Backyard security

iostream212

iostream212

Active Member
Just thinking out loud here about backyard security. I got a lock on my side entry gate and that's about it. Yesterday some punk neighbor kids hopped my fence into my backyard looking for some toy they threw over. The worst part was that it wasn't in my yard and they proceed to hop the fence again into my other neighbors backyard. What ever happened to knocking on the door? All I could think of adding for security was motion detectors, but I am sure being outside may present many challenges (sunlight, heat, dark, weather, wind blowing things, bringing power and signal wires over, etc). Is there an easier way? PS: I also had my finger on the touch screen button to fire off the sprinklers when it happened, but decided to go easy on them... This time.
 
Motion sensors are a tough condition to operate outside.  I think some people here have had moderate success with dual technologies to minimize sun/wind influence, but I have never had success here.
 
I was going to investigate beam breaks like Dakota Alert has, but never got around to it.
 
While it's only been a couple of months, I've had success with motion detectors under an eave. If it trips I just have the Elk say "motion detected" so they know....
 
While not exactly related to your scenario, I'm much more interested in preventing an "event" rather than catching someone inside. Have an old X-10 barking dog as well as visible cameras to also act as a deterrent. My logic is anyone looking to rip me off is likely going to move on to the next house.
 
This is all a result of two colleagues having break-ins during the past few months.
 
I have had good success with Optex LX-402 units. Between aiming, masking, and setting sensitivity, I have gotten mine to be pretty reliable. If you are in the front yard facing the street it is a challenge to get it to trigger when you want without ever falsing when a truck goes by, but in the backyard it is a lot easier.
 
I actually have cameras pointed at the fence, and use video analytics to detect motion (pretty accurate) (which can trigger external relays or commands if needed).
 
In my old home I had a 6 foot cedar fence with a gate that opened to the drive way.  This was in the late 1980's (house was built though around 1979 or so).  The issue I had was that the gate/door was too large and if not opened properly would break the hinges.  The landscaping service would many times leave the gate open after cutting the grass in the back yard.  The panel I was using at the time did have TTS and I did at the time wire up a speaker to the detached garage with an open gate message.  In addition though I also had a photobeam (also wired) that went across the driveway; also connected to the alarm panel TTS and one zone.   There was a "crosswalk" adjacent to the driveway which ran between two streets and cut between 4 houses there. 
 
That said I also was playing with video at the time and used a wireless camera in the backyard shed pointing towards the house and the fence gate.  The gate did have a NO/NC switch with a wire going to the panel.  I really didn't have an issue with kids but rather the issue was me closing the gate and latching it properely.  If I didn't latch the gate then it would swing on its three hinges.  That said a bit of wind would break the hinges (that happened once or twice).  The panel TTS set up had a similiar switch to the detached garage / garage door to remind me to shut the gate or garage door at the time.
 
Here is a picture of the configuration overview.  The picture is new (I had no pool when I lived there).
 

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I like the idea of a camera. If I get it in the right spot I could watch for fence hoppers and keep an eye on the children when they are playing. I am wired as such where it would be fairly easy to add my side gate as an elk zone. How is your coverage? My next thought would be that if I went camera, photo beam, or motion sensor that I would need multiple to get coverage on all exposed sides. The space isn't that big (50' x 25').
 
My camera is connected to a DVR, which offers various inputs/outputs when motion is detected (many systems offer this), so I could treat it like an alarm zone if I really wanted to.
 
The camera with motion/analytics is great in daylight.  Not sure it works so well with IR cams, even if you could get IRs to light up your backyard.  But the Optex LX-402's do have a pretty good range and FOV.  I use 2 - they have been very reliable and I am not aware of any falsing.
 
Mark, great point about night usage. Dan do you have any input on night reliability? I checked out those lx-402's and they look sweet and nice price point too. Get them dialed in and then tie the motion events into the backyard sprinklers when security is armed... 
 
I have 2 DVR systems, 1 which records 24/7, and 1 which records based on motion.  At night, there isn't much I can do, unless I install security lighting (or they are carrying a flash light, which might trigger motion detection, and I could at least check out DVR #1).
 
OMG W2P, I mainly use tapatalk so i didn't see your post earlier. All things considered... thats what I want! I think I'll just sit on my patio with a gin and tonic and a paintball gun and just have at it.
 
wouldn't an IR Fence work?  mount them up high on the posts, I remember seeing offerings from Dakota that had ranges of over 100 ft 
 
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