External trigger from Wyze Camera

Ask the Community
#1

All:

I am looking for a workaround to activating a light when motion is detected on a camera. Now it would be simple to do so with the Wyze bulb or plug I would think, but they are not available in Canada. I was looking at ITFFF, but not sure without getting too complicated to trigger an external device how it could be done.

Any suggestions?

If there was some way to initiate a trigger to say a Arduino project which could then control other parameters I would tackle that, but looking for a way to somehow recognize the camera triggering and event.

Perhaps a IFTTT relay?

#2

I use Google Home, WYZE V2 camera and Smart Life with generic Wifi plugs.
You can connect WYZE and Smart Life to Google Home.
It works but only turns the light on when it detects motion. No way to turn it off when the motion stops.
I created a Google routine that turns the light on then back off 30 seconds later.
I am in Canada too by the way.

EDIT
I am so full of crap.
It is IFTTT that I used not Google Home.

#3

Does the routine trigger pretty fast with google? I was trying to turn on a non wyze plug based on camera motion the other day using IFTTT and it was really slow. I have never tried google routines and have everything setup with alexa.

#4

I have a Alexa, but unable to get it to recognize the camera in a skill routine (separate thread). IFTTT works if I could find a way to have the IFTTT trigger some relay, New to that so learning.

I am sure there must be some smart plugs out there that could be activated by ITFFF, even if I hacked a plug to run a Arduino project. The Arduino could control on/off time, a hysteresis and even a schedule if it wasn’t possible from the triggering event.

#5

WYZE and IFTTT are both slow and unreliable.
I’ve never really checked to see how long it takes in real life.
It’s in my garage and I’ve disabled the routine. It was just an experiment.
I watched the camera, opened the garage door and the light came on. I’ll check next week.

#6

I don’t even see where I can choose a v2 as a trigger for a routine in my google home app :joy:

#7

Ideally I would like to just hook into a pin on the pcb inside the camera for reliability and send it to a Arduino project. Too bad there wasn’t a led that flashed when the camera sensed movement, Might if so inclined to crack it open and scope around, Has to be something that is enabled when movement is triggered, Perhaps the sd card hardware. Always a way to hack something

#8

Amazon.ca has the plugs.

https://www.amazon.ca/Wyze-Labs-WLPP1-Smart-Two-Pack/dp/B07XZT24B8/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=wyze+plug&qid=1599254927&sr=8-2

#9

Thanks for that, Didn’t see them before, I assume with the plugs and bulbs no bridge is required, just a wifii connection.

#10

Yup only need wifi.

#11

Might make for a interesting project to hack one of the plugs. I am really looking to switch on and off a remote battery powered led lamp from any motion/person detected on the camera. The plugs processor and electronics no doubts just gets it’s power from the mains in some fashion.

#12

I don’t have a wyze plug to try but I think it would be pretty fast. The wyze cameras can trigger another camera pretty fast when motion is detected so I think the wyze plug would be the same. If you have the wyze sense motion sensor you can turn on many brands of smart bulbs/switches/plugs whenever motion is detected usually Triggers in 2sec or less for me.

#13

Kanuck… I shudda guessed Like to see it someday

#14

If you’re talking about Canada, what I’ve seen is beautiful. Wife is from Sherbrook and we went years ago. Ice inthe rivers in April but heat wave-temps in the 40’s🥶.
@bpl521- try unlinking and re-linking the Wyze skill in Alexa. That has solved problems for me in the past.
If you are trying to activate a battery powered light, why a plug? What would your trigger to the light be? If it’s WiFi controlled it should link with something. Also, the Wyze bulbs have worked well for me if you decide to go that route

#15

Try the WestCoast then you would really be impressed :blush:

A plug isn’t the ideal solution but it’s available, the trigger would come from the camera. Only assume that once it’s added as a device in Wyze you just add a routine in Wyze app to trigger the plug from movement?. Would be a hack project. Just convert the plugs power from mains to battery power. Can’t see why it wouldn’t work .

#16

I don’t know- it’s pretty complex.

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Obviously just kidding. You are right. The issues you might run into are 1) voiding your warranty by hacking (felt compelled to point out the obvious), but 2) the motion algorithm for the V2 and Pans is based on a pixel change algorithm which will interpret light changes as and motion you will get a lot of false alarms from both sun and from wind movement.
Be curious as to just how you would tap/change the plugs power to feed a battery device, if I’m understanding you correctly.

#17

Not speaking of hacking the camera. Just like your setup, camera senses movement/person sends the notification up to the cloud which then sends it back to a plug to activate a device. All I am looking to do is hack the plug so I can power it from a battery. It will still receive the notification from wifii. The electronics in the plug are more than likely powered via some stepdown switching power supply from mains to 3.3v or 5v power supply, Would still operate the same except be battery powered and only switching the internal relay/mosfet or triac whatever it uses to switch on a battery powered LED

#18

Thanks. I caught that it was the plug not the cam you wanted to hack, but was uncertain where you would hack. I got stuck on the idea of still powering the plug off 110 and didn’t see where you were going.
That sounds interesting. I have zero electronics knowledge, but enjoy tinkering. Please post back what you find out. It sounds like it will work fine if you can figure out the plug hack, and I might give it s shot.

#19

Seems a simple power inverter would supply your DC voltage but circuitry inside the plug would need to be altered as the plug is expecting AC voltage as it’s now wired

#20

Why not use an inverter from battery to plug to just power the plug with its expected 110? I have one I used in my car to power a heating pad for my Mom and it works great. Use it for lights inside when the power goes out now.
So far we are only at about $30(US), excluding battery, to power a $10 plug. :thinking: