battery pack for neuros

[nycbicycle]

i have the 8AA battery set up for my helmet cam, i now need to power my neuros, would it be worthwhile to try and power both off the 8A setup?  or would it be more efficient to  get something that will put out closer to 5vdc  for the neuros?

i just want to experiment with the neuros, to see if will work for my needs,  want o use it as a bicyle camera, and possible use a smaller camera that would fit discreetly on a messenger bag or backpack strap, i like to record the near misses pedestrian /vehicle i see everyday when i am walking around Manhattan, helmet can doesn't seem to be discreet enough to hide .
also will need a quick on off switch, i guess if the auto record feature is fixed i could put a switch on the helmet cam power.
any suggestions would be appreciated,
auto loop feature would be great, i would also like to use it as accident replay

[dongle]

Hi,

It would be useful if Neuros would publish the spec for the voltage regulator they use on the R2 so this problem could be put to rest once and for all.

The fact that they use a 5V DC supply means that the internal circuitry probably runs form 3.3V. There is a regulator in the circuit which requires some "overhead" to operate so the input voltage has to be higher than the output from the regulator. However this may only be in the region of 0.5V for some devices.

Any regulator will be less than 100% efficient so some of the "voltage difference" will be lost as heat. It follows that the lower the input voltage the less heat generated and the smaller (physical size) the regulator can be.

Although the Neuros MAY operate from a 12V supply it will be stressing the regulator possibly to the point of failure and I would not recommend this approach. Also the regulator may not be capable of taking this voltage in the first place so one again you risk frying the unit.

There are a few options:

If you know someone with basic electronics knowledge ask them to provide you with a 5V regulator to use with a battery pack. This is only 3 components and possibly a small metal heatsink. You will be able to use your camera supply.

Purchase a 5V BEC (battery eliminator circuit) from an aeromodel shop. The phrase "battery eliminator circuit" is a misnomer as it is just a regulator and does not "eliminate" batteries.

Construct a 6V battery pack. This will be much closer to the 5V required and I doubt it will cause any problems. Please note this is my personal recommendation and is NOT endorsed by Neuros !.

Be aware that the autorecord function is not instant although the "resume" time is only a few seconds. I would also put the cam switch in line with the video feed otherwise you are constantly switching the whole camera on and off which will ultimately reduce its life.

One of my applications is to use it for a camera in my car. I live in Cambridge which is infested with cyclists who seem to ignore the highway code.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Pat






 

[nycbicycle]

would 5 AA rechargeable do the trick? i guess i would still need a voltage regulator  to protect the neuros. trying to set up somehting as cheap as possible to see if it will work correctly.
i see some helmet cams use a  single 9v battery, doesn't seem like it would last very long. why would the bullett camera get burnt out by turning it on and off?
i would like to put a switch into the power to the bullet camera to keep from running those batteries down  if i am not recording. when i used the bullet cam with my camcorder and lanc switch i realized the bullet cam in on and raining power while the camcorder is in the standby mode.
having the neuros able to record for 4 to 6 hours would be fine for my use.

[dongle]

Hi,

5 AA rechargeables will provide 5 x 1.2V= 6V. Your local radio shack store will have plastic battery pack modules for 4 or 6 batteries. You can use a 6 cell version but will need a dummy battery to fill the empty space. Easier to use alkalines.

The camera will not burn out just beacause it is being turned on and off occasionally but I had the impression that you will be power cycling it whenever you see something to film. Be kind to these devices and they will keep working for ever. If you are hoping to record near misses then the camera and R2 need to be on all the time. However if you are in control of the recording then you do not need 4 to 6 hours recording time.

Just hook up a test system and do your trials, worry about power supplies & switches once you are happy with the results.

A final word of caution:

A 6V battery pack will eventually discharge to 5V, 4V etc. Below 5V you may run yet more risk of damaging the R2 as the internal regulator has no "overhead" to work with. Some devices will automatically shut down at this point but others will not. You must keep a check on the battery voltage to ensure this does not happen. This also applies to anyone else who is using a regulated battery pack. I am certainly not going to test this problem on my R2 !.

Cheers

Pat

[dongle]

Ex-Navy,

I could not identify the regulator from the package info, do you have access to a schematic of the R2 ?.  Also how is the alternate remote control coming along ?.

Cheers

Pat

[dongle]

Ex-Navy,

Good to hear the remote is almost available. It will help a lot of people and may stop R2's from getting fried. I guess you will know by now what the price is likely to be ......?

Cheers

[dongle]

Ex-Navy,

HVSO5 only determines the package style. How did you arrive at the upper voltage limit of 5.5V ?. Have you identified the regulator part number ?. Also the 2.5V minimum voltage suggests this is a boost converter which would be unusual in a device made to operate from a fixed 5V supply.

Cheers