Security camara

[Brian_5041834]

Hello all,
could I please ask some advise.
Is there a camera that can record movement without having the internet ?
My van is on a seasonal pitch with minimal security, recently someone cut off the tow plug and I now feel after many years a little vulnerable.I have seen adverts for cameras you position outside your home that rely on Wi-Fi but the site doesn’t have it.
I was thinking on the lines of a battery operated recorder that I could perhaps come back once a month to check or replace battery. If that makes sense
Thanks in advance
Brian

 

[figbat]

How about a dashcam? These are self-contained and need no wifi to work or record, plus they can record if/when something specific happens (noise, vibration etc). They'll need a power source but this could come from the leisure battery which could be backed up by a solar panel.

 

[Raywood]

I am a bit lost as to where you would put the camera. The problem I see is that if it is inside the caravan then it will probably face forward which would have picked up someone stealing the plug but if they were after a wheel it would be little use if they avoided standing in front of the camera. . All round cover would need something outside the caravan. and if the caravan was stolen with the camera all evidence would be gone. To be of use I think you need a wi-fi operated system possibly using a dongle.
Power may also be a problem as unless the caravan is left hooked up I doubt the battery will survive very long, possibly not a month, and a small solar panel may be needed to keep it powered.

 

[woodsieboy]

Would something like the wildlife programmes use work, they always seem to put a camera on a post and record the wild animals birds etc even at night,they must use a battery system of some sort, maybe look on wesite like RSPB?

 

[Brian_5041834]

How about a dashcam? These are self-contained and need no wifi to work or record, plus they can record if/when something specific happens (noise, vibration etc). They'll need a power source but this could come from the leisure battery which could be backed up by a solar panel.

Hello figbat
That’s something I didn’t think of,I was focusing on outside,I guess a dash cam might act as a deterrent.Problem there is it won’t activate unless someone moves,shakes the caravan also if they break in the camera is pointing outside.
Thanks for your input

 

[Brian_5041834]

Would something like the wildlife programmes use work, they always seem to put a camera on a post and record the wild animals birds etc even at night,they must use a battery system of some sort, maybe look on wesite like RSPB?

Thanks woodsieboy,gonna look into that

 

[Brian_5041834]

I am a bit lost as to where you would put the camera. The problem I see is that if it is inside the caravan then it will probably face forward which would have picked up someone stealing the plug but if they were after a wheel it would be little use if they avoided standing in front of the camera. . All round cover would need something outside the caravan. and if the caravan was stolen with the camera all evidence would be gone. To be of use I think you need a wi-fi operated system possibly using a dongle.
Power may also be a problem as unless the caravan is left hooked up I doubt the battery will survive very long, possibly not a month, and a small solar panel may be needed to keep it powered.

Thanks Raywood,
that is the dilemma .

 

[Buckman]

Thanks woodsieboy,gonna look into that

I think that the batteries need to be changed constantly. My son used them for capturing wildlife videos at Mala Mala game parkand they only used the best as video was sold onto National Geographic if it was good enough.

 

[otherclive]

Our trail camera batteries are charged and exchanged daily and it’s only on from 1900-0600. Our son has a more expensive one a gets two weeks recording but again only in night time hours.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Yes the wild life camera's would be the best best google "wild life camera" but as others have said they will go through batteries. I do have one that I purchased from Maplin stores before they went bust, but it has a 5V input so if you had an external battery that's waterproof enough it could last weeks rather than days. It can be set so that when the memory card is full, it either stops recording or it can be told to over wright the oldest recordings to make space for new.

However I'm not sure how useful such a thing would be, It might have more effect as a deterrent, but that means you have to let the would be vandal of thief about it, and the camera might become the more desirable thing to steal!

Also I suspect any persons intent on doing malicious damage would make themselves less than identifiable, so all your likely to get is some unidentifiable person actually doing the damage, so you'll most likely only know when it happened. To cover your caravan you'd need at least two.

I'm not convinced an unmonitored system is going to make much of a practical difference

 

[figbat]

There may also be the issue of data and privacy - you may need permission to install a camera at the site and requirements about signage.

 

[Brian_5041834]

Yes,
I here all your comments,I’m thinking it’s expensive and impractical.
I have two options.
1 hope for the best the van/vans I have had over the years have been safe apart from this year when the plug was stolen ,hopefully a one off.
2. Store the van off site,in a secure storage.
Thank you for taking the time to advise me,
it’s much appreciated.

 

[Beachball]

When we were seasonal the farmer use to take my twin axle into the caravan storage it just pity yours does not come with one . and put it on pitch when the season starts .

 

[Sam Vimes]

I'm sorry you've had some troubles.

Personally I don't think having a camera would be much of a deterrent. Even so should you have one and record the incident most likely it won't lead to any convictions and probably just irritate you even more by having a recording of someone damaging your much loved possession.

If you still want something that may act as a deterrent then there are plenty of dummy cameras available with flashing lights that give the appearance of actually recording.

Just search Amazon or eBay for example

 

[Brian_5041834]

I'm sorry you've had some troubles.

Personally I don't think having a camera would be much of a deterrent. Even so should you have one and record the incident most likely it won't lead to any convictions and probably just irritate you even more by having a recording of someone damaging your much loved possession.

If you still want something that may act as a deterrent then there are plenty of dummy cameras available with flashing lights that give the appearance of actually recording.

Just search Amazon or eBay for example

Thanks sam

 

[Woodentop]

If you Google something about CCTV cameras you will find units that are low consumption, have internal batteries, and record anything that triggers it onto an internal SD card.
The animal watching types are also very good as some will work by infra red light illumination during darkness and have very good resolution.

 

[otherclive]

We use a trail camera for seeing what comes into the garden at night. You can preset it’s active period and during darkness it uses infrared. It was only a cheap one at £39 but works very well. Raised up it covers the whole garden. Our son has some more expensive ones that have extended battery lives. It can be set fir photo video or both. Variable resolution, and sensitivity so insects don’t trigger it, although bats do.

 

[Beachball]

We use a trail camera for seeing what comes into the garden at night. You can preset it’s active period and during darkness it uses infrared. It was only a cheap one at £39 but works very well. Raised up it covers the whole garden. Our son has some more expensive ones that have extended battery lives. It can be set fir photo video or both. Variable resolution, and sensitivity so insects don’t trigger it, although bats do.

View attachment 4043

Good picture