Broken Drill Bit Installing Doorbell
- Thread starter dmcIPCAM
- Start date
I finally got the doorbell connected and re-connected to the VTH units.
- Based on the famed "bucket and 2x4" method, I found that mounting it a little higher kept the doorbell's camera out of direct morning sun before the porch overhang blocked it. It could be argued that it is a little high for a doorbell (camera is at 56 inches):
- Lighting contrast with the outside versus under porch looking out into the light is too much, that is, faces have inadequate illumination. Had to adjust the camera's contrast. Looks great when the porch lights are on at night (which obviously just reverses the lighting situation). The porch lights are controlled by a Z-Wave switch, so might just pass the BI trigger to Home Assistant and turn the light during the day. Otherwise likely have to add a PIR light of some kind... never ends...
- I will have to wait until spring here in Oregon to completely finish the trim. It's just too cold and wet (and I'm a Floridian). I heated the trim surfaces with a propane heater, heated the caulk and paint in warm water, but still was tacky after 24 hours each.
- The doorbell camera works great in BI. I had to tweak the motion detection zones to exclude the inside surfaces of the porch pillars (in green) because of car headlights. But, based on the "overlapping cameras" doctrine on the forum, by the time a person, semi-person, deer, turkey, etc. gets to the front porch they have already triggered three cameras. It's funny, but once you install a number of cameras you finally "get it" about all the camera placement, zones, overlapping, heights, etc. advice offered on this forum.
As always, many thanks for the support and advice!
Smilingreen
Known around here
He must still be a newly wedIt was ALL Mr. Murphy's doing!
No, it was pretty moronic of me to leave that drill bit sticking out with a drill attached. In some ways, it was better that the
bit snapped instead breaking the trim off!
.....If my wife had done that, I would have scored all the points I could for the moment and milk it for as long as I could.....cause you know there will be retaliation as her "you fcked up" radar will be set for high power and searching for anything to nail you for in the near future...... 
Thanks. No, you would not be able to see packages left up against the door with this particular doorbell (EmpireTech VTO2311R-WP). However, based on forum wisdom, I have the front door/porch covered from the left (facing the doorbell) with another camera. Also, again based on forum advice, I plan to add a mini-wedge to the back of the post for both the purpose you describe and for a face capture when someone turns around to leave the porch. I apologize for not remembering the author of the thread, but I have seen on the forum a very bright idea where indoor cameras were mounted in the sidelights and one low mounted camera actually captured faces really well looking up.
I did a quick and dirty test: I extended a tape measure a known distance perpendicular to the doorbell trim - 60 inches. Starting at the deck level I slowly raised the tape up until the tip of the tape appeared on the VTH feed (I will leave out the interaction with my helper sarcastically asking, "Oh, the doorbell again??"). I then measured the distance from the camera center in the doorbell down to that height, which was 31 inches.
A quick visit to one of the many online right angle calculators (credit: Right Triangle Calculator | Find a, b, c, and Angle):
So you can readily see that an additional or different kind of camera would be needed to see packages resting against the door. Keep in mind that my doorbell is mounted plumb and flat against the wall - I've seen other doorbells mounted with wedges, for example.
Like most of us, I have a continuum of package delivery efforts, from the Frisbee/bean bag toss to neatly hiding the packages from street/sidewalk view behind those pillars. So I think the overlapping cameras doctrine is prudent.
So far I really like this VTO doorbell and VTH monitor setup. (Thanks, Andy
)Hoping this response is useful.
Thanks for the great story and a happy ending. It would bother me if you didn't fix the problem after reading the first part. OCD in me triggered
and felt like a fish bone stuck between the teeth. It's finally out! Victory for all of us!
and felt like a fish bone stuck between the teeth. It's finally out! Victory for all of us!
CCTVCam
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Just for future reference for anyone, if I break a drill bit or screw and have any part exposed I can get a grip on, (or can expose), I use a pair of mole grips (regular preferably or needle nose if not) to grip the end of the article and screw it back out by hand.
Just in case the US doesn't have these grips or has them by another name, these are mole grips (I think the US might call them locking pliers looking at what this website is now calling them):
www.screwfix.com
and needlenose:
www.screwfix.com
These enable you to clamp down and lock the pliers to the material much tighter than you could ever grip and the twist.
Just in case the US doesn't have these grips or has them by another name, these are mole grips (I think the US might call them locking pliers looking at what this website is now calling them):
Stanley Curved Jaw Locking Pliers 9" (225mm) - Screwfix
Order online at Screwfix.com. Heavy duty wrench will cut up to 10mm thick steel. Drop-forged chrome molybdenum steel jaws for maximum performance and durability. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 1 minute.
and needlenose:
Stanley Locking Pliers 7" (170mm) - Screwfix
Order online at Screwfix.com. Ideal for more delicate jobs. Wire cutter at the base of the jaws and non-pinching pull-jaw release lever for improved safety and ease of opening. Knurled screw at the base of the handle to adjust the clamping pressure. FREE next day delivery available, free...
These enable you to clamp down and lock the pliers to the material much tighter than you could ever grip and the twist.
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YES! - that's the one!
Many thanks for the excellent original post and following up with the link.