Motorhome security for newbies

We are on our second Motorhome, both bought from new. I had an optional alarm fitted on the first but it caused trouble with spurious alarms so didn’t bother with the second which in any case has a Tracker fitted. The only issue with the Tracker is that I get a phone call every time on Eurotunnel and that the subscription after the first year is £95 pa which seems high to me. I think it is part and parcel of the Autosleeper tracking system which means I also get frequent emails telling me that the vehicle battery is at low voltage which is never correct. I do wonder sometimes whether technology does us any favours.

So, I’m not that keen on alarm systems and wonder how effective any deterrents are, I just make sure my insurance cover is adequate!

Whose alarm was it HG? I have had a Van Bitz alarm and immobiliser fitted and it has not caused any problems in 11 years. I am not a lover of trackers, if they were really any deterrent, insurance companies would give bigger discounts. I prefer to prevent it being stolen in the first place

peedee

It was a Cobra but I recall that the problem was with the sensor on the storage locker. The problem is that in addition to the internal detectors they need to alarm the habitation door plus any external doors that give access to the interior. In this case there was an external hatch to the underbed storage area so it had a detector which had an intermittent fault. Like a car alarm you do occasionally get false alerts caused by a number of things such as a windy day, spider on motion sensor! etc.

Thanks HG. I don't very often set my internal detector (microwave) they are a little too sensitive but the external sensors are always set when the motorhome is not in use or parked up off a site. I rarely set them when on site. I also have locker sensors and bike protection and these and othere external sensors have never given any problem.

peedee

I love technology but sometimes wonder. I remember buying a caravan with an electric toilet flush instead of the old manual method. Great until the pump packed up. I did fit a new one but meanwhile a bucket came in handy for flushing. The control panel on my new Motorhome is remarkable but if anything was to go wrong I wouldn’t even be able to switch the lights on in the van. We just got back from 3 weeks touring France. Two days before we set off the communication between the Truma control panel and the boiler failed. No heating or hot water for three weeks,

So technology can be helpful but often there is no manual recourse when things go wrong. 

As well alarm & tracker, factory fitted, I have this:

https://www.autoleisure.co.uk//milenco-compact-wheelclamp-caravans?gclid=Cj0KCQjwj7CZBhDHARIsAPPWv3c3_sts0hdAFdt9mPKaiWFNSVBSBgRVSqsOUPmdtK3olFm8FuqgEpQaAklCEALw_wcB

Tracker subscriptions are not cheap but there are some advertised in club magazine that are subscription free.... worth investigating.

Thank you for your replies, opinions and recommendations. 

Very much appreciated. 

Alistair and Lucille