Mounting SD59430U-HN on an existing pole...I need suggestions.

D

duranged2001

Getting the hang of it
Sep 29, 2016
30
28
North Carolina
I am in the process of trying to order a SD59430U-HN <---my thread.

I will be mounting the camera on an outbuilding that already has power and networking equipment to support an older Panasonic IP cam, and a Davis Vantage Pro2 weatherstation. I have the weatherstation mounted on a 10ft length piece of 1 1/2" diameter "rigid conduit." This pole flexes fairly easily in the wind, and isn't a problem for the weatherstation. However, I wonder if I should install guy wires or braces to stabilize the pole for better camera images. Here are some pictures of my current installation:

DSC02071.JPG
Front view

DSC02073.JPG
Mount on rear of building

DSC02077.JPG
Full image of installation

So, I'm obviously thinking about mounting the camera just under the weatherstation.


  1. Am I going to be able to secure a pole camera mount to a spindly 1 1/2" diameter pole?
  2. Should I use eye lag bolts driven into the roof and braided steel cable, or some type of rigid metal brace?
  3. Are there purpose built roof mounts that would be a better choice?
  4. Should I redo my existing installation with a more rigid pole that wouldn't require stabilizing?
  5. Are there direct camera mounts designed to be installed on a shingled roof that would be more appropriate?

I really appreciate any advice you folks would be willing to offer.

Thank you,
David
 
Last edited by a moderator:
1. no, not conduit at least.. replace it with some steel gas pipe or water line of same size.
2. weld three loops cut off a heavy duty chain 2/3rds up pole to attach steel cable too.. then attach to roof.. use turnbuckles so you can stretch those wires out and get it nice and taught.
3. yeah if you want to spend the money: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Glen-Martin...ty-Aluminum-Roof-Tower-USA-Made-/261894085967
4. yep, and still stabilize it.. high zoom you dont want any wobble
5. after your done welding the loops on for the guy wires weld a flat steel plate at the point you want to mount your camera and mount a junction box, then paint it all up nice.
 
As an eBay Associate IPCamTalk earns from qualifying purchases.
you could probably get away with bolt hardware if you dont have a welder or the ability to use one.. it'll all rust up and be practically welded anyhow.. but it wont be easy to use the mast as a conduit to protect the wiring with a bunch of bolts cutting crossing back and forth for the guy anchors

just use locking nuts so you dont have to get back up there and tighten it all up after the wind rattles it loose.
 
  • Like
Reactions: duranged2001
I'd be more concerned with how the whole thing was attached to the building. Guy wires to the roof don't hold things UP, although reduced wiggling at the top reduces failure at the lower mount points. Those weather stations aren't all that heavy but add a heavy camera and any wiggle in the pole will be hard on the lower bolts and siding, particularly if they aren't sunk into the studs.
 
I grew up in kansas where wind would topple barns, so im thinking hurricane proof in NC..

*edit*
get a 20ft pipe and cement it 6ft into the ground behind your shed, anchor it at the roofline.. might not even need any guy lines to keep it steady.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Or check with pg&e for a used tall electric wood pole heh.they gave my brother 3 last year.more work though.i think u would need to dig the hole about 6 feet(not sure)plus the pole is extremely heavy.:)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Pretty Barn! I love properties like that.

From my experience of installing the big black face Dahua, It is beefy and heavy! The mounts to the barn on that pole in the first photo does not look strong enough to handle the weight and a heavy wind. You are going to want a pole the is thicker then that weather station. Thicker the pole, the less flexing and ultimately the more stable the image. At 30x zoom, any movement in the video image will be magnified. I am getting slight movement in my image do to the tree sway, but not too much do to the fact that it is mounted low in the tree trunk. And the trunk has a 9 ft circumstance. As any girl will agree, SIZE matters! So get a thicker pole to mount to!

I second nayr's advice. Dig a 6 ft hole, drop in your 20ft. pipe, fill the hole with cement, ad a few guide wires to reduce a chance of sway and be done with it. That is a cheap alternative. That was my alternate plan if the tree didn't work, but luckily the tree is big enough.

IF for some crazy reason you try to utilize that barn weather station pole, please add a chain leash or something that will keep it from flying off in the wind. I'd hate to see you loose a $700 camera in a storm. Also, make double sure that you tighten the security screws on the Dahua after you are done installing so that is does not come off it's mount. Easy to forget.

Be sure to document whatever you do and share the pics for the rest of us!
 
Thank you for everyone's advice! What a great community.

So what is a good protective finish for six feet of steel in concrete? Also, forgive the ignorance, but if I bury the pipe in concrete, is there any need to attach a grounding wire? My assumption is a no. :rolleyes:
 
when you dig the hole out, hammer a grounding rod down into the bottom of it.. and bond it to the pipe, put sand in the bottom of the hole so the pipe will drain then backfill with cement..

the galvanized water pipe already has a protective finish, you can add paint if you'd like after its setup (you'll just scratch it before)

for added protection run a second heavy copper bond from that grounding rod up through the cement and attach it to one of these at the base: https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Protector--Outdoor--Gigabit-1000Mbs/dp/B008060BU0
 
Last edited by a moderator:
As an Amazon Associate IPCamTalk earns from qualifying purchases.
Ok, I'm planning the deployment of the camera on a separate pole as suggested, thank you. However, I'm planning to secure the pole to the left side of the building with enough wooden blocking to extend the pole beyond the drip edge of the tar shingle roof. Based on my overhang, a 3 or 4 foot vertical section of 6x6 timber should allow the vertical pole to clear the roof edge. On the inside, I will double-up the adjacent wall stud for extra support strength. I'll use bolts washers and nuts to secure the 6x6 timber vertically to the side of the building against the other side of the double-stud. Then, I will use extended length axle u-bolts to go around the pole and enter holes drilled horizontally all the way through the 6x6 timber. The u-bolts should straddle the doubled up studs on interior, and I'll secure them with metal plates, lock washers, and deez nutz.

The question is, can I use 2" Rigid Conduit as the pole? I looked at it today in Lowes Home improvement, and gauging its wall thickness and overall diameter, I don't see how it could sway in the wind. Would galvanized chainlink fence posts better serve the purpose?

I'll draw a picture of my plan and post to the topic if I can.

Thank you!
David
 
  • Like
Reactions: duranged2001
you can either do that or get a longer pole, cement it to the ground and then tie it to your roofline for support.. You'll get a better grounding, its a bit more sturdy and wont put so much stress on your building.. high winds can lever alot of force on that corner of your building when attached like that.. iirc your shed looked like a toughshed or something along those lines.. would really hate to see that nice camera come crashing down because of a storm.. that pole I just linked is no lightweight either.

its your call, your looking at the building and materials.. with good solid lag bolts and treated wood it would probably work; but im more of a concrete and metal guy my self, no maintenance and longer life expectancy.. wood is for burning or rotting.. I tend to favor composites when I have to use lumber outdoors.. I might suggest if you do attach it try 2 horizontal braces spanning more than one stud, then put the pole in the middle.. it would distribute the forces far more evenly on your lil shed.

If you look around town, most camera poles the municipalities use are very stout with strong bases.. at intersections, parks, highways and stuff they are very solid and overbuilt.. there is a reason for that, just a little bit of motion in the pole will ruin your night vision capabilities.. motion blur is really amplified when nothing in the scene can stay put, and it gets so much worse when you start using that 30x zoom.. a tiny wobble at 5mm is a massive wobble at 100mm and it might not even be able to focus at all automatically.

Watching the weather is a really nice capability of these big black face dahua's, they are one of the few can look up beyond its horizon to see the sky.. so thats another good reason to have a good solid mount.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Like
Reactions: duranged2001
Man, I really appreciate all the great advice. I wish i was more of a metal and concrete guy. Your other suggestion for horizontal stud bracing is smart as well--much better idea than i had. I may also add diagonal braces down to the bottom plate, and I'm going to locate as close to the corner as i can.

The shed is a 12x16 Leonard factory stick built. They're not as strong as I would probably like, but it's nice to have all my crap secured fairly well.

I will continue to think this through before I start whacking nails.

Thank you again.
David
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom