Jesse's Hunting > Game Cams > Homebrew Cams > Using a 6 vdc or 12 vdc Push Solenoid to Push the Camera Shutter Button

Using a 6 vdc or 12 vdc Push Solenoid to Push the Camera Shutter Button

If you don't want to take apart the camera you can use a 6 vdc or 12 vdc car door lock actuator, door bell solenoid or push solenoid to push the camera button. Jameco, part # is 149761 is a source for a solenoid and they are $8.95 each. Tinhorn uses a 6 vdc lantern battery and a 12 vdc door lock solenoid form a Jaguar car. You'll have to fabricate a bracket to hold the solenoid over the button. Make sure the solenoid you use is rated at least for 7 ozs. for push/hold strength.

"Rooster" used the tripod mount screw hole to mount the bracket for his push solenoid in the pic on the right. He also tapped a screw hole on the body of the camera to put a screw from the bracket to, this keeps the bracket from moving.

Be careful on how close you set the solenoid plunger, you could damage your camera.

The solenoid needs 6 vdc or 12 vdc to push the plunger out to activate the camera shutter button. The blue 9 vdc relay on the Regent MS20 PIR sensor board has a switch closure on the contacts #2 and #4. Run 6 vdc or 12 vdc power from a second battery to the solenoid through these two contacts to power the solenoid. These contacts are the red and black wire leads marked on the above picture of the Regent MS20W PIR circuit board. See the diagram for the connections to run the solenoid with the Regent MS20 PIR.

AGAIN, YOU NEED TO RUN THE SOLENOID POWER SOURCE THROUGH THE SENSOR RELAY CONTACTS. THE PIR SENSOR RELAY IS JUST A SWITCH, IT HAS NO DC POWER ON IT TO ACTIVATE THE SOLENOID AND JUST HOOKING THE SOLENOID UP TO THE RELAY CONTACTS WILL NOT WORK. IF THE SCHEMATIC OR INFO DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, FIND SOMEONE WHO IS FAMILIAR WITH ELECTRONICS/ELECTRICITY TO HELP YOU WIRE THE SOLENOID.

If you want to hook up a timer for a delay between pics, Tinhorn has a schematic of the timer he uses on his solenoid camera setup here.

Top of Document