Cameras and security lights

Azman · Mar 10, 2019

Hi, I've been doing a fair bit of reading over the last few weeks and am looking at installing a few cameras around the house due to a couple of scumbags assaulting my wife at home.

There is so much to take in.

I think I'll be installing approx 6-8 Dahua 2MP Starlight Turrets based on my reading. Along with BI on an Dell i5-4590.

Along with cameras I'd also like to install some motion activated security lights.

I have a couple of questions.

Will the security lights have any affect on the night time effectiveness of the cameras?
How is colour or b&w setup affected by security lights at night?
It's a bit of chicken and egg as to do I install cameras first of lights?

Any help would be very appreciated.

Thanks,
Aaron

bigredfish · Mar 10, 2019

Install cameras first imho. Then determine where you need extra light.

Yes generally speaking extra white light will help in both B&W and color mode at night.

(Change youtube player to 1080p)

lifeatredline · Mar 10, 2019

I initially had motion lights here, but with the efficiency of led lighting I replaced them all with dusk to dawn fixtures. I like having consistent light, instead of the on-off as the cats, dogs, rabbits etc run around at night.

bigredfish · Mar 10, 2019

Agree. I have full time lighting most places including that driveway which has two coach lights with 1200 lumen bulbs dusk to dawn. The motion flood just adds some depth to the one camera I keep in forced color.

awsum140 · Mar 10, 2019

Motion activated lighting can cause problems if the IR of the camera is set to "auto". When the camera switches to color, when the lights come on, you'll lose a second or two of video as the camera switches modes. Either have the lights on all the time or have no lights are the best choices. If you set the cameras to IR "off" night vision may be severely restricted until the lights come on...more things missed.

JNDATHP · Mar 10, 2019

We take it one step further. All lighting is LED and we have a home automation system. We keep the exterior lights at 30% dim and If motion is detected, they ramp up, as opposed to immediately, to 100%. They remain at this level for 5 minutes until after the last detection of motion.

We’ve also installed solar LED yard up lights for additional up lighting. It looks nice and supplies more light for the cameras.

Azman · Mar 11, 2019

Thanks guys, very much appreciated.

I think my next step is to purchase a couple of cameras work out the best place for them and see whether extra lighting is needed. I like the idea of dusk to dawn lighting. Maybe not to the extent of JNDATHP though . I do however like the idea of solar garden lights for extra light.

Any brand recommendations for dusk to dawn fixtures? Just bulbs or complete fixtures?

Cheers,
Aaron

looney2ns · Mar 11, 2019

Azman said:
Thanks guys, very much appreciated.

I think my next step is to purchase a couple of cameras work out the best place for them and see whether extra lighting is needed. I like the idea of dusk to dawn lighting. Maybe not to the extent of JNDATHP though . I do however like the idea of solar garden lights for extra light.

Any brand recommendations for dusk to dawn fixtures? Just bulbs or complete fixtures?

Cheers,
Aaron

Sorry that happened to your wife.
First thing is you need a good monitored Alarm system installed.

Azman · Mar 11, 2019

Thanks. We already have an alarm system. It happened during the day while she was outside in the front garden.

We had a call from the police last night and the two guys are being charged with trespass and assault this week. Fingers crossed it goes to court and they get what is coming to them.

Cheers,
Aaron

awsum140 · Mar 11, 2019

Good to hear progress is being made.

Regarding flood lights, I use LED floods. Way less power for equivalent light when compared to incandescent or halogen. LED may be legislated "down under", but if not a good choice.

looney2ns · Mar 11, 2019

Azman said:
Thanks. We already have an alarm system. It happened during the day while she was outside in the front garden.

We had a call from the police last night and the two guys are being charged with trespass and assault this week. Fingers crossed it goes to court and they get what is coming to them.

Cheers,
Aaron

Next , maybe consider a self defense class for her.

fps66 · Mar 15, 2019

JNDATHP said:
We take it one step further. All lighting is LED and we have a home automation system. We keep the exterior lights at 30% dim and If motion is detected, they ramp up, as opposed to immediately, to 100%. They remain at this level for 5 minutes until after the last detection of motion.

We’ve also installed solar LED yard up lights for additional up lighting. It looks nice and supplies more light for the cameras.

I would really like to know about your exterior light control. That would keep me from attracting all critters within 3 miles.

Update: Your post had me digging around. Found this https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Head-Activated-Photocell-Waterproof-Available/dp/B07B9TYTP2/ref=pd_sbs_60_18?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07B9TYTP2&pd_rd_r=61563fe4-4904-11e9-bf30-a9c66916e9f7&pd_rd_w=anKyF&pd_rd_wg=5KZk6&pf_rd_p=588939de-d3f8-42f1-a3d8-d556eae5797d&pf_rd_r=1QG6HT0NNM6WYPK09S8X&psc=1&refRID=1QG6HT0NNM6WYPK09S8X

Never know when your comment will help someone. Thank you NDATHP

Azman · Apr 26, 2019

JNDATHP said:
We take it one step further. All lighting is LED and we have a home automation system. We keep the exterior lights at 30% dim and If motion is detected, they ramp up, as opposed to immediately, to 100%. They remain at this level for 5 minutes until after the last detection of motion.

We’ve also installed solar LED yard up lights for additional up lighting. It looks nice and supplies more light for the cameras.

@JNDATHP I'd be interested how you have set up the motion detection and automation of ramping up the lights. Sounds interesting.

Cheers,
Aaron

Alan Carter · Apr 26, 2019

looney2ns said:
Sorry that happened to your wife.
First thing is you need a good monitored Alarm system installed.

+1 sorry to hear that

JNDATHP · Apr 26, 2019

Azman said:
@JNDATHP I'd be interested how you have set up the motion detection and automation of ramping up the lights. Sounds interesting.

Cheers,
Aaron

We use HomeSeer as our automation “hub” and write events that control various things such as z-wave light switches. Motion detection is through Blue Iris and z-wave motion detectors.

This is the event that will ramp up our exterior lights and, if conditions are true, turn on our under eave led lighting.

Azman · May 1, 2019

Thanks @JNDATHP

Any reason why you went with Homeseer and not another smart hub like Smartthings?

Was it very hard to setup?

Cheers,
Aaron

JNDATHP · May 2, 2019

Azman said:
Thanks @JNDATHP

Any reason why you went with Homeseer and not another smart hub like Smartthings?

Was it very hard to setup?

HomeSeer is not cloud based which is very important to us.

Yes, it can be intimidating at first but once you get the hang of it, HS3 is very powerful. Our entire home is smart as opposed to automated.

dmiller · May 2, 2019

I use Homeseer too, but smartthings can be a good place to start. Or maybe start with Vera which, like HomeSeer, does not require internet access to run.

Homeseer does have a sale this month. Their R-pi unit plus the blue iris plugin is ~$140.

JNDATHP · May 7, 2019

Yes, this is their first of twice a year sales. HomeSeer.com

Azman · May 8, 2019

Thanks guys, I'll have a look at it.

Cheers,
Aaron

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