Anyone have any luck with a long range driveway alarm? I have tired one or two but they never work very well.....no alarm at all or false alarms. I bought cheap models $40. I wonder if the more costly models would be any better.
Driveway alarm? 1,200 feet.
- Thread starter Tazz 316
- Start date
I have good news and bad news as a reply.
The good news is I recommend a magnetic sensor I've been using for a few years. FAS-CP-3-100-5W Cartell GateMate Free Exit (Probe / Sensor) System :: FAST ACCESS SECURITY
The bad news is it's not made any more and I don't have any experience with the "new and improved" model.
I make no recommendation for the seller in the link, it's just a site where I found the product description. I bought one with a short pigtail and use a buried network cable for the ~200 run to the house. I have it wired to both an audible alarm in the house and an NVR alarm input. If you need wireless you could see if Dakota Alert has something suitable. PIR or photoelectric doesn't work for me because of too many false alarms. Occasionally a car with high aluminum content slips past the magnetic detector without triggering it, but interestingly, bucks with antlers trigger it reliably. I tried a few wireless detectors and/or transmitters that advertise 100' to 300' range, and maybe they do in some situations, but I never got more than about 25' with them reliably, ending up wiring the thing all the way into the house.
The good news is I recommend a magnetic sensor I've been using for a few years. FAS-CP-3-100-5W Cartell GateMate Free Exit (Probe / Sensor) System :: FAST ACCESS SECURITY
The bad news is it's not made any more and I don't have any experience with the "new and improved" model.
I make no recommendation for the seller in the link, it's just a site where I found the product description. I bought one with a short pigtail and use a buried network cable for the ~200 run to the house. I have it wired to both an audible alarm in the house and an NVR alarm input. If you need wireless you could see if Dakota Alert has something suitable. PIR or photoelectric doesn't work for me because of too many false alarms. Occasionally a car with high aluminum content slips past the magnetic detector without triggering it, but interestingly, bucks with antlers trigger it reliably. I tried a few wireless detectors and/or transmitters that advertise 100' to 300' range, and maybe they do in some situations, but I never got more than about 25' with them reliably, ending up wiring the thing all the way into the house.
I have installed some Dakota alert sensors further than that with good luck, as long as the obstructions aren't to bad.
They are the only one I know of rated out to a mile free air, if they don't work I doubt anything will.
They are the only one I know of rated out to a mile free air, if they don't work I doubt anything will.
I use a Dakota Alert with a magnetic detector at about 700 feet. Instructions say you need line of sight for it to work. I'm very pleased with it's performance. Only false alarms I receive are during thunderstorms.
+10 for Dakota MURS alert
If you have a camera out there with an input, these work well.
Amazon.com : Dakota Alert MURS Alert Probe Sensor (MAPS) Metal Detecting Wireless Transmitter with 50-FT Of Direct Burial Cable - Outdoor Monitoring System : Security Sensors : Camera & Photo
Amazon.com : Dakota Alert MURS Alert Probe Sensor (MAPS) Metal Detecting Wireless Transmitter with 50-FT Of Direct Burial Cable - Outdoor Monitoring System : Security Sensors : Camera & Photo
www.amazon.com
If you have a camera out there with an input, these work well.
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Dakota alert is who i have been looking at but i can't use the wired sensors that you lay down on your road. My road is beside a field that gets plowed and mowed.
Jessie.slimer
BIT Beta Team
If you are into IoT, Zwave long range will be flooding the market with new sensors soon. The new long range is supposed to have a mile of range on one single hop, and battery powered sensors are supposed to have up to a 10 year battery life. Not sure how soon you need to set something up, but it's coming soon. They will likely have wired contact sensors that you can connect to the driveway alarm of your choice, and it will transmit back to your hub, where you can then do whatever you want with the alert.
I use my regular zwave setup connected to my mighty mule driveway alert to get push notifications to our phones whenever someone pulls into my driveway, which is about 375-400 ft long.
www.electronicproducts.com
I use my regular zwave setup connected to my mighty mule driveway alert to get push notifications to our phones whenever someone pulls into my driveway, which is about 375-400 ft long.
Z-Wave Long Range unlocks new possibilities for IoT automation
Z-Wave Long Range extends the range and maximum output power of the Z-Wave network protocol, supporting up to 4,000 nodes on a single network.
www.electronicproducts.com
If you are into IoT, Zwave long range will be flooding the market with new sensors soon. The new long range is supposed to have a mile of range on one single hop, and battery powered sensors are supposed to have up to a 10 year battery life. Not sure how soon you need to set something up, but it's coming soon. They will likely have wired contact sensors that you can connect to the driveway alarm of your choice, and it will transmit back to your hub, where you can then do whatever you want with the alert.
I use my regular zwave setup connected to my mighty mule driveway alert to get push notifications to our phones whenever someone pulls into my driveway, which is about 375-400 ft long.
Z-Wave Long Range unlocks new possibilities for IoT automation
Z-Wave Long Range extends the range and maximum output power of the Z-Wave network protocol, supporting up to 4,000 nodes on a single network.
Yes i do use smarthings.
These work great every time! If you need to extend wire make sure you use shielded cable. I have installed probably 30 if these in the past 10 years and have never had any issues at all. They work as Mier DA500 Drive-Alert Wired Vehicle Driveway Alarm should.
Always interested in seeing new products. Looks nice. Only downside, and the biggest reason it wouldn't work in my area, is that most people don't drive into yards, they walk in, and this won't work to catch people.
Driving in is to obvious. You have to drive in down the lane, possibly with lights on, and making noise. Walking in is much more discrete and I'd say how the vast majority of the thieves in our area work (unless they are stealing fuel).
Really a PIR Motion or Break Beam is the way to go in alot of cases, but each use varies. Just something to think about for OP.
1200 feet for most wireless alarm devices is way too far; considering the FSPL and output power of most devices in the ~300-400Mhz range, you have a few options.
1). Got to Home Depot and rent a trencher (Of course, before you start trenching, call your local utilities (Power, Gas, water, etc.) and have them come out and inspect where the services are; some states, this is by law. I always opted for hardwired solutions over wireless. This is the most expensive option of course and in most cases, it is cost prohibitive for some.
2). If you have power at the end of the driveway, you can install an Remote I/O IP module (Modbus) and shoot the signal over 802.11 via a point to point configured link. If no power, you might have to opt for a solar powered solution. This solution, you wire the contact into the I/O Module on the input side, and the module that is installed at the house, you wire in the wireless contact (AUX input) into the output I/O module. I have done this for a few remote sites, seems to work really fairly well, for the price.
3) What I have done, was modified an existing 345Mhz wireless sensor where I attached a directional antenna (7 element yagi) at the gate, and installed a wireless repeater, modified with a directional yagi antenna at the main house. I believe the FSPL considering the link budget was around -90dBm. Not the greatest, but did the job. As far as the false alarms were concerned, you just have to install an commercial grade alarm contact for the gate, depending on the type of gate, I used a a High Security Balanced Magnetic Switch (BMS) contact.
Hope this gives you some ideas
Regards,
B
I ended up with a Dakota alert 4k plus it seems to work great!
Now that next part how can i get alerts on my phone when someone enters the driveway?
The Receiver that sits in your house has two NO/NC relays and a 12VDC terminal to trigger external devices.
Is there a wifi module that can do this?
I know you guys are crafty!
Now that next part how can i get alerts on my phone when someone enters the driveway?
The Receiver that sits in your house has two NO/NC relays and a 12VDC terminal to trigger external devices.
Is there a wifi module that can do this?
I know you guys are crafty!
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Do you have any existing automation system? I accomplish this with homeseer and a mimolite at my house.
You can also tie it into an alarm system like a dsc powerseries if you use an envisalink for self monitoring.
If you have any existing equipment let us know as it's best to tie into that if possible.
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I do the same here with the Leviton OmniPro 2 combo alarm panel (originally wired to Cartell driveway sensors) and Homeseer and Home Assistant.
Lately been testing custom Tasmota 433Mhz and SD Radio 433Mhz captures to MQTT long range stuff. For SDR stuff using an antenna mounted in the attic.
Used this same radio to capture NOAA weather maps from passing overhead NOAA satellites.
Also tinkering with LoRa 1 watt transceivers which you purchase from China but are not approved for use here in the US by the FCC. (these go for more than a mile line of sight). IE: thinking that my updated water meter using wireless LoRa these days.
LoRa (Long-Range) is digital wireless data communication IoT technology. LoRa transmits over license-free megahertz radio frequency bands: 169 MHz, 433 MHz (Asia), 868 MHz (Europe) and 915 MHz (North America). LoRa enables very-long-range wireless data transmission.
In the old house build a dmarc brick mail box at the end of the driveway with low voltage, high voltage cabling. Also used Geophone motion sensors. These were a bit too sensitive.
Lately been testing custom Tasmota 433Mhz and SD Radio 433Mhz captures to MQTT long range stuff. For SDR stuff using an antenna mounted in the attic.
Used this same radio to capture NOAA weather maps from passing overhead NOAA satellites.
Also tinkering with LoRa 1 watt transceivers which you purchase from China but are not approved for use here in the US by the FCC. (these go for more than a mile line of sight). IE: thinking that my updated water meter using wireless LoRa these days.
LoRa (Long-Range) is digital wireless data communication IoT technology. LoRa transmits over license-free megahertz radio frequency bands: 169 MHz, 433 MHz (Asia), 868 MHz (Europe) and 915 MHz (North America). LoRa enables very-long-range wireless data transmission.
In the old house build a dmarc brick mail box at the end of the driveway with low voltage, high voltage cabling. Also used Geophone motion sensors. These were a bit too sensitive.
Not really i have dumbthings aka smarthings and alexa. Been looking to get rid of it.
Could use old android phone and free automation app (there are several I recall). NO/NC wired to Android earplug was trigger.
Set up on bench last year and worked very reliably.
Wanting to simplify found a way to use the M Mule xmitter flashing leds to trigger a relay which triggers camera alarm input so went that route instead.
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Interesting! I did the same thing with two M Mule sensors at the end of a few hundred feet of wire. I lost one of them to lightning and replaced it with a Cartell, just because the interface is simpler. I bought a 2nd Cartell assuming the other M Mule would die, and the spare has been sitting on the shelf for a couple of years now.
GTK about carter if I ever need one in future.
I took a chance on an $20.00 ebay used Mule got one in like new cond. Figured to hack receiver but instead hacked xmitter so eliminated need for rf portion (receiver of coarse can still be used in parallel if needed).
Used a cheap 3.00 "sample and hold" type relay board (std relay output would strobe like xmitter leds-no work) and a light dependent resistor (dawn to dusk sensor) scabbed from broken ir illuminator then added some heat shrink so sensor is up against xmitter flashing leds (opto isolated) and ldr wire then runs thru hole out to wherever ckt brd is located.
I also enclosed xmitter in a 3" pvc with a cap so stays better weather covered thinking many failures are from corroded magnetometer to transmitter connection. I must have an old style as I see new ones use a usb type connector and mines a proprietary type not usb.
Very neat clean hack with no change or modification needed to the mule xmitter unit.