off-grid cam with a raspberry pi pico - taking a picture every few hours

[dhubs]

hi there and good day dear friends


first of all lemme tell you that i am soo glad to be part of this awesome forum
i am very very happy to be here -

its a awesome place to share ideas and experience. Your work is so great - keep it up!!!!



Is it possible to build a off-grid cam with a raspberry pi pico that takes a picture every few Hours

well i think that in the area of Raspberry Pi-off-grid projects, power management plays a crucial role. It's not just about keeping the off-grid-device up and running; No - ist much much more. i think that it's all about ensuring optimal performance, stability, and longevity of the off-grid-project.


well my friends told me that i can do this with an ESP32-CAM. Cheap. Simple. Low power. Established design and software. but i wonder if it is not possible to do this with a Zero or Pico

i am pretty sure that i need to install a library or app for the photo taking. probably we can get motion or I think there's even a camera app included in most pi distributions.
even better if the Pi has a camera. very important - to make sure that the Pi has a battery. what if i have really long times between recharges - well if so then i should have a look into different battery technology or even a solar panel that charges a battery every day for the Pi to drain.

look forward to hear from you

best regards

[michaelk]

https://www.raspberrypi.com/document...es/camera.html
https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-offic...what-you-need/

[dhubs]

good day dear MichaelK

thank you for the reply. This is a great hint!

Glad to be here - in your awesome forum.

Have a great day !!!

Greetings

[Demanding Truth]

When you do get your off grid camera system up'n running, it's crucial it is protected from drastic temperature changes and moisture.. That's what destroys thousands of expensive surveillance camera systems annually... The guys staffing this town's dump told me that their whole surveillance camera system went down the moment winter began.. They told me that the town doesn't plan to replace the $15,000 system again...

The worst thing for a camera is it to switch it On when it's frozen.. That kills sensitive mosfet transistors hard and fast...
I would establish a solar powered heating/cooling system that maintains the cameras at a constant 70-degrees F.
Maybe the 12-volt DC tellurium chips from electric car coolers might be the solution..? Wire them up to 12-volt DC they cool.. Reverse the polarity they warm.. Whenever I find a tossed out 12-volt cooler I save the tellurium chip.. BUT! Do Not handle a cracked or broken tellurium chip without rubber gloves, a good dust mask, and being upwind of it.. One tiny breath of tellurium dust, your breath will be garlic smelling for 20-years.. Avoid the infamous 'tellurium curse'...

Seems the system surveillance would need a thermostat controlled switching circuit tellurium chip.. Not easy to build from scratch unless you are an electronics wizard hobbyist, but there are many bored wise electronics hobbyists out there begging for new project ideas in their youtube videos and websites...

Same warning goes for our consumer electronic products: phones, mp3 music players, car video players, car radios, watches, GPS, and such left in the car to freeze or overheat .. Warm the car up before you switch those toys On.. They can't handle repeated sudden drastic temperature changes and moisture, is why I always seal a frozen electronic device in a clean dry baggie before bringing it into the house from freezing temperatures, and let it warm-up to room temperature before turning it On.. Then it lasts forever.. Without the baggie, moisture collects inside it on its circuits while it's warming up.. That moisture shorts sensitive ultra-modern transistors causing them to weaken and suicide inside... Treat your electronics like a baby...


Another tip to save your electronics from early death: If you are renovating/repainting the home's interior, and are sanding putty, all your electronics must be first sealed in plastic bags before starting the sanding to keep that destructive dust out.. That dust kills electronics hard and fast... Professional painters should know and do this...
Never ever vacuum up drywall sanding dust with a vacuum cleaner nor shop-vac.. It will kill the vacuum within a few months.. It destroys the motor's bearings so fast.. When I was a pro-painter I saved-up old vacuum cleaners from garage sales, flea-markets, and the dump.. I destroyed a junk vac every two months vacuuming-up that horrid drywall dust 'powdered sandpaper'.. In a few weeks their bearings would be screaming, then the motor would overheat and smoke, and that was the end of it...

If your new vac isn't vacuuming, take it to the coin car-wash, take it apart a bit, and pressure-wash the filth off and out of all of it.. Switch it to On, then plug it in from a distance.. Do not touch it when it's wet.. Let it sit running outside for about ten-minutes in the sun to get the water out of the motor, unplug it, and let all it dry in the hot sun for a couple days.. Reassemble it, and run it 15-minutes to dry the filters.. It'll probably work again like new...

Never have a notebook computer or tower resting near a furnace vent.. The computer's fans will suck-up the airborne dust causing the computer to overheat and self-destruct...
Before you clean, vac, sweep, or raise dust in the room, turn all electronics Off so the fans don't pull-in airborne dust... A little responsibility comes with owning and using sensitive electronics...
Some corporations spend nearly half a $million on clean rooms for their computers and phone systems to keep out the killer dust so they won't be replacing it all in ten-years...


Good luck with your camera Dhubs...

[kathlinx]

Using a Raspberry Pi Pico to build an off-grid camera that takes photos periodically is a neat way to leverage the Pico's low power consumption.

I think the Pico could definitely work for this, especially if you pair it with a camera module and a battery pack. As you mentioned, power management will be key - you'll want to make sure the setup is efficient and the battery can last as long as possible between charges.

For the software side, there are a few different libraries and apps you could use to capture the photos, like the official Raspberry Pi Camera Library or a third-party solution like OpenCV. And you're right, solar charging could be a great way to keep the battery topped up if you have long periods between manual recharges.

[dhubs]

dear both - many many thanks for your reply!

i am very happy to her from you

dear @kathlinx

Using a Raspberry Pi Pico to build an off-grid camera that takes photos periodically is a neat way to leverage the Pico's low power consumption.
I think the Pico could definitely work for this, especially if you pair it with a camera module and a battery pack. As you mentioned, power management will be key - you'll want to make sure the setup is efficient and the battery can last as long as possible between charges.
For the software side, there are a few different libraries and apps you could use to capture the photos, like the official Raspberry Pi Camera Library or a third-party solution like OpenCV. And you're right, solar charging could be a great way to keep the battery topped up if you have long periods between manual recharges.

...Thank you dear kathlinx, so much for your detailed response! 🙌

I really appreciate the encouragement and the suggestions you've shared. It?s exciting to hear that the Raspberry Pi Pico could work for this kind of off-grid project with some planning!

I'll definitely look into the Raspberry Pi Camera Library and OpenCV for the software side?those sound like excellent tools to get started. As for power management, I agree that efficiency will be crucial. I'll explore using a solar charging setup combined with a good battery pack. Do you have any recommendations for specific battery types or solar panels that work well with low-power projects like this?

Also, I was wondering: are there any particular camera modules that are compatible with the Pico? Or would I need to add extra hardware to connect a more advanced module?

Looking forward to your advice, and thanks again for taking the time to help out!


....Demanding Truth, you write:

When you do get your off grid camera system up'n running, it's crucial it is protected from drastic temperature changes and moisture.. That's what destroys thousands of expensive surveillance camera systems annually... The guys staffing this town's dump told me that their whole surveillance camera system went down the moment winter began.. They told me that the town doesn't plan to replace the $15,000 system again...

The worst thing for a camera is it to switch it On when it's frozen.. That kills sensitive mosfet transistors hard and fast...
I would establish a solar powered heating/cooling system that maintains the cameras at a constant 70-degrees F.
Maybe the 12-volt DC tellurium chips from electric car coolers might be the solution..? Wire them up to 12-volt DC they cool.. Reverse the polarity they warm.. Whenever I find a tossed out 12-volt cooler I save the tellurium chip.. BUT! Do Not handle a cracked or broken tellurium chip without rubber gloves, a good dust mask, and being upwind of it.. One tiny breath of tellurium dust, your breath will be garlic smelling for 20-years.. Avoid the infamous 'tellurium curse'...

Seems the system surveillance would need a thermostat controlled switching circuit tellurium chip.. Not easy to build from scratch unless you are an electronics wizard hobbyist, but there are many bored wise electronics hobbyists out there begging for new project ideas in their youtube videos and websites...

Same warning goes for our consumer electronic products: phones, mp3 music players, car video players, car radios, watches, GPS, and such left in the car to freeze or overheat .. Warm the car up before you switch those toys On.. They can't handle repeated sudden drastic temperature changes and moisture, is why I always seal a frozen electronic device in a clean dry baggie before bringing it into the house from freezing temperatures, and let it warm-up to room temperature before turning it On.. Then it lasts forever.. Without the baggie, moisture collects inside it on its circuits while it's warming up.. That moisture shorts sensitive ultra-modern transistors causing them to weaken and suicide inside... Treat your electronics like a baby...


Another tip to save your electronics from early death: If you are renovating/repainting the home's interior, and are sanding putty, all your electronics must be first sealed in plastic bags before starting the sanding to keep that destructive dust out.. That dust kills electronics hard and fast... Professional painters should know and do this...
Never ever vacuum up drywall sanding dust with a vacuum cleaner nor shop-vac.. It will kill the vacuum within a few months.. It destroys the motor's bearings so fast.. When I was a pro-painter I saved-up old vacuum cleaners from garage sales, flea-markets, and the dump.. I destroyed a junk vac every two months vacuuming-up that horrid drywall dust 'powdered sandpaper'.. In a few weeks their bearings would be screaming, then the motor would overheat and smoke, and that was the end of it...

If your new vac isn't vacuuming, take it to the coin car-wash, take it apart a bit, and pressure-wash the filth off and out of all of it.. Switch it to On, then plug it in from a distance.. Do not touch it when it's wet.. Let it sit running outside for about ten-minutes in the sun to get the water out of the motor, unplug it, and let all it dry in the hot sun for a couple days.. Reassemble it, and run it 15-minutes to dry the filters.. It'll probably work again like new...

Wow, Demanding Truth, thank you so much for this incredibly detailed and insightful advice! 🙌

I hadn?t fully considered the impact of drastic temperature changes and moisture on electronics, especially for an off-grid system. Your examples really drive home how critical it is to protect sensitive equipment from environmental extremes. The idea of using tellurium chips for a heating/cooling system is fascinating! I hadn?t thought about reusing components from 12-volt coolers?it?s a brilliant way to repurpose discarded tech.

I?ll definitely look into setting up some form of temperature regulation for the camera, especially since this project could face harsh weather conditions. Do you think a simpler heating solution like a small resistor-based heater might work for less extreme climates? Or would that lack the precision needed to maintain an ideal temperature range?

Your tips about moisture and dust are absolute gold, too. I hadn?t considered sealing the electronics in plastic bags during temperature transitions or sanding work?it?s such a simple precaution but makes so much sense.

Thanks again for sharing your wisdom?it?s clear you have a lot of experience with electronics care. I ll keep all of this in mind as I move forward with the project!


Above all.. I am just overwhelmed by your answers and the great help.its really amazing to see such great support.

thank you both - i am really glad to be part of this great forum!!!

have a great day

greetings

[Demanding Truth]

The non-thinking consumer takes frozen electronic items, and switches it on, and there's that sudden current surge in its cold circuits which super stresses sensitive transistors trying to push that voltage, thereby creating big current.. A few harsh jolts like that can make electronic devices fail..

In the sanding dust topic: I used to work at an electronics warehouse.. A few times each year we would get all of a home owner's electronics in boxes with problems from the renovations gyproc dust.. Mostly it was the controls and switches contaminated with the dust...

Decades ago I switched On a frozen small music player.. I made a click, pop, squeak, and shrill squeal.. Music player dead...

Something no one knows anything about in electronics.. Electronics can be destroyed by an angry thought.. Back in late black&white teevee days I saw an extremely offensive teevee documentary on duh teevee.. It made me furious.. I focused my energies at the teevee pretending to access through it the teevee station's amplifier circuits to fry their transmitter electronics.. Suddenly my teevee went off..
I was a teevee repairman back then.. I assessed the teevee.. Every one of its circuits was totally fried.. Seems I killed my teevee with an angry thought.. big oops...

A beautiful young lass sat on the library step about 10-feet away, glancing at me.. I sensed she was a powerful sensitive empath.. I figured I would show her my dragon.. I made it slightly visible, and had its arm coming around to give me a hug in showing off.. Its claw went through my music player.. Instantly the music shut off.. I checked it later.. Every circuit in the player was totally fried.. oops...

In the light of those two incidents, it might be a good precaution to shut off one's electronics whenever one is angry grumpy..

So, if your camera system is to capture images of wild animals, you probably don't want them to be angry grumpy near your camera system.. Animals have strong minds.. I suppose if presence of a camera made a large critter angry, its angers might kill the camera's electronic circuits, maybe..? We don't know.. It's a new science...
Seems it be best to hide the camera system so well that critters can't notice its presence... Maybe set down a cut open bale of nice soft hay strewn about near away from the camera.. That would make the animals feel happy, some would lay down to rest there.. There wouldn't be any anger bursts like the one that destroyed my teevee...

How would you create a temperature controlled environment for you camera system..? Um..? Umm..? Ummm..? I don't know...
So we have a 12-volt tellurium chip that heats..
We need a thermostat like the inline ones in eaves trough heat strips.. We need one that comes on when the temperature is about 40-degrees F., and turns off at 70-degrees F...
Maybe a fridge thermostat wired to turn on the cooling, but wired to turn on the heat when it senses not enough cold..? Just guessing...

The whole thing needs to be in a special heat retaining insulated waterproof box.. Maybe the container should be made to look like a bit of a rotted log, mounted too high for a bear or cougar to claw at it, and so well disguised that a brat moralless human can't see it to want to try to steal it.. Humans will steal everthing and anything.. Watch out fer duh hoomins... Lightly spray the inside with critter repellent so the little rodent critters like squirrels and wood pecker birds won't try to dig into it to nest in it.. Maybe the cover could be a large fake hornet nest.. Nothing wants to tangle with a huge hornet nest...

I have a gentle way with hornets.. When a client requests I remove a hornet nest, I stand near it, and telepath to the queen: "Your majesty, a fire storm is approaching, I need to move your nest to a safe place. There will be unavoidable disturbances and shaking during the move. I need you to maintain your warriors quiet, peaceful, and passive during the move.".. I give her a few minutes to digest the message, then cut down the nest without challenge, but four of her largest warriors watching me closely from N. S. E. and W.. I dropped a nest ten feet.. It seriously smahed down and cracked open.. I gently scooped up the nest and hundred dazed hornets off the cement with bare hands.. I took the nest home in a bag, and set it up at the back fence under a tiny novelty umbrella, and fed them honey, old apples, and pepsi till the freeze.. They often flew to me bouncing off my hands and face, and lightly affectionately pinching my skin in the queen giving me little thankyou hug pinches for the kindness and food.. I gave them a bottle cap of cherry liqueur to give to the queen.. I got lots of thankyou hug pinches the next two days for that gesture.. She liked the crushed cherries and rotted peach too... Friends don't sting friends.. Only humans sting friends...
I've seen people actually release their urine, and poop their pants when a friendly curious hornet flew close by.. Some people fear life more than they fear death, especially christians.. Christians hate life.. They would rather be in their pretend heaven, molesting, killing, and eating innocent pure spirit angels.. I doubt any would have the stuff needed to walk up to a real werewolf, caress her groin, and kiss her on the lips like I did... If you fear life you aren't in life yet.. you're in a hell.. Heaven loves all life.. Heaven IS all life.. Heaven is the collective love for all life.. If you fear life you fear heaven.. If you hate life you hate heaven, Ouch! wouldn't want to be them...


Seems there needs be a heated protective case for peoples cold electronics, with the tellurium chip, a modern battery, a timer, and an adjustable thermostat.. Tell the 12-volt cooler manufacturers about it.. Tell them I expect 2% of their net on it.. I give corporations new inventions, requesting that 2%.. I never get it.. The greedy pigs can't handle sharing.. If they had to part with a dime, they would freak, poop their pants, and run screaming to their mummies about the bad man who wants 2% of their profits... They'll probably have it on the market in a year.. Your camera heating problem solved... Tell 'em they'll sell millions to where ever there are outdoor surveillance cameras in winter, and to people who need to leave electronics in vehicles in winter.. Sales would probably hit about 500-million various units in no time.. If a unit costs about 100-bucks retail, that's about couple billion dollars net profit in about five years.. That would be uh pardy eah... I hate thinking about money.. This government stole my three uranium deposits, my two gold mines, and my three lotto wins.. Now I'm on a cheap basic survival old age pension, while those unscrupulous thieving turds bathe in luxury from what they stole from me, my life.. Let 'em try to get the afterlife.. They don't have a prayer in hell.. I'll get them back one day.. I'll hear their freed spirits begging a pretend cartoon god for salvation.. Me and them are gonna have so much fun together.. They gonna be like promethius, but with a twist, they get to choose between vultures, rodents, or lizards for the morning feast...

I'm glad you're in this forum.. It's an honor having you in this forum...

[michaelk]

From a simple web search I the Pis are not temperature qualified. That is an expensive test but the cpu from what I can tell meets industrial range, other comments may not. There are posts where some have ran their Pis at -10-20 C. Normal commercial min temp is 0 C.

A Pico will work with a spi based camera but not csi I believe.