Outdoor IP camera power supply extension

[masamune]

I am fitting a set of external lights on my front door, since the electrician is doing this job anyway, I want him to fit an external box on one side (into the wall) were I can run a power cable for a Wifi IP dome security camera.

No decision on the camera yet, but for practical reasons I need to connect the adapter inside the house and extend the supply cable to connect outside. This way if the adapter ever fails I can replace without too much fuss. The downside is the uglyness of having the extension coming up from the skirting board and occupying one socket permanently.

Any potential issues or suggestions with this concept??
e.g in terms of voltage problems, box into external wall bricks etc

What sort of cable should I use to extend the adapter?

There is also a potential option to connect the camera on Ethernet (could in turn be PoE) as I have sockets inside the property, near the exterior wall.

Thanks

 

[OwainDIYer]

If you might want to use wired Ethernet / POE at a later date then run Cat5e data cable between indoors and out, (and use a balun for the analogue video signal on one pair if using an analogue camera). Triple up the remaining 3 (or 4) pairs for power. You can get CCTV power plu - screw terminal adapters (a lot cheaper than Maplins elsewhere)

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/21-x-55mm-solderless-socket-n56gu
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/xvision-cat5-video-screw-terminal-balun-n62kc

 

[masamune]

If you might want to use wired Ethernet / POE at a later date then run Cat5e data cable between indoors and out, (and use a balun for the analogue video signal on one pair if using an analogue camera). Triple up the remaining 3 (or 4) pairs for power. You can get CCTV power plu - screw terminal adapters (a lot cheaper than Maplins elsewhere)

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/21-x-55mm-solderless-socket-n56gu
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/xvision-cat5-video-screw-terminal-balun-n62kc

Sounds like a good idea and may save lots of trouble as I already have Cat6 wired around the house. One question, I have not used PoE cams before, is the power from my TP-Link switch going to be sufficient?

 

[OwainDIYer]

. One question, I have not used PoE cams before, is the power from my TP-Link switch going to be sufficient?

Depends on the camera and the switch. There are several standards, and lots of equipment that doesn't comply with any of them.

 

[Sally2000]

Probably OK if the camera doesn't have IR lighting built-in. The IR takes more power.

 

[Anteaus]

To power a camera via Cat5, you need to retain the orange and/or green pairs as a signal feed, but separate the brown and blue pairs at both ends. Join the cores of these pairs to make two double-gauge conductors and use then as your 12vdc feed. This way, the LEDs will work OK at least up to 50m.

For video cameras you just need one signal pair -typically orange- connected to a balun. The spare green pair can be sound, if fitted. IP cameras need the orange and green pairs for signal, connected to pins 1&2, and 3&6 respectively on the RJ45 plug.

A few IP cameras may use actual PoE, which is not 12v (more usually 48v) and is fed as a potential difference between pairs that also carry signals. This requires specific equipment at both ends.