7 Steps to Protect CCTV camera from lightning - MediaXch

7 steps to protect your Analog or AHD security cameras from lightning & Surge.

1. Step 1 – Planning is important before installing CCTV cameras. Many times users have paid more than double the amount of money & time than the actual system due to lack of planning. Please get a diagram drawn before installing or after installing.

2. Step 2 - Plot all the point where the cameras are connected. Such as

a) Power point at the Digital video recorder (DVR),
b) RG6/RG59 cable connections at the DVR
c) Power source from the Power Distribution Panel (DP)
d) Earth Grounding chamber from the DP
e) Junction box or enclosure that connects the RG6/59
f) Power adapter for the camera at the camera points
g) RG6/RG59 connected to the camera points.     

3. Step 3 – Install Surge and Lightning Protector

a) Surge protector for the DVR for power
b) Lightning protector for the RG6/RG59 (E.g 8 units for 8 channel DVR)
c) Lightning Suppressor for the Power DP
d) Check Earth Rod Chamber reading. Make sure it is below 2ohm.
e) Surge protector in the junction box and ground it to the enclosure box
f) DC surge protector for the Power adapter to the camera
g) RG6/RG59 Data surge protector.

                     
4.  Step 4 – If the Earth rod chamber reading shows more than 2ohm please get them fix by adding extra chamber and earth rod. This important for the equipment floating current can be grounded safely.

5. Step 5 - Make sure the power tapped for the cameras comes from Power DP and not from the power socket outlet common areas. This will make all the power for other application to trip or vice versa.

6. Step 6 - For lightning prone areas, please make sure the cables are run thru a metal conduit instead of PVC. This will always help the lightning charges from inducing into the cables.

7. Step 7 - Always get weather proof cameras. Many cameras that are claiming that they are weatherproof but they are actually not so make sure you get proper specs. Ask if the cameras are IP66/ IP65 and so on.  It is simply to define the camera casing or enclosure condition for E.g. IP65 Enclosure - IP rated as "dust tight" and protected against water projected from a nozzle.
IP66 Enclosure - IP rated as "dust tight" and protected against heavy seas or powerful jets of water.