Like any house, an RV can be vulnerable to break-ins and theft when left unattended, especially in campgrounds or rest areas where nefarious characters may be lurking about. r gadgets and gizmos to fortify your RV into a virtual fortress on wheels!
Let me tell you about my own adventures testing out various smart home tech devices to protect my RV. On one trip we returned from a day hike to find the door wide open – we had forgotten to lock up! Thankfully nothing was taken, but it was a wake up call that we needed to beef up security.
After doing some research online and asking fellow RVers, I decided to outfit with a few choice smart home devices: a video doorbell, smart lock, security cameras, motion sensors and a control hub to connect everything. While this tech may conjure images of being at home on the couch monitoring things, I found they are just as handy for monitoring your RV remotely from your smartphone wherever you roam.
Smart Locks – Keyless Peace of Mind
A smart lock was the first smart home device I added to our RV security arsenal. No more fumbling for keys or worrying about losing them at the swimming hole! I chose the Kwikset Halo Touch, which has both a keypad and a fingerprint reader. I can unlock the door by tapping my finger, entering a code, or using the app on my phone. There’s nothing like rolling up to the campsite after a long hike, arms overloaded with fishing gear, and being able to pop open the door with the press of finger!
The Kwikset also allows me to create unique codes for friends or family who may need access to the RV while we’re away. I can view the lock’s activity log to see when the door has been accessed and by which code. Very handy for peace of mind!
Installation was a breeze, since the Kwikset uses my existing deadbolt. It took maybe 30 minutes to swap out the old lock for the smart one. The most tedious part was registering all of my fingers to work with the fingerprint reader, but it was worth it!
One unexpected benefit of the smart lock has been avoiding those embarrassing moments trying to shove my house key into the RV lock after a long day. The unique fingerprint entry means I never mix up my keys again!
Video Doorbell – Keeping Watch Over the Entry
Next I added the Ring Video Doorbell to watch over our door. We travel with our lovable mutt, Boomer, who acts as her trusty guard dog (mostly by barking at his own reflection). But I wanted that extra layer of security from a video doorbell to see who might be lurking about the campground.
The Ring was simple enough to install next to the door. I really like that it has a rechargeable battery pack so I didn’t have to deal with wiring power to it. Now whenever someone presses the button or triggers the motion sensor, I get an alert on my phone along with video of who is at the door. I can even talk through the doorbell’s speaker to tell a would-be intruder to bug off!
Just last week we had an incident where some raccoons were trying to gain entrance. The Ring notified me immediately, and I was able to shoo them away through the speaker before they could cause any damage. Gotta love technology!
Security Cams – Keeping an Eye on Things
To expand my view beyond just the door, I installed two outdoor Arlo Pro 4 security cams – one watching the back of the RV and one facing our “front yard.” The wireless, weather-resistant Arlo cams provide 2K HDR video day and night. I get motion alerts plus can live stream audio and video. The color night vision has been especially helpful for keeping tabs on what critters are sniffing around after dark!
I used smart glue mounts to easily install the Arlos on the exterior in strategic spots. An unexpected boon has been using the Arlo video feed to check conditions and see if anyone is in our campsite before we even arrive. Talk about rolling out the virtual welcome mat!
Environmental Sensors – Alerting on Threats
In addition to eyes on the exterior, I added Samsung SmartThings Water Leak Sensors inside the RV. Connected to the SmartThings hub, these sensors immediately notify me if they detect water where it shouldn’t be. I have one under each sink since plumbing leaks seem to be an Achilles heel of RVs. Nothing like coming home to a flooded camper!
I also added SmartThings Multi Sensors that detect motion and temperature. Having eyes inside for activity and cold temperature alerts gives me peace of mind that all is well when we’re away. Just last month we had a brutal cold snap while camping. The temperature drop notification let me quickly switch on the RV’s heat remotely to prevent any pipes from freezing.
Smart Control Hub – Tying it All Together
To bring all these devices together into one monitoring platform, I use the Samsung SmartThings hub. It creates a mesh network connecting all my sensors, cameras, locks and more, so I can check status or view live feeds from the SmartThings app on my phone.
I love that I can create automations like flashing the exterior lights if motion is detected. It’s kinda like having an always alert guard on duty! Customizing notifications and rules has been really helpful, especially when traveling spots with no cell signal. I can program critical alerts like temperature drops to repeat notifications to make sure I receive them as soon as I’m back in range.
Adding smart home tech has made for smooth sailing securing our home away from home. Monitoring things remotely and getting automatic alerts has provided so much peace of mind that the RV is protected wherever our journeys take us.
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