Wx Cam adventures

[xairbusdriver]

Thanks Felix, haven't had time to finish reading the white papers Bull linked to. That AC part certainly explains the lack of voltage drop in the 100' cable! Didn't know about that (among several hundred other things). I knew about the 'hand-shake/communications' part, but I still don't understand why the 'tech' thought I needed a higher voltage unless there is info not published about that camera. Multi-camera setups, using a multi-port switch, could certainly benefit from the higher capacity output, but he even stated/agreed, early on, that any kind of multi-port switch would be over-kill for one camera. Of course, having more ports might make it possible to sell more cameras...

My 97 year old F-i-L passed away last Tuesday evening and I've been pretty busy since then. He would have loved to hear about PoE. He went to Chicago when electricity was first coming to our rural Arkansas area. He was a very sharp fellow and would have made an outstanding electrical Engineer, if he'd ever had the opportunity to get more education. But that was almost as hard as getting people to accept this "new-fangled 'lectricity" when they didn't see any point in it! After all, no one had refrigerators (ice box, anyone?), and certainly no TV (battery powered radios were just fine and you could charge up the battery as long as you could crank up the old truck!). "Wiring a house" back then usually meant running a line to a light bulb holder hanging in the middle of one room! Free chain switch, included! The really well of might ask for the "two room special"! It didn't take long until everyone thought it was so simple they could do it themselves. He soon grew tired of fixing other peoples mistakes and gave up this burgeoning technology. But he was still sharp as a tack, even in his 70's; he could tell the bank clerk the payout at the end of a CD/Bond with just the interest rate and the purchase price, faster than the clerk could with the calculator!

I only wish everyone could have such a man in their life.

[elagache]

Dear X-Air, Felix, and WeatherCat tinkerers,

Standard voltages listed for 'normal' Ethernet PoE switches and/or mid-span injectors are 12, 24, and 48volts.

Okay, if that's what the manufacturer wants . . . can't argue with that.  Puzzling though that they would do something that is outside the official standards.  My concern is that Ethernet may not be able to provide enough current at such a low voltage given how long you are trying to run this cable.

Note that I had over a dozen emails from/to the tech and I described the injector more than once, almost from the beginning. As well as the length of cable being used. Details like what voltage is needed by any device is not something that should be left to assumptions, in my humble opinion.

Okay, you did your homework and tried to get the best advice you could get.  I suppose the most likely assumption is that you got a lemon camera and the next one will work properly.  I'll be glad to hear when you finally up and running on this camera!

PoE injectors are pretty cool pieces of hardware. AC line power is first converted to high voltage DC by a diode bridge. Then the DC power is switched on and off by a transistor controlled by a power supply controller IC. The chopped DC is fed into a flyback transformer which converts it into low voltage AC. Finally, this AC is converted back into DC again and filtered to obtain smooth power free of interference. Lastly, power is output through the RJ45-type jack. A feedback circuit measures the output voltage and sends a signal to the controller IC, which adjusts the switching frequency to obtain the correct voltage needed by the powered device.

  . . . . . In the voice of Silvester the cat:

S-s-s-s-simple . . . . isn't it! . . . . 

Cheers, Edouard 

[xairbusdriver]

The key to maintaining the voltage is actually using AC instead of DC. Essentially, AC electrons don't have to travel all the way around the circuit, they just move back and forth a fraction of the distance. In other words, they "see" only the resistance in a small part of the wire/circuit. DC loses a lot of energy (voltage) since it "sees" the total resistance. Do understand this is a super, non-scientific, geralization usually preferred for training pilots! The main thing we had to know was: Push the stick and houses get bigger, pull the stick and houses get smaller. K.I.S.S.

I must also note the tech said the camera came up fine on their machines and he set the IP address, in case that was part of the problem. I chose door #2, a refund.

BTW, 48 volts is just a convenient multiple. According to the IEEE standards, the actual voltage can vary between 44 to as much as 57. It's up to the using device to handle that range. I also confirmed that the Foscam 9805E will operate with as little as 5 volts and uses the older 802.3af standard. The L-Comm tech confirmed that the injector is the newer 802.3at version, but, like most 'standards', it is backwards compatible with af equipment. Hoping for a better experience around the end of the week! Also highly recommend the 'white paper' links in Bull's post. Quite good info in not too technical terms.

[elagache]

Dear X-Air and WeatherCat tinkerers,

Also highly recommend the 'white paper' links in Bull's post. Quite good info in not too technical terms.

Sorry if some of my posts are off the beam, but I'm desperately struggling on other fronts and just cannot devote as much time to the WeatherCat forum as I used to.  This headlight upgrade for my trusty wagon has become something of a monumental undertaking.  I just finished building this housing for the electrical components.  It started out as a computer generated template glued to aluminum sheet metal:



That I managed to bend and rivet into this really nice looking aluminum housing:



Amazingly the electrical components actually do bolt on to the housing:



Better still, the whole thing actually does fit inside the engine bay:



Even better still, the housing rides up inside the space between in the inner and outer fender, so that as little precious space inside the engine bay is lost:



If you compare this last photo with the third photo in this posting, you'll realize how much of the component housing is above the fuse block, liberating the space below should something else have to be squeezed into my wagon's very crowded engine bay.

Next up wiring, and of course, a whole new slew problems . . . .

So this is definitely the long way to apologize, but I'm running at full-throttle and I'll be hit or miss on this forum until finally the engine for my wagon returns and I have to stop working like it or not.

Cheers, Edouard 

[LesCimes]

I know what you mean about trying to keep a presence on the forum - so many other things demanding attention. Appreciate all that you do manage to post and to keep the forum lively and engaging.

[xairbusdriver]

The part I don't understand is how an owner of a station wagon can complain about not having enough space!

BTW, I think I saw a box just like that on Amazon... $2.95, In Stock! Of course, you'd need to be a Prime member to get free shipping... it really pays to shop around, Edouard.

[elagache]

Dear X-Air and WeatherCat automotive enthusiasts,

The part I don't understand is how an owner of a station wagon can complain about not having enough space!

Does this answer your question!



There is so little space in Biquette's engine bay now that she has a big-block engine in it, that the standard steering column linkage wouldn't fit!  I had decided on an aftermarket steering column because of the transmission upgrade, but it turned out to be a very good idea!!

BTW, I think I saw a box just like that on Amazon... $2.95, In Stock! Of course, you'd need to be a Prime member to get free shipping... it really pays to shop around, Edouard.

   Oh yeah!  I dare you to provide a link to that item! 

Cheers, Edouard 

P.S.  It is a long story, but the family is an Amazon Prime member.  Good thing too, I just received a ratcheting crimper that I didn't know I needed until Saturday! 

[xairbusdriver]

Here's your <link>! Read it and weep!

[Felix]

Here's your <link>! Read it and weep!

Too much free time on your hands, xairbusdriver.   

[xairbusdriver]

Too much free time...

You noticed?! I'm waiting on the camera delivery, tomorrow. [twiddle_thumbs] Although I've got some small 'honey-do' items I've worked off the list. I need to start converting to Mr. van der Kuil's latest version of his Leuven-Template, but... "Never put off till tomorrow what you can put off till next week!"

I just used some of the CSS from my mailscamalert site and 'borrowed' some of Edouard's images. One should be very careful what one posts on the www! You never know what might happen to it! I'm basically looking for anything I can do to stay inside!

[elagache]

Dear X-Air, Felix, and WeatherCat "getting something done" types!

Too much free time on your hands, xairbusdriver.   

That might qualify for the understatement of the year! 

I spent an hour this morning at NAPA auto parts trying to get all the electrical connectors needed for this headlight relay upgrade and still couldn't find some way to disconnect the 8 gauge power feed wire.  So this afternoon in desperation I ordered a second MANL inline fuse holder.  It has screw connectors to secure the wires on each side.  I already have one with a 30 Amp fuse to protect the main power feed has it goes from the passenger side of the car to the driver's side.  So make sure that I don't get a rogue fuse blowing in a place I cannot reach, I bought some 40 Amp fuses.  The fuse holder on the passenger side is 30 Amps - so I shouldn't get any surprises.

All this so I that I could get some way to quickly disconnect an 8 gauge wire . . . . .

Remembering those immortal words of Silvester the cat:

S-s-s-s-simple . . . . isn't it!   

Cheers, Edouard 

P.S. The good news is that Amazon carried these items in stock and with Amazon Prime, I should have all the connectors needed to wire up the housing by Friday.

[xairbusdriver]

30... 40(!) amps? Are these for headlights or marine search lights?! Maybe an arc welder for repairs on some lonely road...

Personally, I always recommend Molex brand connectors. I think their <MAX-LOC> system is ideal for your needs.

Shade-tree, "What size fuses do I need?"
NAPA clerk, "Well, the maximum current flow, with a dead short shouldn't be more than 75 amps, but you can fit a 100 amp fuse in there, so I'd recommend an adaptor so you can put a pair of 150 amp fuses in there. And they come with one of those Eee lectrik far 'stinquishers, fer free!"

[Felix]

Shade-tree, "What size fuses do I need?"
NAPA clerk, "Well, the maximum current flow, with a dead short shouldn't be more than 75 amps, but you can fit a 100 amp fuse in there, so I'd recommend an adaptor so you can put a pair of 150 amp fuses in there. And they come with one of those Eee lectrik far 'stinquishers, fer free!"

Driver, I about spilled my coffee on the keyboard when I read your latest quip.   

I gotta admit, I look forward to clicking on the WeatherCat forum every morning to see what witty comment(s) you've posted since my last visit.

[xairbusdriver]

And you accuse me of having too much free time?! Pardon me, I gotta call Mr. Pot... 

[xairbusdriver]

Camera arrived. Works fine with the included power supply. Does not work with PoE only. Language barrier for the US branch of the company in Houston, TX? Obviously, the 'support' people are not in the US. Bottom line, they think I need a higher powered injector, which they just happen to have in stock (56V/30W). Anyone need a 12V/12W model? I can make you a great deal!

I have an extension cord that should be able to reach the power-IN plug on the camera from an outlet in the garage, but I don't want to mount it until I know I have a PoE injector that will work with it. Just because I can reach the camera doesn't mean it will still work at the other end... I'll also need a double-ended, female adaptor to connect the 100 footer to the 20 footer to get to the router, so that's another reason to delay mounting the camera outside.

At least the video is sharp and the there are color/saturation/contrast/brightness/hue/sharpness controls. I have just discovered that the automatic IR function works; the camera is sitting on my desk, pointing inside, the Sun went behind some dark clouds and the camera switched to the IR view from the color mode. It also has audio IN/OUT, but I'm not in the mood to run any more cables in the 115?F+ attic!

Another arrival today was supposed to be another replacement CC! I decided to check my CC account Monday and I could not log in. Seems that is a problem 50% of the time. Long story, short: The first week of last May I get a call fro 'cardmember services' asking me to call. Seems they noticed a know fraudster phone number trying to use my CC number. They shut it down immediately. Monday, after an hour on the phone, speaking with four different agents, I finally figured out that the web log in was due to an attempt back on June 8! Yep, two weeks ago! All they did was lock my access! No phone call. No email. No killing the card. Nothing!! If I had not tried to log in Monday, it could have been months... years(?) before anything was done! To top it off, they wanted me to wait 10 days for the new card or pay $25 to get it by today! I kindly suggested that I could save the money and not wait by taking my business elsewhere. However, the fifth agent 'discovered' that she could send in by UPS for free. Such a deal. Just glad the phone has a volume limiter built in... Moral: If you pay off your CC bill every month, you are not a good customer; they really need that interest stuff! I'm soooo concerned about their viability, I may just send them some cash.