Color Dome Problem

[rory 0]

I have a cheapo Color Dome (yes a cheap one!) that is giving me issues.

 

I have 3 of them all doing the same thing in the same location:

 

They will switch from bright to dim automatically over and over. It actually looks like it is switching between white balance modes like found in box type cameras. As far as I can tell there are no settings to change on these? Any idea what may be causing this problem? The shop has regular ceiling flourescent lighting, and white tile. There is one main door (no windows as they are still boarded up from the hurricane) so some exterior light enters the shop, but none are pointed at the door area, and one is even in a hall way far from exterior lighting.

 

They are connected to a 16 channel Altronix Power Supply 12VDC 6amp with the remainder of cameras being CVC-130R B/W Bullets. The same problem exists when I put the cameras on its provided power plug, and when I plug them direct into the CCTV Monitor and not from the DVR. The monitor is a Vernex 450TVL Color Monitor. I could try another monitor but since the B/W bullets are okay in this respect I doubt it is the monitor.

 

Any ideas?

tanks

 

Rory

[AVCONSULTING 0]

It sounds like the automatic light compensation is reacting to the 60hz variations in the lighting since those lights are actually switching on and off at 60 times per second and low end ALC can't compensate. You have to find a way to turn of the ALC. If not you probably won't be able to use them in this instance.

[cctv_down_under 0]

Is there a flicker setting on the cam?

[Cooperman 0]

I think AVCONSULTING is probably right.

 

Rory, why not try a test on the end corridor camera to confirm this. Turn off the fluorescents and use a temporary tungsten light source (inspection lamp or floor standing uplighter).

 

 

If it is the mains frequency and their are no engineer set up switches on the camera, you only have two options; increase the light levels (sometimes works, by pushing the camera up to a higher shutter speed), or change the domes.

[rory 0]

HI, Thanks for the replies, i got a reply from them:

 

"It sounds like you have a 12 volt DC camera under florescent lighting and what you are seeing is called "color drift". It is a normal condition if you are looking at a slow change in color that repeats itself about every 7 - 10 seconds. The only solutions would be to use a 24 volt AC line locked camera or to change the lighting to incandescent. I'll bet that this condition would not happen if you shut off the florescent lights and only used daylight coming in through the windows."

 

IN OTHER WORDS - DONT USE THESE INDOOR CAMERAS , INDOORS!

[Cooperman 0]

The last time I saw a bad case of 'colour drift' was on a Japanese manufacturers prototype 1/3" CS camera, and that was about eight years ago. That model was AC powered!