Wildlife automated camera

[dedsi72]

So here is the idea
Build a wildlife camera that runs on car battery and solar panels placed insida a cabin with the camera in a window
and with wireless motion sensing placed outside 20 meters away where the animals feed to trigger the camera feed

this is what i have:
Motion detection device 433 mhz wireless
rasp pi and RFXcom
NOIR camera
Car Battery

This is what i need
solar panel and charger circuit, any recommendations?
IR lamp,

now to the questions
- is there an Easy way to measure the RPI power consumption and preferably view it on the domoticz dashboard?
- easy way in Domoticz to trigger NOIR camera and local or remote IR lamp for night operations?
- recommendatios for a working 3G or 4G usb stick to enable copy of the videofiles via script to either dropbox or similar?

Any ideas, suggestions and comments are appreciated
/john

[niceandeasy]

Nice project.

- solarpanel: big enough. depends on location and how much power your setup draws. If this setup needs to run in winter days also (less daytime hours, less direct sun, less sun power), it needs to be a lot bigger.
charger circuit: needs to be for an off-grid unit and interface with Domoticz, microprocessor-controlled, preferably USB-connected. this is probably the hardest to find. Maybe one with ethernet connection, since you won't need your ethernet port when using a 3G/4G usb stick. Or, when using a 3G/4G internet router, you will have a few ethernet ports on that.
You can also charge by connecting the solar panel leads directly to the car battery, via a diode. You just need an over-voltage-protection that will dissipate energy, instead of letting the voltage of the battery rise above 14.4V. Modern microprocessor-controlled chargers are more efficient because they use PWM techniques to keep the solar panel at it's max-power-voltage-rating. I'd rather buy a good controller, just to be safe.
- Charging 12V batteries are at 14.4V when fully charged, or even a bit higher on cold days. Take care that your electronics can handle that. If you're using car accessoires, for example a smartphone charger as 5V PI supply, you should be good.
- IR lamp: use a LED-based, rated for 12V, or create one, by connecting some LEDs together, with a resistor.
- power consumption: I would measure the PI's power consumption with a normal amp multimeter in the 12V feed to the 12V-to-5V-converter you'll need for your pi. Better yet, measure the power consumption of the whole setup. That will be an indicator for your solar panel size. You don't need to measure your RPI's current draw and interface it to Domoticz. Your solar panel controller can do that for you, complete with indication of charge level, power generation. I think, power usage will not fluctuate much. You can do measurements before installing it and assume power usage, later.
If you opt for a charge circuit without controller, you should measure the car battery's voltage. That's a better indicator for charge level. Cheapest way is to divide your car battery's voltage by using two resistors to a voltage that is safe to measure by a simple AD-convertor that uses several gpio pins. I'm sure that there's also more accurate voltage measuring addons for the pi.
- remote switching of the IR lamp: take apart a KAKU switch unit or similar 433MHz device. They have a condensator and a resistor to create a low voltage for the internal electronics. Bypass that. Also the rectifier diodes can be taken out and re-used. Read the rated voltage on the relais that is in the KAKU. That's probably 5V or 12V. You may want to replace the relais for a transistor switch circuit, to drive the LED IR lamp. It will save some milliamps. If there's a zener diode on the KAKU print, that will dissipate all voltage above it's rated voltage. Check that and maybe put a resistor or another voltage regulator in the 12V supply for the KAKU print.
- local switching of the IR lamp: use the GPIO outputs. It only needs a resistor and a (darlington?) transistor to drive the LED IR lamp.
- I don't know about the 3G/4G USB stick. It will need to 'work' on the Raspberry. You might need to revert to a 3G/4G internet router.
- Add a fuse. car batteries are capable of very high currents, which will turn ordinary wires into light bulbs. Don't risk a wild fire.

Good luck.
Let us know if it works out and post some of the shots made with this setup.

[Egregius]

You'll need a camera with a custom lens. The stock 3.6mm lens is to wide for 20 meter distance.
Why not use motion software to detect motion and let that send commands to Domoticz?
Is Domoticz only used to turn on the IR lights?

[dedsi72]

Hi guys!

Great replies! thank you

To clarify, this is the first project i have including car batteries, next one will be in my camper that is why i want to be able to measure the efficency of the system, also educational so i can show my kids how much charge is needed from the sun to power the camper on our trips, and i like to know myself as well.

So the suggestion of a smart charger from the solar panel is great, is there already someone that has a recommendation that will work with domotics?

And yes of course i plan on using fuses,

I dont know if the software motion detection will work in total darkness? many animals like deer like to feed dusk or dawn

[dedsi72]

here is a link to a similar setup, http://www.voltaicsystems.com/blog/powe ... olar-power

i am fairly limited in time and knowledge so more out of the box than this is definately preferred

[niceandeasy]

Software motion detection won't work in darkness, unless you leave IR lights on.
An PIR motion sensor will work in darkness, because it detects moving body heat.

I don't know an easy smart-charger-to-Domoticz solution. The ones that are supported by Domoticz are mainly the solar controllers that you use in a house, that are able to supply energy back to the grid.

I'm also interested in a simple off-grid smart solar charger/inverter that is supported by Domoticz.

[nayr]

Ive got this controller: http://genasun.com/all-products/solar-c ... ontroller/
with a 160W solar panel on my adventure trailer...

It keeps my Refrigerator running pretty much indefinitely out in the bush, I would think it could handle a WildLife Cam no problemo.

[Derik]

Perhaps a rflink ... cheaper...
www.gebruiktezonnepanelen.com very cheap..
Ir light and 433Mhz pir from china
I like cheap...

Great project...
Live stream here?

[dedsi72]

Hi Guys!

Finally got to startup this project.

right now i have a running RPI Cam on another RPI just to try out the RPI Cam Control and trying to add also that feed into domotics.

there are 3 parts to this project, first part will be for monitoring wildlife at my cabin with a battery powered simple PIR activated IRled lamp and then motion detection and recording from a car Battery powered PI in the cabin. with an onboard RPI cam and using Domoticz
2nd part of this is that i would like to arrange with a 1 km long wireless I/0 to be able to monitor a Trap and get an sms or email if the trap is activated, this i have no solution for at all, so any suggestion would be great

3rd part is a separate RPI at a friends place with RPI Cam overlooking a bird feeder and recording based on motion sensing, to simplify this installation the RPI will be placed inside a window in the garage and the bird feeder outside. Will probably use the RPI Cam Control sofware for this.

And of course i can send picture and videos taken with these setups!

/John