Help! Good stationary FPV camera/fpv camera cooling?

druordie

New member
I have a project where I need a small camera to stay in one place like a security camera and stream in real-time to a monitor. I have experience with FPV so I used an fpv camera, and I got it working but the camera gets very hot, is there any cameras that don't need cooling, or are they any good ways to cool it down, this is what I am using now.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XJMQQ6Y/?tag=lstir-20
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
About the only thing you cold do is get one of them tiny 40 mm 5v fans they used to cool 8086 processors back in the day. they are still quite common as they are used in many different things like the raspberry pi's like this. They can also run off 3.3v for slower speeds. They can be found on Amazon too but I'm currently logged in and not gonna post a link thru my account.

https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/GeeekP...5V-3-3V-Brushless-CPU-Cooling/PRD1WRCK4TNPDM0
 

Hoomi

Master member
How much distance are you placing the camera versus monitor? If you're only spaced a short distance, you might look at a Runcam with the WiFi option.
 

mastermalpass

Elite member
RunCam are a brand of FPV cameras. I've never heard of cameras getting hot, just the VTxs. Does your cam come with the VTx built in, rather than having it as a separate module wired to it?
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
RunCam are a brand of FPV cameras. I've never heard of cameras getting hot, just the VTxs. Does your cam come with the VTx built in, rather than having it as a separate module wired to it?

The cameras do heat up. They have voltage regulators on them to be able to work off a range of pack voltages. Most quad pilots feed them 5v from the flight controllers or old school from pdb regulators so the heat is not so noticeable. But someone pulling power off the balance plug could easily put some heat into the camera on 3s up to 6s I believe they are rated for now.
 

Hoomi

Master member
The Runcam I have is equipped with a built-in battery, though I just got it from a coworker, and haven't used it for FPV. My experience with similar cameras, though, is that they don't tend to get quite as hot, though part of that could very well be the lack of higher power transmitter circuitry. The Wifi equipped cameras such as the Runcams and GoPros, aren't putting out a lot of Tx power, and therefore, not pulling near as much current off the battery as would be needed for an FPV camera transmitting enough power to have reliable reception at flying distances.