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Posted: 9/23/2013 5:30:57 AM EDT
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While researching for my new safe I discovered Liberty's Safelert monitoring system. I liked the idea so I started researching it along w/ safes. While researching I discovered a number of people had the same complaints w/ the Safelert. One of the biggest was having to pay for a monitoring service. Using another hobby of mine I may have an alternative that will allow people to monitor their safe without having to pay yearly for a monitoring service.
Aquariums, like gun safes, can be full of thousands of dollars worth of stuff (especially reef tanks). So a few companies have come out w/ monitoring devices to protect them. Over the years the devices have expanded their capabilities a lot. Now, the major players, have the ability to notify using e-mail and text. There are two systems that are about the same price as the Safelert that I think will do the same thing with out the monitoring service. They are the Digital Aquatics Lifeguard and Neptune Systems Apex Jr. Both units can monitor temperature and be set to send alerts if it exceeds a certain number (how high it will go I'm not sure yet). They are also set up to monitor water level in the tank using float switches. I think a float switch could be modified so that it will tell you when the safe door is open. They also have the ability to log and graph data which I read some people wanted the Safelert to be able to do. The Apex can be monitored and controlled remotely using a computer, tablet, or smartphone. I don't know if these controllers will completely fill to role of the Safelert and I'm still looking into their capabilities. But I figured I would give you guys/gals a heads up so you can look into them yourselves and shoot holes in the idea. |
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How about this:
It only monitors temp and humidity, but this seems like a nice option. http://www.lacrossetechnology.com/alerts/greenhouse-temperature-humidity-monitor-no-probe.php |
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Interesting linkage to reef keeping... I love my Apex and wouldn't keep a reef without it. The new dashboard has webcam capabilities built in too, which could be real handy... One thing I think could have series possibilities would be to leverage the Apex's breakout box capabilities and wire in some switches, either pin or "mercury" style, to detect motion or the opening of the door. The apex could then email you and you could see on the dashboard what was going on.....
If you were into reefs and already had the apex, these options would make sense, however I wonder if an adrino style processor/controller could do,it at a much cheaper price, the Apexes still aren't cheap and you wouldn't be leveraging much of its embedded functionality if you used it only for the safe |
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Quoted:
Interesting linkage to reef keeping... I love my Apex and wouldn't keep a reef without it. The new dashboard has webcam capabilities built in too, which could be real handy... One thing I think could have series possibilities would be to leverage the Apex's breakout box capabilities and wire in some switches, either pin or "mercury" style, to detect motion or the opening of the door. The apex could then email you and you could see on the dashboard what was going on..... If you were into reefs and already had the apex, these options would make sense, however I wonder if an adrino style processor/controller could do,it at a much cheaper price, the Apexes still aren't cheap and you wouldn't be leveraging much of its embedded functionality if you used it only for the safe Nice to have someone chime in that has experience w/ the Apex. I have not used a controller in years so I'm a little behind the times. My last controllers were a ReefKeeper 1 and ACjr if that tells you anything. I like controllers but it seemed like there was always something to be tweaked which caused me to get away from them. Part of that was my fault and the system they were installed in. Anyway, the Safelert seemed like an awesome idea in the beginning but the more research I do the less I like it. Besides a lot of people having trouble setting it and people having to send units back for a replacement, it seems the antennae is needed a lot of the time and the cord is short so mounting locations are limited. On top of that it seems some routers are not compatible w/ the Safelert due to going into a sleep mode which causes lost connection which results in a false alarm being sent. So the Safelert is becoming less and less of an option. The Arduino kits are interesting (hadn't seen them before). Looking at them they seem like electrical legos. Is there a kit that contains a lot, or all, of the components for a safe monitor? I see some of the boards and components, but the kits I'm running across seem more for radio controlled stuff. |
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Quoted:
How about this: It only monitors temp and humidity, but this seems like a nice option. http://www.lacrossetechnology.com/alerts/greenhouse-temperature-humidity-monitor-no-probe.php That is an interesting option also. I wonder if there is some way to use it w/ another system that would let me know if someone is tampering w/ the safe. Off to do more research. |
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Quoted:
Nice to have someone chime in that has experience w/ the Apex. I have not used a controller in years so I'm a little behind the times. My last controllers were a ReefKeeper 1 and ACjr if that tells you anything. I like controllers but it seemed like there was always something to be tweaked which caused me to get away from them. Part of that was my fault and the system they were installed in. Anyway, the Safelert seemed like an awesome idea in the beginning but the more research I do the less I like it. Besides a lot of people having trouble setting it and people having to send units back for a replacement, it seems the antennae is needed a lot of the time and the cord is short so mounting locations are limited. On top of that it seems some routers are not compatible w/ the Safelert due to going into a sleep mode which causes lost connection which results in a false alarm being sent. So the Safelert is becoming less and less of an option. The Arduino kits are interesting (hadn't seen them before). Looking at them they seem like electrical legos. Is there a kit that contains a lot, or all, of the components for a safe monitor? I see some of the boards and components, but the kits I'm running across seem more for radio controlled stuff. Quoted:
Quoted:
Interesting linkage to reef keeping... I love my Apex and wouldn't keep a reef without it. The new dashboard has webcam capabilities built in too, which could be real handy... One thing I think could have series possibilities would be to leverage the Apex's breakout box capabilities and wire in some switches, either pin or "mercury" style, to detect motion or the opening of the door. The apex could then email you and you could see on the dashboard what was going on..... If you were into reefs and already had the apex, these options would make sense, however I wonder if an adrino style processor/controller could do,it at a much cheaper price, the Apexes still aren't cheap and you wouldn't be leveraging much of its embedded functionality if you used it only for the safe Nice to have someone chime in that has experience w/ the Apex. I have not used a controller in years so I'm a little behind the times. My last controllers were a ReefKeeper 1 and ACjr if that tells you anything. I like controllers but it seemed like there was always something to be tweaked which caused me to get away from them. Part of that was my fault and the system they were installed in. Anyway, the Safelert seemed like an awesome idea in the beginning but the more research I do the less I like it. Besides a lot of people having trouble setting it and people having to send units back for a replacement, it seems the antennae is needed a lot of the time and the cord is short so mounting locations are limited. On top of that it seems some routers are not compatible w/ the Safelert due to going into a sleep mode which causes lost connection which results in a false alarm being sent. So the Safelert is becoming less and less of an option. The Arduino kits are interesting (hadn't seen them before). Looking at them they seem like electrical legos. Is there a kit that contains a lot, or all, of the components for a safe monitor? I see some of the boards and components, but the kits I'm running across seem more for radio controlled stuff. controllers, especially the apex, have become a lot more user friendly with their web interfaces and various smartphone apps. I love being able to,check on my tank from anywhere on my phone. I understand Neptune has a new interface coming out for the apex that is supposed to make it almost idiot proof (bold statement :)), wherein everything is pretty much a step by step easy setup.... But even the existing web option is pretty straight forward with very basic programming type skills - logical processing I just started looking at the arduino kits and unfortunately not far enough in my research to know much about them. I'm like you, the safealert system seems like a great idea but I didn't like the monthly monitoring fees.... Might as well do a full fledged alarm if you're gonna pay a monitoring fee. Hopefully someone more familiar with the arduino kits can chime in |
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For safes, the reason that it's hard to take monitoring out of the equation is that theft is the main concern. If you cut power or internet connection to the aquarium monitors, they're simply offline, and can't warn you that anything's wrong. But if the monitoring service can't "handshake" with the Safelert sensor unit in your gun safe, you'll be alerted. So if a thief cuts your power or internet connection, you'll know right away. Just as important (if not more so), in just seconds it tells you if someone is opening, moving, or pounding on your safe. In my mind, this is more important than the temperature. Maybe this is a thief, or maybe it's someone you know that you've given the combination to (wife or son), yet you might still be curious to know if and when they've been inside your safe. Also, the safelert can also be monitored and controlled remotely using a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Like you, we looked all over for a better system but nothing we’ve found comes close. As for reliability issues, less than 1% are being returned to the manufacturer for any reason at all. That said, there's a 30 day no-questions-asked return policy on the unit (and the first 30 days of monitoring is free.) So if you don't love it, bring it back and you're not out a cent. By the way, dealers actually make very little on the Safelert and nothing (zip) on the monitoring package. We just think it’s cool and believe it can double the security of any gun safe. |
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Quoted:
For safes, the reason that it's hard to take monitoring out of the equation is that theft is the main concern. If you cut power or internet connection to the aquarium monitors, they're simply offline, and can't warn you that anything's wrong. But if the monitoring service can't "handshake" with the Safelert sensor unit in your gun safe, you'll be alerted. So if a thief cuts your power or internet connection, you'll know right away. Just as important (if not more so), in just seconds it tells you if someone is opening, moving, or pounding on your safe. In my mind, this is more important than the temperature. Maybe this is a thief, or maybe it's someone you know that you've given the combination to (wife or son), yet you might still be curious to know if and when they've been inside your safe. Also, the safelert can also be monitored and controlled remotely using a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Like you, we looked all over for a better system but nothing we’ve found comes close. As for reliability issues, less than 1% are being returned to the manufacturer for any reason at all. That said, there's a 30 day no-questions-asked return policy on the unit (and the first 30 days of monitoring is free.) So if you don't love it, bring it back and you're not out a cent. By the way, dealers actually make very little on the Safelert and nothing (zip) on the monitoring package. We just think it’s cool and believe it can double the security of any gun safe. Thanks for the input. Just to make sure I'm understanding this correctly, if power or wifi connection is lost I'm assuming it will be Elertus sending the notification to the subscriber when they do their hourly check of the system, correct? I know the unit itself is battery powered so it will be unaffected by a power outage, but the router that it's connected to is not. I really like the Safelert and want it to work as advertised since it will be perfect for the safe I want to buy and where I want to put it. If it will not work as advertised then I am either going to have to find another way to monitor or completely rethink the safe I'm looking at and the location it will go. ETA: I re-read your post and it answered the lined out portion of mine. |
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Quoted:
For safes, the reason that it's hard to take monitoring out of the equation is that theft is the main concern. If you cut power or internet connection to the aquarium monitors, they're simply offline, and can't warn you that anything's wrong. But if the monitoring service can't "handshake" with the Safelert sensor unit in your gun safe, you'll be alerted. So if a thief cuts your power or internet connection, you'll know right away. Agreed that a monitoring feature outside the safe's location is ideal, but when I can get an el-cheapo Virtual Private Server (VPS) for $12/YEAR I'm much more interested in a non-monthly solution! So having a system with a handshake to a computer outside your home doesn't automatically mean you need to be paying a large monthly fee to someone else to watch it. VPS alternatives could include a PC at your office, your mom's house, your buddy's house, etc, etc, etc. Since Safelert is a closed system, those options are moot. Now if Liberty were to offer the device like a cell phone - $200 with 2yrs of monitoring, or $400 outright - and open up the API (ideally include a basic server) then I'd probably be in. Just my $0.02 (non inflation-adjusted) Richard |
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Just a heads-up that effective yesterday, Liberty has made monitoring free for the life of SafElert units. This basically reduces the cost of ownership of a SafElert gun safe alarm system by hundreds of dollars over the life of the unit. Also, anyone who has already purchased a unit and paid for a monitoring package is entitled to get their monitoring fees refunded. Contact [email protected] to get taken care of. We love these units and are very glad that they now make financial sense for a wider audience. We've updated our Safelert page with more info on the units and the monitoring: http://www.deansafe.com/gun-safe-alarm.html |
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Quoted:
Just a heads-up that effective yesterday, Liberty has made monitoring free for the life of SafElert units. This basically reduces the cost of ownership of a SafElert gun safe alarm system by hundreds of dollars over the life of the unit. Also, anyone who has already purchased a unit and paid for a monitoring package is entitled to get their monitoring fees refunded. Contact [email protected] to get taken care of. We love these units and are very glad that they now make financial sense for a wider audience. We've updated our Safelert page with more info on the units and the monitoring: http://www.deansafe.com/gun-safe-alarm.html Thanks for the heads up. IMO that makes the SafElert even more appealing, and eliminates the biggest gripe I remember seeing on the reviews. |
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Quoted:
Just a heads-up that effective yesterday, Liberty has made monitoring free for the life of SafElert units. This basically reduces the cost of ownership of a SafElert gun safe alarm system by hundreds of dollars over the life of the unit. Also, anyone who has already purchased a unit and paid for a monitoring package is entitled to get their monitoring fees refunded. Contact [email protected] to get taken care of. We love these units and are very glad that they now make financial sense for a wider audience. We've updated our Safelert page with more info on the units and the monitoring: http://www.deansafe.com/gun-safe-alarm.html I ordered one up last week after I found out the monitoring had been done away with. I got it set up pretty quickly and its nice to get alerts even if its just my wife getting into the safe while I'm at work (using a quick text or phone followup to confirm). I havent had it too long but so far its working like a champ. |
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