Cheap outdoor camera mount and weather protection

Tips & Tricks
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I wanted a stationary camera on my detached garage facing my house but could not find

a housing that gave me what I wanted…

Full up/down/right/felt adjustment, self-contained, ability to program after camera was

mounted in the housing, and lastly cheap…

So i made my own…

Amazon has a 3 pack of wyze cam metal wall mount brackets. I paid $12 for the 3.

One pack of four 1/4x20 nuts and a pack of 1/4" fender washers at Lowe’s.

The 1/4" fender washer is for more stability of the plastic inside the rear of the housing.

I had a 10’ braided usb cable that just reached the outlet for my garage door opener.

One 32oz. square bottle of hydrogen peroxide from Dollar General $1.00.

A small piece of “good” double-sided tape to mount the camera on the very top of the enclosure

so any water that gets in would save the camera fro sitting in it.

I set up the camera to my network, added a 32gb sd card, cut a small X slot in the middle of the back to push the bracket screw through.

Then I mounted the bracket with on the back and bottom of the enclosure for the usb cable to exit pushed the cable thru and hooked it

to the camera then moved the camera back and forth until I found the maximum setback depth with none of the enclosure showing any side of the camera lens.

Mounting the camera to the top of the enclosure serves 2 purposes; damage from camera sitting in water and the bottom of the camera is easily moved around to push the setup button if you must re=set the camera.

Here a couple not-so-good pics to show what I did.

I am looking for a sturdier enclosure but for now this functions well.

 

FYI… I have a motion light on my garage that is very bright so I wanted a light-proof enclosure.

A transparent one would have created many aggravating changes in lighting at night for my situation only to the front was the answer.

so having light enter…

Sorry I didn’t paint this to make it look better, my next version will lok decent… I was more interested in utilitarian rather than appealing to the eye…

 

 

 

 

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Nice finding of hydro peroxide bottle, I didn’t think of that. I was originally thinking of getting the clear 3"x3"x3" enclosure from The Container Store, but I changed my mind because I didn’t want to cause any potential overheating issue to the V2. I found an Aquafina water bottle, tailored it, sprayed it with Rustoleum sitting in garage, and used my existing outdoor wall mount. Not the best looking, but it’s now rain proof. We mostly get 2-3 times of rain a year in San Bernardino County in California, if we get the mercy. So heavy downpour is not a concern. I mounted the v2 under the gazebo anyway, there is some wood beam sitting above the v2. Housing is replaceable, nearly cost nothing, and very light weight. Only downside is the housing like this with opening amplifies the wind noise the mic can pick up which it triggers the alert even with turning down the Sensitivity.

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I like it… Using the bottle cap end gives a lot of strength.

I used 3M Hi-bond tape to hold mine up at the top to protect it from rain a bit more but your "awning over it does tha same.

I must remember the clip trick, that would make it nice and fast… And easy to remove if the sd card fails…

Pretty cool…

 

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Yup, I thought about using a double-sided tape but was skeptical about the high Summer heat in my area (as high as 115F degree during peak Summer) and the bottle’s cylindrical shape might give in and pop the tape. Now that you pointed it out, I will try using a square bottle, such as hydro peroxide, for my next outdoor v2. Just flip the v2 upside down and use the clip trick to stabilize the v2’s articulation base to the top edge of the bottle. I don’t think the rain (rarely) would boomerang up and hit the bottle’s opening under the gazebo. It will be fun in next project. :slight_smile:

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The tape I used is the tape used to mount windows in highrise buildings…

We use it at work… It is kind of expensive but once it is secure the longer it stays the harder it is to remove…

Permanent is the word for this stuff… It is 3M VHB, very high bond, and it is…

I like your clip idea also… And your large ‘awning’ of the bottle…

Love the size and clarity of these little cameras and experimenting with mounting…

I want one on my front porch so next one I will have to make look better and stealthier also… LOl

 

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I hear you, good to learn something. Quickly looked up Amazon, and did find 3M VHB Tape RP25 1 in width x 5 yd length (1 Roll) for $8.90. It seems affordable, but I also believe VHB product varies in different application and it could be more expensive for commercial application.

I ended up having to trim off most of the awning from the water bottle that overhung above the V2 because the wide angel lens picked up lot of area of that bottle’s plastic and caused reflection with Night Vision. So now the awning is only about a quarter inch like a little visor for the V2. I am thinking of “stealing” one of my wife’s fake eye slashes to stick it atop the lens so it repels water bead or bugs?! Hopefully she wouldn’t accuse me for giving it to other woman!!

Being creative with camera housing is fun, but it annoys me much when it comes to wiring issue. Just don’t like to drill hole on stucco. I have a bunch of 22AWG alarm cable laying around and I think the gauge is good enough to carry 5V over maybe 15 feet. BUT I DON’T LIKE DRILLING HOLE ON MY STUCCO. :frowning:

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Probably the same tape, we buy in large quantities

and from distributors that we have accounts through…

I fully understand not wanting to drill thru your stucco,

but I am sure you can go more than 15 ft with 22ga. security wire.

I installed security systems for years and we have cameras out still today that are

powered through 22ga. going substantially further than 15ft. and the old style cameras were current hogs,

especially when the infrared leds came on at night… That should do fine…

Well here’s hoping your wife understands why she is only gonna have one fake eyelash!

It’s for her safety after all… haha…

Make sure any paparazzi taking photos get her “good” side while out on the town…

You’re on your own there buddy… LOL

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Wow, you’re the man! Now, I have a humble question for you. There are 4 strands of wire in the 22ga cable. Am I okay to twist each pair of strands for each polarity of the 5v cable? Yes, I will mark the color coding. Thanks man!

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Yes, that will be fine…

That will also increase the current-carrying ability of the wire you know…

 

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Thank you for your knowledge!

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You are welcome…

Have fun building, I am enjoying these little buggers…

 

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William,

I’m just west of you in eastern Los Angeles County. What’s this “rain” you talk about. I think I have forgotten what that is :slight_smile:

 

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Rain - according to the new text book only available in the southern part of California, means you shoot the water hose upward and stand under it pretending to be happy. That’s called Rain,

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Thanks William. I was confused about what “rain” was. That explains it. We certainly aren’t getting any falling from clouds like normal people get…

BTW, I’m in Glendora.

 

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Chino Hills here, like where you can smell the unforgiving by-product from the Holy Fire. Glendora is one of the glorious light shows you see each Xmas. And I appreciate your hard work and talent!

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William, this is getting off-topic, and this forum does not allow private messages. Can we continue by E-Mail to: jim at k6ccc dot org

 

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Oops, sorry!

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Bought a dummy camera for $13 bucks, gutted it and put the wyze camera inside

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Ok nice job. I heard they were going to make outdoor cameras this year 2019. I think I’ll wait if I can

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