DIY Rural Alarm systems...I'm dizzy

[MotorSeven]

This is what I want: A DIY wirless alarm system with dial out notification, LOUD siren and battery back-ups to function if the power is cut. We re very rural and have excellent neighbors, so an audible alarm/dial out will get the job done without paying a monitoring fee.

Google gives me a dizzing array of systems to choose from, so what I need from my fellow TBN'rs is some opinions on systems they have experience with. Also I need two systems, one for the shop and one for the house so I need to pay attention to cost.

 

[brin]

Rick - Here ya go...I have dealt with these folks before and all the products I have bought including their home automation and security products work great...this link is for one of their systems but they have more and add on things too....like a driveway alarm...prices are great too...See what you think

X10.com - CLN Deal Specials!

 

[Dr Dave]

Dont forget red flashing lights, or strobes, mount high up on a pole if possible.

Dave

 

[MotorSeven]

Brin a whole system fro $99 sounds pretty good. I might do two of those now and add the cameras later.

 

[brin]

Brin a whole system fro $99 sounds pretty good. I might do two of those now and add the cameras later.

I think you'll like the systems...they have all sorts of add ons for later..

 

[Mickey_Fx]

Here's what I have. Can't say how well in works in real situations but. Was not too hard to get set up. One of the controllers I have out in the shop along with various sensors. The other controller is in the house and that one is hooked up to phone line. Both controllers work on AC and have battery backup. All the sensors are battery powered. Can call up to 9 different numbers and play back a prerecorded message. I haven't hooked up any sensors in the house but believe you can and have them connected to the phone dialer controller.

As for how they work. Ive tested a few times and all the parties I have in the phone list received the call. Have on a couple occasions accidentally set the system off. Have forgotten to disarm the shop controller and when I opened the door, within a few seconds the built-in alarm went off and calls went out. Have also had the remote in a pocket and it accidentally pressed the panic button. Again, calls went out.

What I like about the double controller system is even if the burglar found the controller in the shop, by the time they have found it and disarmed, a signal has already been sent to the phone controller in the house and calls are made. There are a lot more different types of sensors than come with the system.

Skylink SC-1000 Complete Wireless Alarm System, White - Amazon.com

 

[J F]

Rick - Here ya go...I have dealt with these folks before and all the products I have bought including their home automation and security products work great...this link is for one of their systems but they have more and add on things too....like a driveway alarm...prices are great too...See what you think

X10.com - CLN Deal Specials!

I'm stunned that this stuff works well, with all the crazy ad graphics and "sold separately" price of "$406.85", but "today it's only $99.99", it just screams cheesy. :laughing:

Decals included!

I trust real-world users, though.

 

[J F]

Buyer beware: X-10 Security Alarm | Unbiased Customer Reviews (quite a few negative reviews, with some positive as well)

How long have you had yours Bob? (And I realize with these kinds of prices, it's not a huge gamble to try this stuff)

 

[J F]

I did just join the X10 SECRET DEALS CLUB.

 

[brin]

I'm stunned that this stuff works well, with all the crazy ad graphics and "sold separately" price of "$406.85", but "today it's only $99.99", it just screams cheesy. :laughing:

Decals included!

I trust real-world users, though.

Buyer beware: X-10 Security Alarm | Unbiased Customer Reviews (quite a few negative reviews, with some positive as well)

How long have you had yours Bob? (And I realize with these kinds of prices, it's not a huge gamble to try this stuff)

I did just join the X10 SECRET DEALS CLUB.

Jay, We bought and installed the security system for our previous house and it worked fine for us ....it went with the house when we sold it...We use their home automation systems now and a remote door bell alarm..We use a monitored security system since we had the company install it when we built our new house....I never had a problem with their products...If the item is not on sale you will have to pay that higher regular price...just like Harbor Freight or any of them....the are sale items and when the sale goes away so does the lower price.

 

[J F]

Thanks Bob, and like I said, I trust "real world" reviews. It certainly seems worth a go, especially given the price point. We've got a wired system we had installed years ago on the house and shop, but it's pretty amazing what's available these days.

 

[brin]

Thanks Bob, and like I said, I trust "real world" reviews. It certainly seems worth a go, especially given the price point. We've got a wired system we had installed years ago on the house and shop, but it's pretty amazing what's available these days.

It is amazing...We had our local EMC install their hard wire system...we bought it and pay $16 mo. for monitoring...It was easy to run the wires while we under construction so it made for an inexpensive cost for the system.

 

[Ken73]

FYI, I had one of the X10 systems and it worked great at first, but gradually started to fail. It became extremely unreliable and eventually failed altogether in the space of 6 months. No apparent reason why and I wound up ditching it. I tried several things to fix it but I suspect the wiring in my old house was substandard which didn't help. A couple of the fixes you'll find is using "filters" on computer equipment and having a special device that connects the two phases of your house electrical together so the signals can cross between the two.

It definitely looks cool and like I said, it did work for a while.. I even had mine setup so that when someone rang the doorbell, it would snap a picture with the camera and send me an e-mail on my phone with the picture of the person at the door. Also had it setup with the remote so I could "unlock" my house like you do your car (turn off the alarm.)

 

[Pirate]

Do yourself a favor and stay away from inexpensive x-10 junk. Spend the money, and get an Ademco system from Honeywell. I installed a complete system as you describe on a 20p panel. Every window and door in the house has a sensor. Motion detectors, smoke detectors, all wireless. My keypads and internal and external alarms sirens are wired. It has been hears and not a single low battery yet. I went without monitoring for the first couple of years then went with a good local company to have it monitored via radio in case the thieves cut my phone line. When the company came out they were highly impressed with my install. It took some learning but there are a couple of great DIY alarm forums where the folks will help you out with your system.

 

[MotorSeven]

I read a plethora of reviews this AM....more now. X-10 does seem to have a bunch of unhappy customers. All of these systems regardless of brand all seem very similar so a lot of research is required before purchase. Keep the suggestions coming...........

 

[MotorSeven]

I'm even dizzy-ER this morning. Seems like all the like systems in the under $300 range all have aggressive marketing. One called Fortress had some real good reviews, but the more I read the more I got the feeling that the reviews were fake. What it's going to come down to is finding one that has the best customer service so if and when a problem arises it gets handled efficiently & quickly.

My buddy had ADT come out and install his alarm and almost a year later they have had zero problems. However with ADT you are stick with a big monthly monitoring fee...which is a deal breaker for me.

 

[brin]

Rick, Don't forget you are asking about and looking for a DIY Alarm System, with all due respect to anyone knocking X-10 or any other DIY product, much of the functionality of the system is dependent on the quality of the installation....If the contacts aren't installed properly they won't work...if connectors are loose or just thrown together the system will have false alarms or fail....So when you look at the reviews...best to keep that in mind...Mine install worked fine for me and the people that bought our house have never complained but then I knew what I was doing when I installed it.

 

[MossRoad]

I have been using x10 alarm systems for a tad over 15 years on various properties, houses, out buildings, etc... they are quick and dirty and cheap. They work. The problems that I have encountered with them is the instructions are poor at best. They are not logical. Once you figure them out, its a piece of cake. And the wireless door/window sensors that used to use 9V batteries went dead every 9 months or so. The newer sensors that use the AAA batteries seem to last longer. The oldest one I have is about 12 years old. The new sensors work with the older systems, once you figure out what is similar on both systems. For a hundred bucks, it does what it says. But I'd invest in better, louder, outdoor sirens. Indoor sirens are not going to attract much outside attention. That's what you want.

The first thing I'd do if I was breaking into a house is to cut the phone lines, so don't rely on the autodialer on a wired phone system. Rely on the loudest siren you can get to alert the neighbors and scare the intruders. THAT is the best first defense in my opinion.

 

[michael.white]

+1 on the Honeywell. Make sure whatever system you get is UL alarm rated.

 

[MotorSeven]

Well, X10 is out, they do not have a system that will work only on cell signal for dial out. The Home Security Store has one and I got a quote from them for two systems, one for the house, the other for the shop.....$1,200.....ouch.

http://www.homesecuritystore.com/p-1822-ppro211gsm-visonic-power-max-pro-kit-with-built-in-gsm.aspx

I'm still searching for other company's that builds a cell dial-er system.......