Electrician Talk banner

Driveway alarm/chime?

2K views 25 replies 13 participants last post by  Shockdoc 
#1 ·
Finishing up a custom home, and the owner asks if there is a way to put a device in/near the driveway(lane about 200 yards long) that would sound a bell or even maybe the doorbell to give him early warning that someone is coming up the drive. I said I would check into it. 20 Years ago I worked for an alarm company and installed something(can't remember exactly how) in a 2"x8' PVC pipe under the entrance wired to a house. I'm sure there has been many improvements since then. Does anybody here install a wireless device that cold be mounted to a fence post and possibly work with a wireless doorbell system? I know I could google this, but looking for a specific reliable brand/system with minimum headaches, otherwise I may just farm this out to an alarm guy I use on commercial projects...
 
#4 ·
I tried a couple of cheap wireless driveway alarms and both worked fine and alerted when a car drove in, but - and a big but at that was the number of false alarms. It was so bad that I removed them.

It seemed that the sun as it moved across the sky would set them off, turning down sensitivity and even aiming downward with shrouds didn't work. I have no advice except to verify with extensive research by first hand users.

600 feet may be a bit far for video but some camera systems have movement alarms built into the software.
 
#7 ·
We install induction loops in the asphalt all the time in drive-thru lanes to alert people working in there when a car is waiting at the order speaker.

I'm sure there must be something like that out there for a smaller residential application.
 
#8 ·
I have looked at a lot of systems that cost upwards of $200 and many are plagued with false alarms, mostly by sun spots like mine.

This $179 one actually looks promising but would need more research (4 mile range).
http://www.absoluteautomation.com/mursbskit-infrared-driveway-alarm-and-base-station-kit/

If I got up every time my dog barked I would be at my original birth weight inside a fortnight, though I wouldn't mind being somewhere in-between.
 
#20 ·
That would be the epitome of a driveway sensor and similar to an inductive coil mentioned above, but would have to bury 600' of cable and under toe your drive.

At $300 its not a bad price for quality but would also need 1/2 day rental of a ditch witch and a bad back.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top