Re: Solar Powered WIreless Camera

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

<robertbbm@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message

> I plan to
> use a Solar Charge Controller to help control the charging of the
> battery.  The camera is spec'ed to use 150ma.

150ma * 24hrs = 3600mAH or 3.6A per day.  A typical U1 scooter/marine deep
cycle battery provides 33AH.  Powered thusly your setup should run for over
a week without any charging at all.  I'd skip the solar stuff and use the $
to buy a second battery as well and when you went to move the camera rig,
swap batteries and put the exhausted one on a plug-in trickle charger.

You realize, of course, that most IR cameras operate only in black and white
at night (even if they transmit color during the daytime) and the dual mode
(color day/B&W night) cameras are optimized for daytime.  The IR image is
often much fuzzier.  IOW, it's probably going to look a lot crappier than
you're imagining.  I know my IR cameras were a disappointment to me for that
reason and because they attract insects, spider webs and (apparently) bats
and the image is terribly grainy.  Still, if you're in Tasmania looking for
the last Tasmanian tiger, it's a lot better than no picture at all.

I just picked up two new U1's (with handles - very important for your
application!) from Ebay for $80 with UPS shipping and insurance.  You'd have
to use sealed lead acid deep cycle batteries if you're going to use my
method because a regular car battery will die after several deep discharges.

--
Bobby G.