Boy141 0 Posted January 18, 2011 Can I use the computer power supply to power my PTZ cameras? The power supply (yellow wire) is 12 volts. I am hooking up 8 to 10 ptz cameras. Why use a regulatory box? It's almost the same things as using a computer power supply to transform/manipulate the output voltage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bpzle 0 Posted January 18, 2011 Yikes! I wouldn't try that with 1 cheapo fixed camera... Much less 8-10 PTZs! Camera power supplies are not that expensive... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rory 0 Posted January 18, 2011 Will it work? Maybe. Its been discussed here before. Would I do it? Nope. Could we also power it with a car battery? Sure. Wouldnt do that either though. As mentioned proper CCTV power supplies arent that expensive, especially compared to the price of 10 PTZs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boy141 0 Posted January 18, 2011 is there a reason not to use the computer's power supply? it will continuously give 12v. not sure on the amps. Can someone point me in the right direction on the previous discussion. I've searched for computer power supply ptz and i didn't find the convo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rory 0 Posted January 18, 2011 How many amps are the cameras? 12VDC or 24VAC? You will want to use 24VAC for longer distances (eg. 150'+, depends on camera) Why not just splice it into your Burglar Alarm power? Anyway, there are CCTV Power supply boxes with individually fused outputs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boy141 0 Posted January 18, 2011 The cameras that we have are CM-T1001BG. I've been trying to find out the amps for those cameras! I've been to 5 thrift stores and picked up 12V transformers with different amps! The cameras are def 12VDC. We do have ADT installed at the house and was thinking about it the other day. Would that really work? The reason why I mentioned IF I could use the computer 12V power supply is because I just bought the pigtails on ebay thinking that I could solder wiring from the PSU to a radioshack solder board and run the wires to the cameras. All the cameras will be less than 100 ft from the DVR. well.... i found the amp sticker on this PSU (i had to unscrew the PSU from the chassis) - 15 AMPS. yeah, the idea of using my alarm panel is looking better Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rory 0 Posted January 18, 2011 viewtopic.php?f=6&t=19011 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boy141 0 Posted January 18, 2011 well, i'm on fleabay and saw this: http://cgi.ebay.com/16-CH-Power-Supply-CCTV-Camera-18-Port-12V-DC-Pigtail-/320557376729?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aa2b564d9#ht_1902wt_1140 "Output: 12V DC, 12A Terminal Connection Max Draw: 20A" so I am guessing that my computer power supply might actually work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rory 0 Posted January 18, 2011 alarm system power is probably only around 1.2amps .. unless they added to it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tomcctv 190 Posted January 18, 2011 is there a reason not to use the computer's power supply? it will continuously give 12v. not sure on the amps. Can someone point me in the right direction on the previous discussion. I've searched for computer power supply ptz and i didn't find the convo it will be cheaper just to buy a 12v 5 amp power supply for your cameras. and you keep saying PTZ these cameras are not. what you have bought are standard 8mm fix lens cameras on a plastic PT head. max 1 amp. these cameras are just about ok in side a store (small store) but for outside use they are a waste of time Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boy141 0 Posted January 18, 2011 it will be cheaper just to buy a 12v 5 amp power supply for your cameras. and you keep saying PTZ these cameras are not. what you have bought are standard 8mm fix lens cameras on a plastic PT head. max 1 amp. these cameras are just about ok in side a store (small store) but for outside use they are a waste of time Thanks for correcting me! They are PT's. I live in a part of Memphis where hobo's love lurking around and going through your trash. This hobo had the balls to take out one dog ear fence in the corner of my yard and went through all my cars getting change (thank god he didn't take my tools). I want to make sure THIS never happens again or if it did, I would know which hobo to go get and "Dexter" him. I will try the "let's hook the power into the ADT control board" method before the PSU. I've already bought the pig tails so let's see how this plays out. The DVR i have is the DVR-DVS that I got relatively cheap so I'll see if I like this. I just need to wait a paycheck or two to get the remote/controller. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tomcctv 190 Posted January 18, 2011 it will be cheaper just to buy a 12v 5 amp power supply for your cameras. and you keep saying PTZ these cameras are not. what you have bought are standard 8mm fix lens cameras on a plastic PT head. max 1 amp. these cameras are just about ok in side a store (small store) but for outside use they are a waste of time Thanks for correcting me! They are PT's. I live in a part of Memphis where hobo's love lurking around and going through your trash. This hobo had the balls to take out one dog ear fence in the corner of my yard and went through all my cars getting change (thank god he didn't take my tools). I want to make sure THIS never happens again or if it did, I would know which hobo to go get and "Dexter" him. I will try the "let's hook the power into the ADT control board" method before the PSU. I've already bought the pig tails so let's see how this plays out. The DVR i have is the DVR-DVS that I got relatively cheap so I'll see if I like this. I just need to wait a paycheck or two to get the remote/controller. ADT alarm panel ??? if it is your alarm panel i would not do that. it will not have enough power. for $40 why not do it right. 12v 5amp. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boy141 0 Posted January 18, 2011 You're saying buy a $40 power supply for each and cut up the wiring for it to run around my house? or just buy 1 power supply and let all 8-10 cameras run from it? BTW, there are no outlets where I will be putting the cameras. I am going to run low voltage wiring to each camera. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tomcctv 190 Posted January 18, 2011 You're saying buy a $40 power supply for each and cut up the wiring for it to run around my house? or just buy 1 power supply and let all 8-10 cameras run from it? BTW, there are no outlets where I will be putting the cameras. I am going to run low voltage wiring to each camera. you will need 2 of the power supplies listed. to run 10 cameras at 1amp each. to wire your cameras i would use cat5 with baluns 1 cable will do video/power/ and PT control. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Birdman Adam 0 Posted January 19, 2011 Simply put, yes, it will work. Almost all computer PSU's can handle over 20A on the 12 rail. Modern supplies even have more than one 12V rail, so you can double, or triple it! For someone that likes to make use of what they have, go for it. For clean, super reliable, professional solution, buy a real power supply. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
camerasguy71 0 Posted January 22, 2011 The biggest reason would be if 1 camera shorts or a would be crook cuts one wire your pc power supply will short and your whole system will crash. I prefer to run a quality cable with siamese pair. You can get a multichannel power suply on flee bay that will do what you want. Radio shack sells and overpriced power supply that would suffice but you should individually fuse each camera. There is a million and one ways to do cheaper. You can ebay a whole 8 channel system with wire and power if u want unusable junk. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bpzle 0 Posted January 22, 2011 The biggest reason would be if 1 camera shorts or a would be crook cuts one wire your pc power supply will short and your whole system will crash. I prefer to run a quality cable with siamese pair. You can get a multichannel power suply on flee bay that will do what you want. Radio shack sells and overpriced power supply that would suffice but you should individually fuse each camera. There is a million and one ways to do cheaper. You can ebay a whole 8 channel system with wire and power if u want unusable junk. +1 Couldn't have said it better. Also, a lot of power supplies no matter what the application, not just for CCTV (even wall warts) have safeties built in to shut off in case the current draw is too high or there is a direct short... It's been my experience these "safeties" (if they exist at all) can and will fail... Yes, I've seen them start fires before. Individually fused or PTC power supplis are worth every penny. There's a lot you can skimp on... but you're pissing against the wind if you want to rig up a computer PSU for cameras. No offense, but that's a foolish waste of time. Could it work? Probably.... but is it worth it? NO. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bpzle 0 Posted January 22, 2011 Btw-this is the same reason that all of your electrical circuits in your house are NOT just hooked to one big arse breaker... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rory 0 Posted January 22, 2011 +1 Couldn't have said it better. Also, a lot of power supplies no matter what the application, not just for CCTV (even wall warts) have safeties built in to shut off in case the current draw is too high or there is a direct short... It's been my experience these "safeties" (if they exist at all) can and will fail... Yes, I've seen them start fires before. Individually fused or PTC power supplis are worth every penny. There's a lot you can skimp on... but you're pissing against the wind if you want to rig up a computer PSU for cameras. No offense, but that's a foolish waste of time. Could it work? Probably.... but is it worth it? NO. One client I went to ... they had some cheap power supplies ... 1 for each camera .. I went back 3 times to change them .. each time I quoted them on a fused box AND a voltage regulator .. they only had a surge strip and an OLD apc UPS with no AVR. After the 3rd time and they still wouldnt listen .. told them call someone else .. wasnt even COD .. they were that cheap. That said Ive had a 2A plug in adapter for my cameras for a few years now in a socket at the top of the wall without a surge protector or voltage regulator and it never got hit [yet] .. luck perhaps We use them on the cheap 4 channel kits also, saves the client $85 (4channel fused box costs them $100 down here) ... I give them the option of a fused box though and no matter what PSU they use it has to go into a Voltage Regulator or UPS with AVR. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SEANHAWG 1 Posted January 23, 2011 Got a customer who hooked up 8 cameras to a single 24VAC 20VA transformer wall wart. He was wondering why the heck the transformer failed and wanted me to replace it. I never really understood the "VA" thing but I know that powering 8 cameras off of one of those things cant be good. We market them as single camera power supplies to avoid this problem. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rory 0 Posted January 23, 2011 Got a customer who hooked up 8 cameras to a single 24VAC 20VA transformer wall wart. He was wondering why the heck the transformer failed and wanted me to replace it. I never really understood the "VA" thing but I know that powering 8 cameras off of one of those things cant be good. We market them as single camera power supplies to avoid this problem. i think thats around 1amp.. dont recall exactly. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Soundy 1 Posted January 23, 2011 "VA" is the proper mathematical statement for "volts times amps". Similar to watts (P=V*I). There's some good discussion of VA vs. Watts here: http://forums.pcper.com/showthread.php?t=423853 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bpzle 0 Posted January 23, 2011 That said Ive had a 2A plug in adapter for my cameras for a few years now in a socket at the top of the wall without a surge protector or voltage regulator and it never got hit [yet] .. luck perhaps I feel lucky... we get VERY good pricing on fused/ ptc power supplies... To NOT use them is just silly... But we also have building codes to worry about. It's not just a safety deal, it's also a liability. Totally different way of thinking vs slapping up Chinese gear on to a poorly constructed pile of cinder blocks that may or may not last the next hurricane... At least that's what I gather by vacations to and reading your posts about the Caribbean.... I could be wrong? lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rory 0 Posted January 23, 2011 That said Ive had a 2A plug in adapter for my cameras for a few years now in a socket at the top of the wall without a surge protector or voltage regulator and it never got hit [yet] .. luck perhaps I feel lucky... we get VERY good pricing on fused/ ptc power supplies... To NOT use them is just silly... But we also have building codes to worry about. It's not just a safety deal, it's also a liability. Totally different way of thinking vs slapping up Chinese gear on to a poorly constructed pile of cinder blocks that may or may not last the next hurricane... At least that's what I gather by vacations to and reading your posts about the Caribbean.... I could be wrong? lol Yes you are wrong. First of all a vast majority of homes here in the Bahamas will outlast most homes in the US, they are not just cinder blocks, they are built WAY beyond ANY hurricane proof regulations in the US. When it comes to building for Hurricane Winds, we "blow" you guys away in that regard. When Americans come down here to work illegally they are lost when they come up against having to work in one of these homes, its not a walk in the park like they are used to. We do have building codes here but with or without them enforced or not that does not stop the liability. There is nothing UNSAFE about the way one can use a 1.5amp Regulated Power Supply to power 4x200ma cameras, no more unsafe than some big metal box with an even more dangerous larger power supply. IN fact while speaking of Chinese gear, many of the Fused and especially PTC power supplies come from china, not to mention 99% of the other electronics in a person's home. In fact most of the rebadged electronics and computer gear in the US come from China or near there. And in addition to all that, we protect ALL our equipment with high voltage regulators. Ofcourse like in the US there are those that dont and or hook up something anyway they like - building codes or not, in the US there are even more fire hazzards being installed every day than we could ever match. Also you might want to check the CCTV DVR kits that are sold all over America in those big liable retail stores because in most cases they also come with just a single plug in power supply for 4 cameras. As for silly .. $15, $100, $15 compared to $100 .. single plug, Big Metal Box, single plug compared to Big Metal Box - when both properly installed just as safe - though either without a high voltage regular are not protected. I mean I can see if you were to compare it to say Altronix although that is pricey, but sounds like the cheap distributed power supplies you are talking about .. also come from china PS. The Bahamas is not in the Caribbean. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bpzle 0 Posted January 23, 2011 Easy killer! If you're that proud of your country start saying better things about it! Don't just defend it every now and then! I've formed most of my opinions based on what I've heard you talk about that place... I was in Dominican a while back... Outside of the resort compounds, I saw endless numbers of shacks. Extreme poverty... poorly constructed buildings... no legal economy outside of tourism.... Yes, I'm American. However I didn't choose to be born here. I appreciate what I have but envy or pitty should never play a part in one's judgement of a group of people... that's just ignorant. Sure, some of the things I buy are Chinese... but the quality control/ design is what I REALLY care about. China pumps out some good things every now and then... but it generally has to be something simple or have VERY strict quality control. Fuses are fuses in my opinion... Throw in one more measure of safety and everybody wins. Safety first! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
