Hello, I'm somewhat new to the IP camera and have a couple different brand camera but looking to settle down to a standard. I've been looking at Armcrest. One question - Is Armcrest related to Foscam?
The real question for this post.
I'd like to use a PTZ camera but has anyone built a, or purchased a read-made, solar solution including something smaller then a Marine 12volt battery, solar panel and charging unit? I understand I could power a camera by several solar solutions I've seen online but the only charger is for a vehicle/Marine battery - generally large and heavy. I'm hoping there is a physically smaller battery that can maintain a PTZ with optical zoom camera.
Any ideas appreciated,
Thanks
Solar Power Solution
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ultimatecodewarrior
- Posts: 26
- Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2025 3:04 pm
Re: Solar Power Solution
Hi Tim,
Haven't had much luck with WiFi cameras especially at great distances. To much interference. I tried even a long range WiFi device like the WavLink AX3000, but the RTSP didn't work right even on a 2k feed wifa camera. Got a 100 mbit speed test on my phone, but for some dum reason the Amcrest bullet wifi 2k camera just couldn't work well over the WavLink AX3000
I've been able to run the IP8M-T2599EW-AI-V3 over a P2P bridge with the CPE710 TP-Link Pharos.
The setup on the CPE710 was convluted/crap, but it does work and there are some YouTube videos on how to set it up.
I have tested it out to about 350 feet line of sight and the 4k RTSP signal was flaweless.
I would recommend a 50ah battery and a good 100 watt solar panel. You can get a 12v -> 60watt POE hub on Amazon for about $70. So this can power your IP camera.
The problem with the CPE710 is that it's a 24v "Passive Powered Unit" so you can't power it off the POE hub. You have to take a line off the POE hub and go into a 40/56v -> 24v Converter (They are around $18-$30), and then use that to power the CPE710. The Camera pulls about 5 watts, and the CEP170 will pull around 14 watts, so you are consuming 20watts of battery x24 hours = 480 watt-hours night and day. So a 50 amp hour battery (12v*50a = 600 watt-hours) will just barely cover that, especially if the solar panel can't generate power that day (snow or clouds). SO you might have to factor in a bigger battery if there are dark days where you are at. If you have a 100 watt panel, and get 6 hours of daylight to charge the battery, then you can replenish up to 600-watt-hours give or take.
So you could upsize everything or start at the bare minimal.
There are a few other options: Hardline There are fiber /coax and twisted pair data runs for greater distances, then you don't have to power the Radio Bridge and so you can greatly down size your battery/solar panel. There's even Ethernet over AC Power cables. Only drawback to this is you can't use UPS or Surge Protectors as they will filter out the Data on that line.
Haven't had much luck with WiFi cameras especially at great distances. To much interference. I tried even a long range WiFi device like the WavLink AX3000, but the RTSP didn't work right even on a 2k feed wifa camera. Got a 100 mbit speed test on my phone, but for some dum reason the Amcrest bullet wifi 2k camera just couldn't work well over the WavLink AX3000
I've been able to run the IP8M-T2599EW-AI-V3 over a P2P bridge with the CPE710 TP-Link Pharos.
The setup on the CPE710 was convluted/crap, but it does work and there are some YouTube videos on how to set it up.
I have tested it out to about 350 feet line of sight and the 4k RTSP signal was flaweless.
I would recommend a 50ah battery and a good 100 watt solar panel. You can get a 12v -> 60watt POE hub on Amazon for about $70. So this can power your IP camera.
The problem with the CPE710 is that it's a 24v "Passive Powered Unit" so you can't power it off the POE hub. You have to take a line off the POE hub and go into a 40/56v -> 24v Converter (They are around $18-$30), and then use that to power the CPE710. The Camera pulls about 5 watts, and the CEP170 will pull around 14 watts, so you are consuming 20watts of battery x24 hours = 480 watt-hours night and day. So a 50 amp hour battery (12v*50a = 600 watt-hours) will just barely cover that, especially if the solar panel can't generate power that day (snow or clouds). SO you might have to factor in a bigger battery if there are dark days where you are at. If you have a 100 watt panel, and get 6 hours of daylight to charge the battery, then you can replenish up to 600-watt-hours give or take.
So you could upsize everything or start at the bare minimal.
There are a few other options: Hardline There are fiber /coax and twisted pair data runs for greater distances, then you don't have to power the Radio Bridge and so you can greatly down size your battery/solar panel. There's even Ethernet over AC Power cables. Only drawback to this is you can't use UPS or Surge Protectors as they will filter out the Data on that line.