Need Help Troubleshooting 1st IP Camera Install

What make/model of cameras were installed?

Digital Watchdog  DWC-MB45DIA 5mp

Have you checked to see if the cameras work at the bench?

If you can power them up and they operate normally when connected directly to a laptop, you can isolate the problem. (ie: the cameras rather than the network)

The camera with the burnt connector was bench tested and is dead. I have not pulled the others yet but was planning to do that this weekend.

At another company, I inherited a problematic site that had cameras failing frequently. The building was built on granite or some type of stone, and various grounding methods were tried. But stone is not a good grounding conductor. I learned the cameras were mounted directly to the metal building. I had the tech install PVC junction boxes between the building and cameras, and I do not think we had any more issues.

Mounting cameras on poles, on metal containers, may be an issue. We currently use cable with a grounding wire and appropriate connectors and switches to help discharge static electricity.

The burnt mark could be a short from water intrusion.

Have you tested the cables? Try testing the cameras locally for an extended period.

I tested the cables and all of them show shorts on all pairs at distances equal to or close to the end of the cable at he cameras end. An electrical transformer blew in one of the neighborhoods near the install, could that have caused some problems. Still haven't been able to pull a camera and test yet. I also checked recordings and all cameras went at the same time.

Thanks for the responses.

Is there a UPS, surge protector, isolation transformer or other power conditioning device between the surveillance equipment and the electrical service?

When you did this cable test and the pins were shorted, did you have the camera disconnected?

Why did you replace the switch? Did you confirm any issues with the first one?

As UD2 asked, any surge protection?

If everything went out at the same time, I suspect a common failure like a switch. Could be you got a surge which took out multiple pieces of equipment.

We try to install UPS for all hardware.

The cameras were still connected and I used a product called the Cable prowler. First time I used it. Their IT guy swapped out switches just to see if it was the switch. The company l installed the cameras for gave me one of those power strips with a surge protector on it.  

Those power strips are a gamble, especially if they're the inexpensive ones obtained from a hardware or grocery store.  Just because something says "surge protector" doesn't mean it will protect your equipment.  A good ground is required for surge protectors to protect, and the higher the rating of joules means a higher level of protection.  Some surge protectors cost $15.00 but provide very little protection.

If the cameras were connected to the cables when they were they tested, that is probably why you have a short across all the pins.

Pull the cameras down and test them. Test the old and new switch. Install quality surge protection and replace everything. If you are just a sub, give your suggestions, and move on. Hopefully, you are not providing free labor for what sounds like a poor design.