How do you mount a DC power jack on a wall?

[jason2000]

I have an outdoor CCTV camera that requires 12v DC to be supplied to it. To keep things neat, I've thought about mounting a DC power jack onto a blanking plate on the inside wall that the socket end of a 12v DC power supply can then plug into.

Is the above a good idea, or are there better ways of doing this?

Thanks in advance,

Jason.

 

[Pete999]

Double sided tape, self adhesive VELCRO

 

[Specialist]

If you want to keep things neat, use a small white project box mounted on the wall inside, route the power supply output & cable from the camera into that & connect inside. Once the cover is refitted, it's nice and neat & no little prying fingers can easily unplug it. As for mounting ? I'm old fashioned so it would be plugs / screws every time, it's more secure.

 

[UNG]

In line connector and heat shrink sleeving neatly tucked away

 

[SparkyChick]

If you want it waterproof and corrosion proof, cut all the connectors off, solder joint and then heatshrink each termination with a final layer of adhesive lined shrink to provide waterproofing. That's the route I took when I installed ours, makes it much easier to get through the wall as well as you only need a dinky hole.

The terminations are then stuffed into the back of the eyeball camera mountings.

 

[Specialist]

Not sure but I think he's looking at having them mounted inside, on the window reveals.
But your right, if they were outside, that's the best way to go.

 

[SparkyChick]

Maybe, it's not entirely clear from the OP, so just thought I'd chip in with an alternative that's not been suggested yet

 

[Pete999]

If you want it waterproof and corrosion proof, cut all the connectors off, solder joint and then heatshrink each termination with a final layer of adhesive lined shrink to provide waterproofing. That's the route I took when I installed ours, makes it much easier to get through the wall as well as you only need a dinky hole.

The terminations are then stuffed into the back of the eyeball camera mountings.

What size drill bit to get your "dinky hole" SparkyChick? only kidding

 

[jason2000]

@Specialist

Not sure but I think he's looking at having them mounted inside, on the window reveals.
But your right, if they were outside, that's the best way to go.

From what I understand, Sparkychick is suggesting to replace as many connectors on the camera side as possible with direct soldered connections, to avoid corrosion; which is a good point: although the camera might be IP66 rated, moisture can still get at the ethernet and DC power connectors.

I wonder how long camera manufacturers rate the connectors from corrosion and how much of a general problem it is?

 

[Specialist]

Really depends on what sort of cameras your using, Proffesional or diy grade.
Over the years, I don't think I've ever changed a properly installed Pro camera for bad connections on the camera itself.

 

[jason2000]

If you want it waterproof and corrosion proof, cut all the connectors off, solder joint and then heatshrink each termination with a final layer of adhesive lined shrink to provide waterproofing. That's the route I took when I installed ours, makes it much easier to get through the wall as well as you only need a dinky hole.

The terminations are then stuffed into the back of the eyeball camera mountings.

Thanks for the suggestion. If you don't mind, could you answer the following questions?

1. Did you drill straight through from the outside to inside wall at the camera, or position the second hole on the inside wall as conveniently as possible, such as near the DC power supply?

2. Did you have a flying or mounted DC connector on the inside for the DC power supply to connect to?

Cheers
Jason

 

[Specialist]

You drill from inside out to save damaging your interior decoration.

 

[SparkyChick]

Thanks for the suggestion. If you don't mind, could you answer the following questions?

1. Did you drill straight through from the outside to inside wall at the camera, or position the second hole on the inside wall as conveniently as possible, such as near the DC power supply?

2. Did you have a flying or mounted DC connector on the inside for the DC power supply to connect to?

Cheers
Jason

I don't mind at all.

1. I drilled through (with a slight angle downwards towards the outside) the wall at a convenient location. In my case, convenient meant where I was able to access the floor to deliver the cable to the camera location (or as close to it as I could). When I installed this, I didn't have access to any of the power tools I have now, which make things like this easier (like a multitool for example), so I didn't try and conceal the cables above floor level, but they are all out of sight by virtue of their location. The exit holes through the walls are typically a couple of inches above the skirting board.

Externally one of the cables has quite a run as the cable exit is about 6' away from the camera by virtue of the bathroom being inaccessible for cable routing. The others have fairly short vertical drops. I would like to have made them shorter, but the joists made it difficult to do so at floor level.

There is one hole per camera. I used the cables that came supplied with my CCTV kit, which are basically cheap, and easy, but they work. The cable has a screened video connection and two power lines all rolled into one.

I would advise against trying to be clever with routing cables in cavities. From re-reading your question I get the feeling you're wondering if I drilled a hole for the camera then went inside and drilled another for the cable and then routed the cable between the two in the cavity wall. I wouldn't use the cavity like that (depending on insulation type - if present - and cable type, you can get undesirable results).

When routing one of my cables, somehow managed to create a knot that now prevents me from moving the cable as it passes through the cavity. Thankfully there was enough cable outside, but I ended up where I couldn't pull the cable inside or outside. All I did was pass it straight through the cavity.

2. The other end of the cables terminate at the DVR where there is a power splitter that each cable simply connects to. So at the DVR end, there is a BNC and 12v Power connector. The cable then runs all the way to the camera where it is connected to the camera using the sealed soldered joint.

 

[Specialist]

Hi Sparkychick: Seems from your description that you have your cameras, quite low down. Just wondering if there was a particular reason for that ?.
we normally tend to mount cameras high up, It Stops little scroats getting their thieving hands on them.

 

[SparkyChick]

You have two options, high up and out of the way of the little scroats as you say, or above head height, still mostly out of arms reach (some aren't) but easy to clean

We're next to fields so we have a spider problem. They are positioned to get good views of what we want covered, with reasonably good quality day and night, and allow for easy cleaning with a long handled soft bristle broom to keep the spideys at bay

I debated long and hard about it and am so glad they are where they are as it's every few weeks they need a brush off (sometimes every couple of days).

 

[Specialist]

Hi: Thanks for the reply, now I understand the thinking. Not a problem I've ever had, except on heated camera housings.
All sorts of nasties would try to make a home in them, especially if you were'nt really good at sealing access points. Must be a pain having to go round & clean them so often.

 

[SparkyChick]

Yep, the arachnid issue is a real pi$$er! The worst thing is the glare the web creates when the illuminaters come on at night. That and when snails and slugs decide to take a leisurely stroll over the front

 

[Specialist]

We installed cameras on a hotel years back, which was across the road from a pig farm.
One of the cameras used to get a wasp nest built on & around it, could never figure out why it was only one of the eight external cameras.
This camera was one of a pair that were back to back on the wall, but the other was never touched.