The back of my property borders a public alley and I’ve had multiple people climb over my 10’ fence and break into my house by smashing my back windows. Unfortunately, the city will not allow me to build a fence that is higher than 10’ or put razor wire on top of my fence. However, the shop that built my fence suggested that I get laser motion detectors to mount on the top of the fence. They think I can get good detectors that won’t react to pigeons but will catch humans climbing over the fence.
I’m using a QolSys IQ panel 2, so something that works with that panel would be ideal. However, anything wired should be okay. There’s low-voltage conduit out to my back fence, so I could presumably use some kind of wired-to-wireless adapter like the external terminals of an RE101.
Can anyone suggest specific products I should look into? Thanks.
However, the shop that built my fence suggested that I get laser motion detectors to mount on the top of the fence. They think I can get good detectors that won’t react to pigeons but will catch humans climbing over the fence.
One word of caution here: a laser detector must be firmly attached and immobile. The beam must be aligned correctly. Depending on the fence material, it’s probably very easy to get false alarms from non-invasive activity. Yes, birds will likely set something like that off regularly.
There are no wireless 319.5 beam detectors.
If you are looking for specialty outdoor sensors, look at Optex products. Here is a possible option for what you are describing. You would need to wire that to a wireless transmitter like the Hardwire 16, Hardwire 8, RE101, or S-Line Extended sensor.
I would suggest considering instead an outdoor motion detector to capture activity within the fenced area, as I am concerned the alternative will result in a great many false alarms.
I would suggest considering instead an outdoor motion detector to capture activity within the fenced area, as I am concerned the alternative will result in a great many false alarms.
Thanks for the suggestion on the Optex, although now I’m concerned about birds. I thought about an outdoor motion detector (any suggestions on a good one that integrates easily with IQ panel2?), but the problem is that the trash service has a key to get in my back gate, and I’d rather not have them disable the alarm–in fact I’m not sure how I would do that.
I do have a liftmaster exterior roll-up gate, which I was planning to put on myQ anyway. Instead of a physical key, I could give the trash service a door code to lift the gate. I know alarm.com has integration with myQ. A sensible policy might be to bypass the outdoor motion sensor while the gate is open, but is that possible with the IQ panel 2?
Alternatively, would it be crazy to add a wired sensor to the roll-up gate and wire the normally-open gate sensor in parallel with a normally-closed outdoor motion sensor, so that if either there is no motion or the gate is open the circuit is closed. The idea would be to create a “compound” sensor that only trips the alarm if the motion sensor is tripped while the roll-up gate is closed. If so, any suggestions for an appropriate sensor that could be applied to an exterior roll-up gate?
If I do go with a beam sensor, does anyone have experience with HTZSAFE products? They show up in a lot of reviews but the reviews seem a little scammy. I’m wondering if I placed something like this horizontally right behind the top of my back fence, would that be a good way to catch someone climbing over? (I have fences on 3 sides, but people are getting over the back fence, so I could mount this at 9.5 feet along the two side fences.)
A sensible policy might be to bypass the outdoor motion sensor while the gate is open, but is that possible with the IQ panel 2?
Not automatically with wireless sensors no, but–
Alternatively, would it be crazy to add a wired sensor to the roll-up gate and wire the normally-open gate sensor in parallel with a normally-closed outdoor motion sensor, so that if either there is no motion or the gate is open the circuit is closed.
–this actually sounds like a rather elegant solution if you expect activity and do not want to disarm the alarm. It would physically bypass the motion detector while the door is open, but you would need to be sure they don’t close the door after entering for some reason.
You would want to use an Outdoor wired motion detector. Again I would look at Optex models for that.
does anyone have experience with HTZSAFE products?
I have not used any products by that company. I couldn’t provide commentary or suggestions for them, unfortunately. The linked product would just be a stand-alone transmitter/receiver combo that wouldn’t integrate with the IQ Panel 2 unless the receiver station had an output contact closure.
Alternatively, would it be crazy to add a wired sensor to the roll-up gate and wire the normally-open gate sensor in parallel with a normally-closed outdoor motion sensor, so that if either there is no motion or the gate is open the circuit is closed.
–this actually sounds like a rather elegant solution if you expect activity and do not want to disarm the alarm. It would physically bypass the motion detector while the door is open, but you would need to be sure they don’t close the door after entering for some reason.
Indeed, there’s no way the trash service should ever be closing the gate while still inside, so it would be a bonus to set off the alarm if this happens. (It might mean someone socially-engineered their way onto my property while trash was being picked up.) I think I will try to do this, and look into optex outdoor motion sensors.
Do you have any suggestions for the outdoor gate sensor? I’m actually having trouble finding a suitable “wired outdoor magnetic alarm sensor.” Are those the wrong search terms? Most of the search results appear not actually to be outdoor rated.
Thanks for all of your help. It’s super appreciated.
Do you have any suggestions for the outdoor gate sensor? I’m actually having trouble finding a suitable “wired outdoor magnetic alarm sensor.” Are those the wrong search terms? Most of the search results appear not actually to be outdoor rated
Actually, could I just use a sentrol 1085W for this? I don’t see it specified as outdoor anywhere, but there’s this project on your web page that uses that sensor outdoors. If the 1085 is normally open, then I assume it closes when the door is open? (The data sheet is confusing because it says loop type closed, but N.O., and never defines what the “normal” state is–so I’m just assuming normal is your door is closed and the sensor is near the magnet.)
Wired outdoor contacts are pretty common and you’d just want to look for one with a wide magnetic gap to avoid false alarms.
If it is a roll up gate, the magnet is likely going to need to be on the bottom. A Garage door sensor like this may work for you. It has NO and NC wiring options.
Thanks for all of the help, I think you’ve told me everything I need.
Just in case someone else stumbles upon this thread, let me clarify that in fact I would have wanted the Sentrol 1086, not 1085. You had actually previously explained this to me and I’d forgotten. Sorry.
Actually, could I just use a sentrol 1085W for this?
No. The data sheets are a bit misleading, they are not normally open sensors. In terms of the sensor circuit, they are closed when the door is closed. You want the opposite. Check the link above, it has both NO and NC contact options.
Just in case someone else stumbles upon this thread, let me clarify that in fact I would have wanted the Sentrol 1086, not 1085. You had actually previously explained this to me and I’d forgotten. Sorry.
No problem, I didn’t recall that thread! Yes, you want to look at the Loop Type in the Sentrol data sheets.