Investing in a battery-powered tracking device – or using the official term, a battery-powered asset location system – means you can regularly check in on your caravan or motorhome’s location when it’s out of sight. Great for peace of mind and it could even lead to an insurance discount!

Here we bring you a guide as to what these battery-powered asset location systems are and how they work, their pros and cons, plus a review of five models currrently on sale.

Battery powered asset location systems are essentially a little box that can be hidden in your caravan, campervan or motorhome.  These devices are stand alone, meaning they’re not wired in or connected to your caravan or motorhome’s battery. Instead, they rely on their own battery power source to monitor the exact location of your leisure vehicle. This means they can often be self fitted although some brands still recommend a professional fitting.

Tracker photoshoot with West Mercia Police, M5 West Midlands..

To preserve battery life, these devices might only wake once a day (unless prompted by you) to confirm your leisure vehicle’s location. However, if your caravan, campervan or motorhome is stolen, an active recovery mode can be activated which will allow police to locate it.

Typically, when these devices are in sleep mode, they’re virtually undetectable to thieves; even when a device “awakens” it’s only “live” (and therefore detectable) in the second or so it takes to ping over it’s location to you.

But if your caravan or motorhome is confirmed as stolen, a message can be sent to the device for it to wake up more frequently, dropping in positions at more regular time intervals.

Because such tracking devices are wireless, they can be installed in a location that only you need know about – again making them almost impossible to find.

These devices can work great as a lower priced alternative to a ‘wired’ tracking device, or you could even get one as a secondary tracking device for your leisure vehicle.

If you want to know more about wired tracking systems, see our guide to caravan tracking systems or our article about motorhome tracking systems.

Meeting Thatcham standards

All the devices we list below have an S7 rating from Thatcham, the independent, industry-approved vehicle security organisation that offers verification services for alarms, immobilisers, tracking systems and more. As much as we often refer to such devices as trackers, Thatcham refer to S7 devices as asset location systems.

For battery powered asset location systems, an S7 rating means they reach a number of requirements including:

• 24/7 Certified monitoring centre
• A minimum of one means of transmission of signal (essentially the technology used to send its location – this can be via GPS, GSM or VHF)
• Battery power supply
• Means of locating asset (i.e. your leisure vehicle) within a one-mile radius in general terrain
• Precisely locatable within 15 minutes from signal receipt on Thatcham pursuit test
• Remote set function
• Resistance to attack for a minimum of two minutes

These and other battery-operated tracking devices are listed on the Thatcham site under the tab Category S7: Asset Location System Battery Powered. Find out more here Thatcham Security Certifications – Thatcham Research.

Do note the products listed below are also approved tracking devices by us here at Caravan Guard for all touring caravans and motorhomes up to £100,000 and dependent on your storage location. They will also qualify you for a large discount on your annual caravan or motorhome insurance premium.

 Top tips for buying a battery powered asset location system

• If you’re self-installing, follow any manufacturer advice on where to place the device to maximise its effectiveness.
• Check how frequently the device updates its location or “wakes up” – some offer more regular check-ins than others.
• Keep in mind that the batteries in these devices won’t last forever and some can’t be recharged or replaced – so it’s worth checking the battery life before you buy. The frequency that a device “wakes up” will likely influence the expected battery life.
• Do check the location of your vehicle on the app regularly to make sure the device is still working and the battery hasn’t expired.
• If you’ve declared that a tracking device is fitted to your caravan or motorhome on your insurance policy, your insurer will expect that device to be in full working order at all times.

Why might battery powered tracking devices not be as effective as wired systems?

As mentioned earlier, these self powered devices spend most of their time in sleep mode to preserve battery life. While this can be an advantage – making them harder for thieves to detect – it also means with some devices there could be a delay of several hours before you find that your caravan or motorhome has been stolen.

Many wired tracking devices have proactive capabilities because they are constantly emitting a signal and are linked to an alarm or motion detection rocker switch. When the alarm or motion detector are triggered, the tracking devices sends an immediate alert of disturbance. That early alert can greatly improve the chance of recovery of stolen caravans and motorhomes, or even help to catch thieves in the act.

Star Player #1

Moving Intelligence Mi01 Sentry

The Sentry comes with GPS, GSM and RF positions so, if for example GPS (Global Positioning System) is unavailable, it will use GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) with an RF (Radio Frequency) beacon, to pick up your vehicle’s location and recover it if stolen.

Moving Intelligence (formerly Phantom) says the wake/sleep cycle make it almost impossible for thieves to jam or block signals yet still allow it to always gain a position.

The ‘Historical Points’ function lets you access log points by map view, online, and through the MiApp, while Lock Position means you are notified next time you check in if your vehicle is moved from a designated spot.

Key features: Cell-site positioning and RF signal, IP67 waterproof rating, 20-plus years’ experience in the leisure vehicle sector, battery life up to five years, European coverage, transferable to other vehicles, three-year warranty

Typical unit price: £210

Subscription costs: £99 per annum

www.movingintelligence.co.uk

Star Player #2

SmartTrack Wireless

This device will automatically tell you your motorhome or caravan’s location once a day and has a battery life of four to five years. It’s overseen by Global Telemetrics, the monitoring platform for a number of worldwide vehicle security companies.

It uses a multi-network, roaming SIM to give the strongest network connection at all times.

Despite being wireless SmarTrack still promote a professional fitting service for the device.

Also, SmarTrack has its own, exclusive recovery agents who will track down the vehicle if it’s been stolen and left in a specific location, also liaising with the police for an efficient recovery process.

It operates via a secure online account, where you can also check previous location reports and battery status.

Key features: IP67 waterproof rating, European coverage included, international roaming network, three-year warranty, fully transferable

Typical unit price: £399 (including professional installation)

Subscription costs: £10.99 a month/£99 annually

www.smartrack.uk.net

Star Player #3

GPSBob Mongoose S7 Asset (Code Monkey)

GPSBob offers free UK installation by approved professionals, which gives peace of mind if you’re unsure about where to put such a device yourself.

Its app uses GPS tracking for UK-wide coverage, and alerts can be customised. GPSBob also says: “Our GPS tracking app allows you to access real-time GPS tracking on your mobile device any time, keeping you in control of your leisure vehicle’s location and security.”

Key features: GPS tracking, free UK installation, subscription flexibility, UK-based control room, five-year battery life (based on one update/”wake up” per day)

Typical price: £199.99

Subscriptions costs: From £8.99 a month to £539.40 for five years.

www.gpsbob.com

Star Player #4

Matrix iQ MagTrack+

It’s the rechargeable battery that’s a key point of difference between this system from Matrix iQ and its rivals, as well as the use of magnetics to keep the unit in place. The device is self fitted. The lithium battery can actually last as long as five years between charges.

There’s a finder’s network and recovery service, with a one-hour target national response time. As a back-up, a light sensor sends an alert if there’s an attempt to remove the unit.

The Trak+ app has four tracking options – standby, transport, monitor, theft – plus the facility to turn on or off the removal and motion sensors.

Key features: Lithium ion rechargeable 6Ah, 3.7V battery, IP65 waterproof rating, motion and tamper alerts, up to five years’ battery life, dimensions 107mm x 61mm x 32mm

Typical price: £110

Subscription costs: £8 a month

www.matrixiq.com

Star Player #5

CanTrack Protect

Part of Radius Telematics, CanTrack employs a team of ex-Police Officers to help retrieve stolen vehicles. Once a theft is reported, real time monitoring is activated and this team springs into action.

The Protect features a particularly tough PA6 nylon polymer case, with epoxy resin set hard around its electronics (there’s a video demonstration on the CanTrack website).

It can also be programmed to wake upon motion, shock, tilt and more. Battery life is estimated at more than 2,000 reports/over five years.

You can install it yourself via a 3M adhesive pad to simply stick and/or corner holes for bolts/screws.

Key features: Jammer and scanner resistant, IP69 waterproof/dustproof rating, dimensions 68mm x 68mm x 25mm, 24 months/1,200 wakeups warranty period (whichever comes first)

Typical price: £249

Subscription costs: £149 per annum

www.cantrack.com

 Battery-powered asset location (tracking) systems comparison table

Over to you…

Got any advice on battery powered asset location systems or trackers that you’d like to share with other caravan, campervan or motorhome owners? Please feel free to add a comment below.