The bird feeder in this video is the Bird Buddy that is new to the market and has proven to be a good choice for a smart Wi-fi enabled motion activated bird feeder that has a feature rich phone app that receives “Postcards” which are still photos and more recently video clips. The App has been updated regularly and the firmware in the camera has seen recent updates. The feeder can be bought with a solar panel roof for charging the camera and for really sunny locations around the planet that would be the end of the charging story. Where I’m located, we get to many gray days and rain especially this time of year (November - April) which winter brings low light and occasional snow that covers the solar panel. So, I bailed on the solar panel roof altogether and designed a constant charging source that resides in my basement and comes out to the feeder underground. The power then comes up inside a 5-foot-high galvanized duct with a cap. From the top of the duct, I have a panel mount connector and another panel mount connector on the feeder for a 12-inch jumper to connect the two. This jumper is a quick disconnect to be able to bring the feeder in for cleaning. The power supply is a simple 5-volt dc at 1-amp wall source that has a 5.5mm male connector. The 5.5mm round power connector is common and is what many laptop computers use. (not Apple) The choice to use the 5.5mm power connector is for the long run out to the top of the duct. These long 5.5mm cables are used for security cameras. Only once the power cable is inside the Bird Buddy is it then changed to the required USB-C connector to plug directly into the camera. There are several cabling pieces need for this setup.
The power supply is right from Amazon and cost about $8. LINK for power supply: www.amazon.com/dp/B09W6B1945?...
The first pig tail to go from the long 5.5mm cable run and be soldered to the panel mount 5.5mm connector on the duct comes as a 2-pack and cost about $10. LINK to 5.5mm 3-foot pig tail: www.amazon.com/dp/B08PYT6HZ2?...
And here is the link 5.5mm panel mount connector pig tail cable. This pig tail is build by the manufacture kind of backwards. The black wire is the power center pin and the red wire is the outer connector case. This is the only component that is like this. And it is made wrong. Red “should” always be the center pin on these connectors and all other pig tails are correct. There is a choice on Amazon - you want the copper dc pig tail choice. Cost is about $10 for 5 pieces you will need 2. LINK: to panel pig tail: www.amazon.com/dp/B08P5QCLL5?...
The 12-inch 5.5mm power “Jumper” cable is complete and no assembly and cost about $10 for 5. This is the only exposed cable that is outside of the feeder or duct. This should be consider a use up item. It will need to be swapped out with a good one when required. So, these come as 5 pieces - perfect. LINK: to the jumper: cable: www.amazon.com/dp/B016VFQJB6?...
Next is the same panel mount connector pig tail cable that requires a hole to be drilled on the lower side of the Bird Buddy. This cable is described above.
Lastly, there is a USB-C connector pig tail that will need to be soldered to the panel mount connect pig tail that has been added to the lower rear Bird Buddy feeder and cost about: $15 for 5 pieces. LINK to the USB-C connector pig tail cable: www.amazon.com/dp/B09X2VKSX4?...
The wire loom that I used (first) for wire protection is an Amazon purchase and later I added the much more secure flexible conduit that was bought from Home Depot.
LINK to the wire loom: cost about $10: www.amazon.com/dp/B00U8L9ZPW?...
LINK to the flexible conduit cost about $23: www.homedepot.com/p/Southwire...
The glass overhead Squirrel baffle is an Amazon purchase also and cost about $22. LINK to baffle: www.amazon.com/dp/B08GYLD2QY?...
All the metal was from Home Depot. Very little fabrication was needed. A 1-inch hole in the top of the duct. I used a hole saw blade that was 1-1/8 inch in diameter for clearance for the ¾” pipe. Also a hole in the duct and bird feeder for the panel mount connectors are needed. I think these were 3/8” holes but measure and drill exactly what is required.
This was a fun project. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below the video and I will get back with you ASAP.