# Cat 1 alarms for motorhomes



## 101392 (Oct 14, 2006)

Hi, could anyone enlughten me? I have had a quote for £395 to have a cat 1 thatcham approved (all lockers, windows doors and cab with PIR sensors) fitted, could anyone tell me makes etc that are the best so that I can appear a little more knowledgeable when bargaianing and is there one that I should insist on being fitted, I have not been given make/model but I am finding that out as I do not want an inferior make fitted


Thanks in advance

Tina


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## androidGB (May 26, 2005)

A lot of people on here have the VanBitz Strikeback alarm which is designed for specifically for motorhomes. It will in fact cost more than what you have been quoted but will do the job properly.

Details can be found at VanBitz, where you can download the brochure which will tells you all about it.

Andrew


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## Enodreven (Aug 29, 2005)

Hi, You should contact Thatcham they will advise you on what type of alarm your vehicle needs, as if it already has an imobilisor you may only need a 2 to 1 upgrade etc. they also have a complete listing of all of the approved alarm types as most manufactures make several different models and only a few of them have the Cat 1 approval so it is really important to check with Thatcham first, also when I contacted Thatcham last year they stated then that they would only recommend that you use a company that is registered with VSIB I don't know if that is still the case but it would certainly be worth checking the VSIB web site to see if the company you are intending to use is registered as from what i can understand if it isn't fitted by them and you obtain a certificate stating the same you could have problem obtaining any discounts from your insurance company,

I'm not sure how upto date my info is but i would suggest you check the items i have raised both with Thatcham and VSIB and your insurance company before you decided anything

Hope this helps

some web sites that may help you

Thatcham

http://www.thatcham.org/security/index.jsp?page=75

VSIB

www.vsib.co.uk

Hope this helps


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## 101392 (Oct 14, 2006)

Thanks for the replies - Enodreven, have had quick look at the sites you supplied. The chap who has quoted me would be fitting a Gemini 7950 cat 1 alarm to VSIB standards - does this sound right - am starting to wish I had let Brownhills do this! But i really objected to their ridiculous prices!!

Tina


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi try MC TINTS at Doncaster 07739913161 cat 1 alarms under £250 also they do stereos and window tints etc,sorry I only have mobile number.Terry


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi again I know it's a long way but forgot to mention you can walk into doncaster town centre in 10 mins while they fit it.Terry


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## Minerva (May 22, 2006)

Hi Tina

It may sound silly but check with the company, that the alarm can be activated without the internal sensors being on, otherwise the alarm will be going off during the night when you are asleep.
I had a quick look at their site and it wasn't obvious from the details about the alarm

good luck
Bill


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## Enodreven (Aug 29, 2005)

Hi, I am no expert but there are a couple of questions that you should ask ? Is the installer registered with VSIB you can check his name on the VSIB web site, as i think *"To there standards" *may not be quiet the same as being registered and issuing a VSIB certificate on completion so just double check with the installer that they are registered and will be issueing a certificate, if you still unsure check the web site ?

Second point is that there are suggestions that ? due to the size of your motorhome and it ? being Diesel the alarm could need to be one that is suitable for commercial vehicles these categorisations are shown on the Thatcham link i gave you but you can also ring their help desk and they will guide you ? as i said before some of the alarm companies make various models and as i said above some are registered "Thatcham Cat 1" and some aren't but they also make some models that can be used on commercial vehicles and some that can be used on both, again Thatcham should be able to guide you on this as they are the people who make the Cat 1 etc standards, so if it were me i would :-

(1) Check the VSIB web to see if the installer is registered or phone VSIB and check with them.

(2) Check if the vehicle handbook to see if it has an immobiliser fitted by the manufacturer, if it has then ring Thatcham and check if it meets their standards for immobilisers, and if it does then they will advise you on the type of alarm you need to make your alarm to full Cat 1 standards eg. if the immobiliser meets their standards you will probably only need as 2 to 1 upgrade alarm, ?

(3) While you are onto Thatcham ask them about the type of alarm that they would suggest for your SIZE of vehicle ?? commercial etc etc

Once you have these answers you can then go to the link i gave earlier and check through the lists to see the manufactures models that are approved for your situation

I hope that helps, it sounds more difficult than it really is, when i spoke to Thatcham they were really helpful ? .

The other thing to think about is what you want alarmed and how you will want to use it, as your motorhome is totally different from your car, while initially you want to protect it from would be thieves, i would suspect you will also want to have it operational while you are sleeping in it, so you will need to have an alarm that can be set to protect the perimeter only while you are a sleep and then be reset to protect and sense the habitation area when you leave the vehicle, you will also want i would think to protect outside lockers, so think about how you are going to use the vehicle and explain this to the installer and make sure it operates in all of the various different circumstances that you may need ? as its really important to get it right ?

Hope this helps



healpro said:


> Thanks for the replies - Enodreven, have had quick look at the sites you supplied. The chap who has quoted me would be fitting a Gemini 7950 cat 1 alarm to VSIB standards - does this sound right - am starting to wish I had let Brownhills do this! But i really objected to their ridiculous prices!!
> 
> Tina


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## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

the strikeback is the one that most people rave about, I had one in my last van and it worked a treat and can be armed when you are inside the van, it also has extremely loud internal sirens called Devils Wails which are meant to confuse the robber and there are many addons that can be fitted like SMS text message alerting to your mobile phone etc.

If you purchase a Strikeback via our sister shop of Outdoorbits you will also get a free battery master fitted

http://www.outdoorbits.com/product_info.php/cPath/5_26/products_id/31

they cost £575 for the base model inc fitting


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## Enodreven (Aug 29, 2005)

Hi, Just a simple list of items i would want my motorhome alarm to do?

(1) Protect all doors and lockers plus the bonnet
(2) Have some form of internal sensor that will pick up movement inside the vehicle but that can be turned off when we are in the MH while still leaving the doors etc protected 
(3) Just to elaborate on item 2 i would dependant upon the size of my motorhome double check that the sensor proposed will cover the whole of the habitation area, THIS IS very important because sometimes when people use alarms that have been designed for cars they fit the internal sensors on the dash and in a lot of motorhome this is not the ideal position as it will not cover the whole of the habitation area so just be careful and ask your installer to fit the necessary components to alleviate this problem, 
(3) Be keyfob activated
(4) Have a flashing light when the alarm is on, THAT CAN BE SEEN from outside even when i have my silverscreens fitted ?

I am sure other people will add to this list but its a start ?


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## Motorhomersimpson (May 9, 2005)

Hi Tina,

I would normally recommend the Vanbitz alarm having had two on previous vans they are very user friendly and reliable, although the cost is rather high, the service by them is excellent.

However, recently on my last two vans I have gone for the less expensive car derived alarms and have found them to be as good.

The most recent I have had fitted by my local auto-elec alarm fitters is a Cobra CAT1, I had an extra internal senor fitted in the back to cover all the windows as well as the two sensors in the cab, all doors are covered.

I paid £350 installed and it has not given me the slightest problem, I can immobilise the interior whist in the van and keep the doors alarmed, my price is not for lockers or independent windows.

I also have now got remote locking using the alarm fob supplied.

Check with you're local alarm/auto-electricians, look in yellow pages, ask them for a quote you may be surprised.

Reading through you're post I notice they quoted £395 for all lockers and windows? I do not personally know of an alarm that would include the windows independently and can only assume that as with mine it is a sensor situated centrally in the rear…but I'm just not sure what you have been quoted so best not speculate.

Either way IMHO stick with Cobra, Sigma or Vanbitz as the makes to consider.

If looking at the Cobra and you're motorhome is a new/fairly new model you should be quoted on the Thatcham category 2-1 upgrade as the newer vehicles already have a immobiliser.

>>>Cobra Alarms...Click here<<<

MHS…Rob


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## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi Tina,Paul who works from the same unit as mc tints is registered/insurance cert,etc,---My own alarm imob-self sets the imobilizer and if the doors open it goes off same as the sonics -movement/because the imob sets I leave it off whilst the pooch is left in the van therefore it cannot be nicked! in short it does what it is there for with out the great price tag if you feel you need extra cover on locker doors he can fit anything you like just ask,they do not bite and I have found them very helpfull=====in short I would not recomend them unless i was v/satified terry


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## colian (May 11, 2005)

Tina, 
We had a toad alarm fitted when we purchased our MH, Marquis arranged it as we were at that time lacking in what we wanted other than to have it secure. It meets all the requirements mentioned by others already. key fob, can be set when we are in the veh and immobilizes the engine etc.
http://www.toadalarm.com/

happy hunting

ian


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## Enodreven (Aug 29, 2005)

Hi, Assuming your vehicle is under the category of "light Commercial" as it was originally a van etc. and that it has a approved immobiliser then have a look on this Thatcham page as it list the 2 to 1 alarm upgrades by makers name and you will notice there are quiet a few Cobra alarms which is what we have and like motorhomesimpson we haven't had any problems with ours,

hope that helps

http://www.thatcham.org/security/pdfs/categories/LCVCAT2-1.pdf

Make sure it is the model that is listed as most companies make several models and only send a few of them for approval to Cat 1 standard


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## 101392 (Oct 14, 2006)

thank you all so much for taking so much trouble to reply, especially enodreven who has given me so much to think about! We picked up the van yesterday and it is now on the drive looking huge and gorgeous! Hence the delays in replying, it has been so busy for us this w/end!!
Tina


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