From reading through these forums, I’ve gathered that most people recommend using a wired camera rather than a battery-powered model when the goal is to capture activity from small mice. That works for my setup since I have outdoor power outlets on my patio.
My main worry is related to the exposed wiring during Canadian winters. Wyze says the v4 outdoor bundle is built for all weather, but in my case the cable, the USB connection, and the point where it plugs into the outlet would not be concealed. I’m planning to mount the camera on my wooden patio railing, simply attached to the wood to get a good view.
If the wire and connection remain exposed, will the camera operate safely in snow, rain, and freezing conditions, or is there a real risk of moisture damage at the plug/connector? Has anyone used the Wyze Cam v4 Outdoor Bundle with an uncovered power connection for long periods?
Personally I wouldn’t waste the money on the outdoor power adapter, and just get an “in use” cover for one of your outdoor outlets and use a standard USB power brick inside it. Even if the brick fails after a couple years, they’re cheap and easy to replace (though I have one in my garage that gets pretty hot and cold and it is showing no signs of issues after 2.5 years).
@habib has a nice enclosure set up with multi port USB adapter he can probably point you to, that one is totally sealed (in use covers are pretty well sealed, but not completely).
The rest of my cams I run the flat USB under a window, they still close and lock fine, and plug it in to an indoor outlet.
As far as mice and rodents, you’ll probably need the cam fairly close to the area where the activity is, and probably turn the sensitivity up. @antonius might be the expert on wildlife activity (though his creatures tend to be larger I think).
My v4 picks up rabbits no problem at the middle (50) sensitivity setting and around 10 to 15 feet away. I don’t know about further as I have the detection zone set to only that distance. I don’t have rodents in that area that I know of so not sure if it would catch them or not.
I don’t have a V4 outdoors, and this is southern California so substantially less intense winter. I do have one V3 that is totally in the weather. It’s the standard cable that comes with the camera. I am running as dave27 said an “in use” cover (required by code now) so the USB wall wart is protected. Worked fine for several years in our rain.
In addition to what @dave27 mentioned, you might want to consider a couple of other things:
The Cam v4 Outdoor Bundle’s product page notes that it includes both a Cam v4 and an Outdoor Power Adapter. In the photos, that appears to be the older Outdoor Power Adapter and not the newer Universal Outdoor Adapter. If cable length is an issue (Cam v4 itself includes a 6′ USB-A to Micro-B cable), then that could factor into your decision, depending on how and where you plan to mount the Cam. The older and newer Outdoor Adapters would provide more cable length, but they’re not the same length (the newer one is longer). I’d want to know more about what’s in the bundle before buying.
Given your specific mention of Canadian winters, you might want to look at Cam v4’s “Operating temp: -4ºF - 122ºF (-20ºC - 50ºC)” (from the “Tech specs” section of its product page). I imagine that could also factor into your decision.
My experience using Cam v4 and other Wyze Cams outdoors has not been long-term and only in mild weather with the standard power adapters sheltered. (One current exception is a Cam OG I have on the front of the garage, which is powered by a Lamp Socket v2, but that power source is protected by a lighting sconce.) Depending on your situation and where you expect to see these creatures, you might also consider Cam OG Telephoto. That’s one I used for watching some rabbits nesting in a planter last year, and I had to move it farther away from the planter than I originally expected in order to have things in focus.
I have three V4 cams outdoors but they are powered from indoors. My Raccoon cam has been sitting 4 inches off the ground exposed to all kinds weather without issues. I have two V3 cams plugged into two smart switches the are plugged into an outdoor GCFI outlet with a cover like this, been in use for a few years.
I am in Canada as well and all my cameras are outside and have been running with no issues at all. My v4 has been outside for two years. Keep in mind though, if you are mounting your camera without any sort of overhead cover, don’t mount it upside down. Make sure the reset button and SD card slot are facing down. As @Antonius mentioned above, I use those Weatherproof covers.
