Driveway sensors.

In the spring in going to be getting my driveway poured/paved (poured skirting and walkway, paved rest of way. It's a triple driveway, if guess 40x40 maybe 40x50. I will be putting two pillars at the end of driveway (18-24x18-24) wrapped in stone, and lighted as driveway markers. So I would like to run a hardwired driveway sensor from there, under the driveway, to detect an incoming vehicle and or people (might just use motion on house). Anyone have one to recommend? I just want to have a set of dry contacts, and have it trip a zone. I plan to pull a 2 cat5 teck, 10c14 teck, and a 6tri18 out there and then out again to other pillar. Just for future who knows what. so figure I can just run back a sensor.

Sure Action makes driveway alert systems that use a probe that is buried beneath the driveway and detect vehicles through a magnetic field.
 
http://www.sureaction.com/drivewayalert_security.html
 
Mier Products also makes a similar sensor.
 
http://www.mierproducts.com/DA-Home.html
 
These won't detect people, though.  Unless they are made of metal.  ;-)

Driveway probes are going to require shielded pairs.
 
The best option would be to install a pipe, like 2" from a handhold box on the side of the driveway. The pipe should extend to approximately the center of the drive. In your case, you might require 2 sensors based on width.
 
The best plan would involve a pair of areas, one closer to the end and another 30 feet or so away so you could then have directional sensing....the probe does need to be about 20-30 feet away from the end of the driveway.
 
I'd go with Cartel. I've put in plenty of them over the years and they work well. Have many options also.

I've got two of these http://www.amazon.com/Mighty-Mule-FM138-50-Feet-Opening/dp/B0002YP97S under my driveway. Their contact closures are  wired to a couple Elk inputs. They've worked perfectly for 8 years.

I use the Dakota alert, it's the one where you bury the probe in the ground.  I also purchased the Insteon module EZnRF that sends the alerts through my Universal Devices ISY module.

Yup here also have a triple driveway some 35 feet or more wide much longer than wider.
 
Today use a mixture of techologies (to play) but still have in place my Cartel system plugged into my Leviton HAI OPII panel; never failed and always has worked just fine for any automobiles. (I also utilize outdoor wired PIR's and the such).  The 2 sensors (probes) are under the driveway.
 
I just looked for the manual and found and scanned a drawing posted in the manual for the probes.
 
If you decided to utilize Cartel note that you will need two probes for your new driveway.  They are made to last forever.
 

 
Here is a quickie installation guide for the probes in cement.
 

 
 

Thanks. It's just to know if someone pulls in. Theft is an increasing issue in town, and since I'm getting driveway installed in spring/summer it's super easy at this point. So why not.

I will be putting two pillars at the end of driveway (18-24x18-24) wrapped in stone, and lighted as driveway markers.

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Personally I would take advantage of these putting more or larger LV chases to these two pillars for more security stuff from the house and connectivity of the wired probes should you decided to wire them to your alarm panel.
 
The rest of the stuff triggers events when someone just walks up the driveway or the front walk or just stands on the front porch.
 
I am guessing here that you were going to run electric and LV to the two pillars from the house.

Yes, I was going to use shielded pairs or tri for low volt, and #14 for lights and a plug. I was going to pull cat5 aswell

Yup you can then put IP POE cameras there if you want plus maybe an outdoor PIR.
 
Here I ran  (there might be more) - LV was easy and HV was a PITA.
 
1 - 120 VAC always on and switched from the home (switch is UPB).  This did involve some new conduit inside of the house and turning a 2 gang box to a 3 gang box (new conduit to it for new switch). This was originally done then changed with updated UPB switches.
2 - 12VDC 12/10 guage connection to LV LED lighting stuff
3 - Cat5E x 2
4 - RG6 plus 12VDC
 
I started originally with a analog camera and today its an  IP HD camera.

Yeah. Mine are going to be stone veneer wrapped. So I'll recess a camera in. Then I'm going to have a square concrete slab (hollow through center) then a wide band (maybe 8") then a concrete cap.

Under the first slab/overhang, I'd like to run led strips to light up stone, to give it depth/shadow effect in dark. Then on the pillar on right I want to get it laser/water cut with house number, rough up some plexi behind it to frost it, and backlight the numbers. Metal band will be powdercoated black.

This is my blueprint idea, and is exactly to scale!

Very nice.
 

I want to get it laser/water cut with house number, rough up some plexi behind it to frost it, and backlight the numbers

Click to expand...

Curious about what this will look like during the daytime?
 
What will the cap be made out of?
 
The little Kichler LEDs on metal I played with a few months ago nice for this sort of thing; but expensive.
 

The cap will be tinted concrete. Beige to match siding. Stone will be black/brown to match the front of house. So was going to get some 1/4" aluminum for numbers. Something to really cut off light vs thin sheet metal. For center of hollow numbers (10602) I'll get a small stud tacked on before powder coat and glue it in. Or use stencil numbers with a small strip to hold it. For day I can do a few things. I have 2 options to back light. A bulb behind. Or heavily etch and recess LEDs in the side. Works the same as those etched glass things where only the rough parts really reflect. If I go recessed LED I can paint or put some Teflon sheet behind it to make it white, and help reflect.

I'll do an actual sketch to show you assembly idea. Other than finger paint on my iPhone lol

Thank-you N49atv.  I would like to see that.

Basic layout idea. I like lips (prob square not round) so I can hide led strips under bottom one. I think two sets of concrete is best, so my downlighting doesn't effect the backlit numbers.



I want to put a screw pile at end of driveway. It will be 6-7' long. So the screw is below frost (3-4') this will prevent frost heave, and settling and take the weight. I will cap it with something like 18x18" plate.

I will drill holes in plate back edge to allow cable entry. I want pillar to fit tightly over the pile, I could even bolt to pile cap.

I plan to have the base piece with an opening in the top for wire to get through. I will frame around this opening with 2x4 or 2x6 on edge.

I will then make my first tinted concrete frame. It will be about 2" thick, and slide over the 2x4s. This will allow me to mount lights to bottom, and give stone that extra textured look. Frame will hold it square.

There will be some board still sticking past concrete slab/frame. (1.5" if 2x4 or 3.5" if 2x6 used) this will hold the number piece on. This will be a basic box, with 3 sides made of 2x8" or whatever works for letter height. On the 4th side I will have a piece of acrylic/plexi. It will be sanded/sandblasted to rough one side. If I glue a thin layer of Teflon/uhmw to back it will give it a white background (or just put a frosted led behind it).

Then I will screw thick aluminum plates to outside. If I use black screws in corners, it will blend nice. One in front of the plexi will obviously have number cut outs. It will cover the whole plexi, so I won't need to be careful with sanding/roughing

The top of the number plate will again have an opening. And I'll either have a small frame again, or sink a frame In the cap to hold cap square.

I'll build cap the same as lower frame, but with a slight peak In mold. To allow rain to run off. I plan to tink them a beige to match house. Weight will keep it on in wind. I'd guess 30lbs or so.

Stone will be black stone veneer like ledge stone (not sure which kind it actually is) but it has an uneven thickness, length, and edge per piece. In the end, the number plate will be roughly the same width as base pillar after stone is applied.

In the back of each I will mount a plug for seasonal decor.

I could also mount/recess a black dome camera on one pillar, or do PIR, or lasers. Opportunities are endless. And it makes an easy place to splice all sensors etc before going in house.

I think I'll make them 5' tall or so. Since I get 3' of snow regularly, and want the numbers visible. But I'll get a better feel for height in spring.

Caps will take about 3-4 days in mold, and about 30 days to cure out of it.