Wireless Driveway Entry Alerts

Wireless driveway and entry alerts have the benefit of generally have very a very simple installation and setup. The different models can be used indoors or outdoors. They also have various detection methods that are useful for different situations. The simplest method is the classic magnetic door contact. These work very well for entry doors, but they can also have more creative uses. For instance they can be used on certain cabinets for childproofing purposes so that if a child is able to get a cabinet open that they are not supposed to you will hear a chime as a backup notification. From there we have various devices that work using infrared detection. These are great at detecting all kinds of motion, from people to cars. They can be used on driveways, entry, or even other indoor or outdoor locations. The main drawback for IR detectors is that they can be prone to false alarms such as a strong wind blowing leaves. Finally there are devices that work by detecting changes to the magnetic field around them. These work really well for detecting cars driving up the driveway. As long as they are installed properly, these tend to be very reliable, but they are also limited in the scope of things that they can detect. They will most likely not detect someone walking up your driveway for instance. The Mier DA-605 Wireless Drive-Alert Control Panel shares many of the same features as Mier Products’ DA-500 Hardwired Drive-Alert Control Panel. It can be used with many of the same accessories. One of its best features is that the DA-605 control panel has a DA-066 Remote Chime Transmitter already built-in. This does take the place of the built-in chime however. If you are using the DA-605 Wireless Drive-Alert as a standalone system you will most likely need to add some wireless chimes. Since the Remote Chime Transmitter is already included you can add as many wireless chimes as you desire. Mier Products has two styles of remote chimes: DA-070 Battery-operated Portable chime and DA-068 Plug-in Chime. The DA-068 is a wireless plug-in chime and must have an open AC receptacle to operate. On the back there is a volume control and two switches. Switch “A” must be in the on position. Currently, switch “B” has no effect on the function of the chime. The DA-070 is a battery powered wireless chime. Since it is powered by two C batteries, this chime also has the benefit of being portable so you can move it with you to make sure that you can hear any chimes that go off as long as you are still within range. The chime address must be set to “4” for it to function with the Remote Chime Transmitter. These wireless chimes can be placed at a maximum distance of 100 feet from the DA-605 control panel. Actual transmission distance can vary based on the local environment that includes things such as building construction and other wireless signals that may cause interference. We do offer the DA-605 pre-packaged with a chime, either the DA-070 or the DA-068, at a superior value. Probably the biggest draw of the DA-605 Wireless Drive-Alert is the ease of installation. While a hardwired system is generally not technically challenging, it does require a greater burden of labor and/or equipment. With the Wireless Drive-Alert system, the control panel is placed indoors and generally as near to the driveway as possible. You should avoid placing the control panel near things such as metal pipes, breaker boxes, or sources of wireless signals such as a WiFi router or cordless phone. It should also be placed at least 3 feet from the floor. The other component is the wireless sensor. This should ideally be placed about 3 feet above the ground so that the transmission signal reaches further. However, it can be placed on the ground and in the landscaping to hide its location such as under a fake landscaping rock. The sensor has a maximum detection distance for a slow moving car of about 14 feet. It is powered by 2 AA alkaline batteries with an expected battery life of 1 to 2 years. The Optex Wireless 2000 Wireless Driveway and Entry System features a great range of 2000 feet. The system uses two main components: the RC-20 Wireless 2000 Receiver and the TD-20U Wireless 2000 Motion Transmitter. The RC-20 receiver has 3 different chime tones to alert you of activity on one of the sensors. In addition to the built-in chime, it has a relay output that can be used to activate other devices such as lights, sirens, or surveillance. The TD-20U uses Passive IR to detect motion. It has an adjustable lens that can use a fan or beam detection pattern. This gives it a lot more flexibility than most IR detectors. You can use multiple TD-20U motion detectors with each receiver, up to 3 with each having it’s own unique chime tone. Seco-Larm has a great entry alert product that can be used indoors or outdoors. It uses an IR beam with a reflector so that you can keep the area that you want to detect well defined. The E931CS22RFCQ Wireless Entry Alert System comes with the IR sensor, reflector, and a wireless speaker. It also has three mounting brackets for the components and two power adapters to power the speaker and sensor. If you are installing this in a location that you cannot get power, Seco-Larm has an E931ACCSPQ Solar Charger and Battery that replaces the power adapter on the sensor. Additional speakers (E931ACCSFQ) can be purchased as well if you need more than the one that comes in the main system kit. Resolution Products has created some wireless driveway sensors that are compatible with some of the most popular alarm systems on the market. These sensors work by detecting the change in the Earth’s magnetic field caused by an object containing iron going by. The devices should be mounted at about door handle height on a car for both detection and transmission purposes. While they come with a stake, this should only be used if there is no other option or for temporary placement testing. The manufacturer recommends using a much more stable post. This is because the main source of false alarms with this style of detector is movement since it will detect that motion as a change in the magnetic field. The RE104 will work with GE/Interlogix Systems. The RE204 works for Honeywell Security and 2Gig alarm systems. The RE304 works for DSC panels (does not work for PowerG wireless systems). Driveway Patrol is a great inexpensive option that can be used in driveways or near your front door. It uses a standard passive infrared motion detector with a fan detection pattern that then transmits its signal wirelessly to the chime. While this is a much simpler and less robust option than many of the products we carry, the value is hard to beat. The House Safe Safety Beam is another inexpensive IR alert product. It is only rated for indoor use. The infrared detector uses a beam pattern. There are numerous uses for this such as being alerted to a customer’s entry or used as an aid to keep track of a small child while you are doing some chores. We also carry two entry alerts that use wireless door contacts for their detection method. The STI-3360 is great for a shop type setting. The door contact can be placed on the entry door so that you can hear when a customer opens the door. The chime has 10 sound options so that you can choose something that is much more pleasant on the ears than the standard beep or whistle that many other devices use. The Sonic Entry is another very inexpensive option that has numerous uses. It is also very simple to set up.