I’m strongly thinking about getting a remote monitoring system, and I think the costs have come down enough the costs are justifiable even on a smaller woods like mine (900 taps). The woods is remote from the house, and I work full time all season…both make it hard to keep a good eye on the woods. I think there’s two options: maple company manufactured unit and security cameras.
Maple Manufactured units. I haven’t spent too much time looking to compare the companies, but I’m leaning towards the SmarTrek unit. I’ve had very good luck with H2O customer service, and I think SmarTrek has been around the longest (bugs worked out??), they have a phone app and a upcoming web interface, so I can walk around the woods watching vac levels. Data would be available in real time. I think I can do my entire woods on 3 single port sensors and 1 double. I may or may not need a repeater…not sure if I have some hummocks in the way between readers. A tank level sensor would be nice too, so I don’t make emergency trips back to the woods on an unexpected overnight flow. I can get set up with vac. sensors for about ~$3500. Tank sensors about another $750…next year maybe. Prices would be less the spring discount. This setup would allow me to optimize my time in the woods…focus my efforts.
Security cameras. They’re pretty cheap (Northern Tool or Amazon). I could set one up in the pump shed to read the VFD display (tells me if the pump is running) and the vac. gauge at the releaser. It’d at least tell me if I have any leaks and how big they are. I can check the camera as I walk around the woods and watch how the vac. level improves in real time. Put another camera looking into the tank to visually check liquid level. I think I could get set up with cameras for <$500. This setup would give me the basics and the important information….what are my vac. and tank levels.
I have a mobile hotspot, so that is my internet connection out of the woods.
Looking for peoples inputs on the two alternatives. Are security cameras a reasonable way to go, and will it be beneficial enough, or should I suck it up and spend the money (I don’t mind doing it if it makes sense)? Of the manufactured units is any one clearly better than another?
Thanks for your input.