Please help with my first big project!

[herictopia 0]

Hello,

I've previously installed cameras in stores, offices and mansions in the past few months but I am taking a big step for my company with the following installation.

 

A plastic Factory. 35,000 sq feet. However, the owner only wants cameras in the loading dock, and all the doors. Also, few cameras only on the 12 machines (size of a bus). One camera can cover 3 or 4 machines since he only wants to monitor if people are working on the machine or not....he does not want to know who/how/what part of the machine they are working on.

 

So, my installation will be 14 cameras, 2 outside and 12 inside. I'll be using an Avermedia card for the system as I find them very reliable.

 

Anyhow, getting to the point. The ceiling of the factory is very high. as high as the ceiling you'd see in home depot. There are girders in the ceiling and nothing else in between like drop ceiling or plain ceiling. My question is: if i mount the camera up there with a zoom lens, will it be acceptable? If not, how would I bring the cameras down half way to be hanging? I think I read somewhere that i can use conduit for this but are there any other way? I dont want to drill holes in his girders. Please help me.

[Soundy 1]

If all he wants is broad over-views of the work areas, then putting the cameras up that high is probably even preferable, as it will give a wider shot and reduce the chance of actually seeing any identifiable faces, in case anyone has any concerns about that. The only potential issue would be the girders partially blocking the views, so mounting the cameras to the girders , or even just at their level, may be desirable.

 

There are a couple ways to do this. One, you could use "beam clamps" (often used by sprinkler guys) to clamp to the girders. They typically look like this:

.

 

You'd attach the camera mount via the bolt-hole on the bottom.

 

The other common option to use a piece of pipe to extend the camera down from the Q-deck - I've commonly used an octagonal junction box and a cover plate with a threaded hole, and a length of iron pipe, into a dome enclosure.

[herictopia 0]

Thank you much for the helpful reply. I forgot to mention that for one area, where there is the loading dock, He does want some minute details. for this, do i still need the pipe installation? or can i use a zoom lens camera? Thanks again.

[herictopia 0]

also, can you describe a little bit more about the an octagonal junction box installation? what does the iron pipe hang by? Do you put the pipe in the box then put a screw through the top part of the pipe so it doesn't go through the hole?

[VST_Man 1]

I did a hardware install where I took a vandal armor dome day night cam and attached it to a metal electrical "gang" box via electrical junctions. gang was attached right into the dome. then I took 10ft. threaded pipe and connect that to the gang box..........and at the top I connect that to a ball, pretty much like a ceiling fan ball, that allowed a swinging rotation. the ball mounted into a metal box that was bolted to the steel beams. threaded pipe can be made as beam heights can vary.

 

nice thing about the above;

- forklifts could bang into them and they would swing out of the way..........armor domes also took a beating but they survived. No, I did not hang them in harms way, I just accepted that no matter where I put them they would get hit/slammed.

- hanging them low got the video down closer to the action.

- gang box allowed cable connections

- save $300.00 per camera.....I did not have to buy special domes that would get damage anyway. this was a 32 camera install and 20 of them were hanging types so the saving were worth it to my client.

 

 

Yes they looked "odd"..not your typical hanging dome....but the overall armor effect was and is still perfect.................

 

pm me me for pics. I can also get you some video from a PTZ I have in that store..........maybe have you connect via the internet and zoom into the actual completed install.

[survtech 0]

Schedule 40 and 80 cast iron pipe is very heavy. You need strong, well mounted flanges to mount it at the top. You can save a bit of weight by using 1-1/4" or 1-1/2" EMT conduit (depending on what your pendant domes require) with set screw connectors at each end. It's easier to cut to length than cast iron pipe. To keep the conduit from slipping out of the connector, mark and drill a hole in the conduit where one of the set screws goes, then use a longer set screw that can go right through the hole.

[herictopia 0]

Hello VST man,

Is there anyway you can send me the PM? The site wont let me PM because I have less then 5 days account. If you dont mind, you can also email me the ip address and some pictures to xlseries at gmail.you know what . I cant tell you how much I appreciate you helping me. Thank you!

 

I did a hardware install where I took a vandal armor dome day night cam and attached it to a metal electrical "gang" box via electrical junctions. gang was attached right into the dome. then I took 10ft. threaded pipe and connect that to the gang box..........and at the top I connect that to a ball, pretty much like a ceiling fan ball, that allowed a swinging rotation. the ball mounted into a metal box that was bolted to the steel beams. threaded pipe can be made as beam heights can vary.

 

nice thing about the above;

- forklifts could bang into them and they would swing out of the way..........armor domes also took a beating but they survived. No, I did not hang them in harms way, I just accepted that no matter where I put them they would get hit/slammed.

- hanging them low got the video down closer to the action.

- gang box allowed cable connections

- save $300.00 per camera.....I did not have to buy special domes that would get damage anyway. this was a 32 camera install and 20 of them were hanging types so the saving were worth it to my client.

 

 

Yes they looked "odd"..not your typical hanging dome....but the overall armor effect was and is still perfect.................

 

pm me me for pics. I can also get you some video from a PTZ I have in that store..........maybe have you connect via the internet and zoom into the actual completed install.

[Soundy 1]

Thank you much for the helpful reply. I forgot to mention that for one area, where there is the loading dock, He does want some minute details. for this, do i still need the pipe installation? or can i use a zoom lens camera? Thanks again.

 

The pipe thing is mostly just to get the camera down at or below the level of the girders, in case they're in the way of the shot. If they aren't, then lowering the camera may not be necessary.

 

The other thing to consider, is that the higher the camera is, the sharper the angle to a given point on the ground, and the more you'll see of the tops of things. If you want to see faces, for example, you probably want to get the camera lower, or you'll just see people's bald spots.

[Soundy 1]

Schedule 40 and 80 cast iron pipe is very heavy. You need strong, well mounted flanges to mount it at the top.

 

This is true; going off a junction box is not the best idea if you're using iron pipe. What I've done for that, to run the wire inside it, is to attach a proper flange directly to the roof, Q-deck, or whatever the site has for attaching to, and then used a short piece of pipe, into a T-fitting, and then continuing the long section down to the camera. The wiring can then be fed in through the Tee. I've mostly used this for hanging monitors, though, where the extra strength is required.

 

You can save a bit of weight by using 1-1/4" or 1-1/2" EMT conduit (depending on what your pendant domes require) with set screw connectors at each end. It's easier to cut to length than cast iron pipe. To keep the conduit from slipping out of the connector, mark and drill a hole in the conduit where one of the set screws goes, then use a longer set screw that can go right through the hole.

 

Much better idea for hanging cameras.

 

Herictopia, the box you'd use in this case would be something like this:

 

You'd then use a cover plate similar to this:

 

Punch out the center hole, and put in a fitting like this:

 

The EMT (conduit) pipe then bolts into that using the drill-and-set-screw method Survtech describes. Use another fitting and other mounting apparatus at the other end of the EMT as required for the specific camera mount.

 

Your wiring then goes in through one of the knockouts in the side of the octagonal box, and down through the EMT to the camera.

[herictopia 0]

Thank you much. I think I understand it now. I'll give it a trial run in my warehouse girders. Thanks again.

[EBen63060 0]

I know this a relatively old post, but I am a newbie. I have been doing electrical work for over 30 years now. I would recommend using a FAN rated octagon box and besides drilling the set screw hole, I would also epoxy the locknut inside the box cover. Another problem with using hard pipe of any kind is whether vibration is going to be a factor once the plant is up and running.

[Soundy 1]

Thanks for the tips, EBen. Vibration is a good concern too, although I've never yet known it to be an issue.

[slowforthecones 0]

I'd say your customer can use a good PTZ.. that way he can get a tour:)

[NOWIN 0]

DID YOU LOOK AT THE CAMERA MOUNTING IN HOME DEPOT AND OTHER PLACES. YOU MUST OF HAD SOME IDEA OF MOUNTING THINGS THAT WON'T FALL DOWN. FYI DON'T DRILL INTO A ROOF!

[zmxtech 0]

you could always just have a 16 Megapixel cam in the corner !

 

or some M22`s looking down