Hello all,hope you can help.

Went out for the day with the wife and kids my son went to get his bike out to find that it had been stolen :-( funny thing is we are actually blaming ourselves for it,seems that these days things do have to be tied down.

Anyway My request!!!

I thought of putting up my drive a couple of PIR's that could be converted or added to a circuit that could give out a warning to anyone that does feel the need to walk up the drive and into the back garden.I know that we can buy PIR's to control lighting but I have never seen what I am looking for.I think the warning system could give out maybe a voice message to the unwanted thieves and an audible signal to me If I'm in the House.

I promise to you all this is a genuine request for help to stop these people and I would really appreciate any thoughts and advice on this.

Thanks Mark

 

hi Mark,
Couple of points, how much electro/techo knowledge do you have, do you want to buy or make.

Can you tell us where you are posting from.

A recent disgrace to our fair City of Portsmouth.

A German guy had been cycling around the globe for the past few years, bandit country, civil wars, the lot.
Gets to Portsmouth, his bike is pinched within the first 24 hours!

__________________
Eric
"Good enough is Perfect"

PIC tutorials:
Gramo's: www.digital-diy.net/
Bill's: www.blueroomelectronics.com/

 

Eric
Thanks for the timely response.
I am in the UK. My level of skill in Electronics at the moment is beginner and I suppose I will have to rely on someone who is more advanced than I am for the advice.
I am in the middle of a Pic. programming course so I have a little knowledge in this area.If the circuitry can be drawn up using Livewire then I will test it out using this and develpment boards.

I could buy if I could find such a system but I am willing to build myself also.

Typical of the thugs in the Uk,Why not spend what time they do have advance their brain and trying out somting new,just like I am with Electronics.

Regards Mark

 

Hi Mark,
One of the easist ways is buy a 150/500Watt outdoor security light.
Also buy a mains plug power supply adaptor, say 12/15Vdc 1amp and a 3pin free mains socket,
the type you find on the end of a mains extension cable.

Inside the security light back cover you will find a 4 way screw terminal block.

The Usual L,N and E, the 4th terminal has a wire coming from the sensor relay to the lamp.
Wire the extension cable 3pin socket, with a length of mains cable to suit your installation.

Connect the free end of this extender cable as follows.
The BLACK(neutral] to the 'N' of the security lamp internal block and the GREEN/YELLOW(earth) to the internal block.
The RED(line) wire of the extension cable to the 4th terminal, [the one with lamp and relay].

Now everytime the Security light PIR relay is operated, the extension cable is switched ON.
You can plug in the power supply adaptor into one socket [to give a dc supply to an alarm] and/or a table lamp into another socket.

I think I would be better if I drew a diagram and posted that.
Give me an hour.

__________________
Eric
"Good enough is Perfect"

PIC tutorials:
Gramo's: www.digital-diy.net/
Bill's: www.blueroomelectronics.com/

 

hi,

Look at this drawing, if in doubt ask.

The 12Vdc 1A psu is for driving buzzers/sirens electronics, etc
[you could plug in a mains powered alarm if you wish, the psu is optional]

The advantage with this method is, you get a security light and an internal alarm.

EDIT: You could of course just buy a PIR with a light switching output, but the price difference is small.
Also, when anyone triggers the light on, even during daylight hours, its a deterrent.

Is this OK?

__________________
Eric
"Good enough is Perfect"

PIC tutorials:
Gramo's: www.digital-diy.net/
Bill's: www.blueroomelectronics.com/

 

Eric
Sounds an interesting suggestion.

just trying to understand your diagram, Please correct me if I'm wrong with the parts list-

240v security lamp (for the light sorce and the pir)
240v extension lead with multiple sockets (to wire into the Security lamp)
12v psu (for any add on electronics)

The 240v extension to wire into the security light giving a PIR. switchable extension with sockets and the the 12v psu to sounders ETC.


Please correct me if I miss understand your explanation.

I was also thinking how does any intruder that comes during the day know that they have been spotted?I have seen on some Cars and motor bikes a system where a Voice is sounded warning that they have been noticed.Is this Possible?


Regards Mark

 

hi Mark,
You could use an old tape recorder thats rigged to play a voice alarm when the extension socket is powered due to a PIR detection.

You can also buy small devices that you can record a short message and have it play back when powered, there is a barking dog one available.

As you have a PIR powered extension lead, anything is possible, please dont plug in a electric fire or other high powered device.

A table lamp can be plugged in for night use, if you dont want an audible alarm.

__________________
Eric
"Good enough is Perfect"

PIC tutorials:
Gramo's: www.digital-diy.net/
Bill's: www.blueroomelectronics.com/

 

Eric

Many thanks for the input,I will purchase the parts and see what comes of it.

Regards Mark

 

I know that this is an electronics forum, but may I suggest the simplest, cheapest, least time-consuming option?

Purchase a chain and a bicycle lock and keep it locked down when not in use.

(My second suggestion would be to keep the bicycle indoors when not in use.)

 

The big question to all this is why should we go to great lengths to secure items from these people.I did blame myself for this but then thought NO!! why should I after all I did not ask them to walk freely around my garden so they are to blame in the end.

One thing is I have learned is to never take anything for granted.You are right with your suggestion but Electronics will work for everything in the Garden and not just a Bicycle.

 

Eric as come up with a good idea but can someone think of a more Electronic based solution?
I was thinking along the lines of the type of alarms in some cars and motor bikes that give a voice warning that a person as been recognised as being too close to the vehicle. I think something like this could be made up?

Regards Mark

 

It looks like this is just the sort of unit that you are talking about.

http://www.elitesecuritysupplies.com...er_alarms.html
Best Talking PIR alarms for perimeter security by elitesecuritysupplies.com

 

markelectro,
The solution offered by ericgibbs is the easiest and cheapest.

The only problem with your idea to add an warning sound is that you would have to keep the IR sensor sensitivity low as they often false trigger in wind/rain and could annoy you or your neighbors.

If you want to try a more expensive/sophisticated solution, you could buy a cheap security camera, an old pc, a cheap tv card or DVR card from ebay and some motion detection software (some free versions available for Linux such as Zoneminder: http://www.zoneminder.com/ )
This type of solution could for example send you an email when it detects activity in a user-defined area,you could view it remotely and have a permanent record of the intruder.

 

Perfect I think :-)

Many thanks for that

 

Eric

Seems to me that this device will be usuble to your sugestions-

http://www.talking-alarms.co.uk/va1_240.html

http://www.talking-alarms.co.uk/site...econnector.pdf


Regards Mark