Driveway alarms; do they work?

   / Driveway alarms; do they work? #21  
my mighty mule came today, didn't realize the sensor was so small, looks like a shovel job instead of the backhoe. I might even lay it in a flower bed and cover with mulch.

I wouldn't be suprised if it's the same sensor used for their gate control. About 1-1/4" diameter x 14-16"?
 
   / Driveway alarms; do they work? #22  
1" diameter, 13" long sensor.
 
   / Driveway alarms; do they work? #24  
Nice avatar NSBound!


I agree, it is a nice avatar. I wonder how long before someone removes it for you and tells you this is a family site like they did to me.
 
   / Driveway alarms; do they work? #26  
Just ran across this thread . . . Last year I installed a Dakota Alert driveway alarm. I have the sensor mounted inside what looks like a bird house sitting about 20 feet off to the side of the driveway. I have been completely happy with it. The sensor is approximately 400' away from the house.

The only down side (as my wife tells me) is that when I mow the lawn or do tractor work in the area, I tend to set it off on a regular basis and if the wife is in the house it drives her batty! I usually notice that after a couple of days without hearing the alarm that she had turned it off during one of my outdoor work sessions.

I'll take a few pics tomorrow and post them on this thread
 
   / Driveway alarms; do they work?
  • Thread Starter
#27  
The only down side (as my wife tells me) is that when I mow the lawn or do tractor work in the area, I tend to set it off on a regular basis and if the wife is in the house it drives her batty!

HMMMM...I never thought of that benefit. :D
 
   / Driveway alarms; do they work? #28  
I'll take a few pics tomorrow and post them on this thread

Here are the pics I promised.:thumbsup: I ordered mine with 2 sensors. One is the driveway sensor disguised as a bird house and the other is basically a wireless doorbell. The inside unit sounds a different tone for each one so you can tell the difference.:cool:
 

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   / Driveway alarms; do they work? #29  
I just put in a Mighty Mule Driveway Alarm. The sensor is about 200' from the house, and there are no trees or other obstructions between. I had to place the receiver on a window ledge facing the transmitter for the sensor in order to get a signal. It works fine, but I had hoped to place the receiver in a corner under a cabinet to be out of the way. I couldn't get any signal when it was behind a wall (sheetrock, fiberglas insulation, cedar siding-my windows are double pane, aluminum clad on the exterior and wood clad on the interior).

I also tried the sensor in our bedroom which would add about 50' to the distance, and couldn't get a signal at all from that location. I had really hoped to be able to monitor the drive from our bedroom at night.

I'm wondering if I need to raise the sensor transmitter higher off the ground. I have plenty of cable, so will try this when it is warm enough to stay outside. Anyone already tried this?

I should also point out that we do have a security system for the house, with cell phone backup to the landline. Down the road, I plan on putting in a security camera system, so the Mighty Mule is just a current fix. I'll be visiting with the security system folks to see if it makes sense to integrate with the current system, but I'm looking for input before I talk to them.

GGB
 
   / Driveway alarms; do they work? #30  
I just put in a Mighty Mule Driveway Alarm. The sensor is about 200' from the house, and there are no trees or other obstructions between. I had to place the receiver on a window ledge facing the transmitter for the sensor in order to get a signal. It works fine, but I had hoped to place the receiver in a corner under a cabinet to be out of the way. I couldn't get any signal when it was behind a wall (sheetrock, fiberglas insulation, cedar siding-my windows are double pane, aluminum clad on the exterior and wood clad on the interior).

GGB

GGB,

I'm afraid I can't help you with the mighty mule, but I can share my experience with the Dakota. I have about 400' between the sensor and the house. My receiver is in our hallway next to the phone which means the signal has to travel through the garage door (metal) and through the entrance door (also metal). I suppose it could be going through the walls as well which are 6" thick with fiber cement siding on the outside and 5/8" drywall between the garage and house.

The volume control on the receiver allows me to set it at a level where we can pretty much hear it from anywhere in the house as the hallway is centrally located.

Good luck with your mighty mule!
 

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