I use the Cam V3 to “listen” to a water pump system and track how often the pumps run. I want to hear the pumps run and know the time and duration. However, there is some sort of “automatic gain control” (AGC) that minimizes the recording levels. To hear the pumps run (which are very loud if you are standing there), I have to have a very quiet place to listen, audio level on my Android phone is set to full value, but the audio level it is very very low. Also, interesting that it rarely creates an “event” for a very loud sound starting up when the pumps start. I would sure like to have a higher volume recorded and maintained… a way to keep the AGC from kicking in. I would also like a user control setting that keeps the mute from resetting on the app for playback (I constantly fight that when I leave the Wyze app). I have a video that demonstrates the poor recording level and an image of the very low waveform level… like -20db is the recorded level. I have provided these files with the Google Drive link below.
If the pump has a meter/gauge that tells you how much water was used, you can aim the camera right on it. When someone uses water, meter/gauge moves, which triggers motion events. When stop using water, meter/gauge stops and motion event ends.
Thanks for the suggestion… there’s a pressure meter, but it moves constantly when water is used or when the pumps run. These are huge pumps sending water to tanks 400 ft elevation for 13 houses.
Can you see anything else moving while the pump running? Maybe the end of the motor shaft?
Back to your idea. The problem you described been there since day one. Wyze never bother to fix it. Maybe you can put the camera right on the pump? The camera base is magnetic. So it should stick on metal part. The camera probably has better chance of pickup the vibration and sound this way. However, the vibration can shorten the life of the camera.
Another option is to use a contact sensor. The contact sensor triggers an event when there is a change in the magnetic field. The motor in pump is electromagnetic. Magnetic field is generated when motor on; and vice versa. You can place the contact sensor (not the magnet) near the motor. You need to experiment the location and orientation of the sensor placement.