Wireless beam Detector?

[bobr]

Does anyone know of a wireless battery powered beam detector to monitor gate entry? The gate is between two fenced areas containing horses so a motion detector won't work.

There isn't power and the home owner doesn't want to add wiring to it.

The gate isn't normally closed, but she wants to have a warning of when people(cars, people, or people on horses) enter the gate.

I can't seem to find any wireless devices.

thanks
Bob

 

[Spanky]

A wireless beam would draw too much current for a battery to have any lifetime. Don't know of a wireless beam, only wireless PIR motions.

 

[Mike]

Wouldn't a normal wireless relay work? Put one side on each piece of the gate, when the gate is opened the zone is tripped. There are a lot of caddx wireless sensors that have a long battery life (5 years on most, I think the recessed ones (if that is possible to use here is 10 years or more).

I'm not sure of the weather proofing related issues here but perhaps you could seal it to avoid humidity, etc.

EDIT: I just read the post again and noticed the gate is not normally closed.

 

[carry15+1]

I wonder if you could use an Optex 1000 wireless PIR and fabricate a tunnel for the PIR to look through? This would limit the area of detection. I use these detectors in a couple places around my home and they are very reliable with good range.

 

[rocco]

Hi, Bob:
How does she expect to be notified? Is everything self-contained at the gate (like a horn there?) or does she want the notification somewhere else, like in the house.

I use a small retro-reflective laser-based sensor for this type of thing. It will run on 12 volts, but as Spanky said, it draws too much current (35 milliamp) for small batteries. A 12 volt gel-cell and a solar charger would work. Or you could forgo the solar charger, and swap/recharge the battery every week.

 

[bobr]

The optex 1000 sounds interesting. When you talk about creating a tunnel, do you shield the beam with some material, or just by carefully aiming the detector?

Rocco,

She wants a audio notification inside the house.

The solar approach is a good idea. Easily done. What laser sensor do you use? Is it wireless?

thanks for all the help.
Bob

 

[rocco]

Hi, Bob:
This is the unit I have used:
http://www.bannersensors.com/products/subfam.php?subi_id=147

I used the "Laser Polarized Retroreflective" version, which has a range of 59 feet. It cost $130, last time I bought. I notice that they now have a version that will work up to 700 feet:
http://www.bannersensors.com/products/subfam.php?subi_id=146

They just have a transistor output. It's like a contact closure, but with polarity. It can hook directly up to a DS10, is you want a cheap wireless transmitter, but I don't know what you would use inside the house to receive (someone else chimes in here).

I've used them to activate switch inputs, to input into a computer, to switch a sprinkler valve, and to ring a doorbell. But nothing wireless.

----edit:
I just noticed that the 700-foot version is two units, opposing each other (like on an electric garage door). The Laser version is a single unit with a reflector.

 

[CollinR]

Do they have a CCTV system? I have had good luck having cameras do this, I have actually gone 1500 feet out before.

 

[carry15+1]

The optex 1000 sounds interesting. When you talk about creating a tunnel, do you shield the beam with some material, or just by carefully aiming the detector?

Rocco,

She wants a audio notification inside the house.

The solar approach is a good idea. Easily done. What laser sensor do you use? Is it wireless?

thanks for all the help.
Bob

My Optex sensors are wide open - they seldom false, unless the birds fly around them.

My idea was to limit the area viewable to the sensor. Kind of like looking through a carboard tube. I would think you could use something like a 3" x 12" pvc pipe, but I've never tried this.

The Optex receiver can handle 4 sensors, with a channel for each, and a unique sound for each. The receiver also has a single dry contact output that can be connected to an alarm or whatever.

These systems are on eBay all the time for $130 for the receiver with one remote sensor. I have easily gotten 400' range with these, YMMV. Used to use one for a drive alarm, but the deer kept tripping it so I went to a buried magnetic system.