Freezer Camera

[G22 0]

ok ok back to the meat thief discussion

[VJD 0]

We used the EX10 units, colour with 8 & 12mm lenses.

 

http://www.extremecctv.com/products/index.cfm?img=10

I think that is what I am going to use. Thanks.

[chewingyu 0]

Sorry to dig up old thread but it's an area I was recently asked to look into.

 

No, not how to steal meat!

 

No, I am tasked to look into installing CCTV cameras in our warehouse coldrooms (temp from 5 dec C to 15 dec C).

 

Questions:

What suitable camera?

Any special cabling needed?

[RickA 0]

I have used our 36IR bullet in a walkin freezer and it is still working, have also used the Nuvico IR bullet and works good. Neat to watch when the lens cover frost over and the IR kicks on and defrost the cover.

[Soundy 1]

Back to the original question, I've used a number of different outdoor/weatherproof-type domes in walk-in coolers and freezers. As long as it's fully sealed, just about anything should work - where you run into problems is if warm outside air can get in and condense on the inside. As long as your wiring path is sealed properly to prevent that, it should be fine.

[roygbiv 0]

Soundy.

 

 

Do you have heaters in the domes or does that cause more problems than it solves?

[Soundy 1]

Soundy.

 

 

Do you have heaters in the domes or does that cause more problems than it solves?

 

I've installed both - usually the only time we go with heaters is if the client specs them. I haven't noticed a difference either way in any of the ones I've done. If you DO get condensation in the dome, a heater can help keep the view clear, but if that's happening because of warm air "leaking" into the dome, it's generally only a matter of time until the dome fills with water and kills the camera anyway - in other words, the heater in that instance is only addressing a symptom while not addressing the actual problem.

[chewingyu 0]

Soundy.

 

 

Do you have heaters in the domes or does that cause more problems than it solves?

 

I've installed both - usually the only time we go with heaters is if the client specs them. I haven't noticed a difference either way in any of the ones I've done. If you DO get condensation in the dome, a heater can help keep the view clear, but if that's happening because of warm air "leaking" into the dome, it's generally only a matter of time until the dome fills with water and kills the camera anyway - in other words, the heater in that instance is only addressing a symptom while not addressing the actual problem.

 

How does warm air leak into the dome? Does this happen only to those conventional cameras housed in dome enclosures?

[Soundy 1]

Nope... it generally comes in where the wires come in, if it's not sealed well. Some domes have the wires sealed with a grommet where they enter the enclosure, but most I've worked with don't... so you have to be sure to seal them.

[Jim Barrett 0]

I can't believe this. I just had a client ask me yesterday about putting a camera in a meat locker. I was doing something else at the time & said "sure, let me finish what I'm doing now & I'll see what's involved".

I thought I had a faint memory of a thread here & here you guys are doing my research for me. How wonderful.

I thought most of the tube cameras had inert gas in them. Don't know where I got that idea but I thought they flooded them in nitrogen.

So, Soundy, is it your experience that a sealed tube camera should work just fine?

I've got tube cams hung on buildings here in Wisconsin that have worked just fine for years. I was initially concerned because they were only rated for -14 deg F. & that's not at all unheard of around here. How much worse than that is a meat locker?

Couple of years ago a client had an ice dam problem & a camera got frozen solid in a huge hunk of ice. I was afraid the weight of the ice would rip the mount out but it didn't happen & when the ice melted the camera was still working.

[Soundy 1]

Nothing to do with inert gas (never heard that one, myself)... the wires are generally sealed (rubber grommet, blob of silicone, whatever) coming out of the camera, AND the camera generally doesn't cover or enclose the hole where the wires go through to the warm air (either outside the cooler, or inside the building).

 

Remember, the trick in both cases is not NOT have warm moist air on one side of the glass (or Lexan or plastic) and cold air on the other side...