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Non monitored shop alarm system suggestions needed

JPT18

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Apr 26, 2017
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4
So I have a 30x50 shop and like most other guys on this forum I've worked hard to buy myself nice tools and toys which are kept in my shop and I am lucky that it is in a good relatively safe and low crime area and good neighbors next to me but that being said I still know break-ins/thefts happen everywhere and I personally am big on security my home has surveillance cameras, alarm, lighting but my home is about 10 miles from my shop I have nothing but the shop on the property so what I'm looking for is a simple alarm the magnet type to cover 2 man doors, 4 windows and 1 big garage door which that is easy to find but I also want an outdoor siren and strobe setup or 2 and I am having a really hard time actually finding that it seems like its just one or the other so at this point I'm thinking of buying one with a siren and buying a separate led strobe and then open up the siren and see if I can connect the strobe to go off with the siren but thought I'd ask if anyone has any suggestions for a system?Thanks
 
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CraigStu

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May 22, 2014
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Blacksburg, Va
Check SimpliSafe. You pick the sensors, sirens etc that you want and place them where you want. It can be monitored or not. Your choice. You can chose to be notified by text or phone call when the alarm goes off. You can chose to be notified if someone enters by using the code. We really like that as we know when the cat sitter comes and goes while we are away because we give them a different code than the one we use. You can chose whether they call the police or not.
 

Sinatra

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Apr 22, 2013
Messages
117
Search Amseco SSX-52S. It's an outdoor 120db siren and strobe combination. Includes a tamper switch and is available in several strobe colors. SSX-82S model offers higher db if needed.
 

gizardlizard

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Aug 29, 2019
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Madison, WI
I built my own on my last three garages. Not hard at all. I used reed switches on all the windows and simple lever switches on the garage doors and a motion sensor for the open space. I ran all the inputs to a relay and the output of the relay to a flashing strobe and loud siren. The whole thing is hooked up with a 60 second delay on timer, so I can turn off alarm when going into the garage from either the garage doors or from the house. It is not monitored. Simply a deterrent. Have maybe 100 bucks in supplies into it. Works great.
 

californiamilleghia

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SoCal
I would also hook up a "game camera" to have some pictures of who is checking out the place before breaking in ,

Maybe it will even get their car licence plate number !
 

8pack

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Jul 13, 2017
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I am a SMARTTHINGS fan. Multipurpose sensors (open/close, temperature, motion, angle all combined into one sensor) are about $20 each. Schlage has locks that integrate with ST or can be used stand alone over wifi. There are ST, water, smoke and heat sensors. All your light switches can also be controlled through ST. Everything can be set up to rpovide alerts or changes in environment. Integration with IFTT and Alexa is pretty seemless.

For me, it is the most versatile of options and you can start with the minimums and build on the set up over time.
 

tez929rr

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Dec 26, 2005
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Welfare, TX
So what will a non monitored system do for you? Are you just hoping to scare bad guys away, or count on the neighbors at your shop to call the PoPo? Why not the same level of security that you have at your home?
 

matt_i

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Its a nice little PLC (automation) project if you have skills or know people who can coach you thru.

Basically its looking at all the inputs around 1000x per second, and makes a logical decision about when to stop looking at them (disable/bypass) and when to sound the alarm (and what outputs are you going to use)?
 

P0234

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NoVA
A Ring alarm system is like $100-200 for a basic setup. Monitoring is $100/year and includes cellular backup. I love rolling my own stuff but you can't beat that deal. If you have internet the system will run without professional monitoring.
 

OldracerJones

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Jan 20, 2012
Messages
334
Location
Chico, Texas
I have an 8 camera Lorex system that notifies me anytime anyone comes close. I bought it on-line from Costco when it was on sale. Already caught one dirt bag when we were on vacation when I saw him on camera trying the door to my shop. Turned the siren on and called my neighbor who chased him away with a 12 gauge.
 

DeeDubz

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Nov 20, 2019
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Socal
I have a stick up ring camera that I put above my door. It sits on one end of my shop. I can see 90% of the space. It has motion alerts to your phone and records motion. It also has a audible alarm. I paid 100bucks for it.
 

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ddurrett896

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VA
I have an 8 camera Lorex system that notifies me anytime anyone comes close. I bought it on-line from Costco when it was on sale. Already caught one dirt bag when we were on vacation when I saw him on camera trying the door to my shop. Turned the siren on and called my neighbor who chased him away with a 12 gauge.

How do you remotely activate your siren?
 

MotorCityBear

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Sep 24, 2012
Messages
31
Location
Blairsville, GA
I use the Abode system on my garage and it has all the functionality you are seeking. Very easy install and you have the option of monitoring or not. Either way, you get an instant email if there is an alarm activation.
 

ksgar

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Nov 30, 2016
Messages
26
I also have a lorex system. it works great. You can program it to activate the siren (has a low volume siren...not very loud) and/or a small led light when it sees motion in an area that you can define separately for each camera. You can download an app for your iphone or android which will allow you to view the cameras. The system will send alerts to the app and will allow the user to use the app to activate the siren and/or the led light for each camera. The system needs to be attached to HD TV via an HDMI port to initially configure the system and establish the areas within each cameras view that will enable the camera to recognize motion. You can set each camera to notify you if it sees vehicles and/or people. I think you will need an internet connection to your garage to enable the app to connect to the cameras, but I don't think you will need an internet connection if you just want to record what the cameras see on the actual recorder. Lorex makes several models with varying methods of connecting the cameras to the recorder. The three basic options are wireless, and two options of wired connections. The first wired option is through siamese power/video cabling with BNC connectors to the Digital Video Recorder (DVR). The second wired option is through Power Over Ethernet (POE) cabling which is essentially cat 5e or cat 6 ethernet cabling. The POE cabling recorders are called NVR (Network video Recorder) by LOREX. I bought the DVR system at Sams club for $250, but at the time I thought I was getting the NVR product. I think LOREX also makes a recorder that will work with POE wired and wireless cameras at the same time. I would rather have had a POE/NVR system but I am very happy with the performance of the DVR BNC cabling system that I bought. Good luck with your project.
 

ace10

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So what will a non monitored system do for you? Are you just hoping to scare bad guys away, or count on the neighbors at your shop to call the PoPo? Why not the same level of security that you have at your home?


Agree, I don't really get the point.

Seems like a great way to annoy the neighbors with false alarms. And maybe draw the ire of the local LEO.
 
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goingtoarizona

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Central Valley California
If you have toys, spend the money and get a camera system, I have several Lorex' and they are pretty good. Buy a 80-100 dollar dvr safe at Amazon to prevent them from destroying the video once they get in. Get an alarm and make sure you also have motion sensors. Thieves can get in through the roof or walls...especially steel. Thieves tend to be dirtbags, or friend of friends that hear about your toys...
 

clamhammer

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Feb 18, 2015
Messages
24
Location
Omaha, NE
Monitoring is cheap compared to what you have invested in everything else. But if thats not the route you want to go find a camera system that you can set crossing lines on. With the system i have at my shop i can set up alarms certain days of the week at different times that go strait to my phone. if a car or person crosses the lines i have made it goes off. The system i have is made by ALIBI but there are lots of others. Ive had too much **** stolen from me over the years so i kinda went overboard with my new building. Anything i have to park outside has a gps on it now. The picture of the safe door (sorry took a picture of my computer screen so its crappy) is one that i have detection lines around and both entrances into the parking lot along with the doors into my shop. I keep the NVR and all security related equipment in the vault/gun room just for extra security. Now with that being said the vast majority of times the cameras alarm my phone is when the local police drive through my lot at night.... guess i cant be mad at that haha.
 

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Tduby

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Da U.P.
So what will a non monitored system do for you? Are you just hoping to scare bad guys away, or count on the neighbors at your shop to call the PoPo? Why not the same level of security that you have at your home?

Not everyone wants the authorities going through there property for a false alarm beside for a lot of remote people the response time is so slow I’ll probably have the pit half way dug to dispose of the bodies by the time they show up.
 

tez929rr

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Not everyone wants the authorities going through there property for a false alarm beside for a lot of remote people the response time is so slow I’ll probably have the pit half way dug to dispose of the bodies by the time they show up.

The question was for the OP, not you. A monitored system doesn’t have to be one that calls the authorities; it can notify you directly. Instead, the OP wants an alarm to sound ten miles away. Will it just go off until the neighbors can’t stand it and call the police anyway? How will he even know something happened?
 

Tduby

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The question was for the OP, not you. A monitored system doesn’t have to be one that calls the authorities; it can notify you directly. Instead, the OP wants an alarm to sound ten miles away. Will it just go off until the neighbors can’t stand it and call the police anyway? How will he even know something happened?

Good thing it is an internet forum for discussion of ideas where we don’t need your permission to post. I merely stated my reasons for not wanting a monitored system.
 

tez929rr

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Good thing it is an internet forum for discussion of ideas where we don’t need your permission to post. I merely stated my reasons for not wanting a monitored system.

Do you live where you non-monitored system is?
 

ace10

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So the neighbors have the privilege of listening to an alarm siren and then deciding whether to call the police?
 

dcg9381

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Austin, TX
Agree, I don't really get the point.

Seems like a great way to annoy the neighbors with false alarms. And maybe draw the ire of the local LEO.


I get it. The idea is to scare anyone off that is "in process" of entering your property. Largely it's to prevent property theft (just like a monitored alarm).

The "non-monitored" bit means that he doesn't have a security company or direct connection to law enforcement - which is what I want also... I just want to know if someone opens the shop, catch them on camera, and *maybe* fire a deterrent alarm - letting them know that it's not going as smoothly as they thought...

Note, I live in a "low crime" "high gun ownership" area - LEOs on a monitored alarm call are 20-30minutes out anyway, longer than that if they are busy that night. I've had neighbors stop trespassers at gunpoint.
 

tez929rr

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I get it. The idea is to scare anyone off that is "in process" of entering your property. Largely it's to prevent property theft (just like a monitored alarm).

The "non-monitored" bit means that he doesn't have a security company or direct connection to law enforcement - which is what I want also... I just want to know if someone opens the shop, catch them on camera, and *maybe* fire a deterrent alarm - letting them know that it's not going as smoothly as they thought...

Note, I live in a "low crime" "high gun ownership" area - LEOs on a monitored alarm call are 20-30minutes out anyway, longer than that if they are busy that night. I've had neighbors stop trespassers at gunpoint.

The problem is that the OP says he lives ten miles away. How will that work other than relying on nearby people who hear his alarm, or the PoPo? He won’t know when it goes off or be able to reset it. It makes no sense.
 

Denwood

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Sep 22, 2014
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Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
I am a SMARTTHINGS fan. Multipurpose sensors (open/close, temperature, motion, angle all combined into one sensor) are about $20 each. Schlage has locks that integrate with ST or can be used stand alone over wifi. There are ST, water, smoke and heat sensors. All your light switches can also be controlled through ST. Everything can be set up to rpovide alerts or changes in environment. Integration with IFTT and Alexa is pretty seemless.

For me, it is the most versatile of options and you can start with the minimums and build on the set up over time.

+1 if the site has internet. The system can be armed/disarmed like a conventional alarm but you get wireless sensors and information on the site including temp, motion, water issues, door status (including remote open/close) etc. Throw in a camera or 2 like the very inexpensive Amcrest 4k bullet cams (POE with local recording option) and you can look in as well if the system throws an alarm at you. Between the sensors and motion triggered recording, you'd be covered for most scenarios. Much easier to flash lights etc. this way as you can just replace a few external lights with zigbee LED or similar to tie in to the system.

After managing a commercial site for 13 years, it's hard to beat the ability to check in on the system and cameras from your phone if an alarm notification and/or text shows up.
 

ace10

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I get it. The idea is to scare anyone off that is "in process" of entering your property. Largely it's to prevent property theft (just like a monitored alarm).

The "non-monitored" bit means that he doesn't have a security company or direct connection to law enforcement - which is what I want also... I just want to know if someone opens the shop, catch them on camera, and *maybe* fire a deterrent alarm - letting them know that it's not going as smoothly as they thought...

Note, I live in a "low crime" "high gun ownership" area - LEOs on a monitored alarm call are 20-30minutes out anyway, longer than that if they are busy that night. I've had neighbors stop trespassers at gunpoint.


And to hell with the neighbors?

If the data on Wiki is to be believed, 19 of 20 alarms are of the "false" variety.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_alarm

If I lived next door, there'd be one false alarm, and on the second, the siren would meet it's end via a 22cal pellet.

You obviously didn't read the scenario proposed by the OP...

They don't want any connection to or notification from the alarm.


EDIT: And let's be clear... becoming physically involved in a property crime on someone else's property is a seriously stupid idea. Good way to get shot, accidentally shoot the property owner or get shot by the police.
Stay on your own land.
Defend the lives of your loved ones to the nth degree.
Take smart decisions (based on state laws) on defending your possessions.
 
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Vahispd

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Nov 21, 2012
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141
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SE VA
Hmm, the OP hasn't logged onto GJ since they started the thread over a week ago. Sure would be nice if they answered the questions folks have.

Otherwise some good info that I can use.
 

JackieHurley

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Nov 19, 2024
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1
If you need a non-monitored shop alarm system, consider a reliable home security system with sirens, sensors, and instant notifications. This setup provides an effective and easy solution for securing your shop.
 

nadogail

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Jan 23, 2009
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32,026
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Coronado, CA
I remember when stores had “Window Tape” on their glass. They may not have had a working alarm system, but it looked like they did.
My properties all have ADT yard signs.
 

theoldwizard1

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Feb 22, 2011
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43,227
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SE MI
FIRST, bars on the windows or replace them with glass block.
SECOND, disable the garage door opener. Place a bolt or something in the garage door rail so that it can NOT be raised.
THIRD, put a cross beam across one of the man doors.
FOURTH, buy a solid, wood cored man door. Install a metal jam on the lock side that screws into the stud behind it. Better yet, buy a steel commercial door with steel jams. Consider more than 1 dead bolt.

If you are far away from neighbors, any alarm system need battery backup. Motion sensor lighting on all 4 sides, especially above the doors. Horn/siren and blink red light on the outside.

What you really want is an alarm controller that will send text messages to your phone. That additional line would only cost about $15/month.
 
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