system to make it more flexible. Vehicle Alert click here