General Security Ideas

[azcoov]

This question is probably too broad for the Berkshire forum, but so far ya'll have been great with responses so I figure, go with who you trust.

We are 15 days into our new full-time adventure. Twice now, in the past week (two different RV parks in AZ), I have been woken up in the dead of night by my daughter (11) telling me someone tried to open the door to the coach. In both cases, I didn't hear anything, my wife didn't hear anything, our other two kids (9 and 13) didn't hear anything, and our two beagles didn't hear anything. Each time, I quickly secured the permitter outside and did not find anything, nor was anything outside taken.

Determining if something actually happened, or if she's just hearing things (i.e. are you sure it’s not the ice maker?) or scared getting started on this new adventure, is a whole other discussion. Either way, it got me thinking about general security for our family, our coach, and our vehicles while traveling the country.

I’m looking to discuss ideas for keeping the family and coach secure. I’m not necessarily looking to discuss what to do in the event someone did enter the coach; but rather things people have done, or have thought about doing, to keep the coach secure, and to be alerted when someone is what I call “in our bubble” which means physically on our site, maybe even close enough to touch our coach or vehicles, but not alert me about my neighbor who might be walking their dog or emptying their tanks.

I did a quick search on this form for security and here’s some things folks are doing:

• Motion sensing lighting: I like this idea but I also want to be courteous to our neighbors. Depending on where we are, it would be rude to flood the zone with light. Or sometimes, it may be totally fine to blast 5,000 lumens when there is movement. Curiously, we usually have a low-voltage rope light on at night that runs the length of the coach. Both times this happened I did not have the rope light on, nor the exterior coach lights.
• Coach Alarm: SimpliSafe or some other type of alarm. I think this is great for when we are away from the coach, but right now, I’m more interested in being alerted when someone is in our bubble at 2am.
• Cameras (like Nest or Arlo or others): We took down several Nest cams from the house we just sold (4 of the outdoor, and 3 of the indoor); I thought about using them just for the push notifications you get when it detects movement.

I am impressed with the sound proofing in this coach. We really don’t hear anything outside, short of the concussion when someone slams their rig door, and if the A/Cs are blowing, we probably wouldn’t hear a rocket launch. Another thing I realized is that from our two bedroom windows, while laying down, I can’t really see anything below the slides. I do wish these windows were taller, and that they were mounted lower. I would be great to see everything from the ground up while laying in bed.

I would appreciate you sharing your security ideas.

Thanks!

[Oaklevel]

I guess first thing we should do is lock the doors. In 35 years of camping we do not even lock the doors except on the road. Never had an issue of anything stolen though.

We do not use easy picking things like yeti coolers .

[azcoov]

Originally Posted by Oaklevel

I guess first thing we should do is lock the doors. In 35 years of camping we do not even lock the doors except on the road. Never had an issue of anything stolen though.

We do not use easy picking things like yeti coolers .

We lock doors religiously. We just moved from a gated community in Mesa, AZ. Had a guy break into our SUV a few months after we moved in (I left the garage door open). I saw it happen on our Nest came and went into the garage and confronted him. He bolted.

Crazy story - about 6 months later, Mesa PD came to the house and told me they had arrested this guy doing the same thing in the next community over. He was breaking into vehicles to take the garage door openers so he could come back later when no one was home any clean out the house. Lucky for us, we used the program buttons on the vehicles and didn't put the openers in the vehicles. About all he could have taken from the SUV was Disney movies. Guy is still awaiting trial; 17 different counts. Sounds like he got nabbed stealing identities too. Covid keeps postponing his day in court.

Same community also had two houses completely cleaned out after they were built. I'm talking Wolf appliances, shutters, ceiling fans, fixtures, all taken. Not what I expected when we built the home in a gated community.

[Oaklevel]

We live in the country with a 4 foot fence and two Boxers (Now one). House is close to the road.

In 30 yers of living there only the shed was broken into it is outside the fence and a good distance from the house. Took an old Roadtrip grill didn't get the regulator.

Other than than the dogs, no cameras, alarms, or anything else. Been going to put an opener on our garage door but decided not to.

So maybe I wrongly do not see a need. Our internet is poor and no cell service here either

[rsdata]

I ran into this security video posted by a single boondocking woman. Pretty well thought out. Maybe it will give you some ideas.

https://youtu.be/HJHOakgm5EI

[tomkatb]

Simply safe is easy to work with. Good when you are out.

As we travel 6-8 weeks a year makes the DW happy! We have it in the house.

Frankly any dog is a plus in an rv. They will wake up and most are protective of their home. We had Airedale’s. The original common guard dog. Anyone coming in our fiver was going to a hospital.

Thieves do not like dogs. Very unpredictable.

We just keep all the exterior doors locked. Anything loose of value is chained up. They can have the chairs and barbecue.

I think your daughter heard the ice machine or something.

[azcoov]

Originally Posted by rsdata

I ran into this security video posted by a single boondocking woman. Pretty well thought out. Maybe it will give you some ideas.

https://youtu.be/HJHOakgm5EI

Ha, I guess I need some big man boots because my size 11s won't chase the bad guys away

We're set on self defense inside the coach and in general, from humans, but not really wild animals. We're headed to Yellowstone so some of this animal self defense stuff in the video was great to see.

I'm really digging that solar driveway alarm she has.

Thanks for sharing the video!

[dbledan]

Originally Posted by azcoov

Ha, I guess I need some big man boots because my size 11s won't chase the bad guys away

We're set on self defense inside the coach and in general, from humans, but not really wild animals. We're headed to Yellowstone so some of this animal self defense stuff in the video was great to see.

I'm really digging that solar driveway alarm she has.

Thanks for sharing the video!

Yes a great video Rsdata! I like the solar driveway alarm too. May have to get one of those if I keep getting woke up.

When in storage I put a trail cam on the tongue to see if anyone hits the RV so I know which neighbor came by. I have repurposed this when camping because the DW is constantly waking me up with "whats that noise". I attach it to the handle for the stairs. In the morning I can show her what was around. Its not super helpful for middle of the night the first night but works great on figuring out what comes around when we are not outside. It has become a nice ritual checking on the previous nights visitors while taking in our caffeine. Batteries last months and the cameras are cheap and mount to just about anything close to the RV or tree across the site. There are security cameras that attach to WIFI and record to SD cards and will alert your phone that we use at home but we don't camp where there is wifi so not sure how well those do on the road. Those you can see video live or recorded from your phone though.

One note for your daughter, she may think when you roll over that someone is on the stairs. That was DWs issue the first night when my son camped with us and he tossed and turned. I got no sleep that night either.

I find running the fan at night drowns out the fear in her and let's me sleep more. At home she will pull up the security cameras on the phone and let me sleep.

Good luck and happy camping!

[Thomas ho]

Buy a cheap game camera on ebay, amazon.

[RKNOLA]

Ring doorbell makes one that is battery operated, all you need is WI-FI. My husband installed 2 button cameras (one on each side mirror viewing down the side of the coach) with 2 monitors mounted above driver. Rocker switch for on/off. Great for use when driving to view blindspot down the side of the coach but also great for security while parked to see down the side of the coach without looking out of the windows. The button cameras are black so people don't know the cameras are there. A Berkshire owner is the one that told us about using the cameras. His name is Jim. He has a book out: https://www.amazon.com/Motorhome-Mai...9DXT0MNDWB2QB4

[planopat]

RKNOLA, I like the idea of the button cameras. Are these in addition to the sideview mirror cameras? Do you have pictures of how and where they are placed along with the above driver monitors?

[formerFR]

been all over this great country, including Alaska and most of Canada(even PEI!), and have never had any issue in a campground or rv park... too many eyes around for 'someone' to think that they would just 'walk' into your RV, even at night.

Your daughter is hearing the ice maker. : )

No Worries.

Don't Worry.

[RKNOLA]

PlanoPat yes they are in addition to the side view cameras

[RKNOLA]

Sorry other picture was sideways. Placing photos on this site is difficult. If you want more info about it just PM me

[planopat]

Will do, thanks

[shepardmike]

RKNOLA - do you have a link to the cameras? Amazon?

[Trappfarmer]

A sign that says:
“Surveillance by (insert your system here).

Protected by S&W.”

Works well.

By the way has anyone heard anything about legislation that allows you to protect your RV as it is your domicile?

[Reverse_snowbird]

Your daughter might be hearing a wild animal trying to get in because they are attracted to the smell of food. You'd be amazed at the mischief that racoons can get into in the middle of the night. She also may just be hearing the rig 'settling'
At the minimum, I'd get a motion detector light bulb. That's not going to go off in the middle of the night unless someone passes by.
Then the camera with push notifications.

As an aside... if your rig is as sound proof as you say, consider getting a weather alert radio. One day we were camped in our trailer and I stepped outside at noon to the sound of a tornado warning siren. It was just a daily test, but it made me realize that if it were a true warning, we couldn't have heard it inside the trailer over the noise of the a/c.

[upflying]

I don't hear anything because of my CPAP noise. My TT is locked when I'm sleeping.
But I sleep with one of the unmentionables in post #17.

[RKNOLA]

Originally Posted by shepardmike

RKNOLA - do you have a link to the cameras? Amazon?

Here it is:
Cameras
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Monitors
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1