Security camera options for gardens with no electricity?

My garden is ~300' from the house and 50' up. Good number of trees inbetween. No power up there. I'm trying to figure out the easiest way to set up security. I'd like motion detection that can alert me + the ability to see the garden.

Last year I set up those $1 magnet window alarms with fishing line to make trip wire alarms. I can't tell you how many times I woke up in the middle of the night and strained my ears trying to figure out if the crickets chirping were my alarms going off. I'll go broke on security equipment before I repeat last year. Here are my options:


A) $400 trail cam that sends picture messages over cell phone data network.

$15 a month. I'd set it up right in the garden and test it until the only thing that triggers it are animals inside the fence, or humans.


B) wireless cameras powered by a car battery, transmitting to the house.

some cameras say they can transmit 450ft outdoors, but I have quite a few trees and the garden is 50 feet up and there would definitely be no clear line of sight, so after setting up a car battery, it might not even work anyway.


C) wifi camera in a weatherproof housing + a router connected to a usb hotspot, all powered by a car battery.

the wifi cam connects to the usb wifi (the router acts as a hotspot), and sets up a website where I can log on to view the camera feed. not sure how much data that uses so it might be an expensive monthly cost. can also send emails on motion detection. i could set up email alerts on my phone.


D) wired cameras powered by a car battery.

500 ft of rg6 coax is $50. not sure how DVRs work or if i can add motion detection alerts? as far as powering these cameras, or the wireless cameras, you can run 18 gauge twisted power wire 300', so that's a possibility. but i don't know if I can just splice it onto the power converter for each camera. sounds like a headache, running cable, protecting it from gophers?, etc.


E) PoE IP cameras.

(power over ethernet). these cameras draw power over the ethernet cable that they also transmit their video data through. i would be pushing their distance limit if i didn't use a PoE extender ($40-60). this might be my best option. one cord, directly to computer.



It seems the option with the least headache is the trail cam. Second would be the PoE camera- no car battery, one cord. Any input?

a dog can be bought from the local pound for very little

training is fun

and if you get the right one

electricity won't be needed

and if he follows you everywhere...

...get another ..lol

good luck

Battery Pack. most wifi cameras can use the USb adapter to power them.. or the plug..

that should power the camera for the night.

or Run Power over Ethernet (PoE) and bury the line all the way out to the garden. plug the camera in.

here you go check this thread https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=323370&highlight=trail+cameras

trail cams

i love them , have like 7 of them . pic to phone 30 sec delay from activation . there also great for your home when you go on holidays or even out for the day or your man shed whatever . they don't chew much battery life unless they are constantly activating . there is a few tricks to setting them in the right place so that doesn't happen . if you end up getting some hit me up i,ll give the the tips i learnt .


they are brilliant .

Tripsick said:

Battery Pack. most wifi cameras can use the USb adapter to power them.. or the plug..

Click to expand...

Tripsick, good call. I forgot about battery packs.

BAKED_BEANZ said:

here you go check this thread https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=323370&highlight=trail+cameras

trail cams

Click to expand...

beanz, yea I'm seriously thinking about just going the easy route with one of these. I need a verizon version. Covert Blackhawk or HCO GoCam.

amanda88 said:

a dog can be bought from the local pound for very little

Click to expand...

amanda, thanks for the suggestion. I'm not ready for the dog commitment just yet.



Found a guide for extending PoE or analog cables for cameras: https://www.lorextechnology.com/sel...-lorex-hd-security-camera-systems/R-sc4900040

It looks like 300 feet is the max for BNC (power + coax) runs, so I may be able to just do that. I need to measure the distance again. If I went that route I would still have to buy a DVR device...... I think? I don't need to record... I don't know how else to get motion detection with analog cameras though.

So maybe PoE or the trail cam are really the best options. But for the PoE cams I would need to get a PoE injector + PoE extender + ethernet cabling that I have to protect from the elements.

It's leaning heavily toward the trail cam.

amanda88 said:

a dog

Click to expand...

A dog can't identify people like a camera.

One of my brothers has an Camouflage Game Camera with infrared flash.
Not sure which one. But the pics look nice. I may get one later and hide it
on some tree in in a stump with a hole only for the lens.

These look cool for ideas.

How to Catch a Thief

@plantingplants , covert black op,s is what i have , think they have released a new version now too . only gripe i have is i cant turn it on and off via txt . i believe some can now , be great function. don't forget you need a decent amount reception to send pic txt .

i also go with a decent bite trained dog , especially one you have bought up and done training lessons with . the camera will only get you so far and you need to go deal with it in person if the situation arrises . its starts getting pretty messy at this stage . people are a unpredictable , most will be scared off to return later . hearing a dog keen to get his bite on is a very big deterrent not to ever return .

i,m not going to mention firearms and other things . its a nasty part of the game . people should keep there dam hands of others peoples property and hard work . us growers put a lot of time into our plants and have a very personal connection to our grows .

Beanz, thanks for the input. I don't keep guns here, but I do have a pellet gun rifle, and a bow. I think most rippers would take off if they saw a light bouncing up the hill and a loud siren going off. For anyone who wouldn't, I guess it depends if I'm feelin' froggy.

corky1968 said:

A dog can't identify people like a camera.

One of my brothers has an Camouflage Game Camera with infrared flash.
Not sure which one. But the pics look nice. I may get one later and hide it
on some tree in in a stump with a hole only for the lens.

These look cool for ideas.

How to Catch a Thief

Click to expand...

Had you bothered to read OP's thread you will have noticed he is more concerned about surveillance than just good picture taking..

However the real concern here is rippers, those that may enter your property and steal your plants..most often when you are gone or distracted.

Sure a camera will take their pic, even inform you that rippers are around, but that is not any good, if you can't or won't stop them in time.

So armed with the pics of the rippers ...whats next, cops in the uk and usa are so worn out with just common burglaries that when it comes to weed, most should or will just laugh in your face.

and tell you..' to claim the insurance with this form, now you told us' ...lol

an active dog no matter what breed gives you an edge,

like the ex boyfriend who tried climbing in my bathroom window- 1998

the neighbors dysfunctional son - 1992

my own nephew - 1988

and only twice were the dogs seized and put down due to their nasty attitudes

Be-Well?

amanda88 said:

Had you bothered to read OP's thread you will have noticed he is more concerned about surveillance than just good picture taking..

However the real concern here is rippers, those that may enter your property and steal your plants..most often when you are gone or distracted.

Sure a camera will take their pic, even inform you that rippers are around, but that is not any good, if you can't or won't stop them in time.

So armed with the pics of the rippers ...whats next, cops in the uk and usa are so worn out with just common burglaries that when it comes to weed, most should or will just laugh in your face.

and tell you..' to claim the insurance with this form, now you told us' ...lol

an active dog no matter what breed gives you an edge,

like the ex boyfriend who tried climbing in my bathroom window- 1998

the neighbors dysfunctional son - 1992

my own nephew - 1988

and only twice were the dogs seized and put down due to their nasty attitudes

Be-Well?

Click to expand...

Yeah, but a good majority of the people who will rip you off are
people you already know. So having a picture of the culprit is all
you need to confront them later with.

BTW: Who said anything about calling the cops.

If you robbed me you would probably be calling the cops.

Rippers deserve to fry.

If I could set up something that would alert me wherever I am, whenever, reliably, that there was a human within my garden, I wouldn't need to see even a picture. I'm never too far from home. Seems like trail cams that send picture messages is the easiest way to set that up. Just gotta fine tune it so I don't get false triggers.