Subscriber Discussion

IP Camera And IR Illuminator Over Single CAT6 Cable

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Jun 22, 2014

I have an Axis IP camera connected over cat 6 cable which is approximately 85 mtrs away from the POE switch. I want to install POE IR illuminator with the same camera but unfortunately i dont have an option to pull power or cat 6 cable. I need to use the same cable to power up the illuminator and camera. I used high power POE but either the camera or Illuminator works at a single time. At the switch side everything works fine. We checked the cable for the faults but couldnt find any. Please suggest any equipment which can do this task.

JH
John Honovich
Jun 22, 2014
IPVM

A camera with an integrated IR illuminator, like the Axis Q1765, would work.

Is there a reason that you have to use an external / separate IR illuminator?

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Jun 22, 2014

currently the cameras ae P 13 series which dont have IR. The area is dark and the customer dont want to change the cameras.

RW
Rukmini Wilson
Jun 22, 2014

What's the power rating of the IR illuminator? Do you have to use that Illuminator? What model switch? What splitter are you using? Is it POE 802.3.at compatible?

TC
Trisha (Chris' wife) Dearing
Jun 22, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Check out Tycon Power. A bit pricey, but the stuff does what it says..

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Ari Erenthal
Jun 23, 2014
Chesapeake & Midlantic

What if you unplug the camera, add a small PoE powered PoE forward switch, and ran a patch cable to the camera and to a PoE powered IR illuminator? A photography store with which I am familar sells those switches for less than $200.

AM
Alastair McLeod
Jun 23, 2014

OK, this is a plug for one of our products, but you did ask ! Please have a look at our CAMSWITCH 4 Plus :

POE Switch IP Camera 802.at POE switch 802.3at Power over Ethernet

This is a POE-powered switch, so you can power it from your switch or a midpsan injector. This will give you separate POE outputs at the camera end and should do the trick. Available from most major distributors.

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Ari Erenthal
Jun 23, 2014
Chesapeake & Midlantic

Ha ha, beat you to it. See my reply.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Jun 23, 2014

A Cheap fix for the problem , $30.00 POE injector on the camera only , leave the Ir illuminator alone

More expensive fix , use 45 wtt per channel poe switches , verify 45 wtt s true output per channel , not total as 45 could be really 3o wtts .

Other Option Use separate poe power supplys for Ir illuminators , keep separate from system .

Isolated , not combined .

Verify that the ir illuminators dont really have misrepresented spec's.

Veriy that the cat 6 shielded does not go to ground when you exceed the power curve , say 65% , Cat 6 is ground fault sensitive cable and installation has to be completed properly or problems in system occurr at random times

Verify that the cable s are properly installed , no pressure on cables , ie wire ties, straps, clamps

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Ari Erenthal
Jun 23, 2014
Chesapeake & Midlantic

Yeah, this could work, if you're lucky and the cable can support it, for a lot cheaper than the Camswitch. But I read this to mean that the wire is already in place. Meaning there's a decent chance the currently installed cable is too long, has a kink in it, or a too-tight wire tie, or whatever.

RW
Rukmini Wilson
Jun 23, 2014

So Ari, how do you think it is wired right now? It sounds to me like they are both(camera and illuminator) connected to power already. If so how, splitter to 12 and split that to both? If its just a connection problem, i agree with you camswitch works. If its a distance problem its unclear it will help...

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Ari Erenthal
Jun 23, 2014
Chesapeake & Midlantic

I may be misunderstanding the situation, but I think OP has an existing camera, wants to add an IR to it, but can't pull a second wire. The Camswitch is tiny and can fit in most housings. Just run a wire from the Camswitch out to the IR illuminator.

RW
Rukmini Wilson
Jun 23, 2014

I used high power POE but either the camera or Illuminator works at a single time. At the switch side everything works fine. We checked the cable for the faults but couldnt find any.

I think he's got both of them plugged in at the same time, somehow.

Either that or he doesn't realize that unplugging one of them is the reason that only one works at a time, and not a cable fault... :)

Even if he is powering both from one splitter, the downstream camswitch might work, if it can stop the illuminator from drawing all the current, thereby allowing the camera to function, at the expense of reduced illuminator output...

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Jun 23, 2014

Thanks for the inputs. @Wilson : We are connecting both at the same time with the help of a RJ 45 splitter at the camera side. It might be the cable length problem I guess. Anyways I am checking it through a 802.3at compliant POE switch. Lets see the result. I will keep updating.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #3
Jun 26, 2014

V = IR


That's quite a long run! (either shorten the run, or add an injector nearer to the camera)

RW
Rukmini Wilson
Jun 26, 2014

...either shorten the run, or add an injector nearer to the camera

That'll help for sure! On the other hand since what we are really after is Power, not Volts per se, we might also increase V directly instead of solving for it, like

P = IV (or P = IE)

Upping the voltage also reduces the loss, and for this reason hi-power-poe (outside of 802.3 at) could be considered.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #3
Jun 26, 2014

Since we're decreasing the resistance of the circuit needing to be driven; the current needs to be higher at the same voltage (and the POE injector/switch is not capable of delivering this), correct?

RW
Rukmini Wilson
Jun 26, 2014

Since we're decreasing the resistance of the circuit needing to be driven...

Just to be clear, you were suggesting decreasing the resistance and I agreed that could work, and then I was alternatively suggesting increasing the voltage alone, which would not affect the resistance. But in the first case yes, decreasing the resistance will increase the current, voltage remains the same. Power is increased. If its increased enough, Problem Solved

Caveat: We don't know that a midspan can be placed closer or the run made shorter

the current needs to be higher at the same voltage (and the POE injector/switch is not capable of delivering this

Yes and No. Yes, The POE switch does not seem to be working, thats true. But the way you put it might be misleading, since its not failing because of the current requirement being to high for it. Its just that by the time its gets where its going, friction (Z) has dissipated too much of the power to meet the device requirements. But all the switch can do is put out its 48v and wait for the circuit to draw...

But there are passive poe options that run above the nominal 48v/54v voltages that could work also. In addition you can carry more power (not current) to your destination, on the same gauge conductor, by upping the voltage.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #3
Jun 26, 2014

Thank you for educating. I appreciate the time; I was a bit confused. Makes perfect sense now.

Avatar
Gianni Viero
Jul 01, 2014
Videotec

For outdoor installation, Videotec does offer a solution for PoE cameras where you can add one of our infrared illuminator (only Hi PoE with the IR).

Please check HOV IPM or VERSO IPM

U
Undisclosed #4
Jul 02, 2014

I have had the same problem in the past. Have you tried using a power injector device, stripping off the power conductors from the Cat6 cable, putting them thru the injector and stripping them again once they reach the camera and tapping the cable leads through one device and into the second device?

RW
Rukmini Wilson
Jul 02, 2014

I'm not sure if you are still looking for solutions, but the Veracity Long Span looks good, on paper at least.

Also in retrospect, Ari's suggestion of the Camswitch is on point, since it is powered by hi-poe (at), but then delivers standard poe (af) at the drop. If your illuminator does not itself require at power this should act as an intellegent power arbiter/splitter, and it should not let one device hog all the power... Both are available from a certain retailer he's familiar with...

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