48 LED IR light dusk to dawn voltage

[soyrunner]

I'll eventually put an IP camera out on the chicken coop but for now I have a nearby trailcam trained on its doors. Recently a couple of birds were mauled in the coop after the hatch opened in the AM and after fixing the chickenwire bird run I found on the trailcam a large raccoon returning at night trying to get back in. It then got trapped and relocated. I have an IP camera from a back window of my home trained on that area from a distance and at night see when a cat or critter triggers the trailcam the flash of the IR. Of course the IR isn't visible to the naked eye at night except for the light red glow on the camera itself when triggered. I bought a 48 LED IR light which will sense dusk and dawn. It came with no documentation. I don't know what voltage or current it requires. I plan to mount it on the coop and have that area lit with IR dusk to dawn not just when the trailcam flashes.

I have numerous 12 vdc supplies left over from my bitcoin mining days and switching modules that can step it down if it runs at a reasonable current. Not wanting to go that way, I want to harvest an old wall wart to use because the insect population around the coop invade anything that isn't well sealed. I was just going to put a .1 ohm 1% 25 watt resistor in series and calculate the current, figure the power and add 20% to characterize the wall wart I'll need. But then I figured if it's expecting a current source and if I put it on a 12dc supply of some heft I could burn out LEDs especially if it's only expecting some voltage limited to say 6v.

So, anyone know what this no-name 48 LED IR light expects? It doesn't lend itself to being taken apart from what I see.

soyrunner

 

[sebastiantombs]

Most IR lights are designed for 12 volt operation. 48 LEDs says nothing about what the actual power rating is . I have some 80 LED illuminators that are only 7 watts. I have a 16 LED illuminator that's 30 watts. LED count doesn't mean much. All that said, there's still no way to know, with certainty, what voltage yours is designed for.

 

[soyrunner]

Most IR lights are designed for 12 volt operation. 48 LEDs says nothing about what the actual power rating is . I have some 80 LED illuminators that are only 7 watts. I have a 16 LED illuminator that's 30 watts. LED count doesn't mean much. All that said, there's still no way to know, with certainty, what voltage yours is designed for.

Thanks. The connector, which likely is designed for some common IP camera power lead if one had a Y splitter, has a very narrow center pin (closer inspection shows it isn't that narrow) that at a glance looks like that which power my IP cameras. I looked at it last night and it appeared to be a center pin of only about that of a 16 gauge wire or less but in better light today that's not the case. But, I have sometimes run into the problem of a 12vdc connector that seemed like it was what I needed then found that the pin was too large and wouldn't fit or too small and not make contact.

 

[sebastiantombs]

I'll hazard a guess and say it's a 5.5mmx2.1mm coaxial power plug. That's what cameras and the IR illuminators I have use which seems to be a defacto standard. I meant to say that the ones, IRs, I use are all 12VDC.

 

[soyrunner]

Given this century's manufacturing philosophy I think it best to give it want it needs and limit it to that. I see posts about dead IR LEDs. Too high and LEDs might see too much current, use one of those splitters advertised, e.g. 4-way DC Power Y Splitter with 5.5x2.1mm Plugs might burn out the camera's wall wart if not using POE.

 

[sebastiantombs]

I run mine on large wall wart, 12VDC@4amps, for the smaller, 7 watt sized, ones and a single 12VDC@4amps for that 30 watt one. An inline ammeter will answer all those questions for you. Generally, unless you bought a high power model, they are all in the 7 to 10 watt range which translates to under 1 amp at 12VDC nominal.

 

[soyrunner]

Thanks yes. Years in electronic prototype labs, we used Dale metal 1% 25w 0.1 ohm resistors to measure current given digital meter voltage accuracy. Personally using ammeter selection on multimeters lead to all too many burned fuses due to my own carelessness in not putting the leads back properly for voltage. It's like carrying two sets of car keys. When I was working for Simplex I locked myself out of my fleet vehicle only one time as it resulted in a dressing down by my boss that I didn't forget. I still carry two sets of keys and I'm into my '70's.

 

[sebastiantombs]

I keep two key rings. One with ignition/entry keys for the cars and one with house and other keys. I keep a spare door key on my house key ring. Also in my 70's and been there, done that

 

[soyrunner]

The other day, turned off the car, took off my hat, and glasses, put on my mask, glasses, hat, exited and locked the car - later realized the keys and fob were in the ignition but had my second set.

 

[SyconsciousAu]

the keys

What are these keys you speak of Yoda?

About the only things in my life that needs a traditional key these days is the mailbox and my locker at work. Had to buy a dummy set for those special parties.

 

[tigerwillow1]

I've used 5 different IR lights and they all spec a 12 volt supply. Between 11 and 13 volts they are all constant power devices when the IR is on, but when the IR is off their much lower current draw is proportional to the voltage.

 

[sebastiantombs]

If a car doesn't have a real key, I don't buy it. The keyless systems are far too easy to hack. Same thing for the house doors and the whole IoT stuff. It's all asking to be hacked and exposes too many security vulnerabilities for my tastes. I know I'm "old fashioned", but I've never had a problem with credit card or bank accounts being used fraudulently.

 

[bravobravo]

Can anyone answer me!
If someone has a thermal camera (for hunting), can an IR illuminator help? Hunters say that when they turn on the Illuminator, the thermal camera gives a better picture. Is it true? How much does it give a better picture?
If so then I am glad because I love IR illuminators. waiting for more answers!
THANKS

 

[Flintstone61]

The other day, turned off the car, took off my hat, and glasses, put on my mask, glasses, hat, exited and locked the car - later realized the keys and fob were in the ignition but had my second set.

The 2018 Nissan of mine wont lock if the FOB is detected inside the car. I'm sure this tech is spreading to all cars....eventually....Whis is good for me and my GF....However the 2003 Lexus....doesnt care. of course half the door locks only work manually, so if you screw up, you have one chance to think about wtf your doing. but inside the FOB's are a slide out key...so if the battery is dead you could still get in....