How to Build a DIY Night Vision System with an Old Webcam

Introduction

Building your own night vision system can be an exciting and rewarding DIY project. With just a few common components, you can convert an old webcam into a device that can see in the dark. In this guide, I will walk you step-by-step through the process of building a DIY night vision system using an old webcam.

What You Will Need

To build your night vision webcam, you will need the following components:

• An old webcam - this will form the basis of your night vision system. Any webcam can work, but higher resolution models will provide better image quality.

• IR LEDs - these infrared LEDs will illuminate your field of view with infrared light. You'll need 8-12 LEDs for a usable system.

• A power source - you'll need a way to power both the webcam and the IR LEDs. A USB power bank works well.

• Resistors - to properly power the IR LEDs, you'll need resistors to control the current flow. 100-220 ohm 1/4 watt resistors are ideal.

• Jumper wires - to connect the components together.

• A switch - to control power to the IR LEDs.

• Soldering equipment - you'll need to solder some connections. A basic soldering iron, solder, and wire cutters are sufficient.

• Enclosure (optional) - to house your finished system. A cardboard box works.

Disassembling the Webcam

The first step is to disassemble your webcam to expose the circuit board inside. This allows you to solder connections to power the IR LEDs.

To disassemble:

• Remove any screws, clips or adhesive holding the webcam housing together.

• Carefully separate the two halves of the housing to expose the PCB.

• If needed, disconnect the webcam PCB from the lens assembly.

• Locate the USB power connections on the PCB - this is where you will solder the power wires for the IR LEDs.

Wiring the Infrared LEDs

Next, you need to wire up the IR LEDs and connect them to the webcam's power supply.

To wire the LEDs:

• First, calculate the resistor value needed for your LEDs using Ohm's law. Generally 100-220 ohm resistors will work.

• Solder resistors inline with each IR LED positive leg. This controls the current.

• Connect all the LED negative legs together and solder to the ground wire.

• Connect all the positive legs together after the resistors.

• Solder the combined positive connection to a jumper wire to connect to power.

Sample Wiring Diagram

Here is a sample wiring diagram for 8 IR LEDs:

Connecting Power

With the IR LEDs wired, the next step is connecting them to a power source and the webcam.

• Solder the ground wire from the LEDs to the webcam's ground pin on the PCB.

• Solder the positive LED wire to the 5V or 3.3V rail on the webcam PCB.

• Connect the positive and ground wires from a USB power bank to the webcam's power rails.

• Install an inline switch on the positive wire to control IR power.

Now you have both the webcam and IR LEDs connected to your external USB power supply!

Installation into Enclosure

For best results, install your night vision webcam into an enclosure.

• Place the webcam PCB and IR LEDs into your enclosure.

• Position the LEDs around the webcam lens to evenly illuminate the field of view.

• Drill a small hole for the webcam lens to peek through.

• Close up the enclosure with tape or hot glue.

• Attach the external USB power bank to the enclosure to power the system.

Testing and Using Your Night Vision Webcam

Once fully assembled, here's how to test and use your DIY night vision webcam:

• Turn off room lights and power on your system.

• The IR LEDs should emit a faint red glow - this is the infrared light.

• View the webcam video feed. You should be able to see in infrared!

• Experiment with positioning and distance to get a clear night vision image.

• To improve visibility, add IR pass filters over the webcam lens to block visible light.

• Your webcam can now provide night vision capability! Use it for security, wildlife viewing, or just for fun.

Going Further

To take your night vision webcam to the next level:

• Upgrade to a higher resolution CMOS webcam for better image quality.

• Add more powerful IR illuminators, such as IR flood lights.

• Experiment with IR pass filters for the lens for better light filtering.

• Build a pan/tilt mount with servos to control camera direction.

• Add a Raspberry Pi with OpenCV for image processing and control.

So in summary, building a capable night vision system is easy with the right components and a DIY attitude. The project can be expanded and improved over time. Just power up your imagination - the possibilities are endless!