power options for security cams

[gardenmom5]

I have a spot I'd like to put a camera  (so dh can watch the birds at the suet feeder from his desk)  - but there isn't a nearby power source . . . . 

I've thought about using a solar panel, but wonder if I will need a rechargeable batter, what about night? (we have over 13 hours of dark in the winter, and my outdoor solar lights don't do well from Nov - Jan)

anyone have experience?  suggestions?

I have wyze cameras if it matters.

[KSera]

Ours are solar and we haven’t had a problem with not enough power. 

[gardenmom5]

4 hours ago, KSera said:

Ours are solar and we haven’t had a problem with not enough power. 

What about at night?  do they have rechargeable batteries?

what's the wattage on the panel you use?

Edited June 29 by gardenmom5

[Carrie12345]

Ours are plug in charge. They last *months*. (Depending on how often they’re activated.)

[Pawz4me]

We have several Ring (plug in) rechargeable cameras. Depending on where we have them placed they sometimes record many times a day. I don't think we've ever had to recharge one more than once a month, and most of ours are a couple of years old now. You can also buy an extra battery if it's important for you to always have the camera in operation. But the batteries recharge in a few hours and ours are for wildlife, so we've never bothered with keeping a spare on hand.

[itsheresomewhere]

We have several ring cameras.  Some are solar powered and they have a battery in it that the panel charges. 

[gardenmom5]

3 hours ago, Pawz4me said:

We have several Ring (plug in) rechargeable cameras. Depending on where we have them placed they sometimes record many times a day. I don't think we've ever had to recharge one more than once a month, and most of ours are a couple of years old now. You can also buy an extra battery if it's important for you to always have the camera in operation. But the batteries recharge in a few hours and ours are for wildlife, so we've never bothered with keeping a spare on hand.

I suppose that is also an option (especially if I can turn the light off on the darn thing . . . ) as the place I'd be putting it is very easily accessible.

It is mostly for the birds.   

[Spryte]

19 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

I suppose that is also an option (especially if I can turn the light off on the darn thing . . . ) as the place I'd be putting it is very easily accessible.

It is mostly for the birds.   

If it’s mostly for the birds, that seems like a good solution.

The ones we use for security — we have the ones we can plug in and we’ve hired an electrician when there’s not an outlet.

Edited June 29 by Spryte

[KSera]

7 hours ago, gardenmom5 said:

What about at night?  do they have rechargeable batteries?

what's the wattage on the panel you use?

They charge during the day and continue to run at night. I don’t know the wattage though. I just know any time of day or night I pull up the camera, I can see it. 

[scbusf]

We have a few Ring cameras that are hardwired into our house. But we also have one that uses a rechargeable battery. I'd guess we have to recharge the battery once a month or so.

[gardenmom5]

1 hour ago, Spryte said:

If it’s mostly for the birds, that seems like a good solution.

The ones we use for security — we have the ones we can plug in and we’ve hired an electrician when there’s not an outlet.

Something dh doesn't want to do . . (though we'll have to at some point, as I want a "plug" (don't remember what it's called) installed for a generator - or two.  we don't lose power so often it's worth a built-in auto backup.)

Though if we could get an outdoor motion light to which I could add power sockets (the one we have wouldn't work for that) - that would work for a couple spots I want to put security cameras. (at corners, ).

[Pawz4me]

We use these gooseneck mounts for our Ring stick up cameras. They make it so easy to move them around and aim them wherever you want. When our (now adopted, I guess) stray cat showed up back around Christmas and we knew she was living under our storage shed it was simple and quick to stick a shepherd's hook in the ground and hang a camera on it so we could watch her. We've hung them from our fence, tree limbs, benches, gutter downspouts, and various other places depending on what the local critters are up to. I'm sure there are similar things for other brands of cameras.

[Rosla]

I've had a similar issue trying to set up a camera for our backyard bird feeder. The solar panel idea is a good one, but the lack of daylight during winter months can definitely be a challenge. We ended up choosing a brinks home security system. They have some great wireless, solar-powered options that have held up well for me, even in the darker winter months. Might be worth checking out if you want a reliable camera solution without the need for a nearby power source.

Edited September 19 by Rosla

[YogSototh]

What kind of battery are you thinking of using with the solar panel?

[YogSototh]

well...I’ve used solar panels for a few things around my home, and they work well, but you’ll definitely need a rechargeable battery to store power for night time. Since winter can be tough with less sunlight, a battery is key to keeping the camera running. I’d also suggest going for a larger solar panel than your outdoor lights, since cameras need more power. You can always ask for professional advice from companies like solar dublin to help with the setup!

Edited September 30 by YogSototh

[Heartstrings]

I use Blink cameras that just runs off of 3 AA Batteries. I bought a waterproof holder for them, I think 3 in a pack for $15 and they just screw into anything.  It says the batteries last for 3 years but I've only had them for about 6 months.  So far I haven't had a low battery warning so they've already lasted awhile.