Ebay Down Hole Camera Reviews?

[Leaky Boot]

Anyone bought one of the well cameras they sell on Ebay that comes rolled up on an extension cord roller? You plug into a laptop or other monitor that you provide. They are cheap as cameras go. $275 for a 350 ft kit. I'm mostly interested in having one on hand for fishing use. Don't need to "log" wells with it. Just see what I'm after and get the exact depth to fish. LB

 

[Boycedrilling]

Could go give me a link to the one you’re talking about? Does it actually have a depth encoder, or just depths on the cable?

I have a camera van with a CCV (Aries) system with 2000 ft of armored coax. Also have a Laval R-cam 1000 portable system with 1000 ft of the PVC/Kevlar cable.

I’ve used the well-vu systems, but haven’t been impressed.

I’m giving a presentation next month on fishing. One of the things I talk about is using downhole video to help in fishing operations. I wouldn't fish without one. That’s why I originally bought my camera van.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Leaky Boot]

Could go give me a link to the one you’re talking about? Does it actually have a depth encoder, or just depths on the cable?

I have a camera van with a CCV (Aries) system with 2000 ft of armored coax. Also have a Laval R-cam 1000 portable system with 1000 ft of the PVC/Kevlar cable.

I’ve used the well-vu systems, but haven’t been impressed.

I’m giving a presentation next month on fishing. One of the things I talk about is using downhole video to help in fishing operations. I wouldn't fish without one. That’s why I originally bought my camera van.

At the price I don't think you even get markings on the cable. Not a terrible problem as I would just mark the place I wanted to fish with some tape and then stretch the cable out and use a tape measure to get the depth to the inch. Crude way, but no more than I hope I would have to use it, it will work. My worry is you spend the money and don't need it for a long time and then the thing is "dead" when you need it. Search on Ebay for "down hole well camera" Always works for me.

Also might be handy to see why a pump is stuck. LB

 

[Valveman]

I’m giving a presentation next month on fishing. One of the things I talk about is using downhole video to help in fishing operations. I wouldn't fish without one. That’s why I originally bought my camera van.

That would be interesting! Where are you having it?

I could give a class on fishing in the pre-camera days, but it wouldn't be pretty.

 

[Boycedrilling]

Well I went ahead and ordered one! The 350 foot version. I’ll let you know what I think when I receive it and test it out!

 

[Boycedrilling]

I’ve done a class on fishing twice for the Washington state Ground water association. I’m doing it again feb 10th for the Oregon state groundwater association.

I’m licensed in both states. Both states require 7 hours per year continuing education for drilling license renewal (14 hours every 2 years). Classes have to be preapproved to receive credits by the state agencies. 2 hrs per 2 year renewal have to be on that states’ rules and regulations.

 

[Valveman]

Thanks. I know a couple people up there who maybe interested.

We have the same thing in Texas, but it is only 4 hours per year. I haven't given a class in a long time. Kudos to you for doing them. Usually not a fun thing to do in your time off.

 

[Boycedrilling]

I’m sitting In the airport on Grand Cayman Island waiting for our flight home. We’ve been here for the last week, courtesy of Preferred Pump. Flight are delayed into Atlanta because of the cold front. We fly home to Washington tomorrow.

I’ve been visiting with another driller from Oregon, here in the airport, talking about drilling. He’s had some questions for me about flooded reverse drilling. Some drillers have the attitude that they don’t want to share their secrets. One driller once told me “I learned things the hard way. You’ll have learn then the hard way too.”

I feel the opposite. I’ve been in the industry long enough to know how much I don’t know. But I’m willing to share anything I do know. Giving classes for continuing education to my peers is a very fulfilling way of giving back to my industry.

 

[Valveman]

5 degrees in Texas today. I'm jealous! Hope you had fun on the island.

Yeah I called a driller competitor one time and ask a simple question about a certain kind of mud. I could hear the guys old man in the background yelling for him to "tell me to figure it out myself". The problem was, they also owned the drilling supply company where I bought the mud. So the supply company told me to call him with my question. He never did give me a good answer, but I don't think he knew either.

 

[Leaky Boot]

Well I went ahead and ordered one! The 350 foot version. I’ll let you know what I think when I receive it and test it out!

Sounds like a deal. I was going to order but now I'm going to wait on your report! LB

 

[Boycedrilling]

I’m concerned about the light output. It only has two LEDs. My laval 2” camera has some where between 8 and 12 downward facing LEDs. It’s enough light up to about a 12” hole.The side view camera lens probably has 6 LEDs. My 4” CCV camera has a 100watt 120 volt tungsten bulb.

This camera system costs less than the light bulb cover for my CCV camera.

Even if this camera only worked one time, it would be worth it. It costs less than my minimum charge to video a well. I charge $500 plus 50 cents per foot of depth.

 

[LennyS]

I ordered one also. I sent the guy a question on eBay and he replied with his phone number Because he wanted to explain some details, I thought that was good. The seller makes the setup himself because he had a need for one so he figured he’d start producing them for others. I did ask about camera quality and he said he never had a complaint about seeing what’s going on. Only possibly thing he said was the software doesn’t work well with MAC, worked with windows 10 fine. I’m going to hook up directly with RCA cables and a small monitor. My pump is stuck so I wanna see what’s going on in there. If I can can make a video, I’ll try an post it but I probably won’t even get the camera till next week some time. Let’s hope it’s worthwhile!

 

[Leaky Boot]

I ordered one also. I sent the guy a question on eBay and he replied with his phone number Because he wanted to explain some details, I thought that was good. The seller makes the setup himself because he had a need for one so he figured he’d start producing them for others. I did ask about camera quality and he said he never had a complaint about seeing what’s going on. Only possibly thing he said was the software doesn’t work well with MAC, worked with windows 10 fine. I’m going to hook up directly with RCA cables and a small monitor. My pump is stuck so I wanna see what’s going on in there. If I can can make a video, I’ll try an post it but I probably won’t even get the camera till next week some time. Let’s hope it’s worthwhile!

Wanting to talk to you in person is a very, very good sign. Alot of the ebay sellers like to remain behind the scene.

 

[Leaky Boot]

Guess my post helped the camera seller out. Two sales in one afternoon. May just be the beginning if they work good as these post are read by new people every day. With a few more sales I might even hit the fellow up for free shipping on my future order---pending a report on how theu work from the buyers here. LB

 

[LennyS]

Guess my post helped the camera seller out. Two sales in one afternoon. May just be the beginning if they work good as these post are read by new people every day. With a few more sales I might even hit the fellow up for free shipping on my future order---pending a report on how theu work from the buyers here. LB

I hear ya! Hopefully it works well enough, thank you!

 

[LennyS]

I got my camera today and send it right down the hole. Worked great till I hit the water then I couldn’t see much. When I fill up a bucket of water the water is very cloudy so I’m sure that the light is reflecting off the cloudy water so I’ll give it some time to clear up, if it will clear up.

The software install was easy because a software wizard pops up and leads you through it. It coneed with a print out of instructions that were very precise. I followed them and it worked perfectly. The cable does have numbers in 2 ft increments which is very valuable so you can Log observations with correct depths. The only thing I found aggravating was as you unwind the camera cable to send it down the hole, the power/monitor wires twist up so you have a hard time unwinding the camera cable. The second time I left the real on its side and just took off one loop at a time. When I was finished I disconnected the cables and wound up the camera cable with the real like an extension cord. For the price I give it a thumbs up despite the 9v battery dangles as your using it. With a little ingenuity, I think some minor details can be worked out to be a nice little unit.

 

[Reach4]

Note post #86 on https://terrylove.com/forums/index....ucing-sediment-and-reddish-water.73560/page-5 where running the pump cleared up the cloudiness for the camera. Your well may be very different.

Winding and unwinding cables without twisting is tricky. One way I like for long extension cords is to drill a hole into a 5 gallon plastic bucket. Run one end of the cable out of the hole -- the one that goes to the display. The as you put the cable away, just stuff it into the bucket without actually winding. That way you don't add twists. For winding by hand into normal-looking loops, there is an "over and under" cable coiling method that you would want to learn.

 

[Boycedrilling]

Yes the water in a well has to be clear to see with a downhole camera.

Sometimes I will run a camera in immediately after drilling. Some sections are so turbid that the video goes completely black. Any water movement in a water bearing zone is very easy to spot under these conditions. You can also tell when you’ve gone past the water bearing zone. The water will get turbid again. If you pump the well completely clean, this can be harder to identify.

 

[LennyS]

I’ll give it some time

 

[LennyS]

Since we used a fair amount of water this morning I figured I’d run the camera down as far as I could to see things but even before I hit the water the pic quality was poor. Not sure if it was the laptop or camera. Out of the well cap the quality was fine but soon as I dropped it past the pitlessthe picture dropped off every time. Not sure why but I’ll grt to the bottom of this eventually.