Build a Wireless Mail Detection Device
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.ย. 2024
- Follow Ben as he builds a smart mailbox that lets you know when mail arrives. It's a fun tech project that will prevent wasted trips to check your mailbox, only to find nothing there. With a little infared technology and know-how, you can get notifications for new mail with a device that hardly uses any battery power. Check it out!
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When Ben talks he makes me clear my throat a thousand times. He talks a lot with liquid in his throat or whatever makes you need to clear your throat.
This is really good, but if you want something more low tech, get a wireless doorbell, solder a magnetic switch on it and mount it in your mailbox. Plug the other part into a wall plug and you're all set. The one I did travels 1100 feet and has 32 chimes. Works great!
I have this wild idea. Maybe you could put some kind of device on the mailbox that would enable the carrier to indicate the presence of a delivery. Something they could use as a signal. Like, maybe a highly visible flag. Perhaps in a bright color. Make it retractable or otherwise useful in an up/down fashion.
Novel, eh?
Add a prox-switch to that flag to remote alert out-of-sight installations.
But it's fun to watch anyway.
I was so very happy to see electronics have come back around to something i would be happy to start doing at a 45 years old Veteran. I graduated with a Stanford Computer Science Master degree and minor in electrical engineering many many years ago and was building electronics out of wires back in the 80's. But truthfully after watching a couple episodes i feel sort of lost. The mailbox episode makes me wonder if any moisture would damage the circuit board or anything else. I really hate to be a beginner at 45 but i have so many ideas that the only set back is the new electronics look like they make things a lot easier but, but then again harder and more too it.I have debated buying this 37 piece anrduino sensor set, just not sure...Guess i will watch more of your videos.
Jared Traver Howdy young fellow, I used to do TV repair for the officers when stationed at Fort Bliss Texas back in the early 70's and at Fort Meyer Va back in 76-77. Mostly just change tubes getting the replacements from the local radio shack. So I am pretty much a beginner at 63. I did study electronics with a correspondence course from Bell and Howell back in the early 70's myself but gave up when the Army got busy and I didn't want to waste time on such things when a promotion meant more bucks in the pay envelope. Been messing with electronics a bit ever since but not a lot, got more into computers and programing as a hobby till I found Ben Heck show and Julian Iliatt on youtube
To get a precise and easier to read frequency measurement, FFT the input signal, even with a square wave the largest peak should be the driving frequency. The others are residuals of basically the Fourier Transform.You're going to get a sinc-like waveform in the frequency domain from a square wave input.
A cheaper method is something my grandparents did.
Attach a spring to a ball and attach it to the edge of the mail box.
Grab the device and place it so it stays under the little bit of the mailbox used to open the little door.
When the mailman comes the little device will be up in the air and not in place.
Nice, it could be simplified by removing the IR sensors and just making it work on of the open and close switch. Most of the time the mailman won't even bother opening the mailbox if you have no mail, but sometimes they check for outgoing mail I guess. Very cool project.
I have been a fan of Sir Heckendorn for years. I am also touched that you still consider me your greatest ally.
It said they were going to use solar, but they wanted to keep the project simple. I'm sure Ben could have done that and make it whether proof if he tried, after all he is Ben Heck. :)
All you'd need is the mailbox door as an input. The IR is not needed. You only need to miss one of those beams and then that project doesn't see mail. It should just maintain a state that the mailbox door has been tampered with. BUT still, this is a fuckenenening awesome project! Love it!
You can still do it differently, momentary switches under a floorplate, so that mail dropped through the slit trigger the alert system, or a momentary switch with it's arm across the mailbox slit (of the same type that the one he used for this build, for the door, but with a longer switch "lever")
I built something like this a couple months ago, I did it a bit differently. I used an ESP8266, IR sensors and 4 AA batteries. I did not use a door switch. The code I wrote would wake up, check the status of the sensors, post a message to me over wifi and then go into deep sleep for 1 hour. I figured I don't need real time checking, I couldn't really thing of a point to it being real time. I also figured I'd probably have fewer bugs and false positives with powering up and checking the sensors while the door was opened (when the mail person is doing things to the mailbox). The idea was it would instead be most likely checked when the mailbox is undisturbed. Also I figured by using deep sleep I didn't need to cut power to the system.
My math, which could be flawed suggests I would get a couple years of battery life doing it this way.
This project makes me think that I could have a reason to have a switch on the door. To cut the power when opened, so that it doesn't end up doing a check while being disturbed, reducing the false positives that I speculated.
Excellent project. Let me add,I think it is a bit over engineered. A single light detector would work or a no switch. Mail only comes in day time, mail box closed is dark inside, open, light enters, you get the trip and alert signal. But, an even cooler device would be a thin envelope, such as a CD mailer, you just leave it in your mail box, no installation, it contains the detector and the transmitter and battery. No installation, it just lays in the bottom of your mail box and bangs on when mail is tossed in. Cool...Also, no hassel from the USPS about "You have violated Postal code 3245-67-1978 which states, to wit: Thou shalt not molest in, around, upon, or beside any portion of thy mail receptical orifice!, other wise known commonly as ...and crudly...the 'mail box' ."
This man is brilliant.
have had this idea in my head for so long!!!
I have been dreaming about building one of these for years, thanks for making one and showing it fairly easy to make. I may not go full like yours but may use the esp8266 for radio.
Love your projects, just found your site. Thanks
You should put a few more bits of information in the information at the bottom of the YT screen. I scanned through dozens of comments and didn't find the answers, and at 74 can't waste my remaining minutes on searches like this, LOL.
These type answers that pertain to the project should be on every build.
Such as:
Battery life at 120 deg, cause I in AZ
Battery life in Minn. minus 25, why I don't live in Minn
Battery life at 72 for those in central CA
Build cost.
Most mailboxes in Europe are not designed the same, in Sweden alone we have 3 different kind of mailboxes, the postbox looking ones being most common in appartments, the vertical mailboxes being common for houses and then we have mail "holes" in the apartments doors. The design on this video works for 2 out of those mailboxes, it might be possible to make it work for the door mailbox aswell but that's kind of unnecessary since you will hear the mail anyway.
it would be nice if you could include links of parts that you use in the description.
I'm British also, but sometimes I have to drive to my front door to collect my mail from the doorstep, all the while, cursing my butler.
Would the battery pack in the mailbox survive a cold winter?
Add a driveway alarm to it and this will be perfect!
Lol when he opened the mailbox, I got a push notification thinking i got mail
Would love it if someone made a version of this for the slit mailboxes that apartments have
You've got mail! Ah the old AOL mail sound and I'm 13 but I still know what it is and I love it so classic
That video was really awesome because It's like a weekend project
This is a great idea.
LOL When Ben said arduino a picture of the raspberry pi popped up
Ben, you are an inspiration to anyone with that spark of creativity. You certainly have me wanting to try all kinds of things!
Stay awesome, and thanks :)
Thanks for you efforts to share with us. It does occur to me that the IR approach is not really needed. You could drive the circuit off of the pressure switch. When the door is opened by the mailperson, the circuit would be activated. Good enough...
I'm curious how do you get it to work reliably if it is in a metal mailbox instead of a plastic one? the reason for this question is because a metal mailbox would most certainly act as a RF(radio frequency radiation) shield.
I loved this build! I'll have to try to make this one.
It's all fine and dandy until the mailman thinks the switch is a bomb
You are awesome dude.
Fine if the mail is put into the box perpendicular to the IR beam, horizontally or vertically; but it wouldn't work if the mail was added parallel to the beam, as it may not break the beam of light.
This is a good way to scare the mailman
Well, I'm just saying, Ben looked like he closed the door pretty carefully there. So, a mailman used to just haphazardly opening doors, slinging in the mail, and shutting them again would probably break this.
Husband: Honey the mailbox is out of batteries again! Wife: Is this what we are coming to?
nowadays, if the mail carrier saw wires in your mailbox, you'd be surrounded by the swat team
Since your mailbox should signal the receiving part in case of the new mail, could you get away with a manual reset button on the receiving part to avoid using a microcontroller? In other words, there is no state under which your mail disappears from the mailbox without you knowing it (discount stealing), so you can reset it each time by hand. Or even send the 'empty' state to receiver when you take your mail out?
This needs to send push notifications to my Android phone. That would be really useful.
This might be fine for those wimpy plastic mailboxes, but most of us rural folks have metal mailboxes. Can you say Faraday cage?
An easier way to change the battery's, put a panel that spins 180 degrees so you can change the battery's faster
did you read the answer I made to the last one answering that comment... I doubt, otherwise I wouldn't have to answer you...
I stated that for it to be easier here, a pressure plate would be better (but less cool) than what ben is making!
And I'm not making Europe one country, however, most mailbox in Europe or designed the same!
I love how the red wire is labled RED.
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When you were talking about the switches didn't you mean we want the switch (NC) vs (NO), seeing as the (NC/NO) refers to the relaxed not actuated state of the switch? If you were using a (NO) switch, the circuit would only be a closed when the door is shut.
Totally a project way over my head....
What do you suggest if you have a lazy mailman who (often) doesn't make sure the mailbox is completely closed, or (occasionally) leaves the mailbox open?
Thats cool! I wonder if you can program an app for your smartphone that will tell you if you have mail.
Is there wireless contact between those two parts of electronic boards?
"the more you over think the pluming the easier it is to clog the Drain" Ben... even Scotty Knows what works..
Brilliant idea! Thank you for explaining a build for all of us electronic newbies. I am in the process of building a box big enough for packages from amazon. My biggest concern is security- I don't want to leave anything valuable out on the street. I have a question , I have saved all my broken electronics, I thought it would be a fun hobby to unsolder everything. AAGH! Way too much work. what would you do with damages TVs , computers and such?
Pugs Rock i
In the UK, most houses have letter boxes (mail slots) on the actual front door, so this is probably not very useful here!
it's super effective !
Hey Ben, I have an good idea that you can build further on into this mailbox.
Why not implement a solarpanel, that charges the (recargable) batteries for the mailbox ?
I built this same project just last year using exact same method... Using only 1 diagonal IR would reduce the costs.
I think a little solar charger and some NiCd AA's would add the cherry
I know this is getting pretty old, but it is a great video. I just wish all the information was available. It would be nice to see the schematics as well as the code for the microprocessor.
yep that what i thought I would do, something mike a "sensor plate" which would tell me that there's something in it or not :)
it would have to be heavy to set it off. i would use more like a microswitch or optical switch. like a laser
Would you be able to use these wireless transmitter and reciever for video and audio?
Were can I find this schematic and guide how to built?
You win this round buck-o
Aren't most cell phone image sensors CMOS. I say this because rolling shutter is present when panning with a cell phone.
is there a way to maybe have it set up to an app or maybe even text you when you have mail?
i love how you've got the red alligator clip labeled as red lol
Is there any thing like this with a much shorter range? I would like my trucks doors to lock and and lock when I walk up to it or away
I was thinking this thing would only work only when the mailbox door was open, which would be not useful at all. That was until you explained the extra chip.
the mail box idea is super kool but to inprove the batt pack why not put the newer trans parent solar panel film which is also supposely bendble and glue it to the out side of the box and then it`ll be self charging the film panel is also supposely to be able to use bout any kinda light source for power i think ....jusa saying....
is that a wifi antenna on the back wall? did you ever do a tutorial for that?
This was a really interesting episode. Thanks!
This is a very useful project even if you don't use it for a mail box.
i just found myself a new AWESOME CHANNEL!!! thx sir.. i love all your work!
OMG! I had this Idea before where your mailbox tells you when you have mail by email.
that moment when you find that your friend watches the same videos that you do, despite never bringing it up in conversation
I assume that was since new mail boxes have stiff hinges at first and it wasn't secured on its perch. No sense flinging the mail box while trying to demo the electronics. =)
why the infrared sensors? wouldn't it be enough to send a signal when the mailbox is opened?
What is the approximate cost for all the parts used to build this device? I am building one of these in my Mechatronics class, I never expected to find a how-to-build video on TH-cam!
What is make and model of the multi meter that was being used
thats very true
Which IR receiver/emitter did you use?
nah, he's my greatest ally, and we've done tons of collab work together. just two bros who happened to run into eachother at the supermarket/mall/youtube video
thx
I have 2 questions one: How tall are you? two: What about larger mail like say you ordered a soldering iron on amazon and it cant fit?
it would be cool for winter time as well why go outside and freeze your ass off only to find out nothing came yet? lol just wait till you know you have some then go out
i am thinking of making one of these and i do not know what type of xbee you used can you please tell me?
Try making a alarm if people come in or out of your house
Why not get a camera to take a picture of the inside of your mailbox if it gets opened, then email the picture as an attatchment. Takes the guesswork out of it.
A REAL LAZY MAN WAY TO BUILD THIS= install a wireless doorbell and have the button polarity reversed so when the door presses it down, the bell is off and when mail man pulls door open the bell goes off in yer home..sure it dosent have a "mail detector" but its still cool
straight outa edgeville
Hey Ben what kind of battery would I use to run a wii without being plugged in?
Drive to your mailbox? As a Brit that made me laugh.
Me before watching video: this is a good idea, i should make one too
Me after watching video: eeeh.... maybe not
This is cool, but I get mail every buisness day between 2:00pm and 3:30pm so why would I need a sensor too tell me I have mail? What we need is a sensor that will tell us if we got anything but junkmail
Does this have to be on-line of site?
i was just thinking the same thing, a note of explanation would help that.
what part of San Jose will you be Ben.?
When will your show be on discovery channel?
wouldn't the sun's IR rays affect the sensor when the mail man or some jerk comes and opens your mailbox?