To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Garage motion alarm with delay

runit

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 22, 2022
Messages
195
Location
Raleigh NC
I'm looking for a specific (but cheap?!) motion alarm for inside my garage......however I don't want it immediatly start screaming 120 db as soon as I walk in the door.....I want it to beep of something to give me time to shut it off

but if a burgler comes in, he won't know how to shut it off in the 5-10 seconds and THEN it will scream

something like this, but with a delay?


thanks!
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

BillK

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 24, 2006
Messages
9,362
Location
Beautiful Southern Maryland
I dont know about cheap but every keypad type alarm I have seen has a delay so you can turn it off. It is usually adjustable. I think that is what you will need. You walk in and it senses you and starts counting down until you enter your pass code. If you dont enter your code in time it goes off.

Something like this but I dont know if I would trust a $15 one :)
 

nadogail

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 23, 2009
Messages
32,042
Location
Coronado, CA
Every quality Alarm I have seen has your requested feature, I am sure you can an find something that meets your needs.
 

sparky 1971

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 9, 2018
Messages
8,001
Location
Central Iowa
I put two motion sensor controlled floodlights and a siren on my brothers shop. There's no delay but I set it up so it can't see anyone till they are about 10' in from either door. The switch leg side of the motion sensors are controlled by a pair of three way switches, one at each door, mounted about 7' high where nobody would ever think to look for a switch. Since up and down don't always mean on and off with three ways there is the occasional problem where the last guy turned it off but didn't turn it back on. The next guy thinks he turned it off, but actually turned it on and about fills his pants when he gets 10' in the building.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

sparky 1971

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 9, 2018
Messages
8,001
Location
Central Iowa
^^^ would a small pilot light solve that issue?
Probably but I don't want to go to the work. For about the last two years there's been an old school bus parked right inside the door that he thinks he's going to turn into a camper. And he's a hoarder. I know I can't get my scissor lift in there and I doubt I could open up a 12' step ladder.

EDIT: after thinking about it, A pilot light wouldn't work. I'm not switching the power to the motion sensor. Every time power is sent to the sensors (RAB Stealths), they go into a test mode which sets the alarm off for what seems like an eternity. To avoid this, I'm switching the output side of the sensors. Whenever someone walks in, the motion sensors "go off" regardless of whether or not the switch is on. If the switches are off, the signal stops there. If on, it makes it back to the floodlights and siren.
 
Last edited:
OP
R

runit

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 22, 2022
Messages
195
Location
Raleigh NC
thanks.

i don't need it tied to any monitoring or from an 'official' alarm co.....just to scare any intruders away

didn't even think about a cheap keypad....Thanks!
 

BreeStephany

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
May 19, 2012
Messages
854
Location
Oregon
Is your alarm/horn line voltage or low voltage (24VAC?)

A cheap DIY unmonitored alarm system could solve your problem, but you could also have a motion sensor or multiple motion sensors wired in parallel trigger and power on an adjustable timer relay with a normally closed and normally open contact and then wire a low dB "beeper alarm" to the NC relay and your horn alarm to the NO relay.

Most timer relays I've worked with get signal / trigger voltage to the timer, which then engages the timer delay to count down before closing the NO contact, but once the timer is triggered, do not reset the contact until signal has been lost, thus the alarm would continue to sound until the circuit was "disarmed" / reset.

The relay and circuit for the the low dB "beeper alarm" and horn alarm would not be powered until one or more of the motion sensors were triggered, at which time the timer relay gets powered and provides power to the "beeper alarm". Once the set time period is reached, the relay closes, turning off power to the "beeper" and turning on power to the horn.

Your "alarm bypass" would basically be a switch (or a cheap keypad that once a code is entered opens (disarms) / closes (arms) its own relay which acts as the switch) which disables / enables power to the timer relay.

This is essentially how a basic alarm system works.

Modern monitored alarms are essentially a small, programable logic controller which monitors inputs and based on the signal from those inputs, opens / closes internal relays to trigger alarms, turn on lights, send a script to a monitoring company that the alarm has been triggered, reports point of trigger, etc.

Just my two cents.
 
Last edited:
OP
R

runit

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 22, 2022
Messages
195
Location
Raleigh NC
There is no alarm now.

I just want an loud(ish) alarm if someone comes into my garage and doesn't disarm the thing in 30 or so seconds

no monitoring needed, just a deterent and notification

may try some cheap amazon options first
 

starquestMM

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 7, 2013
Messages
1,078
Location
JC, Missouri
There may be more direct commercial solutions... but on the diy spectrum, something like a hubitat combined with a zwave motion sensor, alarm buzzer, and button (for on/off). About $200 and then you can set it up to function exactly like you want.

mm
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom