Simple cheap alarm design.
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Egon
Epic Contributor
True, there are places one should not go here!
Blagadan
Gold Member
I did an alarm installation course a few years ago and made a living for a while as an installer. One thing rings true about something the instructor told me.
The most importaint thing about having a house alarm is in making it visible to the guy trying to break in. You can add all the hum diggidy fancy electronics you want, but the most effective and important thing about a home alarm is having a visible bell box up on the wall with a bright flashing LED light on it!!! No matter if you spend $100 or $10,000 on a home alarm, the box and flashing light is the bit that the burgular sees first when he is checking out your house.
The name of the game here is in protecting YOUR home. If the bad guy sees you have an alarm fitted, chances are he is going to move onto the next house that doesnt have an alarm....
Now if a guy really wants to get in, he will break in. Alarm fitted or not. He is "in and out" in 3-7 minutes anyway...
Most effective solution to burgulary... = ANGRY DOG.
Heres a system I use myself...
If you have a spare MP3 player or iPod? Go to iTunes and do a search for "Angry dog" or "Dog growling"... Load it on your player. Hook it up to an old stereo with an 'aux in' setting. Get a power supply for your iPod so the battery doesnt die. Set your iPod to loop on the dog growling "song". Turn up the volume and lock the door.
I have this in my workshop. It scares the beeJesus out of anyone that approaches. I am pretty certain it will deter a thief..... And you dont even have to feed it!!!
The most importaint thing about having a house alarm is in making it visible to the guy trying to break in. You can add all the hum diggidy fancy electronics you want, but the most effective and important thing about a home alarm is having a visible bell box up on the wall with a bright flashing LED light on it!!! No matter if you spend $100 or $10,000 on a home alarm, the box and flashing light is the bit that the burgular sees first when he is checking out your house.
The name of the game here is in protecting YOUR home. If the bad guy sees you have an alarm fitted, chances are he is going to move onto the next house that doesnt have an alarm....
Now if a guy really wants to get in, he will break in. Alarm fitted or not. He is "in and out" in 3-7 minutes anyway...
Most effective solution to burgulary... = ANGRY DOG.
Heres a system I use myself...
If you have a spare MP3 player or iPod? Go to iTunes and do a search for "Angry dog" or "Dog growling"... Load it on your player. Hook it up to an old stereo with an 'aux in' setting. Get a power supply for your iPod so the battery doesnt die. Set your iPod to loop on the dog growling "song". Turn up the volume and lock the door.
I have this in my workshop. It scares the beeJesus out of anyone that approaches. I am pretty certain it will deter a thief..... And you dont even have to feed it!!!
Defective
Platinum Member
My place hasn't been broken into in all the time I've lived here.
My neighbour to the west has had a truck stolen & somebody tried to get fuel from his bulk tanks at least 5 times. All in the past year.
My neighbour across the road has had his shop broken into 3 times.
The only deterrent on my place is a very visible security camera aimed at the driveway. Works for me.
My neighbour to the west has had a truck stolen & somebody tried to get fuel from his bulk tanks at least 5 times. All in the past year.
My neighbour across the road has had his shop broken into 3 times.
The only deterrent on my place is a very visible security camera aimed at the driveway. Works for me.
Pat,
it DOES appeal to me; i don't want to get you to take time from what else you are doing, but a delay for the automatic door would be great, as would a key disarm; i might ahve to go to a locksmith to get the key setup, but it'd be worth it to be able to disarm from the front door of the shop....i was going to simply wire the shop overhead doors with a self tapping sheet metal screw on the frame, and on the door top edge; only connect the wire after i was outside. then i intended to wire the shop 'entry door' with a wire just long enough to let me slip back outside after i arm the system. (lol-i'm a simple person). then when i came back, unlock the entry door, slip in, disarm, and hit the manual opener button.
i got all the parts, and wired up the basic system today...i love old technology...it worked; it might not be something steve jobs or bill gates could market, but their products don't always appeal to me. i got a piezo alarm from radidio shack online, and have another 'weatherproof' alarm ordered...the piezo is the size of an old style book of matches; it's tiny, and it makes my ears hurt when it goes off did put on my muffs before testing, but i wanted to see how loud it was with the muffs off-lifted the right one (worst ear)...it's LOUD. wish now i had gotten two of these, put one under each 'end eave'. i may wire my house ground floor windows with this system...it's more effective than $25 a month to pay some security firm that'll call the county cops who don't give a hooey.
anyway, if you have some way to do a schematic for a delay device, that'd be really cool. i told my neighbor (who's a local cop) about this; he wants to see the 'test piece''; it's kinda crude at the moment, as i dint have enough spade connectors to wire it properly, just twisted 'em together in a few splices. got proper solder on connectors ordered. bought the 'contractor pack' of wire at lowe's; have enough that way to do house and shop. told the girl at lowe's electric dept about it, and how to find the schematic. she sez her hub would love it, too
you got a hit design, bro!
rebb
it DOES appeal to me; i don't want to get you to take time from what else you are doing, but a delay for the automatic door would be great, as would a key disarm; i might ahve to go to a locksmith to get the key setup, but it'd be worth it to be able to disarm from the front door of the shop....i was going to simply wire the shop overhead doors with a self tapping sheet metal screw on the frame, and on the door top edge; only connect the wire after i was outside. then i intended to wire the shop 'entry door' with a wire just long enough to let me slip back outside after i arm the system. (lol-i'm a simple person). then when i came back, unlock the entry door, slip in, disarm, and hit the manual opener button.
i got all the parts, and wired up the basic system today...i love old technology...it worked; it might not be something steve jobs or bill gates could market, but their products don't always appeal to me. i got a piezo alarm from radidio shack online, and have another 'weatherproof' alarm ordered...the piezo is the size of an old style book of matches; it's tiny, and it makes my ears hurt when it goes off
did put on my muffs before testing, but i wanted to see how loud it was with the muffs off-lifted the right one (worst ear)...it's LOUD. wish now i had gotten two of these, put one under each 'end eave'. i may wire my house ground floor windows with this system...it's more effective than $25 a month to pay some security firm that'll call the county cops who don't give a hooey.anyway, if you have some way to do a schematic for a delay device, that'd be really cool. i told my neighbor (who's a local cop) about this; he wants to see the 'test piece''; it's kinda crude at the moment, as i dint have enough spade connectors to wire it properly, just twisted 'em together in a few splices. got proper solder on connectors ordered. bought the 'contractor pack' of wire at lowe's; have enough that way to do house and shop. told the girl at lowe's electric dept about it, and how to find the schematic. she sez her hub would love it, too
you got a hit design, bro!
rebb
Well thanks Rebb, Really it is nothing any modestly competent ET (electronics technician not extraterrestrial) couldn't do.
As you know the basic system has no provision for disarming before it goes off if the system is inside the "protected" space. While writing the above, I thought of a simpler more elegant (maybe, we'll see) way to include your garage doors.
The Problem: include the garage doors in the series "daisy chain" of door and window switches but still be able to open the door to leave either before or after "setting" the alarm.
Solution: wire a relay's N.O. contacts in parallel with the garage door's alarm contacts. When energized by you prior to setting the alarm system the relay's contacts keep your series "sensor" circuit continuous and the alarm sets normally. You will have a push button on the outside of the garage. This button switch will have N.C. contacts wired in series with the coil of the above mentioned relay.
After you have set the alarm and opened the garage door or the reverse, opened the garage door and set the alarm you exit the garage, close the door (all this is with the alarm set) but before you leave the premises you push the push button switch which interrupts the current to the relay coil which turns the relay off and the relay's contacts that were "pretending" to be a closed garage door, quit pretending. Now the "real" garage door sensor contacts are part of the daisy chain of alarm switches for doors and windows.
Cost of this mod is a small relay, a switch, and some wire. You don't have to use a push button. You can use any SPST switch with a N.C. position, momentary contact or otherwise. Once the alarm is set, the garage door is closed, and the "garage door arming switch" is tripped further application of or tampering with the switch will not defeat nor effect the alarm.
No key switch required for this mod, just a relatively weather proof switch or a weatherproof box for the switch.
If the above needs further explanation or correction, just let me know. I don't know your electronics background but if you need a schematic just say and I will make one of my typically crude sketches, scan it in and post it.
As regards the ability to "disarm" prior to entry or a siren delay to allow you to kill the siren before it goes off. Both or either are easy BUT each introduces exploitable weaknesses and need to be added in such a fashion as to not make it too easy for the bad guy.
A high security key switch that kills the system from outside the protected space would be a target for a more savvy intruder.
If instead of setting the siren off directly and immediately the "system" instead activated a delay timer which in turn after the selected delay time, sets off the siren, you would, in normal use, enter the protected space and have XX seconds to get to your "secret switch" before the siren comes on.
If either of the above appeal to you let me know and I will "splain" to you how to do it. The outside switch would cost more if it is a good quality security switch either weather proof or in an enclosure. The inside switch can be just a toggle switch, even a regular 69 cent light switch from Lowe's. I have hidden switches in plain sight before. What looks to be a light switch but is actually your "secret" siren killing switch is one of many possibilities.
Pat
As you know the basic system has no provision for disarming before it goes off if the system is inside the "protected" space. While writing the above, I thought of a simpler more elegant (maybe, we'll see) way to include your garage doors.
The Problem: include the garage doors in the series "daisy chain" of door and window switches but still be able to open the door to leave either before or after "setting" the alarm.
Solution: wire a relay's N.O. contacts in parallel with the garage door's alarm contacts. When energized by you prior to setting the alarm system the relay's contacts keep your series "sensor" circuit continuous and the alarm sets normally. You will have a push button on the outside of the garage. This button switch will have N.C. contacts wired in series with the coil of the above mentioned relay.
After you have set the alarm and opened the garage door or the reverse, opened the garage door and set the alarm you exit the garage, close the door (all this is with the alarm set) but before you leave the premises you push the push button switch which interrupts the current to the relay coil which turns the relay off and the relay's contacts that were "pretending" to be a closed garage door, quit pretending. Now the "real" garage door sensor contacts are part of the daisy chain of alarm switches for doors and windows.
Cost of this mod is a small relay, a switch, and some wire. You don't have to use a push button. You can use any SPST switch with a N.C. position, momentary contact or otherwise. Once the alarm is set, the garage door is closed, and the "garage door arming switch" is tripped further application of or tampering with the switch will not defeat nor effect the alarm.
No key switch required for this mod, just a relatively weather proof switch or a weatherproof box for the switch.
If the above needs further explanation or correction, just let me know. I don't know your electronics background but if you need a schematic just say and I will make one of my typically crude sketches, scan it in and post it.
As regards the ability to "disarm" prior to entry or a siren delay to allow you to kill the siren before it goes off. Both or either are easy BUT each introduces exploitable weaknesses and need to be added in such a fashion as to not make it too easy for the bad guy.
A high security key switch that kills the system from outside the protected space would be a target for a more savvy intruder.
If instead of setting the siren off directly and immediately the "system" instead activated a delay timer which in turn after the selected delay time, sets off the siren, you would, in normal use, enter the protected space and have XX seconds to get to your "secret switch" before the siren comes on.
If either of the above appeal to you let me know and I will "splain" to you how to do it. The outside switch would cost more if it is a good quality security switch either weather proof or in an enclosure. The inside switch can be just a toggle switch, even a regular 69 cent light switch from Lowe's. I have hidden switches in plain sight before. What looks to be a light switch but is actually your "secret" siren killing switch is one of many possibilities.
Pat
Treemonkey1000
Veteran Member
All of those are great post. I kind of like Brute force tactics sometimes. I use my Electric fence chargers when I can. I had a house that was getting broken into. So I placed some small wires across the window and kept them insulated from the frame. Then tied the hot lead of the fence charger to them. That stopped any more break ins. Although in an "altered state of mind" way back then I forgot about the alarm and went to clean off some stuff on the outside of the window and knocked myself on my tookis Then the neighbors dog was doing his "dootie" in my flower bed. So I ran a wire around that. Bad part of that was the water meter reader got "Bit" not knowing. SO I got a nasty letter from the Water department. You can use these fence chargers around your trailer or tractor as well given the right methods.
Then the neighbors dog was doing his "dootie" in my flower bed. So I ran a wire around that. Bad part of that was the water meter reader got "Bit" not knowing. SO I got a nasty letter from the Water department. You can use these fence chargers around your trailer or tractor as well given the right methods.Eagleview
Veteran Member
We use Turners over hear , they are portable , have big teeth and turn people into poo....
YM-135trac
Bronze Member
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2008
- Messages
- 83
Treemonkey1000 said:All of those are great post. I kind of like Brute force tactics sometimes. I use my Electric fence chargers when I can. I had a house that was getting broken into. So I placed some small wires across the window and kept them insulated from the frame. Then tied the hot lead of the fence charger to them. That stopped any more break ins. Although in an "altered state of mind" way back then I forgot about the alarm and went to clean off some stuff on the outside of the window and knocked myself on my tookis
Tree you cracked me up Quite a human bug zapper you got there? " Although in an "altered state of mind" way back then I forgot about the alarm and went to clean off some stuff on the outside of the window and knocked myself on my tookis
"
Treemonkey1000
Veteran Member
YM-135 that was back in the late 70's or early 80's there were some Hemp products that altered a person's thinking a little. That was a good reason to give all of that up 30 years ago. And it did knock me backwards onto the ground.. I hooked up the fence charger to the handle of my garage door where I live now. I don't use that door so haven't zapped my dumb arse yet.
