Using indoor cameras outdoors under roof

[KPC 0]

How many of you guys are running indoor cameras outdoors, say on a front porch.

I have run across several good deals on name brand cameras with the full line of specs but I didn't jump on them because they were the manufactures indoor series.

I do realize that outdoors there is going to be moisture to contend with since the the indoor cameras are not sealed, but the cameras will not be dealing with any direct water such as rain.

Will just moisture in the air kill the cams?

I've been using computers and other electronic items outside in a non climate controlled garage and never had any problems.

I also read on here where some of you have mounted your DVR in an attic or basement, and I'm sure those areas are not climate controlled.

So am I destined to kill an indoor camera if mounted outside under roof?

I know nobody has a guaranteed answer. I'm just looking for others who have tried running indoor cameras in an outdoor environment and if the cams held up.

[brianparkes 0]

If the inside cameras you are talking about are the box cameras (or the same size and smaller) there are housings made for them. Not only do they lock for security reasons, they have small fans and heaters in them to help deal with the heat/cold/wet conditions. I've seen a lot of them on sites like ebay for $20 or less (used). You might need to replace a fan or two, but those can be found cheap too. The housings are fairly bulky though, compared to the cameras themselves.

 

If the cameras you are talking about are PTZ cameras and are name brand, they should have an option for an outside housing that is sealed better to prevent moisture from getting in. You might be able to find an outdoor housing from a different brand (used) and fit the new one inside since a lot of the newer stuff is quite smaller than how things used to be.

 

I know moisture used to really mess up my outside cameras when I got to this place. The seals were bad and the PTZs kept crapping out. Expecially if you are paying the higher prices for the name brand stuff, it would save money in the long run to get the correct outdoor housings. If they crap out, you might not be able to find replacements for the same deal you have found this time.

[shockwave199 0]

It's just not a good idea, imo. If you don't mind the risk and are willing to toss them out if they fail, fine. I couldn't and wouldn't do that in my climate. Too many extremes here. And why bother- there's tons of outdoor cameras to be had.

[Soundy 1]

I've done it... works okay with domes that offer some protection to the electronics from direct weather... not so well with box cams that give the electronics less protection.

[Kingram 0]

I use a CNB Dome indoor camera on my covered porch with no problems so far, but not a lot of moisture here in Arizona.

[KPC 0]

I should have pointed out the cams I'm looking at where dome style. the only difference between a given manufactures indoor vs outdoor is that the outdoor dome has an airtight base with gasket between the base & dome. (lets not factor that some outdoor domes are also vandal resistant, cause I'm not concerned about vandal damage)

 

I'm strictly looking at the difference of an indoor vs outdoor dome being a airtight base & gasket between the base & dome.

 

For instance, look at the higher end CNB domes, their outside domes don't have a heater or fan but they are still outdoor rated.

 

CNB also sells their indoor version for a fraction of the price. In a few instances, I've seen the indoor version sold in groups where someone bought them and for whatever reason and just wanted to dump them at a very fair price, so they are advertised at a fraction of what they retailed for and a huge discount compared to the outdoor version. Only difference again is that the base isn't air tight and the dome and base doesn't have the gasket.

 

Lets say a group of 8 indoor dome cameras are advertised for $400. That is only $50 a camera.

retail on the indoor dome cams are around $110 each

The outdoor version retails for around $160 each.

 

So at $50 each, that is a steal of a price. Same specs as the outdoor version that sells for $160 each, only difference is the non airtight base & non gasketed dome

 

I've seen groups of outdoor rated domes advertised but always near retail price. It is the indoor domes that sell for cheap.

 

If others are running indoor domes outside just not out 'in the weather', I'd jump on some of these indoor domes and put them up outside. I could save a lot of money going this route, but on the same hand it isn't worth while to buy them even at a discounted price if they are going to fail prematurely.

 

Does the airtight base & gasketed dome between the outdoor vs indoor version of most domes, make that much of a difference in longevity?

[Soundy 1]

As far as the price difference, I suspect the CNB indoor domes you're looking at are also plastic, vs. cast aluminum, so there's also a difference in the cost of materials and construction there (all their outdoor domes, AFAIK, are also vandal-resistant).

 

As to whether they can survive outdoors under-cover... sure they can. I have one outside my back door, in fact - plastic dome, not sealed at all. One caution though, if you're in a damp environment, is that damp air can also cause fogging of the bubble if it gets inside. I've had problems with the sealed domes fogging, in fact, on a site near the ocean that we did in the winter, so the air was very damp - the damp air got sealed inside the dome and was no end of problems until we opened them up in the summer to let them dry out. Putting an un-sealed dome outside, regardless of it being under cover, means there's the potential for this as well.

[fa chris 0]

For domes, outdoor cameras are in a rugged vandal proof housing with a gasket to seal it and sometimes include a heater/blower. A lot of manufacturers cameras are listed as indoor/outdoor because the only difference would be the gasket, which they simply include with all cameras.

 

I wouldn't install an indoor camera outdoors for a customer, but I would definitely do it at home under a porch.

[MaxIcon 0]

I ran a Bosch DME6PCH55 analog dome cam under my eaves, hanging 24" from PVC conduit, for years with no problems. I recently pulled it to replace it with an IP cam and was surprised to find it's an indoor dome, not outdoor. I bought it used back when I was first starting out in home cams, and assumed dome==outdoor.

 

I'm sorry to see that old cam go. It was a great performer!

[Birdman Adam 0]

Yup, I've got one cheapie outside. It is under a very protected ceiling near a porch, like NO chance of weather unless we get a hurricane. Many cameras will do just fine, but be prepared to see corrosion/rust/general decrease in usability over the years as humidity (and salt if near the ocean) helps eat it up.

[trooper 0]

I just bought a hikvision PTZ and didn't realise it was an indoor camera. Im going to give it a go under my eaves and see how long it lasts. Fingers crossed I get a couple of years out of it.

[ant200 0]

Hi all I have a Panasonic indoor ptz sealed all where water can get in  fitted under roof soffit  got condensation bad can i drill the dome cover to stop condensation and let air in ? Thanks