Ok, please help an idiot out! I have a few existing Swann cameras run around the house and would like to use the DC power in the already-run BNC cables instead of running new wires for power. Can i order a DC to micro-USB adapter on Amazon and use it to power the WyzeCam? The current Swann cams use a 4-way split off of a 2amp (i think) wall wart (came with the Swann system). Each split has a DC power connection that couples to a 50 foot BNC cable that runs to each cam. Basically i want to unplug the DC power cable running into each Swann cam, slap a DC to Micro-USB adapter on it, and plug it into the WyzeCam. That would save me a lot of time and hassle. Will this work? Is there a safety hazard i need to consider? Thanks.
Edit: I don’t think there is any practical way to use your existing cable. See my followup
https://www.wyzecam.com/forums/topic/i-it-safepossible-to-use-a-dc-to-micro-usb-cable/#post-129471
— original post follows —
I would not recommend it to you.
It depends on what you mean by “DC to Micro-USB adapter”. There would be a safety hazard for the camera if you supply incorrect voltage or polarity to the camera.
If your unspecified Swann cameras use 12VDC, you will need an active voltage regulator that reduces the voltage to 5VDC or you will fry the Wyze camera.
Do NOT use something like this https://www.amazon.com/JacobsParts-Barrel-Micro-USB-Connector-Adapter/dp/B019CXCHNS or this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G6EBGWO which will pass whatever voltage comes in directly to the camera. I doubt that the second could even be inserted into the back of the camera, since it is too fat. Even the first one looks like it may not fit. There is a good chance the Xiaofang/Wyze camera case was designed like it is was to discourage using other power supplies.
Since most CCTV cameras use 12VDC and the Wyze is expecting the 5VDC that a standard USB outlet supplies, it is very likely that plugging 12VDC into the Wyze will generate smoke and will void your warrantee.
No offense meant, but if you are asking the question, you will probably need someone to help you. And I don’t mean someone on a forum.
You could probably make what you want with a combination of parts similar to these
https://www.amazon.com/iMBAPrice-iMBA-CCTV-PGTM-10-Security-Camera-Pigtail/dp/B00KGHGG1E?th=1
and https://www.amazon.com/Converter-Module-convert-adapter-DCCON-5U-0/dp/B00BMIVFK8
neither of which I have used. Then you would have to use the original Wyze cable that goes from the power wart to the camera or a short USB A to micro USB pigtail like https://www.amazon.com/DETHINTON-Braided-Charging-Samsung-Motorola/dp/B071VX675L
The bad part about all this is that every connector is a point of failure. And best practice would be to have a fuse in the 12v side to protect against a short heating the wire going through the house.
Every thing is complicated.
I will edit my original response because I failed to see the coax was being used for the power. So what I said could possibly be made to work would require different parts, since the ones I listed were for the barrel connectors that are common for 12VDC supplies.
I am not aware of any PoC to USB power converters. And I did a quick google search and only found video converters that were powered by the USB.
So sorry, I don’t think it is practical to reuse the cable.
Maybe you could run both systems in parallel.
Hi…depends on quality of a cable and environment. No one can give you accurate answer to this kind of question.
A crap USB cable cannot supply the RasPi even on a distance of one meter… Therefore, try, measure the voltage on test points and observe the operating stability.