Camera Trigger Sprinkler System?

[toughbook]

Hi,

Looking for ideas / solutions to get my security camera (Vivotek) to trigger via motion detection my sprinkler system (Rainbird WiFi). Ever since installing the camera 180 degree on the garage door frame, captured what appears to be the same scumbag car door checker in the last year. Been about 6 times now, always around 4:30 am. Checks all the cars in their driveways on the street (about 4 that I can see). Every.Single. Time. Have looked extensively into some sort of booby trap deterrence from making some sort of pin cushion to fit behind the car door handle, to purpose built pepper spray modules with built in motion detectors, stand alone sprinkler heads with built in detectors (requires hosepipe hook up) etc. etc. I have a zone of underground sprinklers along the path to the vehicle which I think is the best bet.

The camera is fairly sophisticated Vivotek CC8370-HV as is the Rainbird Controller which is Alexa compatible ( and I am not familiar with that), for voice commands.

What do I need or how can I have the camera call the sprinkler to fire zone 1 or 2 etc upon detection either client side on on board the camera? Or if anyone knows of a 'booby trap' product existing or has some other ideas. I need a less than obvious non lethal solution of course. I think a row of sprinklers going off around that hour would not raise suspicion as that is when they're normally set to go off?

Thanks!

 

[Fastb]

Any camera's image processing to generate an "event" may not measure up to a PIR.
I had problems with deer grazing in my garden. I used a driveway motion detector floodlight, and adapted.

• As typical, mounted in a outdoor junction box. But not attached to a house.
• Two AC cords connected. 1 male (input power), 1 female (output power).
• this lets me move the motion detector box anywhere.
• extension cord to provide power to the contraption.
• The output was connected to;

--- a boom box (deer hate rock&roll)
--- an old dishwasher water valve. This 120VAC solenoid would send water to a couple of noisy water sprinklers.
- the driveway motion detector has a "Test" mode. So when it powers on, it only lasts for 10 to 20 seconds.

This system is cheap, and very flexible. It could shine a floodlight directly on you car, send water, make noise, etc. And relocate it depending on where you park.

Have fun with the cretins!

Fastb

 

[samplenhold]

Didn't your camera give a good face ID of the perp? Did the police use your video footage?

Sorry, I have no experience with setting up something like this.

 

[toughbook]

Very nice, thanks. So something can be done just need to tie it all in. The area is very small one car wide driveway with a slight over hang (car port), above it, which is all lit up. Camera in fact doesn't even switch to B&W when the sun sets. Just don't have power or water in that spot other than existing in ground sprinklers and PoE to the camera otherwise one of those actual motion detector sprinkler heads readily available would work but they need a house attached to them.

 

[toughbook]

Very small confine that is already well lit up. Yes, excellent profile video of the POS despite wearing the hoodie pulled down thief attire but, so far not actionable yet. First time capturing the event pure outrage on my part to the point of almost being prepared to sit closer with a baseball bat waiting. Third time started looking closer, seems almost a game to this loser, sprints across the road in and out in seconds and onto the next car that is in a drive way. Pretty brazen actually but definitely experienced at doing this. Thing is it is so fast, both my vehicle and all the others I wonder if he is even depressing the door knob, maybe just touching it to see if there is a chirp or light flashing as in a car alarm? Quality below as a gif doesn't represent the camera image which is 3MP.

 

[TonyR]

Been about 6 times now, always around 4:30 am.

If he's that punctual I'd consider hiding out and then introducing him to some pepper spray.....be sure to show him the baseball bat first though, as he won't be able to see it soon after.
I detest thieves!

 

[djernie]

Just put some mayonnaise on the inside of your door handles, and remember to wipe it off before you get in. He will remember to pass your car up next time.

 

[djernie]

Found this, you can modify it maybe a fish wire across the path to your car door. Looks like a fun project.

 

[Caveman81]

I have a similar issue with unwanted guests on my property. Rabbits and raccoons were destroying my lawn. I run home assistant and have my Dahua cameras tied into the system. The IVS rules are controllable and can fire off some MQTT events.

Between 2200 hours and 0600 hours “pest” IVS rules are activated and spray the critters away if they come on the lawn. It works great.

Before connecting it to my existing sprinkler piping, I made cheap movable sprinklers using 12vdc solenoids off amazon and a sonoff sv.

Durning the day Home Assistant shoots me a notification if any unwanted people visit and I can decide what to do from there.

Lots of options out there and people on the forum are great at helping each other out!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[toughbook]

Found this, you can modify it maybe a fish wire across the path to your car door. Looks like a fun project.

Like that and the mayo idea. Trip wire was the first thing I wanted to do as it would be flawless on the low lighting. Just got worried that I would forget it one day and would drive over or through it ripping whatever it would be anchored to. Mayo or fake blood. Tons of practical joke pranks out there. Did extensive searching world wide and there are some neat devices around including this which I was about to press buy now on:

PepperAlarm – The Robber Stopper ideal since there is a terrace above half the length of the vehicle and this would fit right above the doors. Expensive though.

Even a kids balloon filled with food dye or anything nasty one can think of, above the door perhaps in a net of sorts, but again needs to some sort of trigger mechanism with motion detection to burst it.

Then there's electronic fire crackers from the movie sector, super loud bangers and all sorts of others. Was thinking the loudest possible in a trash can next to the vehicle. Comes with a long range remote but again would need to tie it into motion detection somehow.

Dog barking sound boxes, some do have motion detection, but not sure how much of a deterrent that would be inside the garage or side entry of the dwelling

Heck, even thought about a real stuffed raccoon or skunk sitting on top of the vehicle might work once or twice.

Then paint ball claymore mines, even cooler on the ground, with trip wires or not, issue there is the clean up of course.

Lot of DIY super soaker water guns tutorials out there as well, even with motion detection.

There is quite a market for motion activated sprinkler heads, available nearly every where:

Yard Enforcer® Motion-Activated Sprinkler

This motion-activated sprinkler for deterring pests and wildlife is easy to install and available direct from Orbitonline.com.

www.orbitonline.com

Problem for me is no house readily available where needed plus not secure at all as just stomped in the ground. The freak could return and steal that !

 

[toughbook]

I have a similar issue with unwanted guests on my property. Rabbits and raccoons were destroying my lawn. I run home assistant and have my Dahua cameras tied into the system. The IVS rules are controllable and can fire off some MQTT events.

Between 2200 hours and 0600 hours “pest” IVS rules are activated and spray the critters away if they come on the lawn. It works great.

Before connecting it to my existing sprinkler piping, I made cheap movable sprinklers using 12vdc solenoids off amazon and a sonoff sv.

Durning the day Home Assistant shoots me a notification if any unwanted people visit and I can decide what to do from there.

Lots of options out there and people on the forum are great at helping each other out!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

This is the thing, I have to believe there programmable calls which can be used. I have since asked the camera manufacturer and the sprinkler controller manufacturer for a listing of what can be done with their devices. Alexa as the bridge in all of this might be were I should be looking. While I have the device I have never really used it or looked into it. Off the top it does exactly what I need e.g. voice command per the sprinkler's instructions ' alexa start zone 1 for 5 minutes' Typically in my case for this, I do not need voice so I need to see if it can be programmable commands as well, Alexa or something else. Here am now thinking perhaps the VMS for the cameras can do something with Alexa on a phone? I got tiny cam pro and onvifer, could buy blue iris if necessary. Played with all three but primary software is contacam for its simplicity.

Did you or anyone look into the above made sprinklers with motion before and reject them for some reason? Reviews are all over the place, biggest complaint seems to be how flimsy they all are. Cheap plastic was the main complaint.

 

[toughbook]

Here's a stupid question

Without effort and by design Alexa can fire the sprinkler system via voice. Issue is how to get the camera to talk to Alexa programmatically. The camera or viewing software can "talk" to you via email or alerts and alarms etc. Can one get the camera to synthesize a voice. And that voice talks or commands Alexa to fire the sprinklers?

Immediately I am thinking text to voice. Camera fires of a text message or email upon motion detection, then convert that "writing" to voice.... I must see if there is PC software out there that can do that. I mean Windows as accessibility features and voice reading of stuff, there has to be something that can read an email to you? Like your late model vehicles nav system can read incoming texts etc.

Very messy round about way I think but theoretically I think it can be done.

 

[samplenhold]

Can one get the camera to synthesize a voice

If you can only go the analogue route, BI can play a wave file through the computer's speakers for any alert. You could record your command ' alexa start zone 1 for 5 minutes' and have the Alexa box next to your BI computer.

 

[toughbook]

Afterthought! Forget the damn camera, what about a motion sensor for Alexa...

Made for Amazon Motion Sensor for Echo Flex

• Certified “Made for Amazon” Motion Sensor designed exclusively for Echo Flex. Echo Flex sold separately by Amazon.
• Create Routines: Using the Alexa app, create your own routines that are triggered when motion is detected. Customize Alexa messages like “Welcome Home” or “Motion Detected in Living Room” when motion is detected

Well quick looking around this might be the solution, all sorts of motion detectors or sensors for Alexa. I need battery or PoE and outdoor to minus 20 C or 4 F minimum, and wifi. Might be a tall order all of that.

Time to start investigating.

 

[djernie]

Like that and the mayo idea. Trip wire was the first thing I wanted to do as it would be flawless on the low lighting. Just got worried that I would forget it one day and would drive over or through it ripping whatever it would be anchored to. Mayo or fake blood. Tons of practical joke pranks out there. Did extensive searching world wide and there are some neat devices around including this which I was about to press buy now on:

PepperAlarm – The Robber Stopper ideal since there is a terrace above half the length of the vehicle and this would fit right above the doors. Expensive though.

Even a kids balloon filled with food dye or anything nasty one can think of, above the door perhaps in a net of sorts, but again needs to some sort of trigger mechanism with motion detection to burst it.

Then there's electronic fire crackers from the movie sector, super loud bangers and all sorts of others. Was thinking the loudest possible in a trash can next to the vehicle. Comes with a long range remote but again would need to tie it into motion detection somehow.

Dog barking sound boxes, some do have motion detection, but not sure how much of a deterrent that would be inside the garage or side entry of the dwelling

Heck, even thought about a real stuffed raccoon or skunk sitting on top of the vehicle might work once or twice.

Then paint ball claymore mines, even cooler on the ground, with trip wires or not, issue there is the clean up of course.

Lot of DIY super soaker water guns tutorials out there as well, even with motion detection.

There is quite a market for motion activated sprinkler heads, available nearly every where:

Yard Enforcer® Motion-Activated Sprinkler

This motion-activated sprinkler for deterring pests and wildlife is easy to install and available direct from Orbitonline.com.

www.orbitonline.com

Problem for me is no house readily available where needed plus not secure at all as just stomped in the ground. The freak could return and steal that !

Yeah there are a lot of ideas out there. But you need to just get something before the idiot comes back. I like the pepper and the motion sprinkler. Good luck!

 

[samplenhold]

PepperAlarm – The Robber Stopper ideal since there is a terrace above half the length of the vehicle and this would fit right above the doors. Expensive though.

Hey it's $50 off right now!

Be very careful of setting booby traps. Some jurisdictions have very severe laws against it. I would be surprised if the pepper spray would be legal in most areas. The problem is it is unattended. Yes it is less than lethal, but it still can cause medical issues, especially with small children.

While placing 'stuff' on door handles to piss off the perp might give you some satisfaction, it just might piss the perp off enough to have him key your car or worse.

 

[toughbook]

If you can only go the analogue route, BI can play a wave file through the computer's speakers for any alert. You could record your command ' alexa start zone 1 for 5 minutes' and have the Alexa box next to your BI computer.

Very nice! Knew there had to be something. Damn, that would be ideal. Let me see if any of the other software viewers can do similiar.

Excellent, thanks very much for the tip.

 

[djernie]

Hey it's $50 off right now!

Be very careful of setting booby traps. Some jurisdictions have very severe laws against it. I would be surprised if the pepper spray would be legal in most areas. The problem is it is unattended. Yes it is less than lethal, but it still can cause medical issues, especially with small children.

While placing 'stuff' on door handles to piss off the perp might give you some satisfaction, it just might piss the perp off enough to have him key your car or worse.

Ha it should be 300 dollars off. Its just plastic. I want them pissed off, i can get scratches out of my car. I will have a big smile on my face knowing the idiots got what they deserved. But most often when things happen to them they get the hell out of there knowing they have been busted.

 

[toughbook]

Hey it's $50 off right now!

Be very careful of setting booby traps. Some jurisdictions have very severe laws against it. I would be surprised if the pepper spray would be legal in most areas. The problem is it is unattended. Yes it is less than lethal, but it still can cause medical issues, especially with small children.

While placing 'stuff' on door handles to piss off the perp might give you some satisfaction, it just might piss the perp off enough to have him key your car or worse.

Yes, totally in the back of my mind that. That's why I am aiming for something "natural" looking or functioning like the in ground sprinkler going off which is programmed for 4 am. So that the fool thinks it is just his bad luck or timing and doesn't do any damage or any acts of revenge.

 

[samplenhold]

You live in Canada. What happens in winter? That would cool his jets!