Vanbitz Alarm Growler/Tracker

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RGR723

Joined
Aug 21, 2015
Posts
104
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Location
Southampton
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37,836
MH
A/T Impala 615
Exp
I'm a slightly less experienced newbie and still learning
Hi all
In January take delivery of new MOHO. Have read a lot about the above on various posts on this site all good,
my question is how easy is it to use? any issues like false alarms don't want to upset the neighbours!
 
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RGR723 said:
Hi all
In January take delivery of new MOHO. Have read a lot about the above on various posts on this site all good,
my question is how easy is it to use? any issues like false alarms don't want to upset the neighbours!
Click to expand...
No issues at all. Very reliable system. Top drawer. I had one “false alarm”. It turns out that the Strikeback Growler is an excellent mouse detector. Redundant a day later thanks to a strategically placed mousetrap
 
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RGR723 said:
any issues like false alarms don't want to upset the neighbours!
Click to expand...
.... Only when I forget I've set it ... and open up without deactivating 😂😂.

In two and a half years I've done it a few times, and those occasions have been the only times the alarm has gone off. Totally reliable in my experience.
 
Upvote 1
Skez said:
.... Only when I forget I've set it ... and open up without deactivating 😂😂.

In two and a half years I've done it a few times, and those occasions have been the only times the alarm has gone off. Totally reliable in my experience.
Click to expand...
Been there, done that. Neighbour on night shift as well. :blush:
 
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You will not regret getting it fitted, only false alarms on mine were caused by the Growler being very sensitive to anything moving in van such as lose charging cables and people passing close to rear windows, both sorted by closing blinds on windows and tidying wires.

You do have the ability to isolate engine when parked up but I don’t bother, goid forbid the van did get nicked then you can block engine using the app on your phone.

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Just had a Growler alarm fitted on our new Benimar and it does everything you should ever require in an alarm system.

As far as operation is concerned you will find it extremely easy to operate.

We had a previous Strikeback fitted on the Swift approx five years ago and it proved 100% reliable.

We also travelled over from Spain as I could not find anything remotely good enough over there. I can safely say that the service provided by Vanbitz is second too none.

Not cheap but then you get what you pay for!!
 
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I had to have two MetaTrak trackers replaced and the third was faulty when we sold the van. The alarm worked perfectly.
 
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Badknee said:
I had to have two MetaTrak trackers replaced and the third was faulty when we sold the van. The alarm worked perfectly.
Click to expand...
So far my trackers have worked well but the customer service from Meta has to be 10 times better than the crap service received from Scorpion, the system I had ripped out to be replaced by the Meta tracker/growler
 
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Had this fitted this year. Excellent products, excellent professional service from Vanbitz.
Only false alarms as others have said is when I have forgotten to disarm the alarm and
opened the hab door. Then you get a quick reminder of how loud it actually is.
Highly recommended and great piece of mind.
 
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My Growler was fitted almost exactly a year ago, brilliant it is, as is the service. I had a few false alarms the first couple of weeks I had it but took that long to figure what it was. I have mine on a layby just before a bend on the road outside the house and i live on a cul de sac. What was happening was some of the neighbours at the top have been coming round the bend and gunning their engines to dash to their front doors a full 100m away :rolleyes: So, some of the less "grown up" cars vibrations were setting it off.
An email to vanbitz to explain the issue was all it took for them to give me instructions on how to access and turn the sensitivity down a notch, no problems since :-)

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Had the normal call from Metatrak when boarding the tunnel last week😂😂
Always forget to put it in transport mode so within 30 seconds of thr train pulling away they are on the phone checking. 😁😁

Have the Growler and no false alarms only the ones very early in the morning when I take the dogs out and forget to switch it if😂😂
 
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Growler frightened these guys off from our van quick enough…….

29FCF03E-A807-4961-BCA0-EE94EBB4D439.jpeg
 
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Personal view is both the alarm system and Metatrak are first class.

Always get a phone call on the ferry or tunnel when I forget to ring them first.

Motorhome is at dealers getting the air bag ecu replaced. Looking at the app the engine was started a couple of times this morning presumably moving into the workshop where they then disconnected the battery. Phone call within 60 seconds asking if I was with the vehicle and was it secure.

Gives a degree of comfort if it is parked up when travelling into different locations and perhaps unsure of the neighbourhood.
 
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RGR723 said:
Hi all
In January take delivery of new MOHO. Have read a lot about the above on various posts on this site all good,
my question is how easy is it to use? any issues like false alarms don't want to upset the neighbours!
Click to expand...
The system is 100% rock solid, and the support is 1st class. I did have a couple of false alarms this was due to the microwave sensor becoming detached from its location and was just loose so any movement set the alarm off but this was quickly resolved by reattaching and have had no issues since.

My key set was stollen when I had a break in two other vehicles were stolen and my guess is the thieves did nit want to press a wrong button and left the MoHo where it was. Vanbits were great they provided instructions and new dongles so I could reset/reprogram the system bare in mind they are in Somerset and I am in essex so all I can say is I am totally happy with the system and their support.

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Hi all
Thanks for the responses enough to convince me that the 'Growler and immobiliser' is the way to go for me.
Have spoken to Eddie and members of his team all very helpful.
Not looking forward to a couple of nights on a campsite in January for it to be fitted though!
 
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RGR723 said:
Hi all
Thanks for the responses enough to convince me that the 'Growler and immobiliser' is the way to go for me.
Have spoken to Eddie and members of his team all very helpful.
Not looking forward to a couple of nights on a campsite in January for it to be fitted though!
Click to expand...
You will be fine, even the toilet block is heated and has piped music 😆😆😆👏👏👏
 
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I have just sent a contact form to VanBitz as I have an issue about getting a code from the SIM card that is part of the alarm system. I need to update payment details and there is a double verification system in place. Not a VanBitz issue as such but if I can't sign into the mobile account to update payment details the system becomes useless.
 
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Puddleduck said:
I have just sent a contact form to VanBitz as I have an issue about getting a code from the SIM card that is part of the alarm system. I need to update payment details and there is a double verification system in place. Not a VanBitz issue as such but if I can't sign into the mobile account to update payment details the system becomes useless.
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Why do you need a code? And why would the air time provider send a message to a SIM in a tracker?

If it’s a mobile account it’s an older pager which would be Pay As You Go so can just be topped us as and when
 
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RGR723 said:
Hi all
Thanks for the responses enough to convince me that the 'Growler and immobiliser' is the way to go for me.
Have spoken to Eddie and members of his team all very helpful.
Not looking forward to a couple of nights on a campsite in January for it to be fitted though!
Click to expand...
RGR723 I was there Monday night ready to have a B2B and smart shunt fitted yesterday.
21c in my van nice and toasty.
No problems with the freezing weather.
 
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eddievanbitz said:
Why do you need a code? And why would the air time provider send a message to a SIM in a tracker?

If it’s a mobile account it’s an older pager which would be Pay As You Go so can just be topped us as and when
Click to expand...
I need to update my payment card for auto-top up via my account. Lebara send a code to the SIM as part of the double check. There is no other way to contact them :(

No way to top up otherwise as nearest top up shop a long way from here and I can't drive at the moment :(
 
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I had my Growler System fitted when I got the Motorhome 11 years ago. During this time I had one issue on a motorway service station in France when it was 38c and the control unit would not turn the system off! All I to do was hold the hand unit close to just below the windscreen on the drivers side and the alarm turned off.

I think after 11 years with absolutely no issues, including the bike rack which was alarmed, the system proved to be robust and we felt secure and safe during our travels ( including through some dodgy areas in Sicily).

We did takeout the annual service package though just to be sure and had a couple of warning. led lights replaced under the service warranty as they became a little dim.

I cannot recommend the system enough.

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Have had Strikeback and non starter on two vans over last eight years without any problem and yes a few accidental activations caused by me forgetting to deactivate before entering.
A reliable system that gives piece of mind when leaving the van unattended you could do a lot worse than having Strikeback fitted buy with confidence 👍😊
 
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I like that they are hardwired, never been keen on other systems that work without wires.
Even the houses I have had have all been hardwired alarms and CCTV cost a bit more but less to go wrong.
 
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Puddleduck said:
I need to update my payment card for auto-top up via my account. Lebara send a code to the SIM as part of the double check. There is no other way to contact them :(

No way to top up otherwise as nearest top up shop a long way from here and I can't drive at the moment :(
Click to expand...
Could someone help you and get you a top up as you can't drive.

If Lebara won't help you by allowing you to update the way you pay them to use the SIM in your pager I can't see any other way around their rules.
 
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AFAIK my system installed in 2015 will work with any SIM card as long as it has the ability to use 2G. So you can use another supplier by swopping over the SIM card. Lebarra was chosen by Vanbitz because at that time it was the best one for use in Europe.

Can eddievanbitz confirm this please because I think I will be in the same position next year. ?
 
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