Door chime needed for shop.

[Joe Hillmann]

I am looking for a wireless door chime. I want something that I can carry anywhere in the building with me that will ring whenever the shop door is opened. I tried the using a Claron wireless door bell chime with a door sensor which both claim to have a 150 foot range and it only works within 30 feet of the door. My building is 100 feet long and I want something that will work anywhere in the building.

Does anyone have a wireless door chime that they are happy with that they would recommend so I don't continue to buy things that don't fit my needs?

[AL Ursich]

I have a proven answer that has worked for me for 5 years...

About 5 years ago I found on eBay Car Alarm Pagers that were ONE WAY that operated on Low Band or about 30 Mhz and use the Car AM/FM Antenna. I say One Way as when one of the 3 Zones is triggered it sends a low band signal to a pocket pager... The Pager operated off of 2 AAA Batteries and beeps and shows one of 3 colors of LED.. Red, Green or Orange for zone. I PAID only about $2.00 EACH and bought a dozen... TWO Way CAR Pagers had taken over... and One way pagers were OUT... They dumped them... Cheap... I wish I had bought 50....

The really COOL thing is this has almost a MILE RANGE.... ( They say 1/2 mile... I get MORE... a outside CB antenna will increase the range.... 27 Hhz is CB Band. I coupled it with a REPORTER Battery IR Motion Detector that does have about a 1000 foot range... The Relay Contacts of the Reporter trigger the PAGER Box... And I have it wired to the Reporter Box on the Driveway... a LONG Driveway.... One beep for the top of the driveway... 2 beeps at the bottom of the driveway.... In the shop 1 beep then 2 beep car entering, 2 beeps then 1 beep car leaving.... It only triggers the pager with a single color for this.... Since one Reporter can have up to 4 Motion Detectors on the early versons and the latest can have up to 8....

I use a Second and Third Reporter for close in Security... Since the batteries in the Reporter IR motion detectors last months and months... close to a year, I can have one in the shop for zone 3 and just turn it toward the WALL when I am working in the shop and toward the DOOR before I leave for an additional security system.... I also use the Reporter VOICE Version for a Secuity System at night where it transmits to my Bedroom since my shop is less than 1000 feet from the house. I can with the VOICE Version talk to them...

Zone 2 of my system is around the outside of my shop...

So the Non Voice Reporters would work for you BUT the 9 volt batteries don't last that long as a portable... I like the PAGER much better.... AND you can order EXTRA Pagers and once easily programmed stay even when you change batteries.

We have a Xmas Tree Farm and it works great to know when someone enters the driveway....

http://www.seco-larm.com/E-37EV_RF.htm for the PAGER

And Reporter was the Radio Shack version I bought years ago but is now Chamberland.

Search this on eBay for the non voice and voice version.... Use this to trigger the pager...

Chamberlain Driveway Reporter Motion Sensor Alarm


This setup could be used for anything from a Store to a Elder CARE.... As in place a sensor under the BED and be notified if someone gets out of bed with ONE Zone COLOR... OR place another Reporter Sensor where the Elder could WAVE a hand in front of it to trigger another ZONE COLOR as a HELP ME.... OR COME PLEASE... I saw this marketed for ELDER CARE.... BE Notified on the property up to a MILE away with a OUTSIDE CB ANTENNA or even with a MOTION SENSOR for HORSE ready to give BERTH.... For Farmers....

I had thought of putting together systems... but who would buy it...

And just a thought... IF you just use a Magnetic DOOR Switch it can FEED the PAGER without the Reporter Stuff...

Good Luck,

AL

[Joe Hillmann]

Thanks Al. I sent them an email to get pricing on the pager system. Depending on cost that looks like a good system for me.

[Jeff Belany]

Real cheap -- Harbor Freight has a wireless one that works great. Only time it doesn't is when the battery dies, maybe twice a year.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin

[Joe Hillmann]

Jeff, does the harbor freight one work through a couple walls? I have read the reviews on it and have thought about buying it several times but I don't like buying things without being able to see them in person first.

[Lornie McCullough]

I have one of the cheap Harbor Freight motion sensors in my garage, and it sends a signal 60 feet through 2 walls. My friends and family just walk into my house through the garage without knocking. The chime is located in the shop 60 feet away, and alerts me that I have company.

The HF unit is often on sale for less than $15.00

Lornie

[Joe Hillmann]

I ended up getting the harbor freight sensor. It arrived today. Instead of installing it I set it on the floor pointing at the door. When the door opens it goes off. I had my neighbor come over and help me test it. It works anywhere in the building. When I have more help tonight I will see if it works in the back yard as well. If it actually works out to 400 feet as the packaging says it may also work at the post office and the grocery store as well.