Wireless alarms - any issues?

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HumBea

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Hi. We're getting a motorhome next year, and are currently spending our waiting time investigating motorhome security. The nearest alarm/tracker fitter to us seems to use the Autowatch 695 system, which I believe uses wireless sensors on the habitation/garage doors. My question is, how "safe" are wireless systems? I believe a jammer can be bought off ebay for pittance: are alarms clever enough to recognise when they are being jammed and go off anyway?

Apologies if this is a daft question - I'm reading/watching lots about security at the moment, but finding the electronics side of it a bit confusing!

Thanks
 
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We've got wireless sensors in the house alarm. They are reliable. Although they do lag a few seconds compared to the wired ones. They are also annoying to have to change the expensive batteries every couple of years.

For a van, it's not normally that hard to route wires. Van Bitz alarmed several doors on ours.
 
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How would anyone know your van alam was wireless. We have had Autowatch alarms on all our vans they work well.

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Lenny HB said:
How would anyone know your van alam was wireless. We have had Autowatch alarms on all our vans they work well.
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I’m not talking about blocking the sensors just a tracker.

I prefer hard wiring sensors either at home or the Moho.
Better reliability imho.
 
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Recently talked to a foreman at motorhome insurance approved repairer. He explained that every stolen motorhome that they receive has been trashed inside, panels broken, etc. as the SCUM were looking for a tracker. His advice was don’t buy a tracker! but use the money to prevent the SCUM taking your motorhome in the first place. Cab deadlocks, hab door lock system, steering wheel lock, wheel clamp, disk lock for drivers seat, etc. etc.
If ours gets stolen we don’t want it back. Thanks.
 
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RayD said:
Recently talked to a foreman at motorhome insurance approved repairer. He explained that every stolen motorhome that they receive has been trashed inside, panels broken, etc. as the SCUM were looking for a tracker. His advice was don’t buy a tracker! but use the money to prevent the SCUM taking your motorhome in the first place. Cab deadlocks, hab door lock system, steering wheel lock, wheel clamp, disk lock for drivers seat, etc. etc.
If ours gets stolen we don’t want it back. Thanks.
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Most insurance companies will only insure if a tracker is fitter on vans over 75k some companies insist on them even on lower value vans, so you have no choice.
 
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Lenny HB said:
Most insurance companies will only insure if a tracker is fitter on vans over 75k some companies insist on them even on lower value vans, so you have no choice.
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Our moho 22 plate over £75k, LV= insure the moho, no problems.
 
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RayD said:
Recently talked to a foreman at motorhome insurance approved repairer. He explained that every stolen motorhome that they receive has been trashed inside, panels broken, etc. as the SCUM were looking for a tracker. His advice was don’t buy a tracker! but use the money to prevent the SCUM taking your motorhome in the first place. Cab deadlocks, hab door lock system, steering wheel lock, wheel clamp, disk lock for drivers seat, etc. etc.
If ours gets stolen we don’t want it back. Thanks.
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Agree that it's better to keep them out of the van in the first place. We're looking at the physical deterrents too - they are a lot easier to understand than the electronic stuff!
 
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eddievanbitz said:
Wireless sensors in a motorhome are useless, not Thatcham approved and can be rendered useless by a thief from outside the vehicle
#chocolate teapot
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Ah, interesting that you say wireless ones aren't Thatcham approved. My local fitter's website says their alarms are Thatcham 1 approved, but their videos definitely say wireless sensors. Hmmm! Glad I've got 5 months to investigate all this properly before we get the van! Thanks for your feedback, I expect we'll be giving you guys a ring when we've done a bit more investigating!
 
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eddievanbitz said:
Wireless sensors in a motorhome are useless, not Thatcham approved and can be rendered useless by a thief from outside the vehicle
#chocolate teapot
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Phantom use wireless sensors but claim to be Thatcham approved??

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Our autowatch is Thatcham approved and has a wireless proximity sensor on the ceiling. The door sensors are all wired Reed switches though 👍
 
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Richard n Ann said:
Our autowatch is Thatcham approved and has a wireless proximity sensor on the ceiling. The door sensors are all wired Reed switches though 👍
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My Autowatch is all wireless sensors and it's Thatcham approved.
 
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eddievanbitz said:
Email Thatcham!

Wireless sensors are not Thatcham approved, they are useless.
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I've got a Thatcham certificate with mine, the insurance wanted to see a copy.
It's only the ceiling sensor that's wireless though 🤔
Maybe it's level 4 or something 🤷

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Richard n Ann said:
I've got a Thatcham certificate with mine, the insurance wanted to see a copy.
It's only the ceiling sensor that's wireless though 🤔
Maybe it's level 4 or something 🤷
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Thatcham will allow ‘additional’ sensors to be used, but doors should be hard wired.

Irrespective of that, just think about it? Hard wired means no batteries to go flat, or to change, wireless sensors can be jammed ridiculously easily, if a sensor is off line the system probably doesn’t even know leaving you vulnerable, a properly installed, wired Normally Closed circuit tests itself every single time you arm the system and alerts you if you’ve left something open of there is a fault, which has to be better.

Modern WiFi cameras, like Ring have two way communication between the camera and a hub so you can be alerted to low battery or a unit being offline, the hub being wired which you talk to via an App, the aftermarket alarm sensors are simple not that sophisticated, they simply work or not, and in the main the only way of knowing is to walk around setting the alarm off to test them!

If your alarm installer is running cables to the rear of the Motorhome for rear LED warning lights and to facilitate an accessory protection circuit to alarm bikes on a rack and or a trailer, then ensure the doors and lockers are properly protected.

Just think how useless and unreliable wireless reversing cameras are? Wired anything is still better, which is why a wired internet connection is better, safer and faster.

Wireless sensors are convenient for the fitter, as it dumbs down, and speeds up the installation.

I don’t really have an axe to grind as I’m semi retired and will be retired from Christmas but I started a motorhome alarm company nearly 33 years ago, have been invited to and been involved with Thatcham, and before that I personally wrote the code of practice for fitting alarms to Leisure vehicles for the V.S.I.B (Vehicle Security Installation Board) and when push came to shove I broke into a locked alarmed motorhome and hot wired it in twenty seconds for a magazine called MMM

So I have a little knowledge 😉
 
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If your moho is going to be parked up without a hookup or a good array of solar panels then be very aware that all these security systems put more drain on the battery and can lead to a flat starter battery after a month or two. Ask the question, What is its standby current draw. Take. Clive
 
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I have the Autowatch system that my dealer arranged. 27 months later works fine no issues.
 
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The Autowatch 695RLC system that's fitted to our van for the past 9 years is hardwired to the bonnet, cab and hab doors with a wireless PIR senor in the hab area.
I bought and installed 4 additional wireless sensors to the external locker doors.
The system certainly works as it goes off when I forget to disarm it from time to time.
The only problems I have had over the year has been a corroded bonnet switch which I replaced with a stainless steel version and the hab door contact that played up and I replaced.
No problem with our insurers as the Autowatch 695RLC system is on the insurers database of Thatcham approved alarm systems for motorhomes.
 
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Two on Tour said:
The Autowatch 695RLC system that's fitted to our van for the past 9 years is hardwired to the bonnet, cab and hab doors with a wireless PIR senor in the hab area.
I bought and installed 4 additional wireless sensors to the external locker doors.
The system certainly works as it goes off when I forget to disarm it from time to time.
The only problems I have had over the year has been a corroded bonnet switch which I replaced with a stainless steel version and the hab door contact that played up and I replaced.
No problem with our insurers as the Autowatch 695RLC system is on the insurers database of Thatcham approved alarm systems for motorhomes.
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And there’s no reason you should, it’s correctly hard wired for the cab doors the habitation boor and the bonnet, thus meeting the fitment policy

The other thing that makes systems’Non Compliant’ Thatcham wise is when the alarm is plugged it on the OBDP Taking a Thatcham approved alarm out of approval for incorrect fitment policy

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I know it's extremely helpful for people asking questions and if you are doing research, but telling the whole world exactly what security features you have on your own van does seem slightly foolish to me. You never know what low-lifes might find this information useful.
 
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kingy58 said:
I know it's extremely helpful for people asking questions and if you are doing research, but telling the whole world exactly what security features you have on your own van does seem slightly foolish to me. You never know what low-lifes might find this information useful.
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And just how would a would-be thief match a Funster on the forum to a specific motorhome that they are intending to steal?
More over, if they could identify that specific motorhome, then they are more likely to avoid it as they know that will be more hassle than it's worth and move on to another MH.
 
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kingy58 said:
I know it's extremely helpful for people asking questions and if you are doing research, but telling the whole world exactly what security features you have on your own van does seem slightly foolish to me. You never know what low-lifes might find this information useful.
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I understand your way of thinking but it's very, very unlikely that any 'scroat' would bother to come on this forum, search for suitable 'targets' and then be able to find those specific MHs and even if they could they'd be pretty stupid to go for one with security stuff instead of ones without.
 
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