Shed Burglar Alarm Recommendations Please

[aussiblue]

Recommendation for a good and super reliable shed alarm please. I have tried several versions of this generic sort of thing https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/wireless...wAAOSwVRpfDV1X over the last few months and something keeps triggering these alarms even if I am only using the magnet door switch and no motion sensors. It triggers randomly but usually within 20 minutes of arming (sometimes with 5 minutes). You would think that being in a colourbond shed and surrounded by metal on all sides would stop most external signals interfering with it. There is also nothing inside the shed that I suspect could be triggering it; nothing is powered on at the various mains power outlets. I have cameras that monitor the shed and a good padlock but there have been several attempts to break into it over the last year since the block behind me is being redeveloped and is essentially now a vacant block. Video footage is never sufficient to identify the hoody wearing scum attempting to break in. Fortunately, I am a very light sleeper and so far have disturbed the felons before they got past the padlock. This luck can’t last and it is also turning me into an insomniac laying half-awake listening for trespassers. Altronics, and Jaycar have surprisingly nothing suitable. I would prefer something that is mains powered with a battery backup that sets off an alarm when the sliding door is opened. I am not keen on motion sensors as there are too many critters such as geckos, skinks, juvenile dugites and likely mice (although I’ve seen none or any droppings) that move around and would set of the alarm. Is it worth spending $700 on one of these Yale systems from Bunnings: https://www.bunnings.com.au/yale-eas...m-kit_p0079199 or will I have the same issues? I would also be interested in any ideas on what might be triggering the alarms systems I have tried. All my vehicles have good and multiple security systems; this is more about securing my tools etc.

[happy1]

Hi,
To scare someone off before they break in, try this dual beam IR sensor at the back of your block, (installed above where cats would walk).
You could wire this up via a relay to anything that makes noise, a car horn, a bell, lights, etc,

https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_...rimeter+sensor

If you want the alarm inside the shed to work, which means you get a broken door before the alarm goes off, then I think PIR detectors of a good brand could be what you need.
They should be pet safe, so something small shouldn't set them off.

One alternative if you already have a house alarm is to get one with individual zones, and extend a zone to the shed, and have that zone turned on when you are not there, even if you are home in the rest of the house.

A good quality separate alarm for the shed, such as a Bosch solution 3000 sell for under $400 on ebay, and it isn't rocket science to install. (possibly plus the communication IP module and a roll of cable )

Alternatively, many of the new CCTV camera systems can set alarm outputs when there is motion detection in front of the cameras. I think you would have a few false alarms with that.

Disclaimer: I'm not security specialist in any way, so I'm sure someone here does this for a living and can give further advice.

Cheers,

[Tonz]

20,000 volts

COVID 19 tests being undertaken inside.

[The Yeti]

I have duel Rottweilers and CCTV

[LG17]

Originally Posted by The Yeti

I have duel Rottweilers and CCTV

My dogs work very well too!

[Crazy Dazz]

I'm not exaggerating when I say that the best thing you could dois to make your property snake-proof, and get a dog.

If you want to go cheap, you could just put a switch on the door, wired to any screamer. I'm sure there are plenty of cheap alarm units that would do that job, or even simpler just the door-switch and put the power-switch inside your house (and bury the cable.)
But as Happy said, that means they will have broken your lock before the alarm goes off.

I would also consider the idea of your basic security lights.

There are very good commercial IR detectors that you can use to secure your yard. They are reliable and they work, but they are presumably a bit more expensive.

[hayseed]

[aussiblue]

I'm not exaggerating when I say that the best thing you could dois to make your property snake-proof,

Not possible as we seem to live in Dugite central in part due to neighbours with aviaries that attract rodents via the birdseed and thus snakes. There's also a bush reserve across the road. I have caught three dugites inside the house over the 40 years I've been here and seen them push up the soffit to enter the roof space to rest over winter.

[aussiblue]

To scare someone off before they break in, try this dual beam IR sensor at the back of your block, (installed above where cats would walk).
You could wire this up via a relay to anything that makes noise, a car horn, a bell, lights, etc,

A neighbour had them but the local crims just smashed them in pieces with something (he suspects a baseball bat) and came back the next night.

[aussiblue]

I do have 3 IR cameras that cover all of the back yard and shed and they can trigger an external alarm siren (the system does still turn flood lights on) but there are too many cats that walk through the yard each and every night so I have to leave the alarm off. The shire is talking about tightening up on cats so they will not be allowed out of their owners yard so thing might improve; but I doubt it as I can't see the people that allow their cats to wander freely at night changing their ways.

[aussiblue]

A good quality separate alarm for the shed, such as a Bosch solution 3000 sell for under $400 on ebay, and it isn't rocket science to install. (possibly plus the communication IP module and a roll of cable )

I had an older Bosch system installed at one point and it also kept false triggering like the others. I think I am going to have to build myself an RF sniffer and try and work out if there is something inside the shed that is triggering these things. I wonder if it is something to do with being so close to Jandakot airport although I would have thought the shed would make a good Faraday cage. I could extend my house alarm system into the shed, but I first I would need to ensure that won't false trigger too and it's not my preferred option.

[data_mine]

Originally Posted by aussiblue

I had an older Bosch system installed at one point and it also kept false triggering like the others. I think I am going to have to build myself an RF sniffer and try and work out if there is something inside the shed that is triggering these things. I wonder if it is something to do with being so close to Jandakot airport although I would have thought the shed would make a good Faraday cage. I could extend my house alarm system into the shed, but I first I would need to ensure that won't false trigger too and it's not my preferred option.

thinking out loud here, could it be instead of interference being the problem, rather the faraday cage style of the shed - blocking the signal to the alarm/base unit. causing the false alarms (alarms goes off when signal from the sensor is lost).

the proper solution is a wired option. wireless is great in principle, but always heavily compromised for a large number of reasons.

[aussiblue]

My dogs work very well too!

Yes; I would like to have another dog again but the wife won't have it and in fairness these days we probably now haven't time and energy for all that goes with having dogs. Perhaps I should just try and train the dugites and the occasional whip snake we have to attack intruders when I catch them rather than relocating them. I caught and relocated over 30 snakes since I have been here and probably 1/2 as many have eluded me (mostly the shyer and faster whip snakes).

[aussiblue]

thinking out loud here, could it be instead of interference being the problem, rather the Faraday cage style of the shed - blocking the signal to the alarm/base unit. causing the false alarms (alarms goes off when signal from the sensor is lost).

Both the base unit and the magnetic switch are in the shed and I have tried moving the base unit around but nothing fixes it. But I have thought about making my own wired units as I have lots of possible circuits around in my complete collection of Silicon Chip and Elektor Magazines and this may also be an option although the peppermint trees covering my shed don't lend the site to solar power https://www.altronics.com.au/p/k6026...hed-alarm-kit/. But I was hoping for a quicker and easier wireless solution. I am going to make a simple RF sniffer and go from there. I have lots of electronic test and service equipment in my shed so perhaps some battery powered item is emitting something even though everything is turned off and most (I think) have the batteries out to avoid damage from battery leakage.

[ozrunner]

I could lend you my guard dog for a week or so. He's a sneaky bugger

[XA Coupsta]

I'd recommend something from the Smith and Wesson product range...

After I read your post again Aussiblue I realised it was for keeping your tools and things safe. I thought for additional vehicle protection you could instal some of the lockable bollards that go into the concrete. But not really going to help you here

[peaterj]

What about a couple of motion activated sprinklers or get some led lights and have them on all night .

[aussiblue]

Well I have found what is causing the false triggering.

Rather than build an RF sniffer i decided that I would walk around in my shed with my handheld radio scanner testing at the frequencies commonly used for wireless alarm systems (bonus discovery so my radio scanner still has a use after all). Tuned to 315 Mhz it quickly found this: https://www.repco.com.au/en/product-...tarter-2400amp , my Repco 2400 Jump Starter, emitting a strong signal from 310Mhz to 315Mhz and slightly beyond. Even at 5Mhz their RFI albeit not as strong. This is with it NOT plugged in and being charged just "passively" (or not so much it seems) sitting there. It is a bit too heavy and bulky to relocate into the house and too expensive and useful to scrap or sell. Nothing in its handbook about meeting any radio frequency emissions either. Does anyone else have one and if so can they confirm there's is doing the same in terms of RF emissions?

So in the absence of any of you having a better solution, I am going to see if I can find my old tin of Electrodag to paint the inside of it's plastic case of this jump starter. This is a conductive grey coating paint I used to use to coat the inside of the plastic cases on Microbee computers to similarly stop RFI when I was playing around with them in the 1980's. I can't help thinking the "dag" part in the name came from it sheep dag like consistency. I was hoping Altronics, Jaycar RS Components etc would now have any similar stuff in a spray can at a reasonable price. In any event, after 30 years on I expect my can of Electrodag may have gone from daggy to chunky. It's now a Henkel Loctite product and very expensive per: https://www.laddresearch.com/chemica...graphite-paint

There is this on ebay https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Conducti...AAAOSw5ohep~iF and this https://www.altronics.com.au/p/t3133...aint-jar-50ml/ Not cheap and not in a spray can. I gather musos use similar stuff to paint the inside of their electric guitars e.g. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Professi...cAAOSwNSxU9fyM so perhaps if any of you are electric guitar musos, you might also be able to suggest a source.

[73 4V XB]

Originally Posted by The Yeti

I have duel Rottweilers and CCTV

I have duel German Shepard’s and a white dog. They don’t work that well when the missus thinks it’s to cold for them out side.... in QLD.
She heard a noise the other night and yelled out “is that you in the shed” I was watching the telly it was enough to scare them off before getting to much, only lost one option 52 rim and tyre.
The missus got a good talking to and the dogs are no longer inside after dark
My house backs onto parkland and by the time I wandered out there and found the door open they were long gone. The way the small storage sheds are set up I’ve got a couple of battery operated sensor lights pointing at each other and there’s only one way in to the doors.
As much as I would like to hard wire the sheds to “lighten” up their day, I love my dogs to much

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by aussiblue

Well I have found what is causing the false triggering.

Rather than build an RF sniffer i decided that I would walk around in my shed with my handheld radio scanner testing at the frequencies commonly used for wireless alarm systems (bonus discovery so my radio scanner still has a use after all). Tuned to 315 Mhz it quickly found this: https://www.repco.com.au/en/product-...tarter-2400amp , my Repco 2400 Jump Starter, emitting a strong signal from 310Mhz to 315Mhz and slightly beyond. Even at 5Mhz their RFI albeit not as strong. This is with it NOT plugged in and being charged just "passively" (or not so much it seems) sitting there.

That's very strange.
In all the one's I've had, there was a hard on/off dial/switch, that physically disconnected the battery. In that mode they were just batteries.
I can only assume that in yours something is permanently live. At a guess, maybe this : "The low voltage warning system activates automatically"

Assuming yours has a master on/off, you might want to rewire it.

Or try storing it inside a steel cabinet.

[aussiblue]

I wonder if there is some cheap self adhesive foil metal foil I could use to shield the inside of the case at less cost. I have contacted Repco and asked if this is normal and if there is a simple solution.

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by aussiblue

I wonder if there is some cheap self adhesive foil metal foil I could use to shield the inside of the case at less cost. I have contacted Repco and asked if this is normal and if there is a simple solution.

What would be wrong with a Bit of Dynamat ??

[whynot]

I never had any problems with wired IR movement, located indoors, sensors generating false alarms. (Yes, cats will definitely set off IR movement detectors located outdoors.) Perhaps an option is to wire up the shed with magnetic switches and have a loud alarm inside the shed and a repeater alarm outside the shed. I do think that thieves do notice security cameras. One can get better images at night by using IR flood lights.

Straight out of the T4 book, the big thing is "defence in depth" and not relying on one thing. The principle is; deter, detect, delay. For example; sensor lights, visible security cameras, and a visible alarm light helps deter (as well as detect). A clear field of view to the shed helps. A decent lock will delay (but if the alarm is screaming, the intruder will be under serious time pressure).

There are a number of web sites (including government ones) that provide some good ideas on security (and not all of them require lots of cash to implement).

[aussiblue]

In all the one's I've had, there was a hard on/off dial/switch, that physically disconnected the battery. I

It has that but it also 3 LEDs that show the state of charge at all times 24/7 even when it is switched off and disconnected so I assume it's something to do with that circuit.

[wodahs]

Hmmm says he cant have guard dogs as he has a snake problem

for the life of me cant fathom why not incorporate the snake problem in to being the security system

can even see a movie ---- snakes in a shed "the last secure stand !" , recon i could cast samuel l. jackson

[mad2]

Originally Posted by LG17

My dogs work very well too!

we have the rotties & cameras too. am thinking of upgrading tho. the cameras not the dogs

[aussiblue]

says he cant have guard dogs as he has a snake problem

No; I actually did not say that. Yes; I said we often have snakes but I did not say that was why we did not have a dog; indeed I have had dogs in the past despite the abundance of snakes and have sort of grown to like the snakes; we actually affectionately called the one that took up residence in the roof space and that we occasionally heard moving around "Dudley" the Dugite (although it may have been a "Debbie"). Is it a "Snake Problem" depends on how you look at it I guess.

[Trendseeker]

Is there anything you can do to make the exterior or interior more secure, such as a metal cage storage cabinet for your tools? Or make it harder for them to get into, or out of, your yard?

[aussiblue]

I have cameras too but as I said they don't seem to deter the scum and ID a person wearing a hoodie seem too difficult for the constabulary (probably there's also not a lot of interest as I have stopped any actual theft so far by disturbing and scaring the offenders off so it's just a trespassing issue no actual breaking and entering has occurred so far).

[gooseneck]

I must say that your shed seems like a popular place to be.

I would consider relocating the tools into a large floor mounted safe and/or anchor anything that can possibly move on its own, they do this to prevent theft in the UK with very large expensive chains and anchor points for motorbikes. Its the only thing that will work, an un-cuttable chain and a huge $200 anchor point.

Oxford makes a good affordable anchor. You get them on eBay and need a large industrial hammer drill to drill the holes required.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Oxford-S...e/333225017260

The chains are more expensive. They are worth every penny, a theif easily has access to bolt cutters, make it so that he needs the good quality bolt cutters by getting an expensive chain and he will snap his teeth on your chain trying to break it.


I would also consider raising your fence or beefing up your fence so that they cannot easily get onto your property in the first place.

The best offence is a good fence in my book.

I would also electrify it but thats me. Give them a tingle with a current limited device along the fenceline with a ground stake. If you're serious a couple of microwave transformers will show them the error of their ways.

Might want to leave the last option for post-apocalyptic society.