Way to alarm a Trailer

[programmergeek]

I have a open landscape type Trailer in my back yard I would like to know if someone is stealing. I can reach a elk or HAI System wirelessly with any sensor. The sensor will be out doors what is the best way to tell if this is being moved or stolen? Just looking for creative idears.

 

[Digger]

I have a open landscape type Trailer in my back yard I would like to know if someone is stealing. I can reach a elk or HAI System wirelessly with any sensor. The sensor will be out doors what is the best way to tell if this is being moved or stolen? Just looking for creative idears.

I have a friend whose bushes in his summer house kept getting stolen. He used a wireles transmitter with external loop of thin wire run threw the rootball of the replacement bushes. If someone ripped one them out they would break the wire and trip the alarm and the camera system.

You could do something similar by running a thin wire not likely to be seen by someone to a transmitter mounted in a plastic outdoor box. The wire could hook onto the trailer and if pulled hard enough break tripping the alarm but be easily removable when you need to use the trailer.

Does the arm of the trailer sit on some cinder blocks? If so you could hide the transmitter in there and mount a contact such as an overhead door contact in the block and the magnet on the trailer arm (one of those heavy duty contacts for garage doors with a 2 inch gap). So when you put it back at the end of the day it will close the circuit but if the trailer is moved it will trip.

I would put this on a seperate area of the system if possible that you can arm and disarm with a keyfob. If you want to turn your sprinklers on and get the guy wet so the cops can spot him easier Or you can put some piezo screamers out there and make the guy wet himself.

 

[programmergeek]

no blocks just sits on a third wheel that folds up I was thinking of connecting that some how if it was folded up. I could chain it to the fence and alarm that but I was hoping to find something that wouldn't inconvience me.

 

[AnthonyZ]

Why not use RFID? Ananiah stuff is still available, just not through CheaperTronics. Run ASCII into control and use flags (HAI) or rules (Elk) to track it.

 

[mdesmarais]

How about a contact under one of the tires? Although you would have to make sure to park on top of it.

 

[sic0048]

Why not use RFID? Ananiah stuff is still available, just not through CheaperTronics. Run ASCII into control and use flags (HAI) or rules (Elk) to track it.

I think that is the best solution. It doesn't require you to do or set anything everytime you pull the trailer. Simply come and go as you please. If you have to hook up a contact or rap a wire around the trailer everytime you move it, you'll simply not do it everytime. There will be rainy days or you'll come back after a really long day and simply not feel like messing with it.

The RDIF solution is more expensive, but I think the best solution. It will also be invisible to anyone looking at the trailer, so it will be very hard to circumvent. You should be the only person that knows that there is a tag installed on the trailer.

 

[programmergeek]

RFID sound like the way to go I am going to start a new thread, It is also nice you can tell when a car is comming home etc.