Caravan tracker.

knightstyle

We have just upgraded to a newer caravan and having heard of a couple near here which were stolen after the wheel clamps and hitchlocks were cut off I wonder if there is a simple (cheap) way of tracking a carvan. I know there are companies offering this on an annual subscription and have seen some kits on Ebay but are they any good? Your ideas please.

tafelmoneysaver

If you have constant power​ in the caravan then get a cheap smart phone and register a "find my phone" service or app.

You will need a data connection but the free 200mb package from freedompop should suffice.

CardinalWolsey

Take a look at Rewire Security - kits from circa £70 and £20pa for access to their monitoring site.

forgotmyname

As above is it stored at home with mains power connected all the time to keep the internal battery charged? Or in a storage site with mains power?

If not then the battery life is the issue. how often will you be recharging the battery?

Which kits are you looking at? Lots of junk ones that use bluetooth to detect lost items. But the range is super short and they rely on people having the app on their phone and checking for local devices. But who will have an app that uses bluetooth and GPS draining their battery for a device they dont have?

Then you have the issue of if it is stolen and you track it to a field with other vans are you going to get it yourself? Or call the police who may or may not be interested?

Spend your money on physical security, the more the better and decent insurance.

knightstyle

Thanks, we cannot store it at home so it is with other vans at a farm in a locked paddock next to the farm house. there is no mains electric but the van battery is 120Ah so should last several months with low consumption of an electronic device. I think there must be something that I can turn on remotely with a phone call to locate the van if it goes missing.

forgotmyname

A phone may last a week or two without a SIM, But once that SIM goes in its looking for the best signal and with GPS active as well the battery runs down a lot faster.

The leisure battery wont last long if left in a discharged state.

Yes you can activate a devices GPS etc from a phone call. But if the GPS is not active initially how will you know its actually been stolen?

The 110Ah leisure battery is unlikely to actually provide 110Ah. Caravan club tested some and one only produced 30Ah.

I_have_spoken

I installed this in my car - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01DEZU55W/

GPS GPRS SMS Real-time Vehicle tracker TK103A Quad band Car Tracker with SD card slot anti-theft move alarm by SMS

It has a reduced-power mode too

forgotmyname

How much power does it draw in low power mode. Is the GPS active in low power mode?

Will it notify the OP when its stolen though? If they dont visit the van for 3 months. It maybe too late to think about tracking it.

downhillfast

Might it be worth fitting a solar panel to keep the leisure battery topped up? You could then install a GPS tracker with the capability of texting you if it was to move.

I have one of these in my camper van and it works quite well.