Homebrew Trailcameras

[Grizzly95]

Here is the clear one I used, I wouldn't think using a clear one will make any difference. And it makes it real easy to mark your holes.

[gkowen]

Yes I have done a w150.  It is the same as the w130 on the yeticam page as far as wiring goes. Mounting is a bit different because the lens is bigger and the flash is in a different place.  Ask away any questions.

Grizzly95, is your PIR sensor centered under the hole for the fresnel lens? It doesn't loook like it is.

[Grizzly95]

Yeah, the picture I took is making it look goofy, but it is as close as my "eye-crometer" could get it. Plus the style of standoffs I used leave a little room for adjustment.

[gkowen]

I just built one with a Wide Angle fresnel lens and used a round hole and didn't notice much difference than the regular lens. So now I just cut the hole rectangular to match the fresnel lens. I will see if this works better

[Grizzly95]

BobR, I didn't catch whether or not regular bondo will work the same as bondoglass? I used the standard pink stuff. I have used it on vehilces in the past with decent luck as long as it gets sealed good.

[bigdave]

Had my camera out last night and got a few pics. I need some advice on camera and dip-switch settings. With camera set on the green camera mode and dip-switch #6 turned on, it will take a pic once every 10 seconds. It runs the lens out on detection of motion, takes the pic, lens stays extended for about 6 seconds then retracts, extends again after 3 seconds and takes another pic. It will keep doing this process as long as it detects something in front of it. I'm looking for tips to speed this up. Seems like I heard or read about a setting to keep the lens extended all the time to save battery life and speed up the process?

[gkowen]

I run my camera with dipswitch 4 on and all others off.  It will keep the lens extended and take pics for as long as it senses motion. Then when it DOESN'T sense motion for about 30 seconds the camera turns back off.

[bigdave]

gkowen,

Are you on the green camera icon for your camera setting? I will test again.

[gkowen]

I use the green camera icon, the 'P' setting and the ISO setting.  In the ISO setting the camera won't flash so its nice for testing.

[bigdave]

Also what flash setting? Auto?

Sorry guys, I'm a slow learner....

[gkowen]

Best way to learn is to ask. I use auto or off.  Sometimes I don't want my camera flashing to show where it is.

[bigdave]

Still, in out pic, in out pic with about a 10 sec cycle.

I read the control board manual from yeti. The only difference I can see in my wiring is that I put the switch on the black wire instead of the red wire on the battery wires to the control board. Would that matter?

[Grizzly95]

Sorry guys, I'm a slow learner....

And you are a teacher....

[gkowen]

That's not the standard way of doing it but it shouldn't really hurt anything.  You have which camera and wich control board? Also, make sure all the dip switches are off with number 4 on.  It is easy to have the dip switches on with only 4 off.  It seems I remember someone else having this trouble and they if I remember right had the power wire and the shutter wire switched.  Disconnect your camera from the control board and use something to short between the red wire on the connector and the black. The camera should turn on and stay on.  Then short between the green and the black and the camera should take a photo. Then short green to black again and it should take another photo.  It should not turn off until you short the red to black again or the camera turns itself off after a few minutes of no activity.

[bigdave]

I performed those tests and everything worked perfectly. Pic after pic without running the lens in and out. weird hooked it back up to the board and in out in out.

My cam is a w80 with the yeticam board. Switch four is the only one "on" as labeled on the board.