This is a really good, you did a good job of making it. I've made a backpack version of this. The video and downloadable wiring diagram is on my channel. Thanks for sharing. Take Care :-))
@TheExtremeOutdoors I guess it is possible but it would depend on the circuitry and whatnot. You may need to ask yourself if it is worth the time and effort to re-engineer the alarm clock or build an alarm from scratch.
@TheExtremeOutdoors For long term situations a bell or tin can attached to a trip wire would be the better bet. Trying to keep a large number of batteries charged would be a daily struggle. NiMH cells lose 1% of their charge daily and are affected by the cold. "Quick" chargers can ruin these batteries in short order. It's best to charge @ 10% of a cell's capacity to get the longest service life from it, but this means it takes 10 hours to recharge it.
could save money and do away with the switch. Im pretty sure that switch isn't waterproof and adds cost to the project. Don't want the bad guy to just turn it off anyway LOL :)
@katiebug18371 They could turn it off anyways by using the mousetrap, not to mention smashing it. The rocker switch is added for convenience, as well as ease of transportation and setup. I'd hate to have it go off when sneaking into an area to employ it.
also, the smaller window alarms work great for initiators for flare alarms, just add a cheap 3.5V lightbulb to the flare with leads coming from the alarm that formerly powered the speakers and you'll light it up no problem. these little window alarms have many uses.
I know something smaller, lighter and much cheaper, it's called a window alarm, those cheap ones you find at dollar stores for $1. all you do is attach the speaker part to a stake sideways and lay the switch part on top to stop the alarm and attach the tripwire to a hole in the switch, I think they weigh only an ounce each and easily accessed. why complicate something you can buy in abundance and cheaply? I could have 10-15 set ups for what you paid for that one.
@flamedrag18 Those small window alarms use LR44 or similar button cells which is something I wanted to avoid. I wanted to use AA cells because of logistics, considering they are being used in everything else I need to power around the home. Not to mention they are not as common as AA and can't be recharged like NiMH AA's can. Weight and size is not an issue because this is only intended to be used on my property.
@JeremyHopper007 than just get a 3 AA holder and gut the window alarm to work on AAs. I did it once for a pet project, but never kept it since I really had no use for it, just a toy to tinker with.
@svbummin In attempting to use AA batteries, a buzzer loud enough to hear it, and the available sizes of ABS project boxes to house everything, I did not have many options available to decrease the size. Considering this is more of a home unit, and not designed to be a back packing model, the size really isn't an issue for me. With a price of under $20 it really isn't that expensive. Cheaper units can be made or found, but I prefer using AA batteries for all my electronic devices.
@JeremyHopper007 yeah i wish the small dollar alarms used AA. you should look at sanyos rechargeable eneloop batteries - they retain 90% charge at 6 months & 75% up to 3 years, rechargeable up to 1500 times, & good discharge characteristics at low temps. great for prep but pricey. id worry at $15 each alarm if you needed a dozen or two to establish a perimeter, that could hurt the wallet. not to mention having to camouflage those things
@svbummin also, you can make it easier on batteries by gutting the little alarms of the LR44 battery terminals and instead attach a 3 AA or AAA battery terminals to even out the voltage, simple.
@flamedrag18 I have been contemplating that as well, but I have tried a few basic experiments with the auditory levels of these alarms. The one I used in this video is loud enough to be heard 150 yards away. I can't say the same for some of the dollar store brands I've bought.
@JeremyHopper007 you're going to place them 150 yards away? that's well outside the safety zone, you might as well make a firework mine for an alarm at that distance since these alarms should be used closer to your home, final warning system rather than a long range one.
@flamedrag18 On my own homestead of several acres I can't be everywhere at once to monitor points of interest. I could very well be 150+ yards away from an alarm while checking out another area on a routine patrol during WROL. During the night I bring my perimeter in closer to my home, but extend it back out during the day time when I have increased visibility. Flare style alarms would be an added benefit. I would prefer to have long range warning to prevent enough of a reaction time.
@JeremyHopper007 well, the flare idea is pretty simple to do, audible and visual flares can be easily made from holiday fireworks like big bangs and even screechers are very useful. just replace the speaker with a broken lightbulb with the filament intact in your alarm set up and you have a cheap flare system, the mouse trap sends the current to the filament, shorting it out and lighting the firework's fuse and boom. even a simple mouse trap, a tube and with a flaregun cartridge can be used.
@flamedrag18 yeah that would be very helpful to have a rechargable power supply. the smaller units ive made with the doller alarms were meant for mobile use & id like to keep them as small as possible. for home use i have dakotas long range infrared system with a base & handheld transceivers, along with interior motion sensors. & have been looking high & low for some m49a1 trip flares - no luck
@svbummin I seen that, those keychain alarms aren't available in my dollar store and might not be in others either, so I was just giving opinions in case people don't have these in their stores. for the flares, you just need some fireworks, some electrical or duct tape for waterproofing the fireworks and a ignition source. your trigger set up or for the lazy, a gutted window alarm with the speaker replace with a ignition source would work great. would be cheaper too.
@JeremyHopper007 are you asking me to do one? sorry, out of fireworks, but willing if I could find some, all the stores locked up their supplies and likely won't sell until new years :( also having a hard time with camera time with responsibilities.
@JeremyHopper007 Camo really isn't a problem with these. Some spray paint and camo netting does wonders. I'm still toying with the idea of making these smaller and cheaper.
very nice. have you seen the key chain alarms they sell at the dollar store. the are super loud and just like this but very small and only a dollar. i have a video of my dog setting the tripwire off on one. i trained my dogs to respond to the alarm as well. your contraption is nice and i like the addition of the mouse trap.
@FixedByDoc My only complaint about the key chain alarms are the batteries used, which is usually a button cell. Easy to pack and carry, but not always easy to locate at stores, nor are they designed to be rechargeable... Something to consider in WROL.
@JeremyHopper007 excellent reasoning. have you tried using the solar lamp panels for trickle charging it during the day? was thinking of taking one of the key chain ones apart to run the battery wires to the wires the bulb would normaly connect to on the solar light.. hoping it might work. havnt checked to voltage yet or miliamps.
@FixedByDoc I have considered it, but it will add a bit to the cost. This alarm will not drain the batteries until it is sprung. Alkaline batteries have a shelf life of 7 years, though heat and cold are the biggest killers of capacity. So theoretically, this alarm *could* remain in service for up to 7 years if it is never sprung. Rechargeable NiMH usually self-discharge at a rate of 1% of its capacity per day. I have been playing with a homemade solar charger with deep cycle batteries.
@JeremyHopper007 where i live in the winter it can reach negative 20's easy which is very harsh on the bateries of any kind. the summers are quite nice on them here though. i have been switching over to the alkalines since ebiczebulanious did a comparison video on the dif kinds. i didnt know that until then. 1% a day is a major loss in my book.
This is a really good, you did a good job of making it. I've made a backpack version of this. The video and downloadable wiring diagram is on my channel. Thanks for sharing. Take Care :-))
SurviveN2 5 days ago
Awesome
NorthStarLeatherwork 1 week ago
Would this be possibly to modify an alarm clock to do this?
TheExtremeOutdoors 1 week ago
@TheExtremeOutdoors I guess it is possible but it would depend on the circuitry and whatnot. You may need to ask yourself if it is worth the time and effort to re-engineer the alarm clock or build an alarm from scratch.
JeremyHopper007 1 week ago
I used a bell attacted to a string, but this is way cooler.
TheExtremeOutdoors 1 week ago
@TheExtremeOutdoors For long term situations a bell or tin can attached to a trip wire would be the better bet. Trying to keep a large number of batteries charged would be a daily struggle. NiMH cells lose 1% of their charge daily and are affected by the cold. "Quick" chargers can ruin these batteries in short order. It's best to charge @ 10% of a cell's capacity to get the longest service life from it, but this means it takes 10 hours to recharge it.
JeremyHopper007 1 week ago
@JeremyHopper007 I used the bell while night fishing but i was awake. I would sleep right through a bear bell.
TheExtremeOutdoors 1 week ago
could save money and do away with the switch. Im pretty sure that switch isn't waterproof and adds cost to the project. Don't want the bad guy to just turn it off anyway LOL :)
To turn it off just reset the mousetrap.
katiebug18371 2 weeks ago
@katiebug18371 They could turn it off anyways by using the mousetrap, not to mention smashing it. The rocker switch is added for convenience, as well as ease of transportation and setup. I'd hate to have it go off when sneaking into an area to employ it.
JeremyHopper007 2 weeks ago
I made one similar but with rechargable batteries and a small solar panel. Thanks for the video.
Alpineprepper 2 months ago
also, the smaller window alarms work great for initiators for flare alarms, just add a cheap 3.5V lightbulb to the flare with leads coming from the alarm that formerly powered the speakers and you'll light it up no problem. these little window alarms have many uses.
flamedrag18 3 months ago
Comment removed
flamedrag18 3 months ago
I know something smaller, lighter and much cheaper, it's called a window alarm, those cheap ones you find at dollar stores for $1. all you do is attach the speaker part to a stake sideways and lay the switch part on top to stop the alarm and attach the tripwire to a hole in the switch, I think they weigh only an ounce each and easily accessed. why complicate something you can buy in abundance and cheaply? I could have 10-15 set ups for what you paid for that one.
flamedrag18 3 months ago
@flamedrag18 Those small window alarms use LR44 or similar button cells which is something I wanted to avoid. I wanted to use AA cells because of logistics, considering they are being used in everything else I need to power around the home. Not to mention they are not as common as AA and can't be recharged like NiMH AA's can. Weight and size is not an issue because this is only intended to be used on my property.
JeremyHopper007 3 months ago
@JeremyHopper007 than just get a 3 AA holder and gut the window alarm to work on AAs. I did it once for a pet project, but never kept it since I really had no use for it, just a toy to tinker with.
flamedrag18 3 months ago
kinda pricey, and big
svbummin 4 months ago
@svbummin In attempting to use AA batteries, a buzzer loud enough to hear it, and the available sizes of ABS project boxes to house everything, I did not have many options available to decrease the size. Considering this is more of a home unit, and not designed to be a back packing model, the size really isn't an issue for me. With a price of under $20 it really isn't that expensive. Cheaper units can be made or found, but I prefer using AA batteries for all my electronic devices.
JeremyHopper007 4 months ago
@JeremyHopper007 yeah i wish the small dollar alarms used AA. you should look at sanyos rechargeable eneloop batteries - they retain 90% charge at 6 months & 75% up to 3 years, rechargeable up to 1500 times, & good discharge characteristics at low temps. great for prep but pricey. id worry at $15 each alarm if you needed a dozen or two to establish a perimeter, that could hurt the wallet. not to mention having to camouflage those things
svbummin 4 months ago
@svbummin also, you can make it easier on batteries by gutting the little alarms of the LR44 battery terminals and instead attach a 3 AA or AAA battery terminals to even out the voltage, simple.
flamedrag18 3 months ago
@flamedrag18 I have been contemplating that as well, but I have tried a few basic experiments with the auditory levels of these alarms. The one I used in this video is loud enough to be heard 150 yards away. I can't say the same for some of the dollar store brands I've bought.
JeremyHopper007 3 months ago
@JeremyHopper007 you're going to place them 150 yards away? that's well outside the safety zone, you might as well make a firework mine for an alarm at that distance since these alarms should be used closer to your home, final warning system rather than a long range one.
flamedrag18 3 months ago
@flamedrag18 On my own homestead of several acres I can't be everywhere at once to monitor points of interest. I could very well be 150+ yards away from an alarm while checking out another area on a routine patrol during WROL. During the night I bring my perimeter in closer to my home, but extend it back out during the day time when I have increased visibility. Flare style alarms would be an added benefit. I would prefer to have long range warning to prevent enough of a reaction time.
JeremyHopper007 3 months ago
@JeremyHopper007 well, the flare idea is pretty simple to do, audible and visual flares can be easily made from holiday fireworks like big bangs and even screechers are very useful. just replace the speaker with a broken lightbulb with the filament intact in your alarm set up and you have a cheap flare system, the mouse trap sends the current to the filament, shorting it out and lighting the firework's fuse and boom. even a simple mouse trap, a tube and with a flaregun cartridge can be used.
flamedrag18 3 months ago
@flamedrag18 yeah that would be very helpful to have a rechargable power supply. the smaller units ive made with the doller alarms were meant for mobile use & id like to keep them as small as possible. for home use i have dakotas long range infrared system with a base & handheld transceivers, along with interior motion sensors. & have been looking high & low for some m49a1 trip flares - no luck
svbummin 3 months ago
@svbummin I seen that, those keychain alarms aren't available in my dollar store and might not be in others either, so I was just giving opinions in case people don't have these in their stores. for the flares, you just need some fireworks, some electrical or duct tape for waterproofing the fireworks and a ignition source. your trigger set up or for the lazy, a gutted window alarm with the speaker replace with a ignition source would work great. would be cheaper too.
flamedrag18 3 months ago
@flamedrag18 I think an instructional video is in order for your firework ideas! :)
JeremyHopper007 3 months ago
@JeremyHopper007 are you asking me to do one? sorry, out of fireworks, but willing if I could find some, all the stores locked up their supplies and likely won't sell until new years :( also having a hard time with camera time with responsibilities.
flamedrag18 3 months ago
@JeremyHopper007 Camo really isn't a problem with these. Some spray paint and camo netting does wonders. I'm still toying with the idea of making these smaller and cheaper.
JeremyHopper007 4 months ago
very nice. have you seen the key chain alarms they sell at the dollar store. the are super loud and just like this but very small and only a dollar. i have a video of my dog setting the tripwire off on one. i trained my dogs to respond to the alarm as well. your contraption is nice and i like the addition of the mouse trap.
FixedByDoc 6 months ago
@FixedByDoc My only complaint about the key chain alarms are the batteries used, which is usually a button cell. Easy to pack and carry, but not always easy to locate at stores, nor are they designed to be rechargeable... Something to consider in WROL.
JeremyHopper007 6 months ago
@JeremyHopper007 excellent reasoning. have you tried using the solar lamp panels for trickle charging it during the day? was thinking of taking one of the key chain ones apart to run the battery wires to the wires the bulb would normaly connect to on the solar light.. hoping it might work. havnt checked to voltage yet or miliamps.
FixedByDoc 6 months ago
@FixedByDoc I have considered it, but it will add a bit to the cost. This alarm will not drain the batteries until it is sprung. Alkaline batteries have a shelf life of 7 years, though heat and cold are the biggest killers of capacity. So theoretically, this alarm *could* remain in service for up to 7 years if it is never sprung. Rechargeable NiMH usually self-discharge at a rate of 1% of its capacity per day. I have been playing with a homemade solar charger with deep cycle batteries.
JeremyHopper007 6 months ago
@JeremyHopper007 where i live in the winter it can reach negative 20's easy which is very harsh on the bateries of any kind. the summers are quite nice on them here though. i have been switching over to the alkalines since ebiczebulanious did a comparison video on the dif kinds. i didnt know that until then. 1% a day is a major loss in my book.
FixedByDoc 6 months ago
Brilliant.
JJRTaylor 6 months ago
A rather ingenious use of some common items. Thanks.
geohulla 6 months ago
Nice build, very clean and professional.
GUERRILLAGEEK 6 months ago