Why do you need a camper van security system?
If you are anything like us, you will never want to leave your camper van unattended because well, everything you own is in it. When someone breaks into a van life rig, it is essentially a car and house break in all-in-one. We want to do everything we can to deter that potential break in. Or, in worst case scenario, have video evidence to bring to the authorities.
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Our Choice for a Comprehensive Camper Van Security System: SimpliSafe
We chose SimpliSafe as the best choice for a camper van security system because of their wide array of sensor options, ease of install, and large range of self and professional monitoring for your system.
Prerequisites
There are a few things you need to get started with a SimpliSafe security system that most conversion van rigs will already have:
- 1x 120V AC outlet (turned on at least one hour a day*)
- Consistent internet connection** (see our Mobile Internet Solution for our recommended option)
** Without internet, your SimpliSafe security system will still alarm if triggered, but will not allow for remote monitoring or video recording of cameras. For this reason, we recommend consistent internet to realize full system capability.
Our Emoji Rating Key
✅ Highly recommend!
🤠 Conditional upon type of travel / rig
❌ Only if desired
Building Out Your Camper Van Security System
You will have full control over customizing your camper van security system; however, you must first start with the “Base Station” that will serve as your communication hub.
✅ SimpliSafe Base Station (required to get started)
Before we dive in to selecting the proper sensors for monitoring your camper van, you will need the brains of the SimpliSafe operation: the Base Station. The SimpliSafe Base Station will serve as the communication hub of your security system, as well as the primary alarm siren. Although the Base Station runs on 120V AC power, it has a built-in rechargeable 24 hour battery backup. This recharges in about an hour, which means as long as your inverter is on at least an hour a day, your base station will remain active. When plugged in, you can expect your base station to draw 1-4W.
Please note: if we do not have the base station alone linked, it is out of stock, and we recommend purchasing the 5 piece starter kit and building off of that.
Security Sensors for Your Camper Van
Once you have your base station, the fun starts! You can mix and match the below sensors to fit your budget and your camper van security needs. We added ratings underneath each one to help you decide what you need.
✅ Open Door Sensors
Our Rating: Best “Bang for Your Buck”
We use them: Driver and passenger doors, slider door, and rear doors (garage!!)
When you are in “home mode”, entry door sensors sound a chime when you open, or close, a door. Of course, when you are in “away mode”, entry door sensors will set of your siren when a door is opened. This is the first sensor we would add on to a camper van security system as a bad actor would be alarmed immediately upon opening a door.
✅ Glass Break Sensors
Our Rating: Must Have for Van Lifers
We use it: One near the cab of our van
SimpliSafe Glass Break Sensors detect the sound of window glass breaking up to 20ft away and immediately sound off your siren in home, or away mode. Breaking into a vehicle through windows is incredibly common, especially if anything is visible, so this gives us more comfort when we leave Rover alone at trailheads and parking lots.
✅ Water Sensors
Our Rating: Best “Surprise” Savior (story time below)
Where we use: One near our fresh water tank, and one beneath our sink
The SimpliSafe Water Sensor sounds the alarm immediately when it comes in contact with water. The base station will also audibly say “Water detected” so you know exactly what happened.
[Story time] Admittedly, we got the water sensor, but almost didn’t install it. To us, we couldn’t fathom the scenario where our water tank would spontaneously leak. Jokes on us, because about 2 weeks later, we filled our water tank late at night, and forgot to screw the access hatch back on top of the water tank that we fill through. The next morning we got up at 4am to drive to sunrise over the Grand Canyon, and sure enough, on the way the alarm sounded and we heard “Water detected, water detected”. We arrived in the parking lot, opened our garage, and saw that multiple gallons of water had sloshed out, covering our floor.
Looking back, we can laugh and be thankful that we had the water sensor because we wouldn’t have noticed for many more hours, if not days. And, because we knew immediately, we were able to dry everything out safely.
🤠 Temperature Sensors
Our Rating: Best for Cold Weather Chasers
Where we use: Near our fresh water tank and under our kitchen galley near our PEX piping
SimpliSafe Temperature Sensors are great for van lifers who chase powder. You can customize them to trigger the alarm at a temperature that you see fit between 0F and 127F. We were woken up a couple of nights this winter by our temperature sensors sensing temperatures below freezing which prompted us to open up cabinets, and turn the heater up to get more warm air flow to our water tanks and pipes.
✅ Smoke Detectors and CO Alarms
Our Rating: Necessary
Where we use: We have 1 smoke alarm & 2 CO detectors (one in our garage, and one in the living area)
You wouldn’t live in a house without either of these, so you absolutely shouldn’t live in a van without them. Our CO alarm has personally alarmed from heater exhaust at altitude and saved us. CO and Smoke Detector alarms do not have to be compatible with SimpliSafe. Though, if they are compatible, you will be able to monitor the battery levels from the Base Station, and you will have the secondary 95 dB sirens.
✅ Window Decals
Our Rating: First line of defense
Where we use: Windows 😉
SimpliSafe Window Decals were a top contender for “best bang for your buck”. We truly believe they are! Nothing to deter a bad actor then a security sticker, or stake in your front yard. They are about $1 each and come in a pack of 5, or 10.
Camera Options for Your Camper Van Security System
Every good security system needs cameras, right? It allows you to not only have video recordings, but also the added deterrence of visible cameras. We personally have 2 cameras on the exterior of our camper van, one on the interior, and one that flew off on the highway somewhere in Arizona 😀. Sad day for us, but great for you because now we can give expert advice on how to mount them safely and strongly for bumpy roads….
✅ SimpliSafe Outdoor Cameras
SimpliSafe outdoor cameras have built in motion detectors and two-way audio (you can hear and speak to intruders). The battery pack inside them lasts about 1-2 weeks and can be recharged with small solar panels or via USB. After a while replacing the batteries manually, we installed a small solar panel for them. We also added these black silicone sleeves for added intimidation 😉
How to Properly Mount Outdoor Security Cameras
We mounted our outdoor cameras with these brackets reinforced with 1.5 inch angled aluminum 1/8″ thick. We secured the angled aluminum to the bracket with bolts and nylocks. Then we attached it to the 80/20 supporting our roof rack. Without this reinforcement the bracket vibrates a lot and was the cause of losing our camera on the highway.
❌ SimpliSafe Indoor Cameras
Indoor Cameras are available from SimpliSafe, but we see them as “nice to haves” if budget /desire allows. If you set up your security system correctly, an intruder would have to get past your glass break sensors, entry door sensors, sirens, and outdoor cameras, and potentially more, to be only spotted by your indoor camera. That is why we don’t recommend them as part of a “base” system. As an added consideration, the indoor cameras need to be hardwired in to your electrical system.
We recommend investing in two outdoor cameras first.
Controlling and Monitoring Your Camper Van Security System
One of the reasons we chose SimpliSafe was the ease of monitoring via the smartphone app. All of the sensors connect via bluetooth to the Base Station which then relays all of the relevant information to your app (camera views, temperatures, open doors, etc). However, if you want to level up your control of the security system, we recommend two options: a key fob, and/or a wireless entry pad.
✅ Key Fob
While you can arm and disarm your SimpliSafe system from the app, we personally each like to use our Key Fob. This is a simple, and lightweight fob that we have attached to our van key that allows us to toggle the alarm state as we leave, or enter our van. We find this to be a lot easier than opening up the app. If you purchase the 5-piece starter kit, one key fob will come with it.
🤠 Wireless Entry Pad
Additionally, there is the option to have a wireless keypad that arms and disarms your system. This is protected by an unlock code. We find this useful to keep above our main entrance sliding door! If you purchase the 5-piece starter kit, this will come with it.
🤠 Auxiliary Sirens
You might have noticed in one of the photos above, we pointed to an auxiliary siren. SimpliSafe offers these as add-ons to your Base Station siren which is 95dB. The auxiliary sirens are 105 dB. We see these auxiliary sirens as mostly needed for large home monitoring systems! However, the use case that we do recommend them for is if your Base Station is in an insulated area such as your garage, where ours sits.
❌ SimpliSafe Monitoring Plans
All sensors, alarms, and cameras work without a monitoring subscription! However, SimpliSafe offers monthly plans for upgraded self and professional “monitoring services”. However, it is important to note that your SimpliSafe system is registered to an address and things like police and ambulance dispatch, home insurance, etc, well… don’t work when you aren’t at your home address always.
The two things that we find useful for van lifers in the “upgraded monitoring services” are:
- Camera Recordings of Alarm Events (with the free version you only have live video)
- Built in cellular connection on the devices (no need for wifi)
If you are interested in learning more, you can head to SimpliSafe Monitoring website.
Camper Van Security System
We personally use, and recommend SimpliSafe for your camper van security system because of the extent of personalization. Additionally, we love that all of the sensors are wireless and don’t draw from your camper van electrical system. This also makes for an incredibly low effort install, especially to an already completed camper van conversion.
Thanks for reading this far, if you enjoyed this type of post (or our new emoji rating system!), please let us know in the comments!
Recommended Next Reading
Thanks for being here! Happy building!
Eric + Colby
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Comments 6
Hi, Hope all is well and you’re blog has been super helpful so thank-you very much.
I am also going to install a Simplisafe system into our conversion. I just wondered if there was any problems with constantly charging the base station, then letting it run on battery power the rest of the time? I take it theres no way to power the base station from the 12v system for continuous power as this would be super helpful.
Also are there any problems with constantly moving about for the location services? Thanks again.
Author
Hello! Regarding charging / battery power cycle there are no concerns, this is actually what we did! By having it charge whenever our inverter was on, we really never had it die. In terms of the location services, they are based on a “home address” so we never were able to use those as van lifers, sadly.
So grateful for your resources! Your detailed articles have been a life saver as I start my build!
Author
That is awesome, happy building!!
Just curious on why you found simplisafe to work better than ring?
I’m considering both options myself.
Author
We haven’t personally tried Ring systems but I can speak to why we chose SimpliSafe over Ring! The two pieces of “add-ons” that we were really interested in for van life specifically were the individual temperature sensors as we chase snow, and the key fob, as we enter and leave the van often. SimpliSafe offered these and Ring did not. And, then once we realized that Ring requires a subscription to use the app / get notifications at all, it sealed the deal for SimpliSafe. If we lived in an actual home, we might consider Ring a bit closer as it has more integrations but for van life where ease of install and small individual sensors are important- SimpliSafe crushes.