STOP!!!! THIEF!!!! RV Alarm Systems

Mike · 04-29-2009, 04:04 AM

I did several forum searches and could only find one person mention a Black Widow
alarm system and I can only assume it's in addition to whatever the van
manufacturer installed - is this a concern for anyone besides me?
The last thing anyone wants is to make camp and leave your rig for a while,
taking a walk, hitting the beach, riding your bikes, and upon return,
find that you've been robbed, and they broke something to get inside.
So, do you have any sort of alarm system to let you know when/if you're being robbed?
Do you know if there are any RV specific alarms out there?
Ever considered it? We were thinking if we were somewhere near a beach say,
but we had to leave the van in the c/g to go there it would be an easy target.
In camp, who really knows who should be entering your van if you're not nearby.
I wonder if there's a noisy or silent alarm system with a transmitter and a
fob/pager you can carry with you?
We're trusting about some stuff, but not when everything of value has to be
left unguarded in your van at your campsite.
Some people have safes installed, but I think they're more of an incentive to
try harder to steal what ever might be in it.

Any ideas/comments/suggestions anyone?
Have you already purchased an OEM alarm system for your van?
If so, has it ever been tested and did it do the job?

Mike.

Hallibagger · 04-29-2009, 11:27 PM

Hi Mike,
The only ones I have seen are the typical traveller's alarms for use in motels and hotel rooms with a motion detector to activate them. They seem to have about a 100 decibel alarm which is battery powered. Costs run from the $30 -50 area.

One of those would be OK if you could also make it blow your vehicle horn too. It should not be too difficult to take the activation signal to close a relay in the horn circuit.

Surely those motor mansions must have a built-in system.

Interesting!

Mike · 05-01-2009, 04:00 AM

Hi Deryck,
I''d actually seen a portable/standalone I/R motion detecting alarm at a few home reno stores around town.
I was thinking the shrill screech might be enough to scare off any would be thieves, but then they've already
broken something to get far enough to set one off, so I don't know how useful that would be.
I recall a friend had a sports car with a proximity detector that verbally warned you that "you are too close
to the vehicle, please step back" or some such warning 3 times, before it would start howling in multiple
alarm patterns. Maybe that's the sort of thing I'd be interested in but I'd imagine it would be $$$$$$.
I guess the object of the game is deter thieves before they break the window or lock which may cost
more to fix than the objects taken. We don't normally leave anything valuable inside when we leave it,
even for a pit stop or food.
I guess most folks aren't too concerned about it, or figure that's what insurance is for?

re: Motor mansions - I hope they come with an armed security guard, for that kind of money.

If I come up with anything interesting, I'll post it up.

Mike.

RSRV · 06-04-2009, 03:21 PM

I have a Viper 5701 with remote start on a 2009 2500 conversion it works up to a half mile. will page you if someone even bangs on your vehical with there hand.Have had no problems with the alarm or remote start

Mike · 06-05-2009, 12:55 AM

Did you install it yourself? What sort of price would I be looking at?
What part of the continent are you in? I'm in Ontario, Canada.
Would there be some place near me that might have the system you mention?

RSRV · 06-05-2009, 12:19 PM

My van is a 2009 sptinter Diesel it was installed in Elkart In. it cost me $550.00 compleate with the auto start and one 2 way remote and one 1 way remote The 2 way remote will page you if someone trys to breake in.

Mike · 06-05-2009, 01:17 PM

Thanks for the info. We may be in that neck of the woods before year's end, and
might have to have a look into them. I like the proximity or contact reaction, and the
remote pager sounds like what I'm looking for.
When it pages you after someone/something hits or makes contact with your van,
does it page you silently first, then set off the audible alarm if there's an intrusion?
Does contact anywhere on the surface initiate a page to the remote?
How much of a touch triggers the system? What's the contact sensitivity like?
Would a bird landing on it, or a tree branch brushing against it set it off?

Again, thanks for the info.

arrveedogz · 08-18-2009, 02:25 AM

A DIY alarm system requiring only two wires to hookup. Does this seem too simple to be true? And too cheap to be worth anything?

http://paylessall.com/cart/brand-new...tem-p-757.html

Dan F.

Mike · 08-18-2009, 01:31 PM

I'd say "yes" and "probably".
The install is probably a lot more complicated to be diy possible.
It does seem a bit inexpensive to be able to do what it says.
RSRV said he/she paid $550 for an installed system in a Sprinter, and I'd imagined
that to be about what I'd expect to pay for a good system with remote options.
I may have a look round Elkhart later this year when we're on our way out west.
I'm also planning to visit Jensen/ASA while I'm there to see what they've got in the way of 12V LCD TVs.

Mike · 03-02-2010, 01:26 AM

I also posted this mini-saga in the "Security" thread, that another forum member posted
more recently. It was in response to a question about security and auto-alarms, and resulted
from his need for some sort of noisy alarm system, with remote notification of a break in.
I had a NuStart NUAS 8000 installed today in my van. It satisfies both of his requirements.
It went a s follows......

Ok, I lied.

So shoot me!

I just got the NuStart NUAS 8000 remote starter and alarm system today.
I went with it because I spotted it on sale at Best Buy (it's their other major alarm/starter company).
Got it installed, along with an extra (required to work the door locks with the factory system) module,
and all labour, for just under $500 including taxes. Not all vehicles need the extra door lock module.
The alarm by itself, including installation was on for $299.99 + tax.

The Viper 5901 would have also required the door lock module ($89 + $49 extra to install),
so it would have come in closer to $750 installed.
Both starter/alarms do about the same thing, according to my extensive, but unscientific research,
so it came down to price.

The NuStart (which is actually a Compustar rebranded) uses the existing factory on board computer
to sense and watch the doors, and has a "bump" sensor which is user adjustable to the point where
it'll trigger when the wind blows, or you can disable it for sleeping, and just leave the doors armed.
It comes with one of those funky sirens that does impressions of any number of emergency vehicles.
It has (most importantly) Valet mode which keeps the unsuspecting service man from starting the
engine, or triggering the alarm while doing whatever other vehicle maintenance might be required
from time to time. It also has several shutdowns which disables only the engine start function,
including a hidden under hood switch, so your mechanic doesn't fire up the engine, while up to his elbows.
It comes with one 2 way LCD remote, and one 1 way "dumb" manual remote. The 2 way has a small screen
with numerous status indicators in text and symbols to tell you what's happening with your RV, when
you're not in it. If something happens while you're elsewhere, the LCD remote starts chiming.
The display shows the type of event by symbols that indicate a "contact" problem, or a door opened.
They both have a published range of 5,000 feet, under optimal conditions. I'll let you know
about that after a few weeks. It's an FM send/receive, so it should probably be pretty decent. If it
works up to 2500 feet, I'd be satisfied.

The installation took 2 installers the better part of 6 hours to complete, including several support
calls to the manufacturer to resolve various vehicle specific issues.

I think it has to be a professional installation, as they had the van plugged in to an external computer
to get the software in the NUAS 8000 brain to talk to and work with the Chev on board brain.
The good news is it seems to be working as designed.
I left the box with the serial information at Best Buy (I was tired and in a hurry to get home, after
all day at the mall) and still have to get the installer to show me a couple of things, but the basics
are described pretty well in the manual. Just a bit of reading tonight, and a return trip to Best Buy
tomorrow.

So, so far, so good. If there are any other significant events worth noting, I'll update this thread.
I hope this helps anyone considering adding a non-factory starter/alarm system.
Any other questions, please ask here, or PM me.

visionquest · 03-09-2010, 04:06 AM

I appreciate this info Mike! We are going to have an alarm system installed in a week or two, so we need to get it narrowed down some. We have been shopping locally and finding mostly Viper brand systems that the stereo shops are selling. They are claiming a mile and a half range on the key fobs though which sounds really good, we'll see. We are likely going to drive down to Silverdale which is an hour and a half from us to get it done. There should be more options that way, including the Best Buy.

I will let you know what we end up with. We are looking in a similar price range (under $700 installed)

-Mike
97 Roadtrek 170P "Taj Ma Trek"
http://vantramps.blogspot.com

Mike · 03-09-2010, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arrveedogz

A DIY alarm system requiring only two wires to hookup. Does this seem too simple to be true? And too cheap to be worth anything?

http://paylessall.com/cart/brand-new...tem-p-757.html

Dan F.

Hi again Dan,
I was just browsing this thread for an update and realized again that the price seemed a bit low,
but 2 wires might be enough to install a functional alarm system. I was under the impression
(incorrectly) that alarms needed door contacts and wires to protect the vehicle. Wrong!!!

I found out by witnessing my installation, that all the techs really needed was some sort
of laptop, like the car dealerships use to diagnose problems, to install the software "wires, contacts,
and switches". I think my alarm has 5-6 wires, one connects the alarm/starter brain to the vehicle
brain for power and access to the ignition circuitry, one with the manual shock sensor unit and
adjustment (hidden), one to the siren, one to the transmit/receive antenna, one to the flashing
blue "alarm armed" indicator LED, and one for the hidden "valet mode" starter kill cutoff switch
which is a safety feature to keep Joe Mechanic from accidentally triggering the starter while under
the hood.
It appears that most new alarms use the vehicle's door sensors and locking indicators to signal the
alarm system. As the info on the system you linked to states, - "The current sensor activates the
alarm immediately when a door, trunk or hood is opened (if these opening trigger a light) while
First Defense is armed ". That's how these newer systems work, by piggy-backing off the OEM
computer and wiring. Until last week, I did not know that.

So, while the 400 foot range might indicate it's an older AM band or model and that's why the price
is lower, and it doesn't have remote starting functions which adds cost, I think it might possible with
2 wires, if you don't count the siren/antenna/LED blue light/starter defeat (optional), and a bit of
OEM computer tweaking. Also, as part of my more recent research, Directed Electronics owns Viper,
so it's probably not a bad system.

If you've already figured this out, apologies.
Standing corrected,

Mike.

Mike · 03-09-2010, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by visionquest

I appreciate this info Mike! We are going to have an alarm system installed in a week or two, so we need to get it narrowed down some. We have been shopping locally and finding mostly Viper brand systems that the stereo shops are selling. They are claiming a mile and a half range on the key fobs though which sounds really good, we'll see. We are likely going to drive down to Silverdale which is an hour and a half from us to get it done. There should be more options that way, including the Best Buy.

I will let you know what we end up with. We are looking in a similar price range (under $700 installed)

-Mike
97 Roadtrek 170P "Taj Ma Trek"
http://vantramps.blogspot.com

The Viper 5901 and the NuStart 8000 (which I chose for price) were the best systems I could find up
here, and both advertise 5000 foot transmit/receive range to the fobs under perfect conditions.
I believe they both use FM band signals so I expect/hope the range will be better than half the claim.
I've fiddled with the shock sensing, and we live on a busy road with more than enough heavy truck
traffic going by, and it notified the remote fob a couple of times, due to roadway vibration.
So it does work!!
I would imagine that you'll get an even better system in the USA than I got up here, just based on
my experience that you guys "get all the cool new toys" before we do.

Good luck, and post up your experince when you can.

Mike · 03-17-2010, 02:23 PM

Just an update. I'm having a remote starter problem with the NuStart system.

If I remote start the van, and let it run through it's warm up cycle (default is
15 minutes), when I then go out and try to start the van with my keys, the battery
is dead. If I don't use the remote starter first, I have no problems.

I've been in touch with Staub/NuStart and they think the installers connected
the thing to the wrong ignition circuit. I have it scheduled in on Friday for follow up
and corrective service at Best Buy.

Mike · 03-17-2010, 11:27 PM

Not wishing to wait until Friday, I contacted Best Buy and told them
what Staub had told me they thought it was. I pressured them a bit to look at
it before Friday, and I took it in this afternoon and they fixed it by adding a
second relay to activate the alternator's charging of the battery from the alarm/starter's
brain. It was a brown wire they couldn't see on any NuStart wiring charts, and so they
didn't check to see what it did. It is the 2nd ignition wire, and it controls alternator charging.
If anyone else has one of these systems installed, on a Chevy chassis,
be aware there are two ignition circuits, and the brown wire needs activation, as well as
the white/pink wires.

Happy ending (I hope).

Mike · 03-17-2010, 11:28 PM

Not wishing to wait until Friday, I contacted Best Buy and told them
what Staub had told me they thought it was. I pressured them a bit to look at
it before Friday, and I took it in this afternoon and they fixed it by adding a
second relay to activate the alternator's charging of the battery from the alarm/starter's
brain. It was a brown wire they couldn't see on any NuStart wiring charts, and so they
didn't check to see what it did. It is the 2nd accessory wire, and it controls the alternator's
charging of batteries, among possibly other circuits.
If anyone else has one of these systems installed, on a Chevy chassis, be aware there are
two accessory circuits, and the brown wire should also be activated by the alarm brain.

Happy ending (I hope).

JKatfish · 09-15-2015, 06:24 PM

I know this is a very old thread, but what if any cheap alarms are owners of B coaches using. With all the newer wifi technology and all the electronic "toys" we all have, I'm a bit more concerned about theft in the cities. Using a B to go shopping or restaurants may make it tempting for thieves since they consider as someone's home and may have stuff they want. Any alarm just to scare them away would help, or with wifi tracking is nice. Being careful is the first line of defense, but it's good to have a backup.

avanti · 09-15-2015, 07:14 PM

I just finished a self-install of a Viper 5706V, which has a 2-way remote with an "up to" 1-mile range. Perfect for campground and while shopping/eating. I installed it in our Sprinter using a DBALL2 CANBUS interface, which makes it extremely easy. Only four wires connected to the Sprinter (Power, GND, CAN-HIGH and CAN-LOW). This gives you a fully-integrated alarm that sees all door and ignition events, controls lights and door locks, and fully-supports the OEM key fob buttons. Total cost $235 from eBay including the Sprinter-specific programming of the DBALL. Install is easy. I am pleased.

I posted the details of over at Sprinter-Source:

2014 Great West Vans Legend SE - Page 12 - Sprinter-Forum

If anybody needs this information posted here, let me know.

SiennaGuy · 09-15-2015, 07:24 PM

IMHO, vehicle alarm systems generally have two problems.

1. Because they tend to have so many false alarms, most people who pass by ignore their sirens, horns, or whatever.

2. The noise that they make is only outside the vehicle.

With an RV, I think that it would be a good idea to mount a siren inside, in addition to having one outside. If a burglar has gotten inside, a loud and annoying siren in their ears would make them leave quickly without digging through your things for very long.

An ideal system should also alert your smart phone. That way you can call the police (or park ranger) and meet them back at your RV.

avanti · 09-15-2015, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SiennaGuy

With an RV, I think that it would be a good idea to mount a siren inside,

That is exactly what I did! For the reasons you state, the outside alarm is all but useless. Inside, it is brutal. I also intend to install a very bright strobe-light inside.

Quote:

An ideal system should also alert your smart phone. That way you can call the police (or park ranger) and meet them back at your RV.

The next Viper up can do that. The trouble is that you end up paying a monthly charge. The one-mile 2-way remote has no recurring cost and covers most common scenarios, at least for us.

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