Power a camera with a motorcycle battery?

[SeattleBrian 0]

I'm building my first system. It's for a job site (home remodel) to prevent tool theft. It'll be installed temporarily, then reconfigured during the job, as walls are built, plumbing, wiring, sheetrock, etc. Later, the system will be broken down and moved to the next job site. The point is, wires are a headache. The fewer, the better.

 

The General Contractor (GC) requested "wireless" cameras. WiFi cameras need a wire for power (a drawback). True wireless cameras record for short period before and after an MD event, and some can push out a video clip via email. Otherwise, the cameras are off, to conserve the battery.

 

Typical Battery Powered cameras don't fit our Job Site needs. Eg: When the GC gets a text due to a MD event, he wants to surf to the job site from his smart phone and look around. A battery powered camera will be asleep. No video! (until the next MD)

 

That's the challenge.

 

My idea:

Use a conventional Dahua WiFi camera. Use a motorcycle battery to supply 12V. Dahua specs say power consumption is <7W. (I assume that includes IR illumination, which won't normally be on).

Assume average of 5W, for 24hours = 120 watt hours.

Here's a lithium ion motorcycle battery that provides 128 Wh

https://www.batterystuff.com/batteries/lithium-iron-batteries/ebike-standby-toy-alarm/lfp128100.html

(ya, maybe that's cutting it close...)

(ya, we'd be changing/charging batteries daily, but it's better than cables!)

 

Questions:

- The Dahua camera specs don't include power supply tolerance. Is it 12V + 10%? Maybe 10V to 15V?

- Given the length of typical camera power runs, and voltage drop, I gotta believe the cameras are tolerant re: input voltage.

- Can I get a camera that is compatible w/ Dahua NVR, and the camera is a) truly wireless, b) truly capable and c) quality (ie: not Arlo) ?

- Better suggestions?

 

Thanks!

Brian

[mattaggie 0]

How will this system connect to the internet?

 

In my opinion, the headache of trying to manage this system is going to outweigh the headache of occasional stolen tools.

[tomcctv 190]

Typical Battery Powered cameras don't fit our Job Site needs. Eg: When the GC gets a text due to a MD event, he wants to surf to the job site from his smart phone and look around. A battery powered camera will be asleep. No video! (until the next MD)

 

Hi. No that is not the case. The camera does not go to sleep or switch off. MD is a function to send command at that time but camera is always on.

 

Also MD from the camera is not going to work. You will end up switching MD off with 100s of bad alarms.

 

Low power cameras like the axis low light used along with something like the GJD wireless sensors is your best way.

http://www.gjd.co.uk/sites/default/files/pdf-files/d-tect_x_wireless_detector_datasheets.pdf

[SeattleBrian 0]

Thanks guys for your replies!

 

Mattagie: A) 3 weeks ago, $15,000 of tools were stolen. The thieves returned for a second round, but the neighbor heard them, turned on the outside lights. The thieves left. Our loss could have been higher.

B) We'll connect to the internet using the customer's broadband, eg: comcast cable modem. We assume our remodel customers have broadband... No cellular modem is included in our system.

 

Tomcctv: Are you saying that the battery operated cameras would support me doing remote viewing?

I agree, the camera doesn't turn off, per se. But I think the only time it sends video is with an MD event. When there's an MD event, I'll get a text msg and then I'll surf into to the job site to look around. And use 2 way audio. And call 911 for an active burglary, with descriptions of the thieves.

I don't think battery powered wireless cameras are always streaming video. (but I could be wrong). ie: I don't think I can remote access a battery operated camera whenever I want to.....

 

BTW, I will use a laser trip line on the job site.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002WV19DM?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01

[mattaggie 0]

I'd invest in something to physically keep the tools safe. Even if you get them on camera, there is no guarantee that stops them from taking tools or leads to an arrest. In my retail store I have an $8,000 robbery all on camera and that hasn't helped a bit in getting back my stuff or catching thieves. Cameras are wonderful for many reasons, but the only way to guarantee no theft is to lock it up. How are you gonna get a good nights sleep constantly investigating alarms going off on your phone? So many things can trigger motion like bugs, changes in light, trees blowing in the wind, etc. I hate to sound so negative, I just think you're going to go to a lot of trouble and its not going to be the answer to your problem.

[SeattleBrian 0]

Mattaggie,

 

I agree completely! Prevention & Deterrence is the goal. Having video after "the horse is out of the barn" is of very limited value.

In the recent $15K theft, very strong padlock on the truck's back doors was removed with a sledge hammer. Lock boxes were bludgeoned open.

The General Contractor (GC) later spotted his tools for sale on Craigslist. The police weren't very interested. The GC set up a sting with the "Seller" (the thief most likely). The police arrived late, to see the seller with his gun drawn. He was arrested for the firearms violations.

The GC asked the police to help get the tools returned. They refused. The firearm violations will put the seller in jail for much longer than "possession of stolen property". The GC won't get the tools back.

 

Yes, "self monitored" may have many headaches (bugs, leaves hence false alarms). "Professionally monitored alarm system" companies can cope, but the police don't come out. Too many false alarms. We'll try the self monitoring, and call the police about a "burglary in process" and we'll describe the thieves, etc. Maybe a "professionally monitored video system" will be used later - but they are expensive.

 

Deterrence: High decibel sirens, multiple strobe light (red & blue), two way audio to tell the thieves to leave, laser light trip wire (better than PIR MD) to minimize false alarms.

 

So Mattaggie, you didn't sound overly negative. But realistic. We face some challenges...

 

Thanks,

Brian

[Yams 0]

"the neighbor heard them"

 

If you're building in neighborhoods, Offer a fee to temporarily place a camera on the neighbors house and use their WIFI.