Chapter 6: Wiring and Powering Cameras
From EZWatch Wiki
Wiring and Powering Cameras
Video Cable & Maximum Distance
All professional grade systems use video coax cable to transmit the video from the camera to the recorder. The maximum distance the cameras can be from the recorder is a function of the cable rather than the camera itself. Using RG59 coax cable you can extend the camera out to 600 feet. Using RG6 coax cable you can run up to 1,000 feet. Cable is available in 500' boxes or pre-made cables 100', 65', 35' lengths.
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Video Coax Cable |
Making a BNC Fitting
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| 1. Strip away all of the cable and shielding so you have 1/2" of the center conductor exposed. | 2. Then strip away the black covering so you have 1/4" of the shielding exposed. Do not allow any of the copper shielding to touch the center conductor. | 3. Insert the cable into the fitting and gently find the hole for the center conductor before you press the fitting on the wire. Now just twist the fitting on the wire while firmly pressing down until the fitting has been firmly twisted onto the cable. |
Connecting Coax Cables
BNC fittings are used to connect the cable to both the camera and the recorder, multiplexer or monitor. You simply push the fitting on the video port and turn it, it couldn't be easier.
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Camera Power
Cameras can be powered two ways. You can power each camera with its own plug in power supply, or you can wire multiple cameras back to a multi-camera power source. Both options plug into a regular 110V electrical outlet and then step the power down to 12V DC or 24V AC to feed to the camera. Make sure you match the cameras voltage to the power supply. In other words power a 12V DC camera with a 12V DC power supply and power a 24V AC camera with a 24V AC power supply.
We recommend using 12V DC equipment. 12 volt replacement parts are readily available and they filter power spikes from getting to the camera.
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Plug in power supplies are usually located within 6-10 feet of the camera. The multi-camera power supplies are installed in a closet or somewhere out of the way and then a two conductor power wire is pulled to each camera. When designing a surveillance system you may want to use a combination of plug in and multi-camera power supplies. This will depend on where your power outlets are located and how easily you can pull a wire from a multi-camera power supply to each camera. Multi-camera power supplies have one fused, dedicated power output for each camera. This design provides excellent protection from power spikes and surges.
Camera Power Cable
While almost any wire will work to power a camera the quality of the wire will dictate the maximum distance you can transmit power. We recommend using an 18 gauge, 2 conductor, non-shielded, twisted cable. This cable will allow you to extend the distance from the power supply to the camera up to 300', and allow you to power two or three cameras with one wire run. This cable is very common and is used in burglar alarm and fire alarm systems as well. We recommend this wire because:
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18 Gauge: Offers very low resistance to the flow of power and is less likely to break.
2 Conductor: One lead for (+) power, the other for (-) ground.
Non-Shielded: Shielded wire costs more and does not offer any benefit for transmitting power.
Twisted: The twisting of the wire greatly reduces resistance to the flow of power and extends the maximum distance up to 300 feet.
** Caution: Stay clear of systems which transmit the video and camera power through a single cable. The vast majority of these systems are proprietary, and cannot utilize standard BNC connections. It can be extremely difficult to find compatible replacement parts and you may end up replacing the whole system (Cameras included) if one part goes out. Remember all professional grade CCTV equipment uses BNC or RCA fittings and coax cable.
Many systems, including EZ Watch Pro, offer 'siamese' cable where the video and power are separate cables, but the cables are joined together and run side-by-side. This wire conforms to the BNC standard and is not proprietary, and is generally easier to work with as it eliminates the need to pull separate cables for each camera.
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