Milenco Window Alarms. (1 Viewer)

Jan 11, 2018
1,156
1,337
Malvern Link, Malvern, UK
Funster No
51,943
MH
Chausson Welcome 85
Exp
Since 2018
Hello, I have a question please.
I have 6 of these on my motorhome , all have new batteries and I have tested with a multimeter that each little stack of 3 batteries is delivering 4.5v to the device.
3 start up and bleep immediately and work fine.
The other 3 sometimes start fine but very often take maybe a minute to bleep and start up and begin flashing their warning lights. Almost as if the batteries are failing to 'charge' perhaps a capacitor of something inside? Sometimes they don't start at all.

Has anybody found the same?
Does this mean they are duff?

I know they are cheap trashy things but they do give a level of (probably psychological only) of security at night.

To replace them could anybody please recommend suitable alternatives?
 
Apr 20, 2020
1,050
2,271
Northern Ireland.
Funster No
70,057
MH
Adria Compact SC.
Exp
Since 2017
I had the Milenco alarms fitted but was worried that someone could force the window open and then just rip the alarm off the window. They were also unreliable and sometimes stopped working for no obvious reason. I replaced them with "tiiwee" door/window sensors (from Amazon). The tiiwee sensors have been 100% reliable with good battery life and no false alarms. it has a separate (but small) wireless siren which can be fitted in a hidden location inside the motorhome. Highly recommended.
Regards
Ian.
 
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Jake Royd
Jan 11, 2018
1,156
1,337
Malvern Link, Malvern, UK
Funster No
51,943
MH
Chausson Welcome 85
Exp
Since 2018
I had the Milenco alarms fitted but was worried that someone could force the window open and then just rip the alarm off the window. They were also unreliable and sometimes stopped working for no obvious reason. I replaced them with "tiiwee" door/window sensors (from Amazon). The tiiwee sensors have been 100% reliable with good battery life and no false alarms. it has a separate (but small) wireless siren which can be fitted in a hidden location inside the motorhome. Highly recommended.
Regards
Ian.
Thank you for your advice , I have ordered some.
Much more expensive than the Milenco but as I mentioned above these are not faring well.
I've spent a small fortune on batteries as well.

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Wombles

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 28, 2013
10,783
11,030
SW England
Funster No
28,783
MH
Van Conversion
Exp
A few years now
That's strange - have had many sets over the years of the Milenco window alarms fitted to first our caravans & more recently our motorhomes & not experienced any problems. Don't think the Milenco ones would be easy to rip off (have always left them on when selling) but do like the remote siren function of the more expensive alarm system version of the tiiwee.
 
Jul 6, 2016
1,547
1,264
West Sussex
Funster No
43,954
MH
Carthago Chic A clas
Exp
Since 1990
Mine are used on 3 windows. They all stopped working about the same time so replaced the batteries. They still refused to work. Perhaps when the batteries fall below a certain level it triggers a "self-destruct mechanism" (or built-in obsolescence) :LOL:

Anyway, gave up and replaced them with the 3 spare ones left in the box.
 
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Jake Royd
Jan 11, 2018
1,156
1,337
Malvern Link, Malvern, UK
Funster No
51,943
MH
Chausson Welcome 85
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Since 2018
Had not thought of it this way until tiiwee alarms were mentioned above.
The Milenco ones must carry enough energy onboard to operate the ciren fitted to the unit.
The tiiwee ones only have to signal to the central ciren which hopefully may be a more robust system.
As I mentioned the batteries must be half the cost of the Milenco units, you need 18 off for 6 units.
If you buy expensive (good?) batteries this can be about £15 worth.
I convinced myself that the cheap ebay batteries (LR44's) don't cut it.

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SMB

Apr 26, 2013
1,230
1,347
Spain
Funster No
25,710
MH
Coachbuild
Exp
Fulltiming since February 2013
Have Milencos fitted to the windows and have replaced the batteries once and they're still ok but I like the look of the tilwee system other than there doesn't appear to be the intermittent LED flashing light that the Milenco alarms have.
 
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Jake Royd
Jan 11, 2018
1,156
1,337
Malvern Link, Malvern, UK
Funster No
51,943
MH
Chausson Welcome 85
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Since 2018
Fitted now, and after a bit of stress they are very good.
Each window sensor is effectively a little 433MHz transmitter that comunicates to the base unit.
The starter kit contains the base unit , 2 window units and two remotes.
The two window units are already paired to the control unit.
I bought 4 more which had to be individually paired. Bit of hassle but not too hard.
The whole lot , base stn and 6 window sensors came to just over £100.

Yes, expensive compared to Milenco but they have three big advantages.
1) Once triggered the alarm keeps going until cancelled using a remote. With Milenco if you close the window they stop.
2) Via the remote , you can arm the system with one key press, instead of turning every unit on individually.
3) Batteries (hopefully) last a long time.

No, there is no warning flashing light.

I fitted the base unit (contains the siren) behind the privacy curtain for the bed , where Mr Robber can not get at it straight away.

Here are a couple of pictures of the units fitted to a tilting window and a sliding window (Seitz S4 or S5)

IMG_20200606_093247749.jpg



IMG_20200606_110434125.jpg

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Two on Tour

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Sep 16, 2016
10,205
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Near the junction of the A14 and A1, Cambs
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Elddis Autoquest 175
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I fitted Milenco window alarms which seem to eat batteries at an alarming rate and was toying with going your route, but when looking around for reviews on the tiiwee devices I came across the fact that a simple 433Mhz radio signal jammer renders the system useless.
What's the likelihood of a potential thief carrying a radio signal jammer with them, I don't know, but as a lot of stuff operates on the 433Mhz you never know.
For me it's not worth taking the chance unless tiiwee have addressed this problem.

 
Apr 20, 2020
1,050
2,271
Northern Ireland.
Funster No
70,057
MH
Adria Compact SC.
Exp
Since 2017
The tiiwee system is not perfect but for £100 I still think it is great. I only use mine at night when parked on Aires. As my main alarm does not cover the windows it gives some degree of additional protection if someone was to attempt to force a window. Yes it can be blocked if the thief has the correct equipment but it is a lot better than having nothing on the windows.
 
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Jake Royd
Jan 11, 2018
1,156
1,337
Malvern Link, Malvern, UK
Funster No
51,943
MH
Chausson Welcome 85
Exp
Since 2018
I recognize the problem with jamming the signal but I don't think it is a major one.
I want to guard against a scally breaking in via a window with a big screwdriver at night which the tiiwee does.
With the Milenco's I was never sure they were all working and I spent £20 on batteries believing they didn't like eBay cheapies.
Anybody want any LR44's 😏

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Jake Royd
Jan 11, 2018
1,156
1,337
Malvern Link, Malvern, UK
Funster No
51,943
MH
Chausson Welcome 85
Exp
Since 2018
The tiiwee system is not perfect but for £100 I still think it is great. I only use mine at night when parked on Aires. As my main alarm does not cover the windows it gives some degree of additional protection if someone was to attempt to force a window. Yes it can be blocked if the thief has the correct equipment but it is a lot better than having nothing on the windows.

Staying on Aires gave me the original motive to go with the Milenco's.
As said above not that worried about the tiiwee system being blocked.
It's worth remembering that your common or garden remote also uses 433Mhz.
Also Mr Scally has to have thought of it before going pilfering and i'm sure not many will do this. If he recognises a window alarm of any sort he will simply go and burgle somebody else.

A lot of security stuff does not prevent crime , it moves it somewhere else.
 
Aug 4, 2016
606
1,372
Yorkshire
Funster No
44,417
MH
Vantage Neo
Exp
Since 2003

I have these on my windows seem to work very well but have not needed them to yet, touch wood🙄
Cheap as chips on amazon

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Aug 4, 2016
606
1,372
Yorkshire
Funster No
44,417
MH
Vantage Neo
Exp
Since 2003
You wouldn't be driving off with them sounding believe me!

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