Lynette de Vries
13 October 2026
Decibels at the campsite
Camping is all about enjoying yourself. From a party with your own playlist or a local DJ to catching up with your neighbours. Sometimes things get a little livelier: meeting new people, having discussions, laughing or shouting with excitement. After all, sounds are simply part of camping life.
But there are also sounds you would rather not hear. The sound of an alarm siren, for example. Yet that very sound can deter a burglar before they have the chance to steal anything. After all, thieves usually try to operate as unnoticed as possible. And we certainly don’t want to let them get away with that!
In an earlier blog, you can read how frequently theft occurs across Europe. We have also collected several tips on protecting your motorhome or caravan. Are you considering securing your camping vehicle with a GPS tracker? Then we also recommend our technical blog covering everything you need to know about this subject.
There are several occasions when you might start thinking about security. For example, when purchasing a new motorhome or caravan and selecting options from the equipment list. But security is also an important consideration when buying a second-hand vehicle. Of course, security systems can always be retrofitted.
In addition, when taking out insurance, you will often encounter certain security requirements imposed by your insurer. But which alarm system do you actually need? What should you look out for? And how can you avoid regretting your decision later?
In this blog, we help you make the right choice.
1. Alarm, siren, security system: what exactly are we talking about?
The terms alarm, siren and security system are often used interchangeably. When searching online for security solutions for your motorhome or caravan, you will probably quickly use the search term ‘alarm system’. However, these terms do not mean exactly the same thing. An alarm is a warning of immediate danger. This could be a loud sound or a bright light, for example. Think of a smoke alarm or burglar alarm. A siren, on the other hand, is the device that produces a loud warning signal. A security system refers to the complete combination of technical and organisational measures designed to protect your property against burglary, theft and other incidents.
In this blog, we mainly focus on how a siren works as part of an alarm system. Hence the title: Decibels at the Campsite.
2. The three stages of theft
Theft can roughly be divided into three stages. In the first stage, a thief needs to gain access to your motorhome or caravan. For example, by breaking open or forcing a door, window or roof hatch. In the second stage, the thief has the opportunity to steal valuables, unless they are detected and driven away. In the third stage, the thief may attempt to steal the entire vehicle. If an experienced thief succeeds, the vehicle is often first parked somewhere out of sight. Damage can occur very quickly during a theft. That is why early detection and immediate action are so important.
Detecting a break-in as early as possible
The first step is detecting a break-in. This can be done using magnetic contact sensors on doors, windows and roof hatches.
However, it is not always possible to install a magnetic contact sensor on every door or window. That is why combining them with a motion sensor is a smart solution. A motion sensor uses infrared technology to detect when someone enters a motorhome or caravan without permission. In a caravan, for example, a motion sensor can be installed on the ceiling above the entrance door. The illustration shows the detection range of a motion sensor. It is important not to aim a motion sensor at a window, as this could trigger a false alarm when an innocent campsite visitor walks past.
By combining motion sensors with magnetic contacts on windows, doors and roof hatches, you create a much more comprehensive security system. Contact sensors provide protection while you are inside the vehicle, while motion sensors are particularly useful when neither you nor your pet is inside the motorhome or caravan. This combination also provides additional peace of mind when you leave your camping vehicle unattended. It is reassuring to know that your belongings are protected while you are away. For example, during a stop at a petrol station or while shopping in a busy city. After all, theft does not only happen at campsites.
Warning and deterring intruders
When a magnetic contact or motion sensor detects a break-in, you should be warned as quickly as possible. That is why receiving an immediate notification through an app on your smartphone is particularly useful. With an internet connection, this also works when you are further away from your motorhome or caravan. But a notification on your phone alone is not enough. Once you receive a notification, you can take action. At the same time, you want the intruder to be driven away immediately. Loud sounds and bright lights can help achieve this. In addition, the alarm attracts the attention of people nearby. If thieves nevertheless manage to steal your motorhome or caravan, a GPS tracker makes it easier to share the vehicle’s location with the local police or an alarm monitoring centre.
Preventing the vehicle from being stolen
Actually driving away with a motorhome is usually more difficult for a thief. A mechanical lock, such as BearLock, or a mechanical gearbox lock or immobiliser makes it significantly harder to drive the vehicle away and may be part of your insurer’s security requirements. Nevertheless, even these security measures are not always impossible to bypass.
That is why a GPS tracker remains important at this stage too. Not only to quickly call for assistance, but also to track the vehicle. Make sure to choose a system with reliable network coverage, regular location updates and a dependable power supply or battery.
Important: You should not attempt to recover a stolen vehicle yourself, however tempting that may be. Always involve the police or an accredited alarm monitoring centre.
Checklist for a complete security system
For comprehensive theft protection for your motorhome or caravan, consider the following components:
Connection to an alarm monitoring centre
3. Decibels at the Campsite
Now let’s talk about the sound itself. The number of decibels produced by a siren is more important than you might think. A siren should deter intruders and attract attention, but louder is not automatically better. Did you know, for example, that a standard car alarm producing approximately 103 dB can cause hearing damage within just a few minutes? Every increase of 3 dB approximately doubles the sound intensity. As a result, the amount of time you can safely be exposed to that sound decreases significantly. At approximately 83 dB, for example, the recommended maximum exposure is around four hours per day, while at 86 dB it is approximately two hours per day. And remember one thing: there is a good chance you will hear the siren more often than a burglar! After all, an alarm can also be activated accidentally. That is why a siren with gradually increasing volume can be particularly convenient. This prevents you, your family or your campsite neighbours from immediately being startled by an extremely loud alarm. It is also worth distinguishing between indoor and outdoor sirens.
An outdoor siren, such as a car alarm, may need to produce 100 dB or more to attract sufficient attention. Inside a motorhome or caravan, however, approximately 80 dB can already be more than sufficient. A siren producing 80 dB, for example, may still be clearly audible from a distance of approximately 15 metres. After all, a campsite is a place where people come to relax and enjoy themselves. You certainly don’t want your siren to wake up half the campsite because of a false alarm. The main objective is to make one thing immediately clear to the intruder:
You’ve been spotted. You’ve been caught. Get out!
Maximum deterrence does not have to rely on decibels alone. Bright light can considerably increase the surprise effect. After all, intruders prefer to operate unnoticed, which is why they often strike after dark. A combination of sound and bright flashing lights can therefore be particularly effective. Not only does it deter the intruder, but it also allows bystanders to immediately see where something is happening.
4. More than just a burglar alarm
A complete burglar alarm system can easily cost several hundred euros. And hopefully, you will never actually need it. That is why it is particularly useful when an alarm system can do more than just protect against theft, also contributing to safety and convenience.
For example, how useful would it be to hear an audible notification when:
- your gas bottle is almost empty;
- your tyre pressure becomes too low;
- the water level in your tank is low;
- or the battery of a magnetic contact sensor needs replacing?
All without constantly having to check your smartphone. E-Trailer has developed its security system specifically for motorhomes and caravans. With the introduction of the new E-Alarm, the system is being expanded even further. The development has incorporated experiences and feedback from experienced campers.
Deterring thieves
The combination of the Starter Package Plus, E-Switch and E-Movement can detect a break-in in your camping vehicle and warn you through your smartphone.
With the new E-Alarm module, the system can also attempt to deter an intruder immediately using sound and light. The sound and lighting settings can be configured in advance according to your personal preferences.
When activating your alarm system, you can decide for each module how an alarm should be triggered:
- a notification on your smartphone only;
- a loud audible alarm combined with a smartphone notification;
- a bright light alarm combined with a smartphone notification;
- or both sound and light, together with a smartphone notification.
Monitoring your E-Trailer system
E-Alarm can do much more than provide burglary protection. Other E-Trailer modules, such as E-Pressure (tyre pressure), E-Gaslevel (gas bottle level) and E-Waterlevel (water tank level), can also make use of E-Alarm. The settings menu distinguishes between three types of alarm notifications:
- Urgent
For important alarm notifications, such as a break-in or attempted break-in. - Useful
For practical notifications, such as a low water tank or gas bottle level. - Battery notifications
For notifications when a sensor battery is almost empty and needs replacing.
Different settings can be customised for each type of alarm. For example, you can configure:
- Alarm tone: Choose different sounds for different notifications.
- Alarm duration: From a short beep to a longer alarm signal.
- LED colour: For example, blue for a battery notification and red for an urgent warning.
- LED light animation: Make the colours change rapidly to attract maximum attention.
- Volume: Constantly loud or soft, gradually increasing, or alternating between louder and softer.
- Lighting brightness: Maximum brightness for a burglar alarm or reduced brightness for practical notifications.
E-Alarm also features a preliminary warning phase lasting several seconds. During this phase, only the light signals are activated initially. This gives you a little time to respond in the event of a false alarm before the siren starts sounding and your campsite neighbours are alerted.
Installation
E-Alarm is installed inside your motorhome or caravan using screws or double-sided adhesive tape. Important: E-Alarm is not waterproof and must therefore not be installed on the outside of your camping vehicle.
The main advantages at a glance
- Deters thieves with a loud 85 dB alarm and bright flashing light
- Gradually increasing alarm volume for maximum deterrence
- Five-second silent pre-alarm, useful in the event of a false alarm
- Individually adjustable alarm volume and lighting for each module
- Fully configurable through the E-Trailer app
- Stylish white housing that fits into almost any interior
- Easy installation using screws or double-sided mirror mounting tape
5. The most complete security system
E-Trailer offers motorhome and caravan owners a complete, modular security system against theft, which can be combined with an immobiliser and a connection to an alarm monitoring centre.
The system:
- is suitable for almost any motorhome or caravan;
- can be ordered from the optional equipment list of Chausson, Challenger, Sterckeman, Autostar and Caravelair;
- uses E-Movement as a motion sensor;
- uses E-Switch as a magnetic contact sensor;
- can be expanded with E-Alarm for audible and visual warnings, available from 2027;
- enables GPS tracking through the Starter Package Plus and E-Track&Trace;
- communicates via Bluetooth and the internet;
- can also be retrofitted;
- operates wirelessly (E-Alarm can also be connected by cable if desired);
- is controlled using the E-Trailer app on your smartphone;
- and can be expanded modularly with sensors for gas bottle levels, water tank levels, tyre pressure, temperature and nose weight.
- And all of this remains affordable.
Example: One-off purchase costs
Total: € 759 (based on 2027 rates)
| Product | Price |
|---|---|
| Starter Package Plus including GPS tracker | € 399 |
| E-Movement (motion sensor) | € 119 |
| E-Switch (magnetic contact sensor), two units | € 99 |
| E-Alarm (light and sound alarm) | € 139 |
Subscription costs
From € 70 per year with a five-year subscription. The subscription costs for the entire subscription period are charged upfront in a single payment.
