Stopping Earth Loops from a Security Camera Installation
Any time you install a security camera system, users on occasion find yourself with these nasty lines over the display. Typically the initial thing you will do is going to be return the surveillance camera because it obviously is faulty, only to find it works in the store or perhaps the replacement does the same thing.
The most common cause of it is really an ground loop, in which a voltage variance has developed on one side of the coax cable to the other end, with respect to ground.
They may be seen as various patterns on the screen or maybe result in a Digital video recorder to not record as a result of a deformed synchronisation pulse. Following are some of the visual symptoms you could possibly notice.
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There’s no point in accusing someone for these because they are unpredictable as to when they are likely to occur but they are more prevalent where the security surveillance camera is positioned in an area which has a different grounding point to the Digital video recorder or display. For example a surveillance camera pole isn’t earthed to the same place as the building that the Digital video recorder will be. The fact is you may get ground loops in lots of applications like data as corruptions and audio as a buzz.
You can find several measures which will certainly lower the odds of having an earth loop but not one will stop them.
1. Electrically isolate your camera from the mount. This requires removing every electrical connection between your video cameras metal housing and the mounting bracket but will only be needed if the bracket will be on a conductive surface such as a pole or tin.
2. When putting in the coax , make certain there are no nicks in the insulation as a result of pulling it over jagged edges .
3. Where feasible, join the earth of both sides together. This can be expensive since you will need to install additional earth cable to every single surveillance camera.
4. You can install fiber optic cable connections to your distant security cameras. This is often pricey but does offer additional added advantages. You’ve also eliminated lightning strikes from flying through your complete system, destroying almost everything. You can put numerous video cameras on one fibre.
Having done at least points 1 & 2 above, if you happen to get an earth loop you’ll be able to use a device known as a hum bug eliminator and the issue will magically disappear for good.
The product is supplied in various forms such as DIN rail or rack mounted but a good one for keeping inside the tool box is this in-line hum bug, which can be installed between the DVR video input and coax cable heading to the camera.
Please e-mail us at CCTVdesign.com.au for more information
Read and learn additional information cool CCTV tips from Tim Norton, CCTV guru at CCTV Design. Unique version for reprint here: Stopping Earth Loops from a Security Camera Installation.
July 9, 2011
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Posted by Tim Norton
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