I like my house's security cameras, perhaps too much, and I'd often thought about installing one looking back at the house from the driveway. But, there was no power receptacle there. I thought about digging a trench to bring Ethernet there, or making use of Comcast's conduit, but the first seemed like way too much effort—especially getting under the driveway—and Comcast wouldn't look kindly on the second.
It occurred to me that the post lights were wired, and they had power for 4-5 hours a day starting at sunset, so how about a battery powering a wireless camera, charged by tapping off the post light power. So, I acquired the ingredients:
- GFCI, Waterproof box, outdoor receptacle box, wire, screws, duct seal, etc.
The power bank could power the camera for nearly 2 days between charging, is an LFP battery so it should be able to cycle for several years and not be a fire risk. It also has an app and a wireless connection of its own, so I can check on the power, temperature, charging status. The camera is decent, not as good picture-wise as the G6, but I had it left over after an upgrade. The charger is just a moderately priced one I picked off the rack at Best Buy, it has 1 useful feature with an extensible USB-C ribbon cable which was convenient slipping through small spaces.
I had hopes of charging from a GFCI outlet with a built in USB-C outlet but none of the ones I tried could charge my power bank. Luckily, while large the charger's extendable cord was at a 90° angle and thus the whole assembly fit in my outdoor receptacle box.
I was concerned I might have to vent the battery box, but I put the box on the north side of the post avoiding the direct sun, and with the less than 2W the camera is drawing during the day, the box has been basically ambient temperature so 90+° on a hot day. We'll see how it deals with the one day a year we go below zero Fahrenheit.
Several days later and it's been working fine. More than enough time to fully recharge the batteries, I could probably even put a second camera to watch the mail box and still have battery to spare.
