What cable type is needed to run Video and Power underground

[jsavchak 0]

I'm in a situation that requires me to run video and power to a location 300'+ away from the house where a standalone dvr will be setup. What type of cable should I look for that can be buried underground??

 

Has anyone here ran cable underground before? do I need to enclose the cable in PVC or some other conduit?

 

I will need a long run of video cable (with a video connector that would connect to the video port on the back of a TV) and a power cable with pigtail 9-volt connectors.

 

Is 300' within the capability of this type of wiring?

[scorpion 0]

Will the camera be powered locally, or will it be powered off of the long cable run?

[survtech 0]

I'm in a situation that requires me to run video and power to a location 300'+ away from the house where a standalone dvr will be setup. What type of cable should I look for that can be buried underground??

 

Has anyone here ran cable underground before? do I need to enclose the cable in PVC or some other conduit?

 

I will need a long run of video cable (with a video connector that would connect to the video port on the back of a TV) and a power cable with pigtail 9-volt connectors.

 

Is 300' within the capability of this type of wiring?

You will need to run "direct burial" cable. 300' is well within the capabilities of RG-59 but you will have to determine the requirements for power cable by knowing the power requirements of the camera(s).

 

Pelco has a wire gauge calculator for power wire here: http://www.pelco.com/support/tools/wiregacalc.aspx.

 

For direct burial cable it is still advisable, but not absolutely necessary, to run it in PVC conduit. West Penn and others make direct burial cable. Here is a link to West Penn's coax cable finder: http://www.westpenn-wpw.com/component/option,com_cable_finder/func,SearchSec/section,Coaxial_Products/.

[jsavchak 0]

Thanks survtech,

 

The camera I am using connects to RCA video cable (it's not coax) and the power cable is low voltage 9v.

 

The 9v power will have to run the entire 300'.

 

What is the max length RCA video can transmit before signal degredation? Will it go 300'?

 

And can it withstand underground burial?

[survtech 0]

The video would be no problem. A simple method of terminating the cable would be to use "F" connectors and an F-to-RCA adaptor. Not the best method but you won't need special crimpers.

 

The power is another thing. There would probably be too much voltage drop with 9VDC in 18 gauge at 300 ft. I'd recommend 16 gauge stranded power cable. You can also obtain that in direct burial. West penn part number AQ225: http://www.westpenn-wpw.com/index.php?option=com_cable_finder&func=PDF_Info&download=AQ225

[CraigVM62 0]

I have had good results out to 300 to 400 feet by going with Cat5e and video baluns. I know many here do not favor passive video baluns, but I have been using some cheap generics, again with positive results. Direct burial Cat5e is very cheap so even with $25 for a pair of video baluns, I save over running direct burial RG-59 and power. I use two of the pairs for power allowing 2 pairs for 2 cameras. So in your case, it would allow room for expansion down the road if ever desired. At 300 feet the voltage drop has been less than what would effect a single camera. When running 2 cameras, I have used some 1.5 amp 13 volt power supplies.

 

You can often get your direct burial cable Cat5efor free by calling your local phone company and saying you have a 350 foot trench from street to a new home your building. Tell them you have to cover that utilities trench the next day, and you need to have them come out and install the phone cable. It is very rare that they can get anyone out there in such short notice, so typically will offer to just give you a 500' spool asking if you would not mind putting it in the trench yourself which means free cable "other than gas to go pick it up

 

Anyway ... just food for thought on something that has worked for me. Though I will be the first to say I have a fraction of the CCTV experience as many here.

[scorpion 0]

Not knowing your sistuation, I would recommend using some kind of pvc conduit even if you are running direct bury. There will always be someone coming along with a shovel for some reason, and this would help protect it. If you were putting in non burial wire, then I recommend the kind of pvc piping that they use for sprinklers. It is a continuous long run with no breaks.

 

If you use the 10 foot sections of pvc, then use a colored glue. You can check your work one last time before you drop the dirt back in. If you see the color glue then you know you are good to go. It is reduntant if you are installing on you own, but I recommend it if you have employees, or subs doing it for you.

 

Do not use 90 degree elbows. Use the swept elbows. If you ever have to pull the wire out, the sharp turns will prevent you from taping a new line to the old line, and pulling it through. I actually try not to use elbows, and use the conduit to make very large bends to go the direction that I want. I only use swept elbows going in the ground, and coming up out of the ground.

[CollinR 0]

Ontop of the conduit around the direct burial I would probably send 24VAC to the remote location and then step it down ti 9VDC. You can shoot 24VAC much farther then 9VDC.