Hi folks, this isn't RV related but I'm hoping the solar experts in this forum can lend a helping hand with my project.I want to install a wireless IP webcam in a location where there are no electric outlets nearby.The webcams consume 4 to 7 watts and are powered by 5 to 12V DC current. I want to install a solar panel and a battery that will power the camera 24/7 but don't know the size of solar panel and battery required to make it work. I also don't know if I'll need peripheral components such as a charge controller.I have an old 125W automobile-type inverter with a cigarette-lighter plug lying around that I thought I could use and just connect the power adapter that comes with the webcam to the inverter. For aesthetics reasons, I'm hoping a motorcycle or UPS backup battery will work so I can house all the necessary components in a small weather-resistant enclosure near the webcam. If it helps determining the size of the solar panel and battery, the webcam will be installed in a full-sun location in the desert.Thanks in advance for your help.

I tried something similar when trying to power some trail cams with other than alkaline batteries. I bought some small motorcycle like batteries off ebay that said AGM and they died quickly. The charger that came with them although rated correctly seemed to blow out one cam so I threw all that stuff in the trash and went back to duracell alkaline after also trying the Amazon alkaline AA batteries. Amazon AA are not comparable to Duracell. They are cheaper so given their performance they may be cost effective for some. I will also look forward to others ideas. Thanks for posting.

Sounds like a fun project.First off, get a multimeter and measure the actual current draw of the web cam. Cut the DC side of the power cord and patch the meter in series with one of the conductors, so power flows from the wall adapter, through the meter, through the camera and back to the adapter. If you don't want to do this, and your range is 4 to 7 watts, lets just round that up to 10 to make the math easy. The battery needs to run the camera, well, most of the time. 10 watts times 18 hours (conservatively) is 180 watt-hours. 180 watt-hours divided by 12 volts is 15 amp-hours... that's about the size of a garden tractor battery (I don't know what size a motorcycle takes, is it similar?)You want a panel that can push out 180 watts in 6 hours for the battery, plus another 60 watts for the camera... 240 watt-hours divided by 6 hours is 40 watts. You want a 40 watt panel, at a minimum.Yes, you want a charge controller. It doesn't need to be MPPT, that won't help much at these lower power levels... any 'ol cheapy off eBay will be fine. The controller is more to keep the battery from being destroyed if too much power comes in.Lastly, you don't want or need to use an inverter. Instead get an adjustable DC-DC converter, like a DROK and set it to whatever voltage your camera wants. This will save on waste caused by the inverter and waste caused by the wall adapter.

I used an earlier version of a Moultrie Power Panel to power an Wi-Fi POE bullet cam. The camera was not streaming. I used it to send photos to an ftp server when motion was sensed. I ended up moving the camera to a different location that had power available so I did not use it over a winter, but I do not believe the batter would last over night in the cold temperatures and limited sunlight of December & January.

It would be best to know the power demands for six days. Size the battery from that information, and then size the panels to keep the bank full.Without knowing the energy needed any answer would be just a guess.

Thanks for the prompt replies.The reason the wattage varies from 4 to 7 watts is based on the different cameras that I might use. Same for the 5 to 12V DC current.For the sake of simplicity, what would I need in terms of solar panel and battery if I used a camera that uses a constant 7 watts 24/7?

Need help with small solar project | Good Sam Community

GordonThree
Explorer
Oct 26, 2017
Sounds like a fun project.

First off, get a multimeter and measure the actual current draw of the web cam. Cut the DC side of the power cord and patch the meter in series with one of the conductors, so power flows from the wall adapter, through the meter, through the camera and back to the adapter. If you don't want to do this, and your range is 4 to 7 watts, lets just round that up to 10 to make the math easy.

The battery needs to run the camera, well, most of the time. 10 watts times 18 hours (conservatively) is 180 watt-hours. 180 watt-hours divided by 12 volts is 15 amp-hours... that's about the size of a garden tractor battery (I don't know what size a motorcycle takes, is it similar?)

You want a panel that can push out 180 watts in 6 hours for the battery, plus another 60 watts for the camera... 240 watt-hours divided by 6 hours is 40 watts. You want a 40 watt panel, at a minimum.

Yes, you want a charge controller. It doesn't need to be MPPT, that won't help much at these lower power levels... any 'ol cheapy off eBay will be fine. The controller is more to keep the battery from being destroyed if too much power comes in.

Lastly, you don't want or need to use an inverter. Instead get an adjustable DC-DC converter, like a DROK and set it to whatever voltage your camera wants. This will save on waste caused by the inverter and waste caused by the wall adapter.
azrving
Explorer
Oct 26, 2017
I tried something similar when trying to power some trail cams with other than alkaline batteries. I bought some small motorcycle like batteries off ebay that said AGM and they died quickly. The charger that came with them although rated correctly seemed to blow out one cam so I threw all that stuff in the trash and went back to duracell alkaline after also trying the Amazon alkaline AA batteries. Amazon AA are not comparable to Duracell. They are cheaper so given their performance they may be cost effective for some.

I will also look forward to others ideas. Thanks for posting.

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