ljarrald 0 Posted October 5, 2011 hi, i bought this cheapy microphone off ebay (link at bottom of post) and i intend to put it on the side of my shed to pick up audio from the alley. there are already two cameras in the alley. my shed is in the middle so one camera looks at each side. my house is an old victorian build so the shed (built as a coal shed) is made of brick and one side of it is part of the garden wall. baisically the microphone is NOT waterproof. i have two vantage cameras in the alley already and they have wholes at the bottom for conduit. i was thinking i could put the pcb of the mic inside the camera housing, extend the mic from the pcb and put it in the hole at the bottom and then silicon around it. or i could buy an IP 67 box and put the whole lot inside that. (but i guess this would affect the audio) is there an easy way to do this without spending too much money? mic: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190575559207?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_2991wt_1274 cameras that are now in alley: https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/310048_2321541848070_1535303771_3029538_1793826_n.jpg Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Birdman Adam 0 Posted October 5, 2011 If it won't get directly rained on, and you don't live right on the coast, I would probably just go ahead and mount it outside with no protection. Most others things you could to to shield it would mask a lot of the sound (I would think). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rory 0 Posted October 5, 2011 maybe use rubber over it? Check this out to see how they do it http://www.louroe.com/products/specifications/emic_louroe.pdf http://www.louroe.com/products.php?id=56 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fa chris 0 Posted October 5, 2011 Fabricate some type of rain hood. For example: http://www.commendusa.com/en/intercom/systems/category/doors_and_gates-3/product/rain_protection_roof_wsrr_50v-1.html Make sure the back is sealed up with a rubber gasket or something. You just don't want water running into the unit, so as long as the top is covered and the sides partially covered you'll be fine. Unless someone throws a cup of water on it. Sticking the mic out the bottom side of your camera housing should work too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ljarrald 0 Posted October 6, 2011 sorry, forgot to say. i live in manchester (uk) so it always rains. i have decided to just put it under the roof of the shed. if it dies i'll pay another £4 to replace it and try a different way. but about 1 hr after i installed it we got heavy rain and it still works! (despite getting soaked) (photos of the installation:) https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/296924_2466494751802_1535303771_3158284_385211909_n.jpg https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/300578_2466495191813_1535303771_3158285_1683021539_n.jpg Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shockwave199 0 Posted October 6, 2011 Buy a lot of spares. That's not protected enough. Your best bet is to install it face down so all the holes are on the bottom. Then seal the back, which would be facing up now, better if it's not sealed well at the seams. I would even try to slant it a bit so water drips off the edge like a drip plate, keeping all water from getting in the holes in the front. That position will not hinder mic pickup either- you'll still hear perfectly. In fact you should think about installing the thing inside the shed. If you have the audio maxed out loud in the dvr, it'll probably pickup a ton even from the inside. But it's not direct water only that will kill it. Moist damp air will take a toll too. Have spares- smart move. Dan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ljarrald 0 Posted October 6, 2011 you'd be surprised, its not even got wet and its been raining heavily for 5> hrs! the mic will not work in the shed, it has to be outside. i am thinking of doing one of the following: putting the pcb of the mic in resin so that the circuit is safe from moisture and only the mic has the possibility of getting wet putting the mic pcb inside a camera housing and extending the mic to the bottom of the camera housing (as mentioned in post #1) putting it inside a birdbox or something shelling out for a proper mic here is a diagram. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shockwave199 0 Posted October 6, 2011 See how long it lasts there and have some spares. It might surprise you. It has already! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
