Solar powered security cams?

[buckdeer1]

Has anyone tried taking a home security solar powered camera and using in an area that didn't have internet available? I am thinking I can program to connect to the app while at home and then take to farm for security for barns and use the micro SD card instead of being notified through the internet I would just have to pull the card if something occurred.

 

[MadMadHoosier]

I'm using several ReoLink battery/solar powered cams (with internet) and am mostly happy with them. One Argus 3 Pro (solar) is watching my barn and does a pretty good job recording cats, rabbits, possum, raccoons, skunks, ground hogs, and coyote. Another Argus 3 Pro is charged and set on my front porch to watch for package deliveries. No solar panel on this one, and it runs for 4-6 months between charging. Pretty impressive really. I have a Duo 2 (180 degree field of view) that I do not like at all. I have a few TrackMix (Pan/Tilt/zoom) battery/solar that are mostly good, but that would be a waste without internet to view and control remotely. Those are watching my farm gate and several deer crossings at the farm. I guess the Argus 3 Pros would do fine recording without internet, and you could occasionally swap SD cards or bring them into internet service to view the videos. Oh, access to the SD cards is also easiest on the Argus 3 Pros. They are under a rubber flap, where the other cams require tiny screws to be removed to access the SD cards.

 

[buckdeer1]

I will check out the argus 3 pro

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

I’ve got the reolink go pt plus and honestly it’s step above horrible. I think it has to be attached to the sun to keep charged. Despite being on top of a shop in full sunlight, the angle of the sun has changed since the summer and I’ve lost battery now for the last three months. It’s just decoration in the winter. I’ve got fiber internet coming any week now and I’m gonna do away with that and get something new and hardwire it. When it is working, you can only watch it live for seconds at a time before it loses service despite getting good Verizon coverage at that spot. I would look in a different direction

 

[MadMadHoosier]

I’ve got the reolink go pt plus and honestly it’s step above horrible. I think it has to be attached to the sun to keep charged. Despite being on top of a shop in full sunlight, the angle of the sun has changed since the summer and I’ve lost battery now for the last three months. It’s just decoration in the winter. I’ve got fiber internet coming any week now and I’m gonna do away with that and get something new and hardwire it. When it is working, you can only watch it live for seconds at a time before it loses service despite getting good Verizon coverage at that spot. I would look in a different direction

So a pt plus is cellular, right? That takes a bit more power than the wifi versions, but I’m surprised the solar panel does not keep up. The solar keeps all eight of my wifi versions charged with no problems. Well, except where a squirrel chewed through one of the cords, but that is repaired and working again.

And the Argus 3 pro really does run for months on a charge, or indefinitely on solar.

And my connectivity is dependent on a good wifi signal. The speeds on the fringe of WiFi range are not adequate for remote viewing, so I have some directional wifi antenna on a few access points to reach my gate and other locations. This antenna on a Ubiquiti bullet access point is pretty impressive at extending ranges.

Based on my wifi experiences, I’m not surprised cellular speeds are troublesome for Reolink remote viewing.

 

[buckdeer1]

We sell alot of the TP link wireless access points for people wanting to connect barns from house that has internet or else they have to bury underground ethernet but max on that is around 300 ft. My issue is I don't have electricity or internet at my barn so why I was thinking about activating a regular solar security cam with micro SD and then If I suspected someone had entered property at least I would have video.If this works they may make decent trail cams

 

[MadMadHoosier]

We sell alot of the TP link wireless access points for people wanting to connect barns from house that has internet or else they have to bury underground ethernet but max on that is around 300 ft. My issue is I don't have electricity or internet at my barn so why I was thinking about activating a regular solar security cam with micro SD and then If I suspected someone had entered property at least I would have video.If this works they may make decent trail cams

How far is your barn? I don’t have electric or internet at my gate - about 380 yards from the cabin. The Ubiquiti Bullet AP with direction antenna mentioned above gives very good signal from the cabin to the gate. The solar powered WiFi ReoLink connects reliably from the gate post, and notifies me if a vehicle, person, or animal comes into view. I also have a solar powered LiftMaster gate opener with MyQ connectivity that allows me to open and close the gate remotely, and further notifies me if the gate is opened or closed by someone else with the keypad or a clicker.
Below is an image I just snapped from the ReoLink camera. The bright streaks are from the sleet/ice storm going on right now.

 

[buckdeer1]

Yes I could do a point to point but I don't have internet as I don't have a house at the barn. I could run fiber to the barn and then I would have to run my internet equipt off solar.