Vanbitz causes loss of sleep! (1 Viewer)

[icantremember]

I blame @eddievanbitz and his Strikeback alarm system for getting me woken up in middle of night.

On a nice camperstop in South Holland, we went to bed last evening expecing the usual peaceful night sleep knowing we had Eddie's security around us .... but NO, at around midnight we had a knock on the door ... so, being in my usual emperor's new clothes night attire didn't want to open the door.

Anyway, we were both awake by now expecting to hear noises of forced entry so I carefully lift my blind a couple of inches and spot a man by our moho, who when he sees me starts shouting and gesticulating at Eddie's flashing blue lights and told me to turn them off.

Well, by this time I was not in my best frame of mind and told him to go away (very politely) and that the lights would be staying on and suggested he shut his eyes if they bothered him.

Nice one Eddie

 

[chaser]

I might be thick here, but why do you need flashing blue lights outside when you are in bed?
Can't do with smoke alarms and things flashing in the van never mind some one else's.

 

[Robert Clark]

Did you have the led's on full brightness or low?

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[makems]

I found one morning someone had put black tape over the leds!

 

[chaser]

I found one morning someone had put black tape over the leds!

Don't blame them , we hang things over our flashing lights

 

[Larby]

A friend has had someone on an aire tell him to turn off his awning light at 9pm as the light was keeping her awake. Then she shouted at him to keep the noise down at 9:30. He was playing cards in MH and general chattering. The next morning at 7am she was banging a large spoon against a pan outside his MH shouting "you like noise?" have some noise.
Bitch woke me and others due to her wish to go to bed at 9pm

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[Chrysalis]

We are delighted with our Growler. Our VanBitz installation has a switch to dim the external LEDs for exactly this purpose

 

[Clarky]

When we first arrived home with our new Strikeback alarm our neighbour, a retired very senior police officer, thought we might be in danger of being reported for 'impersonating a police officer' by an over zealous copper.
He reckoned that, had we parked in a lay-by or similar with the LED's flashing, there was no dimmer fitted at that time, we could have been nicked as the lights could have been mistaken for police blue lights.
We now have a dimmer fitted.

Richard.

 

[icantremember]

I might be thick here, but why do you need flashing blue lights outside when you are in bed?
Can't do with smoke alarms and things flashing in the van never mind some one else's.

I can't see them with the blinds and my eyes shut so they don't worry me.

I do put a wine bottle screw top over the flasher on top of the dash

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[icantremember]

Did you have the led's on full brightness or low?

Have to admit, forgot to turn it down but with my forum name what do you expect.

 

[icantremember]

We are delighted with our Growler. Our VanBitz installation has a switch to dim the external LEDs for exactly this purpose

So has mine!

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Don't have the dimming facility on ours and I wouldn't use it anyway.

I want it as obvious as possible that the alarm is on. The whole point is to make it obvious so the scrotes hopefully move on to an easier target.

Dimming them down defeats the object.

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[Minxy]

Okay, maybe a daft question but ... why ARE they so bright? Surely so long as they flash and are visible they are a deterrent, or are they meant to 'blind' any would-be thief before they reach your MH and if so are you then liable to being done for causing GBH?

 

[DavidG58]

I like the idea of the tape over them, we have been parked next to one that either didn't have ot didn't use the dimmer, they are too bright in close camping IMO

slightly selfish to say they don't affect you when inside, especially when you admit to covering a much dimmer internal light

 

[Dave K]

I like the idea of the tape over them, we have been parked next to one that either didn't have ot didn't use the dimmer, they are too bright in close camping IMO

slightly selfish to say they don't affect you when inside, especially when you admit to covering a much dimmer internal light

I agree, to be honest I wouldn't use the alarm while I was sleeping in the van anyway, if I felt that unsure about stopping somewhere then I wouldn't stop there.

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[Chrysalis]

I don't usually set the alarm when inside, but if I did I would have no problem covering the external LEDs with insulation tape. I use this for the led on my USB outlets inside too. I like the idea of using a wine bottle top for the alarm LED on the dash. Only problem with this is what on earth to do with the wine in the bottle?

 

[JJ]

Ah the joys of parking up alongside other motorhomers you don't know, on these "aire" thingies...

Seems to me to be something to be avoided as much as possible.

JJ

 

[Minxy]

I agree, to be honest I wouldn't use the alarm while I was sleeping in the van anyway, if I felt that unsure about stopping somewhere then I wouldn't stop there.

What's the point in having it then? Surely it would be better to do as we do with our (non-VB) alarm and just turn off the internal sensors?

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[icantremember]

Don't have the dimming facility on ours and I wouldn't use it anyway.
Snipped

Dimming them down defeats the object.

Dimming them at night does not defeat the object!

 

[Minxy]

I like the idea of the tape over them, we have been parked next to one that either didn't have ot didn't use the dimmer, they are too bright in close camping IMO

slightly selfish to say they don't affect you when inside, especially when you admit to covering a much dimmer internal light

I have seen' a vehicle with an alarm set and LEDs flashing away at night and can well imaging they would be quite distracting to someone parked nearby ... after all MH window blinds are not thick and a flashing light will show through a bit or 'creep' round the edges and be very distracting to those trying to sleep.

So ... why ARE they SOOOOO bright? Are they meant to be seen from space to deter aliens from other planets dropping in to rob the MHers ... or perhaps they are a conspiracy by VB to actually encourage extra-terrestrials to visit to see what the lights are so they can then get the business for installing them on their space ships?

 

[Dave K]

What's the point in having it then? Surely it would be better to do as we do with our (non-VB) alarm and just turn off the internal sensors?

I would have an alarm if I was worried about it being parked up on the drive, ours isn't that big that I or my dogs wouldn't hear someone breaking in, seems odd to me

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[golly]

The brighter LEDs are good for during the day, can be seen easier. We use the dimmer at night.

 

[Dave K]

Ah the joys of parking up alongside other motorhomers you don't know, on these "aire" thingies...

Seems to me to be something to be avoided as much as possible.

JJ

I doubt there's enough room between the vans to break into the doors and open them anyway

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Dimming them at night does not defeat the object!

Of course it does. It would be like turning the volume down on the sirens so you don't wake anyone up if the alarm goes off.

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[CWH]

I doubt there's enough room between the vans to break into the doors and open them anyway

​

 

[icantremember]

OK I'm outa here ... as usual, put a light hearted post on and war breaks out!

 

[eddie]

Okay, maybe a daft question but ... why ARE they so bright? Surely so long as they flash and are visible they are a deterrent, or are they meant to 'blind' any would-be thief before they reach your MH and if so are you then liable to being done for causing GBH?

So you can see them in bright sunlight

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[Badknee]

They are bright so they can be seen during daylight hours.

Edit. There you go, straight from the horses mouth. Q, why have you got a horses mouth?

 

[Cleve]

Better that than finding the whole head in your bed!

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Having them really bright at night has another benefit.

If they keep people in other vans awake then they'll be watching your van and providing another layer of security

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