# Solar Powered CCTV



## AlanW (22 Dec 2022)

Since the house was broken into a year ago for the sole aim of taking the car, the whole situation still haunts me to this day. Two of them climbed over the locked side gate, snapped the lock on the back door entered the house and searched all downstairs till they found the car keys on the shelf under the stairs and all this while we were asleep upstairs, back out the house and climbed over the side gate and away. 

Just four minutes from them walking down the drive to driving the car away, according to the footage from next doors CCTV!! 

The Police believe that prior to the break in, that the house had been under surveillance for several days prior to the break in. They also believe that the offenders had also been round the rear of the house to understand what locks we had or what additional security we had. 

Of course, immediately afterward the break in, and yes, the words horse and bolted spring to mind, but all the necessary precautions were immediate implemented, top spec door locks fitted, comprehensive house alarm, extra dead locks, flood lights replaced etc etc.

As those that have suffered the same plight will understand the immense mental pain that such a traumatic occurrence leaves behind. I was hoping that has time goes on the pain would subside, but quite the opposite, for me anyway. In fact, I've had two nightmares so this week, one the car was stolen, the second my bikes were stolen.  

But the thought that haunts me the most is the fact that someone had been walking around the rear of the house, not helped with it getting dark at 4pm of course.

So, I'm now seriously thinking about getting a solar powered CCTV mounted at the rear of the house just to try and give me some sort of peace of mind, I hope? I've decided on solar power purely for ease of fitment to be honest. The sole aim of it is just to alert me if anyone is walking around at the rear of the house via an app on my phone I presume? 

I'm not really interested in recording, unless someone can advise me otherwise of course, and I don't think I'm fussed about the quality of the footage (again unless someone can advise me otherwise) and I certainly don't want to pay any sort of subscription. 

I've looked on Amazon and it's a minefield with so much choice, so rather than take potluck, I thought it would be worth a question on here.

Any thoughts or recommendations would honestly be really appreciated


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## Cycleops (22 Dec 2022)

Get a Pedigree Chum powered deterrent/alarm. A dog. Doesn't have to be a big one.


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## BoldonLad (22 Dec 2022)

Sorry to hear that your unfortunate experience has had such a long term effect on you. I can understand, had my house burgled once, not a pleasant experience.

I have a EUFY System. The Cameras are battery powered. Time between charges is claimed at 180 days, but, it clearly depends on how often it is triggered. The camera at the front of the house typically lasts 3 months between top up charges, in winter, and, 4-5 months in summer (I have a small solar panel plugged into it to top up battery). The camera in the back garden lasts around the 180 days between charges, it doesn't have a solar panel, but, there is much less "traffic" in the back garden. The Cameras connect via wifi to a base station, where footage is stored. Once storage is full, it overwrites the oldest file(s). No subscription required.

As you suggest, I have it for "peace of mind" rather than any real assumption that it will deter scumbags, or, that the Police will actually take any notice of footage. The system will send an alert to your phone, if movement is detected. You can monitor the camera(s) from anywhere with an internet connection, via your phone.

You can speak to the person in view, so, for example, the camera beside the front door, if a courier calls with a parcel, I can speak to him/her and tell them to leave parcel behind flower pot (or whatever), if I am not in, or, otherwise occupied.

I have in the past tried a cheaper "Chinese" set up (iGeek), it worked for about a year, then, gave up. I chose EUFY because, they are made by Anker (the speaker, headphone, ear-pod people), and, I have been impressed by their products in the past.

This is the one I have. 
View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07W4MY7HL/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&aaxitk=134dce20a507ed675d3b25df8ca1c0f0&content-id=amzn1.sym.1d1fc9de-af63-45b7-b9a4-15664e2de42b%3Aamzn1.sym.1d1fc9de-af63-45b7-b9a4-15664e2de42b&hsa_cr_id=0&pd_rd_plhdr=t&pd_rd_r=592ee688-f725-4f64-b08b-4fc8908f90e7&pd_rd_w=eQzwt&pd_rd_wg=S13QA&qid=1671702853&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_lsi4d_asin_0_title&sr=1-1-e0fa1fdd-d857-4087-adda-5bd576b25987


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## ebikeerwidnes (22 Dec 2022)

Just a warning
I have not got a CCTV system - at the moment - but I did install 4 solar powered flood lights around the back of the house last year

They all worked fine for a while - even worked fine with long nights as long as they were only set to trigger when they detected something

but this winter 2 of the 4 have stopped working. Due to the bad weather I have not got round to swapping bits round to try and work out what is wrong - but there is a lot of stuff out there that is not as good as it needs to be

and solar powered stuff is a specific problam as saving on the battery and solar cell will increase their profits a lot but it is difficult to tell how good they are from a web site!


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## si_c (22 Dec 2022)

The Eufy systems are good, but please note there have been serious privacy issues raised recently with their cloud servers (think people can watch your cameras without logging into your account serious).


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## AlanW (22 Dec 2022)

BoldonLad said:


> Sorry to hear that your unfortunate experience has had such a long term effect on you. I can understand, had my house burgled once, not a pleasant experience.
> 
> I have a EUFY System. The Cameras are battery powered. Time between charges is claimed at 180 days, but, it clearly depends on how often it is triggered. The camera at the front of the house typically lasts 3 months between top up charges, in winter, and, 4-5 months in summer (I have a small solar panel plugged into it to top up battery). The camera in the back garden lasts around the 180 days between charges, it doesn't have a solar panel, but, there is much less "traffic" in the back garden. The Cameras connect via wifi to a base station, where footage is stored. Once storage is full, it overwrites the oldest file(s). No subscription required.
> 
> ...




Thanks for the info, but I'm really looking for a complete standalone camera. I have the Simplisafe alarm system and I did look at adding the Simplisafe external camera to the system, but to get notifications from the camera to my phone I need to add a monthly subscription.


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## AlanW (22 Dec 2022)

ebikeerwidnes said:


> Just a warning
> I have not got a CCTV system - at the moment - but I did install 4 solar powered flood lights around the back of the house last year
> 
> They all worked fine for a while - even worked fine with long nights as long as they were only set to trigger when they detected something
> ...



I also added two solar powered flood lights last year, and touch wood they are still working as they should. That said they don't get a lot of use and are only on for a couple of minutes maximum once they are triggered.


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## AlanW (22 Dec 2022)

BoldonLad said:


> Sorry to hear that your unfortunate experience has had such a long term effect on you. I can understand, had my house burgled once, not a pleasant experience.


I can honestly say that not a night goes by when I don't relive that moment I realised that we had been broken into


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## AlanW (22 Dec 2022)

How about this for utter and bizarre timing, I have just this minute taken a call from Blackburn Police, they have found my engine in a chop shop!!!

14 months after the car was stolen


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## Dadam (22 Dec 2022)

I had my car taken in the exact same way in 2016. It's not pleasant. We knew nothing about it until the following morning when my wife noticed the side door ajar and my car gone. 
The cheeky scum took my wife's purse and cards and used them to buy snacks on the way back to Bradford (quelle surprise!) and to top that they used one to pay someone's fine at Bradford courts!! You'd think that might be a pretty good intelligence to find the culprit but no, the lucky recipient of this beneficence just denied any knowledge of it, as if random people you don't know paying your fine is a commonplace thing, and the police couldn't do anything more!

Two months later the car turned up for sale on different plates at a shady car dealer (where? you guessed it, Bradford!) They had cloned the plates from an identical make, model, year and spec for sale at a main dealer. A prospective buyer reported it when he saw apparently the same car for sale at these two unrelated dealers at the same time!


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## AlanW (22 Dec 2022)

When the scum broke in, the sole intention was taking the car, nothing else. They ignored the two mobiles, a laptop and a £100 in cash sat on the kitchen table!


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## BoldonLad (22 Dec 2022)

AlanW said:


> Thanks for the info, but I'm really looking for a complete standalone camera. I have the Simplisafe alarm system and I did look at adding the Simplisafe external camera to the system, but to get notifications from the camera to my phone I need to add a monthly subscription.



You are welcome. I think they do a standalone camera too, might be worth a browse on their website. https://uk.eufy.com/products/t81243...eLq8We5-x-Er5ybhYeAiuFWWmmSRPM9hoCEE0QAvD_BwE


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## AlanW (22 Dec 2022)

BoldonLad said:


> You are welcome. I think they do a standalone camera too, might be worth a browse on their website. https://uk.eufy.com/products/t81243w1?currency=GBP&variant=40259795648705&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google Shopping&utm_source=google&utm_medium=max&utm_content=sec&utm_campaign=uk_security_max_cam&utm_term={{14755486744}}_{{14755486744}}_{{14755486744}}&gclid=CjwKCAiAnZCdBhBmEiwA8nDQxbylNKGZezYG8P50gIk-KweLq8We5-x-Er5ybhYeAiuFWWmmSRPM9hoCEE0QAvD_BwE



Thats seem to be exactly what I am looking for


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## HobbesOnTour (22 Dec 2022)

AlanW said:


> I can honestly say that not a night goes by when I don't relive that moment I realised that we had been broken into



It's probably not what you want to read but the above seems (to me) to be something that deserves a bit of attention.

Will a camera stop you thinking like this? Reduce the anxiety? 

You may find it more helpful to investigate some methods of dealing with the stress and trauma internally rather than externally.

Best of luck


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## cougie uk (22 Dec 2022)

That's awful. What car was it ? 
We have some Amazon blink cameras. Mainly inside the house but there's one in the garden that runs off a battery. Motion activated and the battery lasts months at a time. 

They all tie together with an app and it's uploaded to the cloud so the footage is safe.


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## AlanW (22 Dec 2022)

HobbesOnTour said:


> It's probably not what you want to read but the above seems (to me) to be something that deserves a bit of attention.
> 
> Will a camera stop you thinking like this? Reduce the anxiety?
> 
> ...



It's a very valid point and one that I have also asked myself. I have had a few counselling sessions to try and rid myself of these memories, but it seems that they are very much etched into my mind/head. Today's bombshell phone call from the Police has only served to open up the already unhealed mental scars I'm afraid.

The truth is no matter what I do in terms of adding additional security it is not giving me any sort of rest bite or comfort, but I have to try?

The annoying fact that for the sake of a few quid, I could have avoided it all from happening in the first place......hindsight ah? 

Even a single low-cost patio style deadlock on the back door would have avoided it maybe? Assuming that because the locks on house have a BS number doesn't mean that they are nothing short of useless!!! 

The sort of car that it was, meant it was always going to be attractive to the lower members of society, and I accepted and understood that when I bought it. In truth it was a bit of a mid-life crisis purchase when after a test drive my wife said to me "I haven't seen you smile so much in years". So that was it, done deal....lol

I thought that I had put the necessary plans in place to secure it as best I could, steering lock, alarm, Faraday pouch etc. My biggest error was I failed to understand or appreciate the securty of the house and as a result I've paid the ultimate price.

The other "problem", it would often sit on the drive for days even weeks at time, so it was more of an expensive ornament than an actual mode of transport.

The shocker, our bedroom overlooks the driveway and on the night in question the window was open. The car had a very distinct burble when it started until the second exhaust valve shut down and the exhaust then quietened down quite considerably. We never heard a thing 

They searched all the downstairs cupboards trying to find the car keys, this included going into the integral garage where all my bikes, wheels, turbo and tools were. If it was the bikes they wanted, then it was just a single up and over door that was between them and getting away with the whole lot!!! 

That thought alone haunts me and has the been the basis on many a dream/nightmare ever since.


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## cougie uk (22 Dec 2022)

I have heard from mates that have had their cars nicked that they usually roll them off the drive and only start the engine up later. 

My main deterrent is not having a car that is very nickable. (I hope anyway).

Keeping it in the garage seems to be the best idea though. Unless someone follows you home - how would they know it was there ?


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## AlanW (22 Dec 2022)

cougie uk said:


> That's awful. What car was it ?
> We have some Amazon blink cameras. Mainly inside the house but there's one in the garden that runs off a battery. Motion activated and the battery lasts months at a time.
> 
> They all tie together with an app and it's uploaded to the cloud so the footage is safe.



It was a BMW M135i and it was a pre-retirement present to me. As a lifelong petrol head, it was a drivers dream from every aspect, looks, style and not forgetting the ultimate driving experience. It was two days short of being a year old when it was stolen.

Yes, of course it's just a car and yes, the insurance paid out, in fact they paid out £5k more than I paid for it?? But a new one had gone up £10k  But I've worked hard, and some low light scum took it away from me. 

To say that I've worked all my life to be able to buy a car like this would be an over exaggeration, but I do consider myself to be fortunate enough to be able to do it and it was a case hell, why not? 

Life is for living....right?


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## AlanW (22 Dec 2022)

cougie uk said:


> I have heard from mates that have had their cars nicked that they usually roll them off the drive and only start the engine up later.
> 
> My main deterrent is not having a car that is very nickable. (I hope anyway).
> 
> Keeping it in the garage seems to be the best idea though. Unless someone follows you home - how would they know it was there ?



Being an automatic with an electric handbrake, rolling it of the drive was not an option, hence why they needed the keys.

Trust me the replacement is garaged every night now and no its not the same model as I really didn't want a repeat episode.

This is the next problem, if they want it, one way or another they will take it.....full stop. Follow my wife to the supermarket or back home from the supermarket, wait for her to get out of car, hey presto, car unlocked and keys to hand...easy!


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## Dadam (22 Dec 2022)

I've often wondered about this. In the late 90s I had a Citroen Saxo VTS. These days I'm not sure how I even fit in the thing!  It was a hoot to drive though, 120 bhp from a zingy 1.6 16V that revved to the heavens and weighed 950kg. 

Anyway, it had a keypad immobiliser. Put key in, turn ignition on then put a 4 digit PIN into the pad. 3 tries then it's locked for 30 minutes. I thought it was great idea but the next model deleted it. I presume people found it a faff and forgot their codes  Doesn't seem to worry people at ATMs though. I know my Dad wasn't best pleased when he wanted to move it to get his car out to get to work one morning. I'd changed the code and forgot to tell him!  I was in bed or I'd have told him the code but it was too late by then; he rang in to say he'd be late. He could have taken the handbrake off and pushed it off the drive, dead easy to push, or hauled me out of bed and I'd have done it, but hey ho.

I think they should bring this back. All you need is a duress code for carjackers that will allow normal driving for 200-400 yards to clear the immediate area, then either stop or go to 10mph and sound alarms.


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## HobbesOnTour (22 Dec 2022)

AlanW said:


> It's a very valid point and one that I have also asked myself. I have had a few counselling sessions to try and rid myself of these memories, but it seems that they are very much etched into my mind/head. Today's bombshell phone call from the Police has only served to open up the already unhealed mental scars I'm afraid.



Well, you're aware that is an issue. If you get your cameras and are still feeling this way then you can always come back and have another go at it. 
I'd suggest that getting rid of the memories isn't the goal, but managing the impact of those memories could be. 



AlanW said:


> The truth is no matter what I do in terms of adding additional security it is not giving me any sort of rest bite or comfort, but I have to try?


Yes. You probably should try. But as you're aware there are different things to try. And different objectives.
Is the objective to make your home an impenetrable fortress or is it to be able to sleep without nightmares or jump at every strange sound after dark?


I could be way off here but I'm picking up a lot of self blame in your post....


AlanW said:


> I could have avoided it all from happening in the first place......hindsight ah?





AlanW said:


> My biggest error was.....





AlanW said:


> We never heard a thing



Maybe you could have a go at being a bit kinder to yourself. 
You didn't lose the car - someone* stole *it. 
As you say in relation to the current car - if they really want it they'll take it.
There's a value in reviewing our actions with a view to not repeating our mistakes, not so much in continually beating ourselves up.




AlanW said:


> That thought alone haunts me and has the been the basis on many a dream/nightmare ever since



Best of luck!


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## cougie uk (22 Dec 2022)

Dadam said:


> I've often wondered about this. In the late 90s I had a Citroen Saxo VTS. These days I'm not sure how I even fit in the thing!  It was a hoot to drive though, 120 bhp from a zingy 1.6 16V that revved to the heavens and weighed 950kg.
> 
> Anyway, it had a keypad immobiliser. Put key in, turn ignition on then put a 4 digit PIN into the pad. 3 tries then it's locked for 30 minutes. I thought it was great idea but the next model deleted it. I presume people found it a faff and forgot their codes  Doesn't seem to worry people at ATMs though. I know my Dad wasn't best pleased when he wanted to move it to get his car out to get to work one morning. I'd changed the code and forgot to tell him!  I was in bed or I'd have told him the code but it was too late by then; he rang in to say he'd be late. He could have taken the handbrake off and pushed it off the drive, dead easy to push, or hauled me out of bed and I'd have done it, but hey ho.
> 
> I think they should bring this back. All you need is a duress code for carjackers that will allow normal driving for 200-400 yards to clear the immediate area, then either stop or go to 10mph and sound alarms.



I think Teslas can have pin codes and GPS tracking. Add the sentry cameras to that and they're about as secure as cars get. Just a pity about Musk.


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## vickster (22 Dec 2022)

cougie uk said:


> I have heard from mates that have had their cars nicked that they usually roll them off the drive and only start the engine up later.



That's probably what happened to my Golf GTI 10 years ago  Reckon it was nicked to order, rare colour, 3 door spec. Again sat on my drive a fair amount. Think I still have the key somewhere  Again from under an open window when I was asleep


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## Dadam (22 Dec 2022)

cougie uk said:


> I think Teslas can have pin codes and GPS tracking. Add the sentry cameras to that and they're about as secure as cars get. Just a pity about Musk.



I'm sure they do, and fully agree re that clown. It just seems such an obvious, fairly low tech solution, that a car I owned 25 years ago had but never caught on.


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## AlanW (22 Dec 2022)

HobbesOnTour said:


> Well, you're aware that is an issue. If you get your cameras and are still feeling this way then you can always come back and have another go at it.
> I'd suggest that getting rid of the memories isn't the goal, but managing the impact of those memories could be.
> 
> 
> ...



Some wise words, thank you for taking the time to write them.

I don't necessarily blame myself but maybe with a bit more thought I could have possibly avoided the situation. But I guess I will never know for sure?

As for my ultimate objective, I have no idea, I just feel like I should be doing more, but what area more is, I don't really know?

But as you quite rightly say, its better to try and find a way to manage the impact of the memories.


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## ebikeerwidnes (23 Dec 2022)

AlanW said:


> I also added two solar powered flood lights last year, and touch wood they are still working as they should. That said they don't get a lot of use and are only on for a couple of minutes maximum once they are triggered.



What make and model?? I need to do something our broken ones.

Although my problem is that I need 2 that have a solar panel remote from the light as the side passage (lucky is is not round the back or that would sound bad!!) is very shady


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## AlanW (23 Dec 2022)

ebikeerwidnes said:


> What make and model?? I need to do something our broken ones.


I got them from Amazon for £20.35 for the pair

*HETP Upgraded 78 Solar Motion Sensor Security Lights.*

4.5 stars out of 5, and 19,821 reviews (_allegedly?_)


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