Need a driveway alarm

[Ken Sington]

Our drive is separated from the house by a stable and garage block, so it is too easy for visitors, welcome or not, to come and go without being seen if no-one is around outside. It is not practical to keep the gate closed during the day, so we need some sort of sensor on the drive which will activate an alarm either in the house or on a walkie talkie type device when someone drives in.

Loads online, at a wide varierty of prices, but no idea whether any are any good. Anyone have any recommendations?

[netherfield]

We once tried that idea,but birds flying through kept giving false alarms.

[eliot]

Avoid PIR based systems - due to false triggers.
You want an infrared beam - far more reliable.

[vdp1]

eliot said:

Avoid PIR based systems - due to false triggers.
You want an infrared beam - far more reliable.

PIR stands for passive infrared

[mike50001]

you could use a camera based system.

setup a detection zone on the camera, then it will rcord an sound bells etc too if needed

[aizvara]

vdp1 said:

PIR stands for passive infrared

And presumably an IR beam system could be described as Active Infrared.

[philmots]

Electric gates?

[eliot]

vdp1 said:

PIR stands for passive infrared

Sorry mr scratchy face - I was in a client meeting using an iphone. But yes, avoid Passive Infrared Systems as they tend to get triggered too easily or combine PIR with a beam. If OP wants to PM me I can go into far more detail than I'm prepared to post on a public forum about what is possible.