Camera has very dim or no night vision
From EZWatch Wiki
Night Vision cameras allow for incredible security by removing the ability for an intruder or unauthorized person to use darkness as cover. In some circumstances you may see a decrease in night vision, this guide will assist you in determining if that decrease in vision is due to a technical problem or not.
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Low Light Vision vs. Infrared
A low light camera is typically much smaller and easier to hide, but it has a couple drawbacks. Most 'low light' cameras view in black and white only, and still require at least a small amount of light to be able to see by. Because it does not produce its own light and it can be much smaller than an infrared camera it is much easier to hide.
An infrared night vision camera emits its own infrared light. The light itself is invisible, but the LED lights that emit it glow faintly red. The red glow means the camera itself is visible even if other objects are not. The red glow is about as bright as the light on the front of a VCR. Because the camera emits its own light (invisible to the human eye), it can see in complete and total 100% darkness. Infrared cameras must have room for the LED lights on the front, so they are generally larger than other cameras; this combined with the red glow makes the camera itself much more difficult to hide than a low light camera would be.
Nothing to see
The way infrared night vision works is that the camera emits an invisible beam of light which strikes an object and reflects back to the camera. What you are seeing when you view the camera image is the light that was reflected off of the object.
If the camera is pointed out across a distance or if there are no objects within the field of view of the camera then the image will simply appear dark. Driveways and lawns normally will show up, so try angling the camera downwards more so that you can see the surrounding terrain.
Insufficient Power
A camera which functions perfectly fine during the day may experience problems viewing infrared at night if the cable being used is not sufficient to transmit power to the camera.
During the day, most cameras use very little power - 200-300mA is enough to power the display and send the video signal back to the PC.
Extra features of the camera use more and more power - an internal heater/blower will use a little more (~100-200mA), pan/tilt/zoom motors use more (Anywhere from 500mA to 2A more), auto-iris uses a slight amount (~50mA). Night vision uses quite a lot, anywhere from an additional 200mA all the way up to 750mA.
If the power wire being run to the camera is not thick enough to transmit a good power signal or if the power supply does not produce enough amperage to sufficiently power the camera then when the infrared night vision turns on the LED's won't have enough power to glow as brightly as they should. This will reduce the range at which your camera can see at night.
To ensure full operation, please follow these guidelines :
Fixed cameras which have 50' or less range with night vision : These cameras should use a 500mA single-camera power supply or should be plugged into a 8 or 16 channel multi-camera power supply. The Multi-cam PSU's have 1Amp Fuses.
Camera Examples :
EZ-BULLET
EZBULLET-PRO
EZDOME-IR
Fixed cameras which have more than 50' Infrared Night Vision : These cameras should use the '12VDC-IR' 1.5Amp power supply that they came with. They should not be used with a standard 12VDC nor should they be connected to the Multi-Cam Power supply Units. If the 1.5A adapter that it came with is lost or damaged, then be certain that the replacement is the '12VDC-IR' 1.5 amp supply.
Camera Examples :
120IR-OD
200IR-OD
200AUTO
Pan/Tilt/Zoom and other mobile cameras : These cameras come with their own power supplies which range from 2.5 amps up. They should only ever be used with their own power supplies. They should never be connected using a 12VDC, a 12VDC-IR, or a Multi-Camera Power Supply Unit.
Camera Examples :
EZ-TRACK Dome
CD55NV Dome
ASH56NV-IR
If the power supply you are using is the correct one for the camera, then you can test the cable to see if the problem lies there by bypassing the cable. Plug the camera power supply DIRECTLY into the camera itself. Use an extension cord if necessary to get the power out to the camera. If the night vision shows up bright and normal when the power is directly connected then you need to try using a thicker power wire to get the correct night vision. Otherwise, move on to the next step.
Obstructed Night Vision
If the night vision is covered by anything it could severely decrease your ability to view in darkness. Make certain that the front of the camera is clear that nothing is brushing against the frong of the unit which could be blocking the LED's.
Over time residue from rain, snow, dust storms, or other inclement weather can build up on the front of the camera; please make certain to wipe it off with a damp, clean towel. Do not use abrasive cleaners or materials. Do not remove the front cover of the camera unless in a clean, controlled environment (only ever open the unit in a dry indoor environment).
Camera Night Vision Failure
On the front of the camera, on the circuit board that all the LED lights are attached to, is a small sensor which the camera uses to detect when it is night and when it is not. A good method of testing the camera to determine if there's a problem is to cover up this sensor with a finger, or to place the unit in a dark area where the sensor will 'see' that it is night. You should then be able to see the camera's LED lights glow a faint red. If one or more of the LED lights is out or if the board fails to glow at all then it may need to be serviced by an authorized technician. At that point, please Contact Us and speak with a support representative to confirm the issue and determine how this issue can be resolved. If the support rep. beleives that the issue cannot be resolved without servicing the camera, then they will direct you to set up an RMA to return the camera.
