New Guy Question

[NOLA 0]

Hello all. I'm new to the CCTV field, I just recently got a job at a large hotel fixing/updating their surv. system. All in all, everything has been going well. Untill today that is.

 

I just installed a new camera for them, and am having some issues. On the monitor the picture intermintantly blacks out and turns to a fuzzy picture. It then blacks out, then comes back. It almost looks like it is getting turned off and back on.

 

The power is good. Is using a resettable transformer right above the camera in the ceiling.

 

The line and connectors are good. I just ran the line yesterday and did the connectors. It is only about a 30 foot run.

 

I have tried a new camera as well as a new lense, but the problem remains. Any quick advice from people with more experiance than me?

 

And thank you all for the wealth of information I have found on this forum so far.

[kandcorp 0]

What is the camera mounted on?

What's the voltage of camera?

Is it being powered from the same source as DVR?

Lastely, have you tried different ports of the DVR, and are they working OK?

[NOLA 0]

Camera is mounted to a wall on a little metal bracket. About as basic as it can be.

 

24V Camera, not from same source as the DVR, is in the next room over.

 

I have tried different ports, sadly it was the same.

[VST_Man 1]

and, try the camera connected directly into the DVR............if it still wacks out then you know it is a camera problem.

 

r u sure the power is GOOD? test with a multimeter.

[NOLA 0]

Have tried the camera plugged in from a differant area and it works fine. Also swapped it out with a known good one just because I was running out of ideas.

 

I checked the power before I installed in this location, the outlet I used was around 117v, and I was getting just over 24v off of the transformer.

 

Could the power be flucuating maybe? When I get in to work today I think I'll try plugging it in a differant outlet for a while and see if it still happens.

 

Thanks for the tips guys.

[kandcorp 0]

What kind of recorder are you using (specs)?

[NOLA 0]

I should have mentioned that earlier. The DVR is a Pelco DX7100 Series. The camera curretly installed is a Toshiba Color IK-6400A if that matters. The lense is a 4mm Pentax.

 

I haven't had a chance to try a differant outlet yet, got stuck scanning the video from last night looking for a thief. I will post back as soon as I do.

[jisaac 0]

do you have a switch for vd and dd? if so is it on vd and supposed to be on dd?

[jisaac 0]

hey man are you in new orleans?

[NOLA 0]

Yup. What gave it away, the NOLA?

[jisaac 0]

nope your accent Just kidding. I am originally from baton rouge. Moved to arkansas when I was 10. I am a big tiger fan. Its always fun when we lsu kicks the crap out of arkansas. (barely last year). Everybody is a sore loser up here. I have been planning on getting down there to New orleans to spend some money and support the business owners. I love me some crawfish etouffe and a real cajun made red beans and rice

[NOLA 0]

Mmmm...red beans and rice Moondays.

 

I put a new transformer in a differant outlet with a new power cord and the problem is still there. Doesn't seem to be as often though.

 

DVR - good working order, have tried multiple inputs

Coax Line - I just ran a new line, and is a short distance

Power - Same in multiple 115v outlets with 2 differant transformers

Camera - 2 seperate cameras (one brand new) both do this

Lense - Swapped out lense with a differant new one of a differant size.

 

Am I missing something here? I feel like this should be painfully obvious to me and I'm gonna feel like an idiot when I figure it out.

 

edit: my painfully bad spelling

[kg6mti 0]

You described the problem fairly well.

 

Does the problem occur on a regular pattern? For example if you track the time in between the black outs is it away s the same?

 

Is it always 5, 10, 15 minutes or what ever? If there is a pattern find other items near by that are cycling in the same pattern. Disconnect that item if possible. Then see if the problem goes away.

 

Try connecting the power to the camera on a UPS that has voltage regulation. Depending on the camera you might want to bench test the camera. Take the camera down from its mount and use a short test coax cable and power source. Just connect the camera to the RCA input of a television and watch for the interference to occur. If the camera works fine on the test bench you have just ruled out the camera as the source. Then you can work on ruling out the mounted coax and power supply.

 

You need to use a linear process to eliminate and or isolate the component causing the problem.

 

Good Luck and I hope some of this helps you out.

[FredB 0]

Had the same problem a couple of times with Auto Iris dome cameras. Try changing the DC level a little bit on the camera. Could be the Auto Iris lens, doesn't open and close correctly. Tweaking the DC level will usally fix it ( if that is the problem)

[rory 0]

What type of Cable - RG59? Size of Power Cable?

Is it anywhere near high voltage along the run?

 

Try a good working camera in the same location.

Camera's Power board could be faulty/bad.

Lens Iris could be bad also.

 

Rory

[JMANOFNVS 0]

It think the wall socket is the problem or more specific the power going to the wall socket. Put a voltage monitor on it for a while and see if the voltage, amps or anything fluctuates over an hour or so.

[NOLA 0]

I think I will have to do that. I plugged in to a differant outlet and it still does it, just not as frequent.

 

The camera and lense have both been swapped out with known good ones, so I know that isn't the problem.

 

The cable is actually RG6. Will changing it out to 59 make a differance? The run is only maybe 20 feet or so.

 

There is an ATM below the camera, probobly about 4 feet or so below it. Could that maybe be the problem?

 

I'm guessing it has to do with the power at this point. I'm going to have to see if the engineering department has a voltage monitor. This building is so old and messed up that there are problems everywhere. Especially since the hurricane with all the repair and renovations going on.

 

How would I go about tweaking the DC level in case I run into this again?

 

Thank you guys for all the tips, the response I have gotten here has been amazing.

[cachecreekcctv 0]

Don't laugh, but if you think that the 120vac circuit itself is losing power, there is an old trick to try. Find a 120vac digital alarm clock, probably like the one you have on your nightstand. Take any backup battery out. Plug that into a receptacle you are having problems with. If and when that receptacle loses power for a few seconds or so, the alarm clock will start flashing, as if it needs to have the time reset. Don't forget to take the backup battery out first

[Graybar Glen 0]

Sure sounds like a power problem to me. I had a very similar situation that was driving me NUTS once, and after baby-sitting a meter for a few hours discovered that whenever the air conditioning compressor kicked on, the power dropped to 60v! And it was affecting every outlet on the leg! The customer called in an electrical contractor who resolved a couple wiring/capacity issues, and that was the end of it.

[NOLA 0]

Just in case you guys are interested, I finally figured out the problem. It actually doesn't have to do with the power. It turns out that on the other side of the concrete wall it is mounted on is the antenna for the security departments dispatch radio. Every time it is keyed the camera "fuzzes" out.

 

Not sure how I'm going to fix this, but I sure am happy I now know the why.

[vitHoward 0]

I'm curious. You mentioned that you were using RG6 cable. Is it CCTV cable, solid copper center with a 95% copper braid or CATV cable with a foil shield.

 

If it's foil shield, then that's where your problen is. The foil is designed for a modulated signal not for the low current of a CCTV composite signal. I had a 18" jumper of foil cable mess up a 200 ft run of the correct cable. Replacing the short jumper cleaned up my interference.

 

Howard

www.videoguardit.com

[kg6mti 0]

Just in case you guys are interested, I finally figured out the problem. It actually doesn't have to do with the power. It turns out that on the other side of the concrete wall it is mounted on is the antenna for the security departments dispatch radio. Every time it is keyed the camera "fuzzes" out.

 

Not sure how I'm going to fix this, but I sure am happy I now know the why.

 

I assume that you are in the United States.

 

You don't have to fix it. FCC part 15 regulates radio interference. You can contact the FCC and the owner of the radio will need to fix the interference.

 

Check out. http://www.fcc.gov/

Good Luck.

[KrCCTV 0]

I assume that you are in the United States.

 

You don't have to fix it. FCC part 15 regulates radio interference. You can contact the FCC and the owner of the radio will need to fix the interference.

 

Check out. http://www.fcc.gov/

Good Luck.

Think you're getting a little "FCC" happy" there "kg" - - go back to the beginning of the thread and I think you find that the other side of the wall is still his customer (work is at large hotel - other side of the wall is "the security department's radio"). Calling the FCC on his customer might not go over real well. Any other ideas?

 

 

By the way David... you're not by chance a Ham radio operator bitter over having his over-powered linear squelched... now bent on sicking Uncle Charlie on the rest of the radioing world...are you

[kg6mti 0]

I assume that you are in the United States.

 

You don't have to fix it. FCC part 15 regulates radio interference. You can contact the FCC and the owner of the radio will need to fix the interference.

 

Check out. http://www.fcc.gov/

Good Luck.

Think you're getting a little "FCC" happy" there "kg" - - go back to the beginning of the thread and I think you find that the other side of the wall is still his customer (work is at large hotel - other side of the wall is "the security department's radio"). Calling the FCC on his customer might not go over real well. Any other ideas?

 

 

By the way David... you're not by chance a Ham radio operator bitter over having his over-powered linear squelched... now bent on sicking Uncle Charlie on the rest of the radioing world...are you

 

Sorry didn't see the part about the security people being part of his customer back in the earlier part of the thread. It might not be the customer that is at fault it could be the manufacture of the radio equipment. All (in the US) radio equipment needs to comply with FCC Part 15. It could possibly mean the manufacture needs to fix or replace the radio equipment. I doubt that his customer would be upset if they got new or upgraded radio equipment for free because the other equipment is faulty. If the radio equipment is leased or was professionally installed the fix could be the responsibility of the company that maintains the radio equipment for the customer.

 

Yes, I am a ham radio operator. I am happy to say that no I have never had a complaint filled against me. Nobody near me has never complained about interference. All my radio equipment is installed to comply with all the FCC rules. I use good equipment and professional level installation equipment.

 

I don't view the FCC as an opponent but a tool to make certain that everyone is following the rules. Unlawful interference can be anything from annoying to completely frustrating.

 

In any manner good luck with fixing your problem. Make certain that your installation has covered all the possibilities to resolve the problem. Keep in mind Part 15 can be used as a tool to help you and your customer not just to attack people that use two way communication equipment. People need to not be so paranoid about the government. Just because you use a tool provided by the government doesn't mean that you are attacking anyone.

[ncpilot 0]

nope your accent Just kidding. I love me some crawfish etouffe and a real cajun made red beans and rice

 

Oh man! You had to mention crawfish etouffe and red beans and rice....

 

Only lived in NOLA 2 years, and that was back in '88-90, but the memories linger on...

 

I agree, I'd love to get down there and spend some money...