X10 Community Forum

🛡Home Security => Home Security General => Topic started by: 1Bravo on May 28, 2008, 10:32:26 AM

Title: Need Advice To Automate Porch Lights - Teenagers Playing Pranks every night.
Post by: 1Bravo on May 28, 2008, 10:32:26 AM

Hi Guys,

I'm new here and I just got to the point I have to do something with the neighbor kids playing pranks every night at my front door. It happens like every night after 2:00 AM on Summer time. I have a corner house so it's a very good target. I have a 5 years old daughter that suffers night terrors and when they knock at the door or make noise my daughter gets up in panic. I had called the police several times but as you can imagine the kids are gone by the time the cops arrive.

What I'm trying to do is to setup somehow a sensor outside on the porch area and a wall switch module to automatically turn the outside lights when someone walks in front of the house/porch.

I want to avoid the flood light due to wiring and the issues I have been reading.

I'm concerned about the sensors outside because I live in Michigan where it gets very cold after summer.

What sensor do you recommend? I'm planning to install it below ceiling on the front porch.

Also is there a good wireless camera advice ? I would like to have a camera that will record any movements. That way I could share this with the Police.

But again I'm concerned about Michigan's weather and outdoor cameras.

Thanks in advance..

Title: Re: Need Advice To Automate Porch Lights - Teenagers Playing Pranks every night.
Post by: Tuicemen on May 28, 2008, 03:43:39 PM

Weather (cold) isn't a problem peple in the Canadian west use it I have it running in central ontario at the cottage with no issues!
Using a Socket Rocket screwed into a outside socket will work it can be triggered via  a motion sensor. Wireless cams can also be triggered from the same motion sensor!
the same motion sensor can also turn on a VCR commander to record images to a VCR or DVD! ;)
X10 has a couple of packages which will do what your looking to do as well! One uses the Vangard software the other uses the Active Home Pro software I"m sure you can even rig something up using the Xray vision software!
Think of how advanced you wish to automate things will dictate if you should go with Active home Pro or one of the other packages (less options)! ;)

Title: Re: Need Advice To Automate Porch Lights - Teenagers Playing Pranks every night.
Post by: 1Bravo on May 29, 2008, 06:57:14 PM

Thanks for your reply.... very appreciated.

I will start installing the following:

1- A 3 Way Wall switch for the Porch lights
2- ActiveEye Wireless Motion Sensor (MS16A)
3- Wireless Transceiver Module (TM751)  <---------------- I think I need to have this to make the wall switch work.

I really want to buy all the toys... but will start with baby steps  ;D

Once again Thanks so much.

Title: Re: Need Advice To Automate Porch Lights - Teenagers Playing Pranks every night.
Post by: zach1234 on May 29, 2008, 10:03:46 PM

I would try to set up a radio hooked up to a appliance module that has a message recorded on it saying "Warning, you are being monitored by CCTV, the authority's have been notified". I have that setup at my vacation house.