Small Battery Motion Detector Doorbell

PasturesNew

I need a small, unobtrusive (easy to fiddle about with and hang/wedge at an appropriate angle/position) battery operated motion detector doorbell sounding gadget.

I have a path to approach my house and a window overlooking that path - I want to be alerted to dogs/people approaching the house/walking past that window, just an audible "bing bong" little noise so I can look and see who is there/doing what.

At the moment it's because somebody's dog is walking past and pooping and leaving ....and I want to catch them, but it's not a room I am in more than 20 minutes a day.

Budget cheap as chips, just a small gadget - like a shed alarm - but without it being a frightening alarm intended for intruders.

Just a quick "who goes there" for me so I can pop through and peek to see if it's the postman or a pooper!

I just want to buy it, shove batteries in it, then pop it onto the windowsill and wait ...... ready to pounce.

This is the current "first find that looks like it does the job"
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Battery-Operated-Long-Distance-PIR-Infrared-Motion-Sensor-Wireless-Door-Bell-UK/112419863390

2 sensors is handy as I've somewhere else I'd like to "monitor" ....

£14 for 2 sensors/1 noise making unit .... bit pricier than I'd like, but if it does the job .... and that one's outdoors-safe too, so I've the option of wedging it in the garden somewhere at any random future point if I think that'd do the job better.

Questions - added as it was pointed out I hadn't actually asked a question:
- Do you know of a better one, cheaper one, one available today on the High Street I could drive out and buy today?
- Do you think this looks like it'll fit my needs? Are there features/questions I've not considered?

I want to order/buy one today to get it over and done with.

Thanking you in anticipation

kwikbreaks

You don't appear to be asking a question.

The unit you linked to does look like it would do what you want and is as cheap as you are likely to find.

Questions I'd have about it are the battery life and how prone it is to false alarms which could be annoying during the night.

PasturesNew

kwikbreaks wrote: »

You don't appear to be asking a question.

Ah, I have a hidden disability that means I struggle to communicate - I thought I did ask

I wanted to know: Do you know of one, can you see if this I've linked to will work (which I added after I'd posted actually), is there a better/cheaper one.... etc.

kwikbreaks wrote: »

The unit you linked to does look like it would do what you want and is as cheap as you are likely to find.

Cheers, I thought it would do the job, but I'm potentially "dense" and unable to "spot the obvious" when it comes to reading descriptions and whether there's something implied/assumed that was outside of my understanding of what they're selling.

kwikbreaks wrote: »

Questions I'd have about it are the battery life and how prone it is to false alarms which could be annoying during the night.

Yes, battery life could be an annoyance.... which I can only find in time. I'd expect it to last 6-12 months as it's "not really doing anything" most of the time

And, false alarms.... as it's not required 100% of the time, I do have the option of covering it with a sock, lying it down, or fiddling with it.

Thanks for responding.... it looks like I'll be ordering that in a bit. Isn't it the way though that now I want it, it won't arrive until at least Wednesday! I'l sit on the decision a couple of hours, awaiting any further responses.

Ideally, somebody would pop up and say "Ah, you can get exactly those, but better, cheaper, at Maplins (or some other shop within 2 miles of my house)", so I could pop out and just get one today

that

PasturesNew wrote: »

Yes, battery life could be an annoyance.... which I can only find in time. I'd expect it to last 6-12 months as it's "not really doing anything" most of the time

And, false alarms.... as it's not required 100% of the time, I do have the option of covering it with a sock, lying it down, or fiddling with it.

Haha, "a year" "not doing anything" £10

Mine were extremely similar the batteries lasted over 2 days but not 4. They do not go flat at the same time. They always are doing something, one side is always 'looking' while the other end is always 'listening'. I can forsee a setup that could be deigned to give a much longer life, but no where near the £100 mark.

Pir gives false posatives from animals

Get a magnetic burglar alarm switch, put the magnet on the front gate and the switch on the post, burry the twinflex wire in condute/chap plastic pipe along the garden path and put the bell indoors. possibly over a years battery life

If you live in a flat, you can get microwave proximity lights and use that as a sensor, but cost £40 or so on amazon

PasturesNew

that wrote: »

Get a magnetic burglar alarm switch, put the magnet on the front gate and the switch on the post, burry the twinflex wire in condute/chap plastic pipe along the garden path and put the bell indoors. possibly over a years battery life

If you live in a flat, you can get microwave proximity lights and use that as a sensor, but cost £40 or so on amazon

I don't have a gate - it's that modern "open plan planting layout" ... and a light is no good as I can't see it. Being "open plan" it's subject to abuse by people who have no business being there and letting their dogs poop... or other activities I'm sure I'll discover once I'm alerted.

I am in the "back room" and I am trying to discover when an animal, or a human, is approaching my house at the front - I cannot see the front, I could not see a light out the front and I don't have the equipment/skills to even attempt to fit a light. That's why I need one of these - something that sounds a noise when something out the front moves.... visitor, cat, dog, postman, delivery, kids ... anything that is out the front that should/should not be there.

cranford

See this 1byone unit on amazon £15 (delivery extra if you are not on Prime)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/1byone-Controller-Battery-operated-Receivers-Weatherproof/dp/B00GUBJJ96

It seems to come with a remote so you can turn the sensor off at night etc. Its £23 on ebay.
I have had a 1byone wireless doorbell for 3 years and its been ok.

that

PasturesNew wrote: »

I don't have a gate - it's that modern "open plan planting layout" ... and a light is no good as I can't see it. Being "open plan" it's subject to abuse by people who have no business being there and letting their dogs poop... or other activities I'm sure I'll discover once I'm alerted.

I am in the "back room" and I am trying to discover when an animal, or a human, is approaching my house at the front - I cannot see the front, I could not see a light out the front and I don't have the equipment/skills to even attempt to fit a light. That's why I need one of these - something that sounds a noise when something out the front moves.... visitor, cat, dog, postman, delivery, kids ... anything that is out the front that should/should not be there.

That sounds like lots of exercise, having to drop everything and see what is going on, its a 24 hour job, and you will learn to hate the nocturnal habits of cats if the sensors are badly positioned.

I'd be more inclined to a camera on a PI with wifi and a usb battery supply, but cost more than £10, but even then the wifi signal may not travel?

PasturesNew

that wrote: »

That sounds like lots of exercise, having to drop everything and see what is going on, its a 24 hour job, and you will learn to hate the nocturnal habits of cats if the sensors are badly positioned.

I'd be more inclined to a camera on a PI with wifi and a usb battery supply, but cost more than £10, but even then the wifi signal may not travel?

I want to know what's happening my my garden, under my window, 24/7 ...why wouldn't one wish to know? And, it can always be turned off ...

As a rule I'd expect it to go bing bong 2x a week for the postman .... and X times for "people/animals that have no right or business to be there". And I need the exercise

As for other solutions, they don't fit with my time requirements, skillset and budget. I just want to buy something, understand it, use it by plonking it down and waiting. I cannot even guess what "PI" means... isn't that Magnum with the Ferrari?

The whole house is only 12' wide and 30' long ... so wifi doesn't have to travel far The front garden is 6' to the wall. It's not a huge crumbling estate with sweeping driveways

PasturesNew

cranford wrote: »

See this 1byone unit on amazon £15 (delivery extra if you are not on Prime)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/1byone-Controller-Battery-operated-Receivers-Weatherproof/dp/B00GUBJJ96

It seems to come with a remote so you can turn the sensor off at night etc. Its £23 on ebay.
I have had a 1byone wireless doorbell for 3 years and its been ok.

Cheers, 1 receiver & 2 sensors are pricier, but I could have it tomorrow

I'm investigating that one now.

DoaM

PasturesNew wrote: »

I cannot even guess what "PI" means... isn't that Magnum with the Ferrari?

It is (was).

But I presume the poster meant PIR which is Passive Infra-Red ... a type of movement detector.

PasturesNew

Of the two, I am tending towards number 2. However, I see issues with 2 that might also affect 1.

1] https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Battery-Operated-Long-Distance-PIR-Infrared-Motion-Sensor-Wireless-Door-Bell-UK/112419863390
2] https://www.amazon.co.uk/1byone-Controller-Battery-operated-Receivers-Weatherproof/dp/B00GUBJJ96

For these two reasons:
2] has the ability to go very loud, or not (I don't want/need it to go loud, but it could be a handy "scarer" if I were to wish to dissuade behaviours and plonk that temporarily close to the source of irritation)

2] has the ability, at additional cost, to hook into a mains power unit.

Also, for an extra £6, I could have it delivered tomorrow. 1] Cost £15. 2] Cost £21+£6. Both prices are for two sensors.

Issues:
2] tells me "Don't mount the PIR sensor in direct sunlight (as moving heat sources would trigger the PIR) or in a place affected by wind." The area gets direct sunlight all afternoon, although I could just be prepared (for my specific needs) to move it about a bit through the day.... and it does get very windy out there, so more placement issues to solve/think about.

Anybody got further thoughts for me to toss into my decision-making?

EDIT: Although, on reflection, I'm paying double the cost for a couple of "maybe future options" .... *sighs*....I do HATE buying anything. I'm rubbish at the decision making and always feel I make poor choices. So maybe waiting to receive it on Wednesday .... I could just go with 1] and get it cheapest.