Workshop security

NewbieRaf · 21 Dec 2020

Pyronix is awesome (Hikvision)and the Yale systems are great, you may also consider the ring system as well. It’s tough thinking about an alarm system as you may wish also to have cameras integrate with them and when you get into that realm there are so many options.

Things to consider:

Firstly please do not use range extenders for your security system. Consumer grade wireless equipment will not help you especially when you need it the most. Spend a little more get good quality WiFi (unifi)

- is it just an alarm system or do you also want to consider cameras in the future? If so consider resolution and where the footage will be stored.

- lastly with no power, battery life time is important especially with how you want the system to record footage.

Hope this helps

Chris70 · 21 Dec 2020

Has anyone used a 'Simplisafe' system?

stevek · 21 Dec 2020

Ive just bought one of the cheap ones from Amazon, its called “Defender” and is a self contained battery operated unit for less than £20. Im a bit wary of PIR type sensors having experienced neighbours false alarms on their house systems many times all seemingly caused by spiders,,,and I have some giant spiders in my shed. The Defender has two features which I like, it has a Magnetic Door switch and also a Vibration Sensor, if the door its attached to is rattled it goes off before damage has been done,,,however its not going well, first you only have 5 seconds to open the door and punch in the code before the alarm goes off,,and as its most conveienently located at ear level when it does go off your going to get the 130db they warn you about right in yer ear ole,,,so now its a game,,carefully unlock the padlock then slowly turn the key in the door lock,,,trouble is the vibration sensor is way too sensitive and seems to pick up this last mechanical click and it beeps!,,you snatch the door open get half way through the 4 digdt code and its blasting away in your ears,,,except that after doing it a few times I realised its not very loud at all,,,in fact Im fairly sure I could hold a telephone conversation with it going off beside me,,if I left the door closed I wouldnt hear it in the house,,,maybe in the dead of night when your creeping and aburgling any sudden noise would frighten you off,,,but its not impressive. Ive contacted the company (Solon security,,,,maybe thats a playfull hint,,,So Long Security!)
and Im awaiting a response,,,,and now Ive noticed that the battery low warning light is lit and the alarm does not seem to be working,,,the unit came with batteries which have lasted about 1 week. I will update if anything further happens,,,but it could be a refund!
Steve.

RichardG · 21 Dec 2020

MarkAW said:
How many of you actually found insurance that covers your workshop? Most I've found have a £2k limit for outbuildings contents...

You can but you have to shop around. From my experience NFU will always insure you for an outbuilding but they are expensive. I'm currently with SAGA which may limit some of you but they changed their policy this year and their contents insurance limit now includes outbuilding and garages. M&S used to do this but they stopped offering that cover this year, hence I moved to SAGA.

So you can achieve it but you have to look at the small print and double check each year as they have the habit of dropping cover and hiding it by announcing improved cover on something else.

stevek · 21 Dec 2020

stevek said:
Ive just bought one of the cheap ones from Amazon, its called “Defender” and is a self contained battery operated unit for less than £20. Im a bit wary of PIR type sensors having experienced neighbours false alarms on their house systems many times all seemingly caused by spiders,,,and I have some giant spiders in my shed. The Defender has two features which I like, it has a Magnetic Door switch and also a Vibration Sensor, if the door its attached to is rattled it goes off before damage has been done,,,however its not going well, first you only have 5 seconds to open the door and punch in the code before the alarm goes off,,and as its most conveienently located at ear level when it does go off your going to get the 130db they warn you about right in yer ear ole,,,so now its a game,,carefully unlock the padlock then slowly turn the key in the door lock,,,trouble is the vibration sensor is way too sensitive and seems to pick up this last mechanical click and it beeps!,,you snatch the door open get half way through the 4 digdt code and its blasting away in your ears,,,except that after doing it a few times I realised its not very loud at all,,,in fact Im fairly sure I could hold a telephone conversation with it going off beside me,,if I left the door closed I wouldnt hear it in the house,,,maybe in the dead of night when your creeping and aburgling any sudden noise would frighten you off,,,but its not impressive. Ive contacted the company (Solon security,,,,maybe thats a playfull hint,,,So Long Security!)
and Im awaiting a response,,,,and now Ive noticed that the battery low warning light is lit and the alarm does not seem to be working,,,the unit came with batteries which have lasted about 1 week. I will update if anything further happens,,,but it could be a refund!
Steve.

Contact made through Amazon,,got the feeling we were following a script which ends with them sending me a return label and then them sending a refund,,,trouble with this is that I dont really know if its a duff unit or that one persons 130db is not the same as another's?
Looks like Im on the lookout for an alarm again...anyone tried the pir enabled shed alarms that seem to be everywhere on the internet?