Thread: Infrared Perimeter Beams

Hi All!

I'm looking into IR beams to place around the perimeter fence at my facility. If any of you could share their experiences with these; the pros/cons, brand, effectiveness. Or do you have a better suggestion?

Thanks much!

*crickets chirping*

Anyone?

I guess most people in storage don't have any experience with them. Are you putting them out around the outside of the fence or the inside of the fence? Are you going to respond every time there's a break in the beam? We are in an area that is still being developed, and we have more animals than humans here some days and most nights. I guess they would interfere with the beams? What exactly is the benefit?

Unless you can set that beam to stun, I would think it is only as good as your response to it.

I have not heard of our customers using these. A tall wrought iron fence is the nost atrractive, and many customers also use PVC and chainlink. Once you put up any fence, most stolen goods will probably be going right through your gate. Either when it is left open, by tail gaters, by people renting a unit and stealing from another, and through inside jobs. Ex-spouses or business partners looking to break in and take what they believe is theirs is also a problem.

Security methods that I believe are common:
- tall fence
- gate with entrance and exit keypads and logs
- cameras to catch plates of everyone coming and going, and all site activity
- management procedures that include taking a photo of renters, and/or scanning their ID
- bright lighting
- site layout that does not create areas that aren't visible from the road or office
- individual doors alarms which can be set to be deactivated when only the correct renter has entered through the front gate

Steve

Originally Posted by Lisa T

I guess most people in storage don't have any experience with them. Are you putting them out around the outside of the fence or the inside of the fence? Are you going to respond every time there's a break in the beam? We are in an area that is still being developed, and we have more animals than humans here some days and most nights. I guess they would interfere with the beams? What exactly is the benefit?

IR beams are a great security addition when they are working properly. We are using two beams; one is for safety across the gate entrance to keep the gate from closing on poky vehicles and the other one along one of our chain-link fenced areas. If you get a high quality beam and they are installed and adjusted properly there should be no problem. Ours fence beam is connected directly to the alarm system where if someone cuts or climbs the fence the alarm sounds.

If you decide to go with IR beams be sure to select good high quality beams. Our gate beam is a single direction beam designed for 20’ and the only problem; we had to polish the plastic lens after about 8 years. Our fence beam is a duel direction beam meaning both beams must be broken to activate the alarm. We have had an issue with the fence beam. The receiver in mounted on a post, no problem. The transmitter is mounted on one of our building and that’s the problem. Temperatures in our area vary from -10 to 106 degrees. Because of the expansion and contraction of the metal building we have to readjust the beam about three times a year or we get false alarms. One of these years we will reinstall the transmitter on a post. Snow or heavy fog can cause problems with some of the cheaper beams.

We use them and they work extremely well. The only false alarms we've had were caused by fog (old model that wasnt' good at long distances) and there was the dancing ghostly garbage bag (it was awesome). Anyway, they are a deterrent but also give you a little time to respond with police/security. If someone breaks the beam you've got some moments before they then hit the next line which is usually a contact alarm where they are gaining access into something.

I've also heard mixed success with the perimeter fence wire but you'd really want to make sure you've got a product with great reliabiltiy and low false alarms. Thus also a great installer.

Madman hit the nail dead on ---- A GREAT INSTALLER

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

We have a stray cat problem so I have already nixed the fence wire alarm idea. With beams, I can at least have them a few feet off the ground.

We have a chain link fence but that doesn't stop anyone from cutting or climbing the fence, which is why I am looking into the IR beams. On site management will be able to respond to any alarms.

One of my dealers is a big auto repair facility and they use one and love it! I'll get the name and info of the system they use and post it here after I talk to them.

SS, I cannot seem to find a reason to install the beams. Are you in that high of a crime area? Are your on site managers armed? (I am, but this is Texas). If someone was going to cut through the fence, they would have no trouble causing bodily harm to anyone. I also think you will have a lot of management turn over. A couple of windy nights, with no sleep, and they will be gone. As to keeping them a few feet off the ground, that's enough space for a person to crawl in.