Regarding the acryllic plastic to help emit the LED light on the plastic casing, I've cut up a 5mm clear LED before with a dremel type tool, to seperate the clear upper "lense" part of the LED and then drilled a 5mm hole and placed the lense in. This was for a cheap Chinese battery bank that had a surface mounted LED mounted near to the black plastic casing but the casing barely allowed any light through and the sacrificed LED "lense" worked really well.
Awesome project. I would like to modify the project so it runs off a battery and wakes up when the mailbox sees activity. It sucks having to bring out power to the mailbox.
I ask that you use microscope with camera and display, or mount camera just above electronics to see you ACTUALLY SOLDER IN WIRES/COMPONENTS TO WHAT CONNECTIONS ON THE BOARD. I AMNEW AND NEED TO SEE THAT. I DO NOT KNOW MAIN BOARD PARTS AND CONNECTIONS. GOD BLESS!
@@TheElectronicEngineer In the USA it depends. Some mail boxes are owned by the postal service and its a big punishment if you modify it. But other mail boxes are purchased by the home owner.
I'm in the USA, and agree with @TeddyRuxpin, and have done similar things before. When the box was owned by the Postal Service or the Apartment Complex, I used a double stick tape mount both internally and for the external antenna. On Boxes that I provide, all bets are off...
Regarding the acryllic plastic to help emit the LED light on the plastic casing, I've cut up a 5mm clear LED before with a dremel type tool, to seperate the clear upper "lense" part of the LED and then drilled a 5mm hole and placed the lense in. This was for a cheap Chinese battery bank that had a surface mounted LED mounted near to the black plastic casing but the casing barely allowed any light through and the sacrificed LED "lense" worked really well.
That sound like a good idea, although it might be some more work. For people who have no laser cutter this might actually be a solution.
If you have any question, check out the community of element 14 presents. See link in description. I will do my best to answer all of your questions
The resistor for the antenna is zero ohm so using a blob of solder to bridge is a lot easier than trying not to tombstone the original resistor.
😂
Yeah a blob will work
thanks for the video, great project.
Your welcome
Awesome project. I would like to modify the project so it runs off a battery and wakes up when the mailbox sees activity. It sucks having to bring out power to the mailbox.
Correct, battery and sleep mode are on the list for upgrading
Fun project idea! Cheers!
I did it whit Esphome + Home Assistant 🥳
I will put it on my to-do list, thanks.
That list is getting longer..😂
@@donnersm 😅😅😅
I got one of these esp32cams laying around since it came out, that might be a project to finslly use it.
Just use the webprogrammer and your up and running seconds
I ask that you use microscope with camera and display, or mount camera just above electronics to see you ACTUALLY SOLDER IN WIRES/COMPONENTS TO WHAT CONNECTIONS ON THE BOARD.
I AMNEW AND NEED TO SEE THAT. I DO NOT KNOW MAIN BOARD PARTS AND CONNECTIONS.
GOD BLESS!
I used microscooe
Just keep in mind it may be illegal to modify a mail box in some locations
Is that so? Indidn’t know that. In holland we can modify it the way we want
@@TheElectronicEngineer In the USA it depends. Some mail boxes are owned by the postal service and its a big punishment if you modify it. But other mail boxes are purchased by the home owner.
I'm in the USA, and agree with @TeddyRuxpin, and have done similar things before. When the box was owned by the Postal Service or the Apartment Complex, I used a double stick tape mount both internally and for the external antenna. On Boxes that I provide, all bets are off...