USB port

Cameras
1

Hi everyone,

Can someone tell what the USB port at the back of the camera is for? Thanks!

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2

It is there as a power pass-through to power another nearby camera without having to run a separate USB power cord.

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3
USB Port: Supports daisy chaining up to 3 WyzeCams to share a single instance of the provided power adapter.
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4

Whoa! it makes the wyze cam even better! Thank you so much!!!

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5

Hello iMacoo7, I assume that your comment regarding daisy chaining 3 cameras together also applies to the V2, is that correct? While monitoring the two cameras I have connected to each other, I rarely see it go over .66amps. So I assume 3 cameras would peak about 1 amp or so.

6

Isn’t the maximum cable length for USB (including extenders) about 16ft? Wouldn’t that put the third WyzeCam too far away from the power adapter?

7

Hello, remember we aren’t talking about data, there are limitations on how long a USB cable can be before you need either a booster or repeater. We are only talking about power. So the limitation there is on how much resistance the wire has, determined by it’s length and size.

8

Thanks, John, that’s good to know. In doing my research, none of the sources I found made a distinction between power/data in limiting cable length.

9

silly me, not bothering to read anything, i went and plugged in a usb flash drive and then wondered why it was not recording to it !

 

 

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10

Do I need to plug the unit into the power adapter or can I plug it into an electric outlet with a USB outlet, see below what I have.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074KGSD23/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

11

Hello, that link appears to be a regular GFI outlet.

 

If you are referring to outlet that has built in USB adapters like this one…

https://www.amazon.com/TOPGREENER-TU2154A-Electrical-Receptacle-Screwless/dp/B00IAZIU5Y/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1525640170&sr=1-2-spons&keywords=usb+outlet&psc=1

Then yes, you can use the built in USB port. Otherwise you will need a USB power adapter like the one that came with the camera. Also keep in mind that you can daisy chain cameras off of one power plug as long as it can support at least 1 amp of power. (Most USB plugs today provide a minimum of 1 amp, it will tell you in the fine print of the power adapter). Assuming it does, you can plug 2 additional camera in by using the second USB port in each camera. The first one plugs into the wall or power adapter, the second plugs into the first one, and the third camera then plugs into the second one.

 

Hope that helps,

John

12

John,

 

Thanks for the reply very much appreciated.

13

Wouldn’t it be nice if someone made one of these with individually controllable smart switches so you could power them on and off remotely? But I don’t think there would be room for the relays, let alone the additional electronics.

14

Hello BuckEye, all of my interior cameras are currently controlled by Alexa for power. This way my wife can turn them all on or off by one command. Basically she says “Alexa turn off cameras” and it turns them all off at once. She still isn’t thrilled about them being scattered throughout the house, so I tried using IFTTT to let her know when they were turned on or off, but that was awful. It would send a notification every 5-15 minutes and it got old. So I am not experimenting with putting an LED light in parallel with the camera’s power and mounting in my mounting plate. So when the camera is on the LED will come on. I have two that I am testing, one is a green LED and the other one is a red/blue/green one. Since they are only 3 volts, I only need a 100 ohm resister. I will post a picture when I am done.

Back to your point, on/off is easy… use a power block that you can control. I primarily use Wemo and Kasa, my internal cameras are hooked up to a power strip that can have each of the power outlets controlled separately and then it also has 4 usb ports that have to be controlled in a group. Also starting to play with a few SONOFF devices…

Here is the power strip…

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0741689GH/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I really like the power strip…

hope that helps,

John

15

John,

Since you are already playing with them, you probably already know most of the following. This is for other interested parties.

The SONOFF devices are really nice if you want to have complete control over them. They can easily be flashed with https://github.com/arendst/Sonoff-Tasmota , and if you are using something like HA (Home Assistant) on a Raspberry Pi, they are a great fit.

And they are really inexpensive.

The only downside (and it is common with many of the smart switches, including the power strip you linked to) is their lack of UL testing.

https://www.reddit.com/r/esp8266/comments/58ppoo/sonoff_wifi_smart_switch_regulatory_conformity/

But there have been many reports by Makers (AKA hardware hackers) that the SONOFF use a reasonably safe layout (with air gaps between high and low voltage runs). The biggest issue is their use of solder as a conductor instead of using a copper shunt.

Peter Scargill https://tech.scargill.net/sonoff-to-mains-block/ likes them, but uses them for lower amperage than they claim to support.

Here’s a recent Hack a Day post: https://hackaday.com/2018/02/06/hacking-a-sonoff-wifi-switch/

But here is the bad issue: https://everythingesp.com/buyer-beware/ If you have a fire, and the insurance company finds unapproved devices, your claim may be denied.

16

BuckEye, you are absolutely correct on all accounts. Especially with the SONOFF devices, you have to be very careful with those since you are basically doing your own wiring (basically you cut the power cord in half, insert the SONOFF device in the middle). They do also provide power blocks as well.

The only devices I have wired in the wall are my Wemo, but now that you mention it I should go check and verify they are UL listed. There are risk with anything we use. I have two 3D printers, a Delta with a 300 mm build area and then a smaller one with a 200 mm area. So I attached a WyzeCam to the one I use the most just so I can keep an eye on it when I am downstairs, then using Wemo power block, I can turn it off immediately if it go awry.

One of the things I am looking forward to working with is when we get IFTTT support for the WyzeCam. I want to test the alert feature when it hears a smoke alarm, I can then take (hopefully appropriate) action and power some things off, turn other on as needed.

Anyway, good advice to everyone including me, be careful and realize sometimes things don’t go as planned.

 

17

So as not to overly concern anyone, the WyzeCams are fine, they only use 5 volts and draw very little current. But you still need to be careful where you plug it in. I strongly recommend not purchasing those cheap USB chargers that you see in the check out isle in the stores. The voltage is not your problem, it is the current. And those cheap USB chargers are not worth the risk.

If you have had put batteries in your pocket (even just 1.5 volt AAA) with coins and have them short out, they can get very hot. So don’t go cheap, be mindful of what you are buying and from whom.

Still Love the WyzeCam!!! Keep up the great work and thanks again BuckEye!!

18

Wouldn’t that be smart to note that on the quick setup kit to let customers know what that the Big Ass USB is for.