how did You know which wire was positive & which was negative on the USB wires?
My point, which I thought was obvious, is that the thicker wire in your setup is capable of far longer runs before the voltage drop becomes untenable. Few if any USB cables of similar length would stand a chanceā¦
Correct. Iāve made USB power cables 50-60 feet long using 4 strand telephone wire with no power problems at all, using only 2 of the 4 wires.
1 Like
Hello,
You canāt assume that the red and black wires are positive and negative. So I used a volt meter and started there. I did find a couple of different brands that were odd, but it all worked out. It only 5v but just make sure you connecting them correctly and donāt short them out. Also, before I applied power I confirmed that I didnāt have any shorts by running a continuity test. Remember never assume, always test. 
I hope that helps.
1 Like
This I know will work - just tried it today. Need to replace a Night Owl wired DVR system. Since power wiring is in place, just need to push 5V/1A per v2 (or v3) over the existing wiring:
5V/10A power supply ā 4 (and/or 8) DC splitter ā DC female to USB A female adapter ā Wyze USB A male to microUSB cable ā v2 (or v3) camera
Bill of Materials:
5V/10A power supply ~$20:
Amazon.com: ALITOVE 5V 10A Power Supply Adapter AC/DC Converter 100-240V AC toā¦
Amazon.com: ALITOVE 5V 10A Power Supply Adapter AC/DC Converter 100-240V AC to DC 5 Volt 50W 10Amp 9A 8A 7A 2A Transformer with 5.5x2.5mm Plug for WS2812B WS2813 WS2811 W2813 SK6812 LED Strip Pixel String Light: Electronics
$21.99
4 (and/or 8) DC splitter: used existing Night Owl splitter
DC female to USB A female adapter ~$6:
Amazon.com: Cablecc 5V USB Female to DC Power Jack 5.5 2.1mm Charge Adpter Cableā¦
Cablecc 5V USB Female to DC Power Jack 5.5 2.1mm Charge Adpter Cable for Cell Phone & Tablet Cablecc
Wyze USB A male to microUSB cable: supplied with v2 or v3 camera
v2 (or v3) camera: ~ $20:
Wyze Cam v3 | Wired Security Camera or Wyze Cam v3 | Wired Security Camera
The only real dependency is how long the power cable runs. Other than that, this setup should run for most configurations.
FULL DISCLOSURE: I donāt make a dime off of any of these products. I do, however, run a consultancy that is more than happy to help. (https://wsii.net )
Good luck!
3 Likes
Has anybody had success powering a v2/3 with a Solar Panel outdoors? Actually, that makes no sense whatsoever because as soon as the sun goes down off your camera would go wouldnāt it?
1 Like
There are several YouTube videos of people claiming success with some of the solar charger/battery banks, where the solar recharges the batteries during the day, and batteries discharge at night.
Several potential issues here: 1) the solar system has to allow for discharge while it is also charging the battery; 2) it would definitely need to be able to have a charging rate of sufficient value to run the camera AND charge the battery 3) the battery needs to be sized to be able to run the camera for 12 to 14 hours (?) during night and early morning/late afternoon 4) discharge rate needs to be high enough to run the camera (1 amp?)
Iāve got some of these solar charger units I use for camping, and several v.2 cameras laying around right now, so I may spend a little time on this over the holidays. Granted, in the pacific northwest, we are lucky if we get any sunny days during the winter months.
1 Like
So, here is a relatively low cost, safe way that I use. I got a 12vDC power supply such as this: AmazonSmile: DC Power Adapter 12V 5A 4 Channel Din-Rail Mounting Distribution Power for CCTV Security Camera with PTC Fuse [UL Listed]: Industrial & Scientific
I used 18-2 Thermostat wire to run 12v to each camera location where I used 12v DC to USB-A female converter such as this: AmazonSmile: Custom Accessories Goxt 12 volt Black Quad Charger 1 pk: Home Audio & Theater
Currently I have 5 cameras powered up this way (Along with a bunch of other devices such as tablets) Works great! My router and the converter are set up with a UPS so my cameras work for a while even in a power outage.
2 Likes
Nice first post, @SteveMC.
1 Like
Only problem is eventually You will burn up the cameraās they are not designed to work on 12V they use 5V
If you put 12V to a 5V device youāll burn it up immediately, not eventually. Check his entire post, the second device he used (after the 12V source) is a 12V to 5V converter so heāll be fine.
1 Like
@elcaminoguy, re-read until the end of my post!
12v is used to transmit the power where it is properly stepped down to 5v USB female.
1 Like
I agree. By the time 5v travels the 40ā it is probably more like 3v.
1 Like
Power is only one issue but You also need a WiFi signal that will reach extended distances
1 Like
Very true @elcaminoguy. I recommend a mesh wifi system. My Velop system is handling the cameras flawlessly. By adding units you can extend the range.
I have been trying I got a Google Router with 2 Points I was able to install the Router but it donāt want to add the 2 Points that are suppose to extend it
Adding nodes is what makes the mesh system and extends the range without losing bandwidth. That is the issue with range extenders, you lose bandwidth when you go through them due to overhead. Iād install them ASAP
Thats a great idea and you could add a couple of Wyze bulbs to the outdoor fixtures to control the lights and never worry about using the switch again!
IF you donāt want to jump to a full mesh wifi system Iāve had success using a powerline ethernet at the end of a 50 ft. extension cord. Itās not recommended but it worked for me. Iāve a metal carport with power. The far end of the carport is well beyond my routerās reach, but I was able to plug in a 50 ft. extension cord with an inexpensive (~$30) TP link powerline adapter and get plenty of bandwidth to run a Wyze outside camera.
1 Like
You could use what is called an In use cover also known as a bubble cover. This will facilitate the ability of plugging the supplied power supply and closing cover and it being protected from weather.