Solar for IP camera

[Kevin Gould]

OK, here goes..

I need to have an IP camera above my front door mounted on my porch roof but there is no mains electric close. I was therefore hoping to use a solar panel but I need it to work 24 hours a day as I will have remote access to it using an app. The power supply is a plug with adapter and detachable usb lead.

How can I achieve the above and what size panel would be required.

 

[zanydroid]

I assume this is a WiFi IP camera?

Is PoE out of the question? PoE is the conventional solution to what you want for a lot of reasons. That seems a LOT simpler than finding space for a battery + solar panel and doing the necessary engineering and electrical/etc construction work.

 

[Bkord]

Could you just use a Poe camera and run a cat6 cable to it.

 

[timselectric]

3rd vote for poe.

 

[Kevin Gould]

yes its a WIFI IP camera.

off do research a Poe camera.

There is a long way from the router to the camera.

 

[zanydroid]

You’re going to save hundreds of dollars and 10-20 hours up front (learning buying and implementing) with PoE versus going with solar, and you don’t need to deal with the extra ongoing maintenance complexity and awkwardly placed battery/solar panel.

 

[zanydroid]

Another option is to pull a low voltage line to the WiFi camera. The permitting and installation requirements are relaxed for things under around 50VDC and under 100W. Most WiFi cameras only needs about 5-10W

EDIT: you can look up how Ring cameras are installed, they use low voltage power circuits but not PoE

PoE is itself a low power circuit but carries network with it.

 

[v_green57]

Not sure from your post if you already have the camera, but if you don't and you have WiFi around the house:

Argus 3 Pro | 2K Spotlight Camera Battery/Solar Powered

Argus 3 Pro, a wire-free 2K camera powered by battery or solar panel, offers person/vehicle detection & color night vision. A great choice for home security.

reolink.com

Argus PT | Smart 2K HD Pan & Tilt Battery Security Camera

Argus PT, a wire-free 2K 4MP battery security camera working on dual-band WiFi, offers person/vehicle detection and clear night vision. Good choice for home.

reolink.com

 

[JWLV]

There are many different kinds of cameras. Some cameras don't use any power until its passive IR sensor notices movement and then it records. They have a small Li-ion battery that can power these types of cameras for a few months at a time. Wyze makes an ourdoor camera that does this. Ring makes an indoor/outdoor Stickup camera that works the same way. Some of them also have the option of an addon 5w solar panel to keep the li-ion battery topped off.

Other types of cameras can be recording continuously, 24 hours a day. These obviously use a lot more power than the motion activated ones. For these kinds of cameras, you will likely need a 100AH 12-volt LiFePo4 battery with a 50w to 100w solar panel and a suitable charge controller.

 

[Kevin Gould]

Many thanks for all your replies. Going to re-position the router as everything else is wifi and buy a poe camera and sell the wifi one.