RaspberryPi/Timelapse3

Overview

Attempt number 3: accomplish a few improvements in the timelapse process.

What's working:

• The camera is working and is able to capture images. There was a problem initially, but after trying to re-enable the camera several times, and rebooting several times, the camera started working.
• The script to dump images into a directory works great in concept. Easy to keep everything segregated.

What to do differently for this timelapse:

• 64 gb thumbdrive for space
• camera angles - better control mechanism
• case: improved housing for Pi and for Pi camera (integrated?)

Ideas

Weatherproof Case

To make my own weatherproof case: rather than designing a 3D printed case with the proper knobs and buttons and things for USB and etc., get a larger plastic weatherproof case. Obtain the proper screws, washers, o-rings, etc. to mount the Raspberry Pi into the case, then obtain the proper glass disks, screws, washers, o-rings, etc. to mount the Pi camera on the inside of the case.

Drill a hole through the case for the camera:

     |     o-ring     |    glass disk   |   o-ring   |  plastic surface of case  |

???

This design is a little confusing.

• Does the O-ring rest directly on the camera? If so, there is not much field of vision and the size has to be matched perfectly with the camera. If not, the camera protrudes at least 1/8 of an inch, so you'd need a really fat o-ring, and one that wouldn't compress too much, and that just seems like a bad design.
• Does the glass disk rest directly on the camera? If so, would that affect field of vision? If not, what configuration?
• I think the glass disk rests directly on the camera.

Additional tripod mount screw hole would have to be added to the case - but again, much easier to do that with a larger case, than with a fitted-perfectly-for-the-Pi case.

Additional hole and rubber gasket for power cord would have to be added to the case.

Materials:

• Weatherproof plastic enclosure/case
• We could even consider e.g. some tough tuperware or an art supplies case
• Visit to hardware store for gaskets/washers, screws, glass disks (Maglite replacements if no plain glass disks)
• Specifically look for PCB mounts/fasteners. Examples here: http://catalog.pemnet.com/category/fasteners-for-mounting-into-printed-circuit-boards

Attache Case

Mount camera to inside of attache case, can add foam mounting, 1-2 Raspberry Pis, wireless cards, radio antennas

Add physical controls: aggressive/attack mode, defensive/listening mode, etc.

Failed Designs and Idea Bucket

Rainberry (Nope)

Sorry folks. This is for Raspberry Pi Model A+. But it does give a good idea of how to go about assembling a well-designed weatherproof case.

The Rainberry weatherproof case consists of a 3D printed weatherproof case, with a hole for a camera and for screws to mount the camera and the pi to the case. Detailed description of this case and how it was designed is here: https://tinkererblog.wordpress.com/2015/07/28/how-i-designed-a-compact-weatherproof-raspberry-pi-case/

This case consists of a 3D printed weatherproof case, plus some additional parts to mount the camera lens and make it weatherproof. The 3D printer files and parts list are given below.

3D printed case files:

• has two sides and a seal component; the key is the integration of a case for the camera with a case for the pi
• https://pinshape.com/items/7876-3d-printed-rainberry-weatherproof-case-for-raspberry-pi-a-and-pi-camera?open-buy-form=true
• File:RainberryBottomPlate.stl
• File:RainberrySeal.stl
• File:RainberryTopBox.stl

Screws to hold case externally in place:

• 4-40 Thread, 3/4″ Phillips flat head, total 4 (91771A113) for case

Screws to hold Pi internally to case:

• 4-40 Thread, 3/16″, total 4 (91772A105) for Pi

Screws to hold Pi camera:

• M2 Size, 5MM, total 4 (92000A012) for Pi camera

Camera-case seal:

• M1.6 Size, 4MM, total 4 (92000A002) for seal
• O-Ring, 13mm id, 1.5mm (5233T39) for seal

Glass lens for camera seal

• same size as e.g. flashlight covers, like Maglite lens covers
• http://www.dx.com/p/glass-lens-for-flashlights-10-pack-17-9mm-x-1-2mm-10640#.V7CmVLWbfTk

External power cable:

• O-Ring, 1.5mm, 1ft length (1187N11) for case and Shrink wrap (6855K14) for USB cable

Case Mount:

• Swivel mount from Videosecu with 1/4 inch threads
• https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IDCDZY?ref_=pe_1196280_123950170