Wyze v3 and Portable Power

I’ve read quite a few posts and comments about using usb power banks to run power to the v3 when there aren’t any electrical lines available…and I’ve learned a lot.

But has anyone tried to use something bigger - like a rechargeable jump pack (like one that is used to jumpstart a car)? Just wondering if they hold a better/longer charge and could provide more than a days worth of power like the usb power banks.

Thanks!

First, welcome to the community.

I’ve seen some people use large car batteries (enclosed in a waterproof case of course) to power cameras, and then use solar panels to charge the car battery. So that is an option. People have certainly done that. I have a solar powered electric fence battery/generator that I am looking to convert to do the same thing for a camera…just need to buy the right adapters first.

I have also seen several people use USB Power banks that will last multiple days. One guy was using a USB Power bank with 2 cams and said he got 3-5 days out of it before a recharge was needed, so he’d just swap out the power bank every 3-5 days and basically had continuous recording that way.
There are a few guys experimenting with USB powerbanks using “passthrough charging” and solar to keep it running constantly. I’m looking to hear back on some of those.

I haven’t heard offhand about a rechargeable jump pack yet, but I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work, and it should definitely last longer like you’d get from using a car battery.

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Check these out… Tons of really technical stuff!

:warning: WARNING :warning: : Searches for this type of innovation can lead you way down the rabbit hole!

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Thanks so much for the quick response! I’m not very technical, so some of the articles have been harder for me to follow…I learn better if I can see it and have someone with me who knows what they’re doing. But I’m trying, haha - lots of googling and trying to piece it all together.

And with the battery…do you think would a car or marine battery power the camera longer (safer?) than one of those rechargeable jump packs?

Oh wow, this is amazing!!

I’ve already been down a few of those rabbit holes, but you just opened up a piece of the multiverse here! Thank you for the help!!

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As far as battery tech goes, you can get extremely expensive batteries (Lithium\Gel\AGM, etc.) or cheaper ones.

But, the good ones you would need would be considered Deep Cycle for Marine applications or Solar application even better. They can be discharged further and provide a more even discharge curve.

They are measured in Amp Hours rather than cranking amps. 1 Amp Hour is just what it says. Lasts for 1 hour on a 1 Amp draw. 100 Ah = 100 hours @ 1 Amp or 20 hours @ 5 Amps.

The V3 Draws about 1.12 amps @ 5.1V DC (5.712 watts). So the first thing you will need is something with a simple converter already built in. They sell a cord with alligator clips on one end for the battery connection and a 12V cig lighter receptacle on the other. Then use a 5V USB cig lighter adapter like you would for charging your phone. Preferably one without a LED light that will draw power. That will at least get you experimenting with what you have. It will probably mean regular charging though if you don’t add a charge controller and solar.

So, the higher the Amp Hour (Ah) rating on the battery, the longer it will last before needing to be recharged. Each battery brand\type will only recommend 50% to 80% discharge before recharging depending on the quality. The % you discharge will affect the life of the battery. The deeper you discharge it, the more it takes from the number of charge cycles it can withstand in it’s life cycle. Good batteries will publish the data and graphs to show where the discharge sweet spot is for max battery life.

There are many calculation pages online to help you calculate the number of hours your ? Ah 12V battery will run w\ a 1.12 amp @ 5.1V DC (5.712 Watt) draw down to ?% before a full recharge.

UPDATE EDIT: Theoretical numbers here in a theoretically perfect world:

If you bought a high quality purpose built 100Ah 12v deep cycle battery, 100Ah x 12V= 1200Wh… @ 85 % discharge = 1020Wh delivered… @ 5.712W = 178.57 hours service. About a week. If you have a 50% discharge life cycle sweet spot = 105 hours to get the longest life from the battery. With a charge controller, this can all be automated to extend the life of the battery.

A 100Ah 12V AGM will run about $200. Double that for a Lithium.

Good luck!

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You did awesome work in here @SlabSlayer ! Thanks for helping out with such great effort.

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