Do you use a doorbell & video on your motorhome?

[WyoFree]

Hi Guys,

There are many doorbell/video options out there for home use. Just curious if you guys use any of them for your motorhome? I'm unaware of one made specifically for a motorhome but if you know of one I'd like knowing about that for sure. I guess all of them with video can be answered by smart phone.

Thanks

[momdoc]

We have thought about it but have done noting about it.

[WyoFree]

I just saw a couple videos of people using the RING system on their motorhome. Not sure how I missed them earlier but I sure did. Here's a link https://ring.com/products/video-door...BoCOWwQAvD_BwE

Looks easy to install without hardwire or screws and is solar charged. I think we have a winner...

[AZ-Safari]

I could be wrong but I believe they have to be configured to use your internet. Might work for someone who does not move or has a dedicated router. It would be a lot of hassle for some who use RV Parks wi-fi and move frequently.
Lowell

[WyoFree]

Hi Lowell, any other option you can think of?

[mr.tommy]

Originally Posted by WyoFree

Looks easy to install without hardwire or screws and is solar charged. I think we have a winner...

After reading the specs I personally don't think so.
There's 3 ways this thing gets power:
1) Runs on a built-in, rechargeable battery....So it doesn't explain how that built in battery is recharged. To many unknowns here and especially when it says built-in
2) Can be hardwired to an 8-24 VAC doorbell system for continuous charging....MH don't have a 8-24 VAC system and even if you came up with a way to hardwire power thru the inside of the door to make this compliant, it's hardly plug and play and to much hassle
3) With direct sunlight every day, your Video Doorbell (2nd Generation) will stay charged around the clock....that means the door of the MH would have to be in the sun all the time. Just think about what that means. This is a no go for so many reasons.
Just to name a couple...we're parked for the winter on an RV site with an awning over head. The nose of the MH is pointed north. So the sun comes up in the east and shines on our door MAYBE 3 or 4 hrs. That's it. And that's if it's not over cast or cloudy which many times it is in the AM. In the hot summer, I'm not going to be thinking about how to point our rig so the door bell gets sun. I look for shade or use my main awning to block sun and keep the MH cooler.

[Rob_M]

How they get power is separate. You have to have Internet to use a ring type system. I have a similar system at my house and even had to get an extender because the Wi-Fi router is a long way from the camera.

[Dav L]

Most of the popular camera / doorbells require a high speed Uplink to the Internet to work as they are cloud based services (like Ring). That's pretty contrary to most RV use cases. Your cellular data plan would get exhausted quickly and you would tax a campground Wifi Internet connection.

If I were to find a need for a doorbell camera on an RV, it would be wired to an RV NVR (network video recorder) that would have optional access to the Internet for viewing when out of the RV (if the RV was network connected). Security system would send notification that an event occurred in the RV (doorbell was pushed). I then would have the option to see live video and / or recorded video.

But, the common doorbells don't support that architecture. There are a few (and more coming) that do.

But I don't see much value in the use case to begin with.

[PandS]

Ha! We have a doorbell. The only people who have ever used it are other Newmar owners that know they have them. Nice feature, though. -Paul

[AZ-Safari]

Originally Posted by WyoFree

Hi Lowell, any other option you can think of?

We do use a router to connect to free wi-fi which would work if the parks internet is very stable. In our travels, that is probably less than 50%, but if the same router is used the video doorbell could be setup on that and it should work and reconnect to the router at different locations.
The router we use is the older version shown here: https://outsideourbubble.com/build-a...for-under-100/
At each new stop, we plug in the router and connect to it's ip and configure it for the campgrounds free wi-fi.

For the super security conscious, there might be a better system but it is as secure as our router at our home.
Lowell

[ernest917]

Not sure why I’d need one..... For the past 10 years people just knock on our door and I go look to see who’s there BEFORE I open my door...

Even with a 45’ coach I believe my method would work just fine....

[akeagle]

How about adapting a wireless rear view camera and monitor system - a cheap one, if there is such a thing?

[scbwr]

Not being a full timer, I see no need for it. If I were a full timer and tended to have a good wi-fi connection most of the time, I'd be tempted to try one out. I saw a deal on the Ring II for $70 this morning so for that price, you could see how it works. If it doesn't, sell it off and just take a little bit of a loss. With the connection to your cell phone, you could monitor any activity in the area around your RV door.

But it also relates to the subject of campground security and that most of us have never had a problem.

[Vanslam]

Nope.