Driveway Alarm/door bell

alldodge

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Been looking for a drive way alarm. Don't want it to be set off by a deer or other critter passing by. Found a couple of possibilities, but would really like a hard wired model. Drive way entrance is 250 feet away and I'm leaning toward the Dakota system, just wonder if the wire can be lengthened. Are there others which work better with less false alarms?
 

gm280

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AllDodge, if you want a hard wired system, but don't want false alarms via deer, dogs or whatever, the only way I can see that working is with multiple sensor setups. A single sensor will trigger if anything passes it. But you should be able to get one that takes more then one sensor to trigger. And have them set apart so a deer or any type animal can't possible trigger two separated triggers at the same time, but a vehicle still will. And most any hardwired system can lengthen the wires without any problems.

Of course anything can be falsely triggered. If two or more deer are coming across the two separated sensors at the same time, it will still go off. But that is a remote possibility.

One thing you really don't want is an RF transmitted setup. I installed a simple backup camera in my wife's car some years ago. And the power was only on when in reverse for the camera section mounted on the rear tag. But the monitor was on any time the vehicle was on. I was amazed at the video I was receiving from other homes, shops, businesses as you would drive down the streets. I even had videos of business safes inside the businesses even when they were closed. Now that is not a good thing at all. People don't know that they are transmitting the inside of their homes to everybody with RF systems. :nono:
 

alldodge

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Agree don't want RF, but the only one I'm seeing is the Dakota model, which still uses RF but only after having a metal object (no metal no trigger) pass over the buried sensor in the drive way. Limit is 12 feet from the sensor in the driveway
 

64osby

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Had a security gate that was triggered by a wire buried about 6" deep at the exit.

Pretty sure it operated via magnetic field, signaled the wire which triggered the gate. Metal was the only thing that would signal it.

You might be able to find a set up that could signal the bell.
 
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thumpar

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You could consider a motion camera system also. Mine is completely wireless (doesn't even need power) and senses motion with an alert to my phone. The nice thing is you would know what set off the alert with the camera and can watch it from any device. It stores a library of past recordings.
 

alldodge

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Thanks, appreciate it, but hear we currently have so many deer and other critters running past everywhere I really need something that works off metal. Other guy hear picked up a motion type and he finally unplugged it, just was constantly going off
 

Scott Danforth

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put up a gate with a call-box system with camera/screen. if someone wants to enter, you have to let them, or they have to have a code. last time I checked, deer still could not enter a door code.
 

bigdee

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Don't know how your electronic skills are but this would be a easy project for less than $200. Two retroflective photoeyes and two reflectors spaced about 6 feet apart. Interfaced with a small PLC you could configure unlimited logic possibilities.
 

alldodge

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Don't know how your electronic skills are but this would be a easy project for less than $200. Two retroflective photoeyes and two reflectors spaced about 6 feet apart. Interfaced with a small PLC you could configure unlimited logic possibilities.

Could build one but we have to many critters running around during the day, this is why I'm looking at the magnetic ones which are buried. This way only metallic objects will set it off. Going to need to read up on these because I also don't want it real loud.
 

bruceb58

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bigdee

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Could build one but we have to many critters running around during the day, this is why I'm looking at the magnetic ones which are buried. This way only metallic objects will set it off. Going to need to read up on these because I also don't want it real loud.

With the correct logic critters would not trigger it. I also like the idea of the gas station alarm. A piece of hose and a pressure switch. Adjust the pressure so only a vehicle would trigger it.
 

fhhuber

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I do remember those bells when entering a gas/service station back in the days when service stations actually gave service. Not so much anymore. JMHO!

These were operated on air pressure. A kid on a bicycle had a really hard time setting them off. But we could jump and stomp the tube hard and make it ding. (and get yelled at by the gas station attendant) I don't know the air pressure required in the system, but as long as it had air it worked. One of the gas stations that closed had enough air in the system that we could make the bell ring after 2 weeks with the power shut off.
 

bigdee

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These were operated on air pressure. A kid on a bicycle had a really hard time setting them off. But we could jump and stomp the tube hard and make it ding. (and get yelled at by the gas station attendant) I don't know the air pressure required in the system, but as long as it had air it worked. One of the gas stations that closed had enough air in the system that we could make the bell ring after 2 weeks with the power shut off.

They work with the air pressure that is created in the hose itself....no power required for the trigger mechanism. The bell may have been powered from compressed air IDK. I would just use a pressure switch to turn the light/alarm of your choice.
 

fhhuber

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Many used the pressure switch + electric bell... really old style used just a piston/spring system to strike the bell directly. There was one that the attendant had to manually reset when the bell rang.

You can still order a kit for the pressure switch + electric bell version for about $90.
 
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