The most advanced motorhome alarm - TEST CampRest

Published on: 2021-08-25

Category: Tips

Safe and restful sleep, especially outside of a guarded campsite, is very important, especially when traveling with children. Personally, we do not use wild accommodation because we prefer camping, but during almost every trip, such stops happen to us.

I was wondering which alarm to choose for our Pilote and chose the Thitronik brand, which offers very extensive and proven solutions. It is not about the siren itself, which will start to howl if the door is opened unauthorized, but much more.

Thitronik has divided its solutions into 3 categories that can be assembled independently of each other. Below I will try to describe all three categories that I have installed in my motorhome.

WiPro III safe.lock - alarm and central locking

The primary feature Thitronik offers is an alarm called WiPro III , but you can choose the extended option with central locking. We decided to use WiPro III safe.lock

Closing and arming the alarm can be done in several ways:

using the key fob
using an additional remote control, which we will get in the set and we can, for example, give it to other crew members so that they have access to a motorhome at the campsite
using a smartphone! (with Android and iOS)

This third way is our favorite and we only really use this one. It is enough for each resident of the motorhome to pair his phone using a special application with the bluetooth module in the vehicle and he has full access to the motorhome.

This will also work with a smartwatch. Unfortunately, at the writing stage of this article, this feature is only available for iOS watches, but Thitronik is already working on a solution that will work with Android watches.

The application on the Smartphone allows not only to open and close the motorhome while being within bluetooth range. The vehicle can also be opened using an SMS command , even at the other end of the campsite or even the world. This solution worked for us several times, for example, we were on the beach and friends wanted to get something out of our motorhome. We didn't have to run around the campsite then.

Wireless magnetic sensors - CAMERA ALARM

In order for the WiPro III system to know that a window or door has been opened, wireless sensors ( Wireless magentic contact 868 ) should be installed in every place that we want to be monitored. We installed sensors in every window of the installation, even in the roof and garage door.

If the magnetic signal in any of the detectors is interrupted, an alarm in the motorhome will be activated automatically. Keep this in mind if you want to open a window at night and the alarm is armed earlier. If the window is opened before arming the alarm, it has no effect on the other detectors. If we want to close such a window during the night, when the alarm is on, the magnetic sensor will arm itself.

The detectors not only help us protect the motorhome against burglary. If we start the engine and any window or garage door is open, a sound signal will inform us about it. In this way, there will be no situation in which we leave the parking space with the windows open accidentally.

The sensors mounted in the garage door are great for everyday life at camping sites. Now, when we leave the motorhome, very often I do not even lock the garage door with a key , which often involved closing and opening the locks several times during the day - now when I leave, I arm the alarm and as soon as someone opens the door, the loud siren will certainly attract the attention of the neighbors and the thief will quickly disappear.

Additional protection against theft "per suitcase"

Thieves currently do not need any tools or crowbars to open the vehicle. They don't even have to break the window. They are able to copy the radio signal from your key and recreate it later to open the car. All because of a key that always sends the same signal (this applies to motorhomes built on Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer, Citroen Jumper, Iveco Daily from the year 2006-2018 inclusive).

Engineers from Thitronik solved this problem with the safe.lock module because the signal from the key, remote control or telephone that reaches the module is changed every time. So copying it will not allow the thief to open the vehicle.

Alarm also for bicycles and moving objects

WiPro III can be additionally extended with a rope (Radio cable loop 868), which can be wrapped e.g. bikes or camping furniture that are standing next to the motorhome. The cable is available in two lengths (2.5m and 5m) and ends with a wireless transmitter.

After braiding, for example, bicycles or SUP, hide the end of the transmitter in the garage and if the cable is cut, the alarm in the motorhome will automatically sound.

This solution works well not only at the campsite but also during the route. Bicycles mounted on the external rack are under constant supervision of our alarm in the motorhome.

Locating a motorhome and more

In addition to the alarm itself, Thitronik also offers the option of locating the motorhome using the Pro-finder module, which we also installed in our motorhome.

As soon as the alarm goes off - we will receive an SMS notification with the car's status and information why the alarm was triggered.

Via SMS, we can also ask for the status of the vehicle and receive information such as:

Armed / disarmed alarm
Fence armed / disarmed
Location with a link to Google Maps and the exact time of the last location
The speed at which the vehicle is moving
Battery voltage
Internal temperature
Whether the SIM card is active or not

For the module to work properly, it must be equipped with an active SIM card, which is needed to send us text messages with the car status. I chose a regular prepaid card from the Orange network, which I can top up using another phone and check the balance. Money is only needed when sending text messages - the card does not download any data from the Internet and there is no risk that the account will be reset due to data roaming. The cost of text messages is very low, even when roaming.

Within 4 months, I used 20 PLN but I tested this solution many times (I received a lot of text messages) in various European countries so that I could present it to you. With normal use, the amount of PLN 100 should be enough for several years.

Armored fence - what is it about?

Nobody has to break into the camper to steal it, because thieves can also load it on a tow truck. This is where the Pro Finder module comes in handy. If the vehicle changes its location 1 km from the place where the alarm was armed, we will also receive this information.

If, for example, we are on a ferry and arm the alarm - the "Fences" function can be easily turned off using the application on the phone.

Narcotic gas and carbon monoxide detector in a motorhome

Unfortunately, situations in which motorhomes were robbed during the night with the owners inside the motorhome happen quite often. Thieves quietly let narcotic gases into the interior of the motorhome, lulling the caravans sleeping inside.

The solution is to expand the Thitronik alarm with a GAS pro III sensor , which will detect the smallest amounts of narcotic or other gases and activate the built-in siren with a volume of 94 dB before the concentration has a negative effect on the human body.

Such a detector must be installed near the floor, because gases of this type fall down first. We installed one detector or the entrance door and the other in the bedroom between the beds, next to the stairs.

In addition, we have installed a carbon monoxide sensor in the upper part of the motorhome, which will also activate the siren as soon as it detects the smallest amount in the air.

The above solutions give me peace of mind, especially while sleeping, but the gas installation in the motorhome can become unsealed even while driving. Thanks to Thitronik detectors, I will get information before a disaster occurs.

Additional internal locks in the door of the motorhome

In addition to the alarm systems described above, I installed additional internal and external locks to our motorhome.

Internal locks are installed in the front driver's and passenger's doors - they act as the simplest door bolt.

Even if the thief manages to open the lock with a lockpick or other equipment, he will not open the door anyway, because it will be locked from the inside.

This solution gives me a greater sense of security at the campsite itself, when the motorhome is open practically all the time because, for example, we are sitting under an awning. Without this lock, the driver's side door would also be open, which could allow a thief to open the door unnoticed and take some small items from inside.

It is a small investment but I highly recommend it - I decided to use HEO Safe locks.

Additional external zippers for the motorhome

I also installed external Fiamma locks, which help to additionally secure the garage door and the entrance door to the residential part of the motorhome.

They operate on the principle of an additional bolt, which is screwed to the door frame with 3 screws. This is certainly an additional difficulty for a thief, which he has to face, but after time I think that any amateur of someone else's property can handle it without much problem.

A better solution would probably be Thule locks, which are mounted much more solidly, because with screws screwed through the wall of the motorhome.

I assembled all security elements, including the very advanced Thitronik system, at CarGO! in Poznań , which is the official representative of this brand in Poland. However, if you are looking for a representative of Thitronik in another region of Poland, check the manufacturer's website for other authorized locations because the network of representatives is constantly developing: https://www.thitronik.de/en/dealerfinder/

How much does the Thitronik motorhome alarm cost?

To answer this question, we need to know what alarm modules we want to install in our motorhome. Thitronik allows you to mount each module independently of each other, we can also install only gas sensors, but not opt for an alarm with central locking to save a little.

The price will additionally depend on the number of sensors in the windows and whether we install one or two narcotic gas sensors - usually one is enough.

My motorhome was equipped with everything that was on offer from Thitronik and together with the assembly of the whole, the cost was around 9,000 PLN, but if you decide on more modest solutions, you will spend around 3,000 PLN on securing your motorhome.