Solar, motion security system with minimal power usage.

[Reader]

I'm not sure who to ask--if you can point me elsewhere (companies, other
discussion groups, etc.), please do.

I need several external security cameras on my house. They need to use
minimum power (thus probably solar) and activate on motion day and night.
Then I probably need a recording device in the house. This has to draw
minimal power.

The problem is I'm totally off-the-grid and in an area that in winter gets
zero sunlight. So if I'm gone a week or a month, a regular system would
totally drain the solar batteries which is a very bad thing.

Or maybe regular cameras would be OK, as long as they draw minimal power,
but would the recorder use a lot of power in standby mode (assuming it would
only rarely have to capture a picture)?

I don't mind black and white, and I don't mind stills (vs. video). I just
want to be able to record if anyone is walking on my property near my house,
clearly enough to make out who they are (so I can file a legal issue against
them as appropriate) using minimal power.

Suggestions, please? Thank you in advance!

 

[Morris Dovey]

Reader wrote:
| I'm not sure who to ask--if you can point me elsewhere (companies,
| other discussion groups, etc.), please do.
|
| I need several external security cameras on my house. They need to
| use minimum power (thus probably solar) and activate on motion day
| and night. Then I probably need a recording device in the house.
| This has to draw minimal power.
|
| The problem is I'm totally off-the-grid and in an area that in
| winter gets zero sunlight. So if I'm gone a week or a month, a
| regular system would totally drain the solar batteries which is a
| very bad thing.
|
| Or maybe regular cameras would be OK, as long as they draw minimal
| power, but would the recorder use a lot of power in standby mode
| (assuming it would only rarely have to capture a picture)?
|
| I don't mind black and white, and I don't mind stills (vs. video).
| I just want to be able to record if anyone is walking on my
| property near my house, clearly enough to make out who they are (so
| I can file a legal issue against them as appropriate) using minimal
| power.
|
| Suggestions, please? Thank you in advance!

You're going to need battery power through the winter if you're that
close to a pole.

I'd look for a very low power IR motion detector and use that to
switch on the power to the video recorder and the associated video
camera just long enough to capture an image or three, then shut off
and allow re-triggering.

I'm not familiar with this stuff, but am aware that Philips
manufactures IR motion detectors - you might use them as a starting
point for your research.

 

[Randy]

Reader wrote:
| I'm not sure who to ask--if you can point me elsewhere (companies,
| other discussion groups, etc.), please do.
|
| I need several external security cameras on my house. They need to
| use minimum power (thus probably solar) and activate on motion day
| and night. Then I probably need a recording device in the house.
| This has to draw minimal power.
|
| The problem is I'm totally off-the-grid and in an area that in
| winter gets zero sunlight. So if I'm gone a week or a month, a
| regular system would totally drain the solar batteries which is a
| very bad thing.
|
| Or maybe regular cameras would be OK, as long as they draw minimal
| power, but would the recorder use a lot of power in standby mode
| (assuming it would only rarely have to capture a picture)?
|
| I don't mind black and white, and I don't mind stills (vs. video).
| I just want to be able to record if anyone is walking on my
| property near my house, clearly enough to make out who they are (so
| I can file a legal issue against them as appropriate) using minimal
| power.
|
| Suggestions, please? Thank you in advance!

You're going to need battery power through the winter if you're that
close to a pole.

I'd look for a very low power IR motion detector and use that to
switch on the power to the video recorder and the associated video
camera just long enough to capture an image or three, then shut off
and allow re-triggering.

I'm not familiar with this stuff, but am aware that Philips
manufactures IR motion detectors - you might use them as a starting
point for your research.

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/

I am wondering if wind generators hold up well in those parts?
That might help with the darker days.
I'm wodering how well they handle ice storms?
An Air-X 24 will be my next purchase due to some stormy winter days around
here.
Randy

 

[Reader]

Unfortunately, relative to power sources, the property is in a deep mountain
draw--thus the zero sunlight in winter for a couple months and no good wind
power at least according to what I've read is required for an effective wind
system.

 

[Terryc]

Unfortunately, relative to power sources, the property is in a deep mountain
draw--thus the zero sunlight in winter for a couple months and no good wind
power at least according to what I've read is required for an effective wind
system.

For significant wind power generation, you do need good winds.
Unless you have something like a consistent low breeze and want to
experiment.

 

[[email protected]]

I'm not sure who to ask--if you can point me elsewhere (companies, other
discussion groups, etc.), please do.

I need several external security cameras on my house. They need to use
minimum power (thus probably solar) and activate on motion day and night.
Then I probably need a recording device in the house. This has to draw
minimal power.

The problem is I'm totally off-the-grid and in an area that in winter gets
zero sunlight. So if I'm gone a week or a month, a regular system would
totally drain the solar batteries which is a very bad thing.

Or maybe regular cameras would be OK, as long as they draw minimal power,
but would the recorder use a lot of power in standby mode (assuming it would
only rarely have to capture a picture)?

I don't mind black and white, and I don't mind stills (vs. video). I just
want to be able to record if anyone is walking on my property near my house,
clearly enough to make out who they are (so I can file a legal issue against
them as appropriate) using minimal power.

Suggestions, please? Thank you in advance!

It wouldn't be a cheap or ideal solution, but there are lots of game
camera models that might suit you. http://tinyurl.com/3arltk
Some with flash, some infrared, most with video capability. Various
levels of battery thirstiness. The one at the bottom of this page
http://www.citlink.net/~wmbjk/gamecam.htm can go a month on (2) D NiMH
cells for the camera, and perhaps 6 months on (6) AA B=NiMH cells
powering the sensor board. It depends how many pictures are being
taken - at one point at the rate of 400 per day (20 with flash),
camera battery life was down to about 10 days. You could use more
cells, or power several cams off a couple of golf cart batteries and
charge those with standard solar stuff.

Good source for security video components here
http://www.supercircuits.com/, although I expect the overall energy
consumption would be higher than with game cams.

Wayne

 

[Reader]

,,,

Thanks for your comments.

I think I'm going full circle. I started looking into game cameras a year
ago then decided the batteries wouldn't last long enough, especially in
below freezing winter. But that may be the best reasonably priced solution
for me, so I'll look into them again. Lasting 6 mo. on AA would be fine,
especially since I anticipate very few photos being taken--unless someone is
trespassing or a bear, deer, elk, etc. happens to walk by.

Can you please provide the full URL (even if horribly long) rather than the
tinyurl? I've read those plant spyware and I'd prefer avoiding that.

 

[Eeyore]

The problem is I'm totally off-the-grid and in an area that in winter gets
zero sunlight.

Solar is clearly no good then !

Graham

 

[Reader]

There is a tiny mountain creek that does run in winter a little bit, under a
very thick layer of ice. Someone today mentioned to me micro hydro but I
haven't yet found out what that is. The creek flow isn't enough for a major
hydro system, I'm sure--especially in late summer (little water) and winter
(too much ice).

 

[[email protected]]

,,,

Thanks for your comments.

I think I'm going full circle. I started looking into game cameras a year
ago then decided the batteries wouldn't last long enough, especially in
below freezing winter. But that may be the best reasonably priced solution
for me, so I'll look into them again. Lasting 6 mo. on AA would be fine

That was 6 months for the sensor batteries, and 1 month for the camera
batteries in my example. Easy enough to use more cells to power the
camera though.

especially since I anticipate very few photos being taken--unless someone is
trespassing or a bear, deer, elk, etc. happens to walk by.

Can you please provide the full URL (even if horribly long) rather than the
tinyurl? I've read those plant spyware

Sounds like BS to me.

and I'd prefer avoiding that

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/c...=1&Ntt=game+camera&noImage=0&_requestid=56763

Game cams at Cabelas.

Wayne

 

[Terryc]

There is a tiny mountain creek that does run in winter a little bit, under a
very thick layer of ice. Someone today mentioned to me micro hydro but I
haven't yet found out what that is. The creek flow isn't enough for a major
hydro system, I'm sure--especially in late summer (little water) and winter
(too much ice).

Micro hydro is just a small hydro system.
You dam the water and feed it through a pipe to a waterwheel which turns
a generator, then return water to creek.

Power depends on head and flow.

Err, unless the river freezes solid and thus stops flowing, there is
water flowing under the ice.

 

[Randy]

Solar is clearly no good then !

Graham

I hate to say it but it sounds like it might be easier to send someone up
there once in a while to run a generator to charge batteries, check property
and surveillance cameras every now and then. That is the difficulty of
owning remote places and visiting seldom. My uncle found out someone built a
cabin on his land in Colorado. He was called when they said someone died in
his cabin... he never built one. Sure enough, there was a cabin there and it
was one of his old buddies that was keeping an eye on the land for him that
built it, later to die there.
Life is strange huh.
Randy

 

[Reader]

Thanks. I'm already familiar with what Cabelas offers re the game cameras.

However, I talked with a security person who expressed a concern I already
had--that if a trespasser sees a game cam flash at him/her, he'll just throw
rocks or whatever and break or steal the camera. So probably not a good
option.

 

[Reader]

This isn't property/home (or people) like that. I live there basically year
round but travel extensively so may be gone for a few weeks at a time.

 

[Mandingo's Dingo]

Unfortunately, relative to power sources, the property is in a deep mountain
draw--thus the zero sunlight in winter for a couple months and no good wind
power at least according to what I've read is required for an effective wind
system.

Then you're fukked.

 

[Randy]

This isn't property/home (or people) like that. I live there basically
year round but travel extensively so may be gone for a few weeks at a
time.

<snip>
O.K.
Hmmm It sounds like the camera systems others have suggested could be the
way to go. Just add batteries. Now if money was out of the equation, maybe
you could install a windmill at the top of the mountain. I am sure with
lots of cash, people will let you install that and run the power poles to
your place. Especially if you let them hook up to your power for free. I
hope all goes well.
Take care
Randy

 

[[email protected]]

Thanks. I'm already familiar with what Cabelas offers re the game cameras.

However, I talked with a security person who expressed a concern I already
had--that if a trespasser sees a game cam flash at him/her, he'll just throw
rocks or whatever and break or steal the camera.

How can you be familiar with all the Cabela's offerings, yet not know
about infrared models? Regardless, the camera should be hidden.

Wayne

 

[Reader]

Interesting idea about the windmill. The problem with that is it would
require pretty much unlimited money--not just a lot, but almost unlimited.
Helicopter to get windmill and other parts to the mountain, extremely heavy
helicopter to lift equipment to dig into rock and make a level site up to
the mountain top, ditto to trench probably near a mile for cable (or did
poles for above ground cable), and so on. Plus no more than one or two
possible people who might even remotely be interested in hooking up to it.

I am actually looking into a windmill about 300 yards from the house, where
I think a very standard tall one would work if the distance isn't too great
so that too much power wouldn't be lost. I think that's going to be the big
issue there (as well as on the mountain top). That and microhydro are my
only real options, I believe.

 

[Reader]

Never said I don't know about the IR models. The problem is those cameras
are big, so hiding them is a challenge.

 

[[email protected]]

Never said I don't know about the IR models.

If you already knew about infrared, then it seems strange to be
concerned about flash.

The problem is those cameras are big, so hiding them is a challenge

They're smaller than birdhouses...

Wayne