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I'm thinking about buying either above brand for my home...

But I want to modify... I want to know if anyone knows if these camera / sensor outputs can energize a relay.

I am planning on turning on different / multiple lights via the camera sensor via relay.

I understand that depends upon how the camera sensor circuits are designed, just wanted to know if anyone has tried this... I don't want to buy and experiment unless I have to... Trying to save time / steps here.

FYI: Take any Home Depot or Lowe's motion sensor... The only work with lights, not inductive loads ( like a 115v. relay )

Let me know... Called BOTH RING™ & SWANN tech support, and they are NO help.. They are setup techs, not in-depth circuitry techs.

PS, I'm aware of product warranty liability.

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  • those lights may already have a relay for turning on the lights ... if the store has them on live display then listen for a click when the lights come on
    – jsotola
    Commented Aug 14, 2019 at 5:42
  • I did. Store was busy / people all around..
    – Retired Electrician
    Commented Aug 14, 2019 at 13:53

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Couple of ways

1. Get the right product

I gather you are looking at this one. That's the wrong one, you want this other one, called the "Ring Spotlight Cam Mount". Black and white wires go to supply hot and neutral, then the red wire goes onward to your external lights. just as this FAQ explains.

That one appears to have onboard lights as well (just not googly-eye ones), but I bet you can disable them in software.

2. It's a smart, networked product: Use it.

You have a smart-home hub that the camera talks to. When the camera says "hey, I saw something and turned on", add scripting to that event that turns on the additional lights.

3. Brute-force it

Presumably, this gadget draws more power when the lights are on. Inside the box where you are hooking to its #18 wire, insert some of your own #18. In which the "hot" makes about 30 turns around a magnetic reed switch, and the neutral does the same in the opposite direction. There'll be some design considerations in sizing this thing, based on how much current it pulls, the ampere-turn rating of the reed switch, and the efficacy of your electromagnet building skills. Get it right, and when the gadget pulls the higher amperage to light the light, that closes the reed switch, which operates the relay. You can take it from there.

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  • Thank you. If I buy these cameras, the lights will be removed, as I already have more than adequate lighting in my target areas for cameras.
    – Retired Electrician
    Commented Aug 14, 2019 at 13:58
  • @RetiredElectrician well then, don't buy those cameras. Buy the other model that alredy doesn't have a light and already directly supports what you are trying to do. If your local big-box store doesn't sell that one, then to heck with the big box store.
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Commented Aug 14, 2019 at 16:19
  • Yeah... I've went to the big box stores, and they are really really based in "consumers" who want simple all in one systems... I indeed "would" want only a camera system which interfaced to the hard drive where I could automatically turn on lights thru a device which communicates with the hard drive but which controls lights. Nothing in the big box stores which a person can buy and wire themselves seem to have exist...because "most" consumers aren't electricians.
    – Retired Electrician
    Commented Aug 15, 2019 at 1:51
  • Yeah, it would be typical for CostCo, Home Depot etc. to slap a bunch of those Ring w/lights on the endcap, and everyone walking by goes "woooo" and never a) goes down the not-nearby aisle to see the full selecttion of products that might be more suitable, or b) the big-box doesn't even sell the company's full selection. Big box is perfectly happy if you get it home, find it unsuitable, go "I'll deal with this later" and never do. A competent dealer will have the right stuff, or mail order... Just beware Amazon, their Marketplace is a sea of direct-import junk off Alibaba...
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Commented Aug 15, 2019 at 1:57
  • I'll buy a floodlight cam / remove the flood lamps, attach a relay, do all the programming setups and I guarantee you I'm going to find out. If it works, I'll probably either store ( for a later project ? )or sell the led floods to another who needs some.
    – Retired Electrician
    Commented Aug 15, 2019 at 2:08

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