A9 DIY Wireless Weatherproof Outdoor Motion Sensor Security Alarm

Bought this to keep a watch on a small area near the front door of my flat, where my bins are stored, after a random drunk tried to set one alight! I am not able to see this area from a window and only have a limited view of it through a door viewer so I wanted to be alerted when someone is there.The product felt well made when I opened the box and took the two parts out. The PIR sensor is nice and compact and it was easy to fit the 9v battery using a fine screwdriver to remove and refit the two tiny screws in the back. There is a thin, but hopefully effective rubber seal to keep moisture out of the battery area and the rest of the unit appears well made and waterproof and it has rained a lot since I installed it. It was fairly easy to fit a screw to a fence post and mount the PIR unit. (Be sure to mount out of direct sunlight, I had several false alarms due to early morning sunlight striking the PIR unit directly.)The indoor chime/alarm unit was also easy to open with a fine screwdriver and fit the three C batteries. Of the three settings I chose chime and low, but find it a bit loud still, especially at night in a small flat, so I dampened it with a piece of tape and cloth (I don't want to disturb people in a neighbouring flat with my alarm alert at night!) In a larger home this would probably be a plus point as it would help to ensure the alert is heard in a room other than where the unit is kept. I haven't tried the alarm mode as I am not really using it in that way.The red LEDs on the indoor unit glow brightly when the chime or alarm activate, so I am able to listen to music or films on headphones and if I keep it within view I won't miss it should it activate. The red LED on the PIR unit outside is a noticeable warning to anyone entering my property that they I have been alerted, but it is not noticeable unless someone steps inside my gate.It was a little bit of trial and error to mount it. The first place I chose was too far from the point of entry so it missed any movement of anyone opening the gate. Mounting it on the back of the gate, so that I hoped it would activate when the gate was opened failed completely, as I assume this PIR needs to see a warm body moving around to activate. So in the end I mounted it low and to the side of one of the bins. Almost out of sight, but with a narrow but clear line of sight across the gate area. So far every entry of the postman or anyone else through that gate has been detected and the chime sounded clearly. The chime keeps sounding as long as the person stays in the line of sight of the PIR, so if someone is lurking you won't miss them!Now that I am happy with this device in use, I will probably only have it on at night, but it has already proven to be a reliable alert of anyone outside my flat, so I can have some reassurance that should any trespasser enter in the future I will know about it. Longer term I plan to heed the comments of some other reviewers and buy rechargeable 9v and C batteries to ensure it does not become too costly. I may edit this review later to confirm battery life and longer term reliability of the two units.EDIT (5 months later)Well the unit is still working well and even though it is almost always on and alerts me once or twice a day to postman or other visitors it is still on the first 9v battery and first set of C batteries. (9v is Duracell, but the C's are a budget set) The PIR unit has remained waterproof and rarely produces a false alarm, when it does it is caused by the sun warming the wooden gate and it being left open by the last visitor, the movement of the gate by the wind then triggers the alarm - when the gate is cold that doesn't happen. Overall I have found this alert/alarm unit to be very reliable and not costly in terms of batteries - it is a very helpful security reassurance, but also appears to be a deterrent too. A few months ago one shading looking daytime visitor triggered the alert and when I observed them through the door viewer I saw them closing the gate before pausing briefly and then leaving and they didn't return.Many friends and other visitors have noticed the PIR red light and commented on it, all positive, many saying how handy and reassuring it is. So now that I have used this security system for several months I would highly recommend it for similar circumstances to my own, a small area with one access point (a twin PIR system is also available for covering two access points). Just remember to place the PIR unit out of direct sunlight to avoid false alarms!

We bought this to put next to our catflap so we are notified when our precious cat "Pepper" comes and goes. Both components look well made - the portability of the base unit makes it more attractive than the previous model we had, where it had to be plugged into the mains, although, both parts of this set have provision for mains adaptors to be plugged in, but, make sure you use the right type! We have fitted alkaline batteries into the units (C cells in the base unit and a 9V PP3 in the sensor) and have not had to replace them as yet (it's 6 months since installation). We noticed that in extreme temperatures (e.g. 4 degrees C and less) when the sensor was located in the garage next to the external catflap it didn't work, but, as soon as the temperature rose it was fine - however, the same is true of our previous unit - it could be something to do with the location or the limitations of portable PIR technology. We overcame this issue by locating the sensor inside the 2nd door between the house and garage where it works fine. A few other points that may be helpful are;- There is the option of a chime or alarm, and, the volume of the rather raucous chime can be altered slightly by a switch which has two settings (low/high) although both are loud.- A red LED on both the sensor and base unit also flash when the chime is activated.- The base unit and sensor "talk" to each other out of the box - there is no channel to set etc.- A key benefit of this set is the portability of the base unit which you can move round the house with you - the range seems significant, and, it does not interfere with radio and TV.Overall, a competent product at an excellent price - recommended.

I easily installed the alarm. It suits my purpose very well. All systems green and go. Yay!Only one issue; The screws that secure the battery cover on the PIR sensor are very small and tight, and were extremely difficult to unscrew. Had I not had small screw driver in my modelling toolkit and a pair of pliers I'm not sure how I would have got on.Generally speaking one does get what one pays for and for £25 well, time will tell,but as I write the unit works very well and I have no hesitation in recommending it.

Great product, perfect for my needs.Arrived home from work the other day to find my house had been burgled. The locksmith arrived to replace the door lock that they'd damaged to get in and explained how simple and fast they'd gained entry. My belongings are insured but what terrifies me the most is if it were to happen whilst we're asleep. This product ensures me a good night sleep, every night!Simply insert the batteries (not supplied, awkward sizes too- get yourself a square battery and 3 of those chunky CC batteries) into both the motion detector and the alarm / receiver unit, place the motion detector somewhere that it'll pick up on any movement, and then take the alarm / receiver unit to where you need it (in my case, next to my bed).It's certainly loud enough- I could sleep through a holocaust, but this would wake me without a doubt.For what they are, this was quite an expensive product- I'm sure there are cheaper alternatives, but I wanted quality. The construction of these is a little shoddy- cheap grade plastics, but doesn't hinder it's effectiveness.