Is Lightning A Bigger Problem With Power Over Ethernet Cameras?

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Brian Rhodes
•Jul 19, 2017
IPVMU Certified

A member recently wrote an email asking for experience dealing with lightning strikes and PoE powered cameras, specifically if PoE is more vulnerable to lightning damage versus non-PoE devices, and if cable sizes play a role:

  • What percentage of the failures, were POE powered? (Note: I was reviewing the design of a LINEAR POE chip, and could see the "poor link in the chain" with that particular chip, so to speak...)
  • What percentage of failures were due to using CAT5 unshielded?
  • Are there lessor tendencies of failures with CAT6 and good drain/bonding approaches?  (I would be most curious to learn!)
For you installers in lightning active areas, do you see a correlation between PoE and lightning damage vulnerability?
U
Undisclosed #1
•Jul 19, 2017

I haven't lost a PoE camera to lightning yet, but I did incorporate a PoE surge protector at the camera housing on two 'high risk' cameras to reduce the risk.

I suspect I've lost PoE injectors and PoE switches to lightning via 120v wiring in the past.  When possible, I now include a desktop battery backup at switches/injectors to catch the simple stuff.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
•Jul 19, 2017

I notice the same thing. Not so much failure, but they will cease to work and require a power reset to work again, or the cat5 pairs go bad.

It's growing old in my opinion.

BT
Brian Tally
•Jul 19, 2017

I don't think POE is any more vulnerable than non POE. I do feel that using POE makes protecting your head end easier because you only have 1 cable to worry about. We have been using the Vigitron Vi2001 on every exterior network device. They are relatively inexpensive, and they are easier on the wallet to replace than the head end equipment. Edge exterior devices are always susceptible to lightning.

U
Undisclosed
•Jul 19, 2017

use surge suppressors in high risk areas.  "High risk" means (a) lightning and (b) cameras reachable from the ground that an adversary could taser.

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Rob Hammond
•Jul 25, 2017
IPVMU Certified

Our design practice is to have surge suppression at both the camera and back at the switch anytime we use copper to the exterior camera.  The theory is that a surge from the camera can take out the switch and the camera.  the only way to protect both is with surge protection on both ends.

 We also protect the switch power with a UPS, which has good surge suppression. My guess is that more surges come from the power source, then from a surge coming from the camera.  A surge which can come from lighting, as well as many other electromagnetic sources. They can be large enough to fry a component, but many, if not most surges are only enough to lock up the processor, and cause a weakening of components, which leads to premature failure of the device. Surge suppression is not that expensive, and is good medicine for long, and service free life of the exterior camera and the switch.

If you are seeing cameras hang after electrical disturbances, or some other unexplained reasons, I suggest you need surge suppression, starting with the power source.

 Perhaps IPVM can look into “best practices” regarding surge suppression?

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