boybloo

I think I burned a balun as I relocated a camera without turning the power off it will probably take a week to get another one (unless I can buy/borrow one locally). Should I take the other balun off the line?

The Baluns I have is almost identical to the picture Rory posted. Only dirrerence is the BNC connector is silver. There is an item number VB-05 but no brand name. I ordered them through a local security company. I have to give them credit - at least they new what I was talkin about when I aske for a balun.

I was thinking that but I could find no other explanation. I wonder what else it could have been, I do know that I tied the lines together on the camera side (burned balun was on the dvr side) to check continuity but I am 99.9% sure that power was off at that time. I should also mention that sleep deprivation could have played a part this occured the morning after an all nighter.

Looking for picture or diagram showing wiring with balun, Cat5 & coax. I'm trying to come up with a tidy layout for 16 cams - 8 on cat5 w/baluns, 1 on coax and 7 on cat5 w/o baluns. Do you connect video feeds to a barrier strip or do they go straight to the baluns? I'm not sure if power is going to be local of central so I'm planning both ways.

I do not know if the fact that the wires are in contact only at the beginig and end affect this calculation. I can't post links yet but just google "Bidirectional Single-Gauge AWG Calculator"

No it doesn't. The net effect is still to lower the DC resistance of the wires. Survtech, would you mind posting the link here, I still have a few more days of probation I came across the calculator trying to find out if triple cat5 would get me to 200ft - it does. Thanks for all of your help! Rory - If you're out there thanks a mil. I'll be looking for your input on Diginet DVR soon

Before we conclude let me ask, would it be better to join wire from 2 different cables. This should generate less heat which would result in less voltage loss. I saw this somewhere in all of my reading today. I'm sure I haven't done the argument justice.

On a 200 ft run of Cat5 I've connected a balun. I then have a 5ft run of RG6 from my baluns to my DVR. On the camera end there will be a short piece of coax between the balun and the camera. I ran out of RG6 twist on BNC's so I was tempted to use RG59 on the camera side. I decided to wait & get the RG6 BNC's. Would there have been an issue if I had used the RG59? second question, I have an existing Cat5 line that was twisted around a nail. I was wondering if I straighten out the kink will the wire be ok to use for video. I'm going to use the lines for power but I wondered if I did use the lines for video what would be the result.

I was lucky enough to get an empty electrical panel to house everything in the office. As far as why Cat5, the company that installed the system used Cat5 I don't recall being a choice.

I wasn't worried about burglary. When we first got cameras the power was in the store and every so often the plug would some how work it's way out. There is no lock but there are two screws. I could put a lock on there, do you think it's a good Idea/neacssary?

In both locations, there is room near the breaker panels. They won't be seen. It's just cramped - you're killing me here man. If you're not careful it could turn out to be work.

Don't have the specs on the power supplies right now but they look pretty solid. They are 12v, nine Cameras which is good because although I have 16 cameras 9 are in one store and 7 in the other. So if/when I do put them in the stores there won't be an issue. I honestly don't know why I am reluctant to put the power in the stores. The boxes have just been mounted to the wall & I've cut & labled the wires going from the supply to the camera junction box. To make the move now won't take much effort. It's just something unsetteling about the power being out there. Is there a security issue with the supplies being in the stores

Gotcha Rory I'll test first. How about this. I still have the individual 12V adapters that I took out. Can I just put power on the camera, do a rough connect on the camera, and test the line. Or do I have to install everything in it's final configuration?

Took out name of supplier - Can't vouch for the prouduct - It's their entry level infared, 12V, 1.4 watts & 300mA.

Wouldn't a load have to be on the line when I test? I'm replacing a couple of those cheap bullets. I'll put one of them on the line to test.

I was resigned to putting the power supplys in the store but I would really prefer to put them in the office. Please tell me that I can triple up! If I get 10.8 volts it would be ok? What is the effect of low voltage? As I said these cameras have been running on low voltage for some time now.

Don't know that it matters but the power consumption is pretty low 12V, 1.4W & 300mA. I got that doubling up idea from somewhere around here. The cameras have been running on single runs of Cat5 for a few years. The quality of the video was poor so I’ve concentrated on the video side of the issue, trying to improve on the existing setup. I've learned a lot here but it appears that power is another issue and I have still more to learn. What is the next most reasonable course to take? Bearing in mind that the Cat5 is already in place should I finish the installation as I planned with double Cat5 for power? If the Cat5 is really bad I can always move the power supply from my office to the stores (location of the cameras). In that case the longest run will be 80ft. I've checked the calculator and 18 guage is needed. I could make those runs the next time I have energy to burn. Is there any info available on how double 24 guage rates. If it rates like 18 then I’m ok

I went with the conventional barrier strip. you know the black ones with screw terminals on the two sides but I don't think I'll be able to use them on the camera side because of the short (3" - 4") pigtails I have for power. Is it worth the trouble of souldering a piece on?...Nah, I'll just use the beanies. One more issue. I planned to double up the cat5 for power but I've been told that there is probably no benefit to it. Anyone out there with proof positive (or at least an opinion) one way or the other?

I have beanies but I would prefer to use some of what ever that was you posted the picture of. It would make it easier to organize wires. What's that called? Do you need a tool to work it?

The RG6 I've used is copper clad steel core and 77% aluminum shielding. Well I guess it has to go. Our local home center has this wire doitbest dot com SKU528931 (couldn't post a link - haven't been around long enough) I was told that it has copper shielding any chance it's 95% - the packaging did specify (according to sales person) I'm in Rory's neck of the woods - Rory any idea where I can get the right stuff? Also what are my options as far as the RG6 BNC connectors I can’t return? 1) Can I put a piece of electrical or Teflon tape around the end of the RG59 so that there is a more snug fit? 2) Can I use RG6 copper/copper on the camera end where stiffness is not an issue and RG59 on the DVR end? Oh I didn’t know that I could connect the balun directly to the camera. That would work for 5 of my 8 lines. In the case where I have to add wire I was going to run coax from that point. Is it ok to join Cat5? If so should I solder or can I crimp the wires?

Man, That's some really bad news. I paid 2.50 ea for 60 RG6 connectors and I’ve already used half; but at the same time I want to do everything right. Do I need to change the RG6 that I’ve already installed? The RG6 I’m using does not have a copper braid. I have 8 Cat5 runs of about 200ft and on three of those runs I need to add coax runs (balun in between) of 80, 40 and 20 feet. Although the Cat5 does reach the cameras, tight turns, stapled wire, and kinks worry me, so I’m going to cut those back to the point where it looks good. On the other 5 runs the Cat5 looks ok so I need only a short piece of coax to go between the balun and the camera. How short should that piece be? I used RG6 because I thought bigger is better. What problems come with using the RG6?

Thanks survtech, I got it - continuity saved the day.

I have a camera that had the connectors cut off. I want to solder connections back on and I was able to determine which line was video and which is power but I can't tell the polarity of each. Does it matter, and if so how can I determine polarity. Is there color indicators?

Wow! Over 12,000 post & from Nassau - What's up 242? The camera is 12v dome. It has a single wire running to a rubber block and four wires running from there. I do know power vs video. The wires in both are red & white. Some of the insulation above the block has been removed & I can see a white wire, a red wire and some uncovered strands. I've checked the continuity and when I check the uncovered wire against all of the end wires there is continuity. When I disconnected the cable from the camera and checked I have continuity on the 2 red wires but not the 2 white. This I think means that the white wires are positive but (dumb question). What was the difference?

I'm sorry I am using UTP, it's the outer insulation that I was refering to but you've both given me the info I need - Thanks!