Are mounts really worth it?

[Sunny7]

Are waterproof mounts really worth it? A few months ago I order a PFA130-E Water-Proof Junction Box to go along with my IPC-HDW5231R-ZE IP 2MP Starlight camera and I had the time of my life trying to put it together outside upside down where the cable goes through the bottom like pic related.



Put together, I had 4-5 pieces that needed to be hold in place and had to have a 2nd person hold everything while I tried to screw everything in place and because gravity hates my guts, the cables wouldn't stay in place, being upside down and all. I ended up needing to tape the cables down because it was hard just to keep them in place and another thing about the cables is the waterproof connectors took up too much space making it even harder to rearrange the cables. Trying to carefully put each piece together was a nightmare, I thought the point of a junction box was to make cable installation easier. If I ever need to replace or take that one down, its going to be hell.

Now I want to get another eyeball camera but dreading getting another mount for it. I also hate the way they stick out like a sore thumb, especially for a front yard camera. I just wanted to know would they still be worth it for me if I'm just installing the camera upside down where the cables go into the attic? I don't see how it'll even get wet or damaged really.

 

[highground]

I'm not sure why you feel the need to use a mount? I have 10 cameras in same orientation, nil mounts. If you're running conduit to it though that's another story....

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

[mat200]

Are waterproof mounts really worth it? A few months ago I order a PFA130-E Water-Proof Junction Box to go along with my IPC-HDW5231R-ZE IP 2MP Starlight camera and I had the time of my life trying to put it together outside upside down where the cable goes through the bottom like pic related.

View attachment 62561

Put together, I had 4-5 pieces that needed to be hold in place and had to have a 2nd person hold everything while I tried to screw everything in place and because gravity hates my guts, the cables wouldn't stay in place, being upside down and all. I ended up needing to tape the cables down because it was hard just to keep them in place and another thing about the cables is the waterproof connectors took up too much space making it even harder to rearrange the cables. Trying to carefully put each piece together was a nightmare, I thought the point of a junction box was to make cable installation easier. If I ever need to replace or take that one down, its going to be hell.

Now I want to get another eyeball camera but dreading getting another mount for it. I also hate the way they stick out like a sore thumb, especially for a front yard camera. I just wanted to know would they still be worth it for me if I'm just installing the camera upside down where the cables go into the attic? I don't see how it'll even get wet or damaged really.

Hi @Sunny7

Mounts: up to you.

Personally I really like them and would use them again if I have to redo it all over again, unless I can put in a larger gang box under the face of the wall during construction.

Best imho is putting in the boxes during construction that allows a nice surface mount of the camera over an installed 2-gang box that is big enough to hold the cable connection.

 

[tigerwillow1]

I'm running 14 cameras and zero mounts.

 

[IAmATeaf]

All of my cams are mounted using the mount pictured. The doing the install commented to say that they were the best quality and easiest to install whilst up a ladder?

 

[weigle2]

I have 1 PFA130E, and yes it does make it more difficult to install a camera upside down as the OP stated. Personally, I prefer the plain jane PFA137 or 139 as these are much easier to install cameras on, upside down. As far as how water proof they are, that's academic. The PFA130E is just not worth the hassle. Turrets have way too many gaps IMO to require this kind of mount. To each their own, but I use the KISS principle.

 

[TonyR]

IMO, it boils down to how big of a hole do you want to put in the mounting surface............ 3/4" to fit the entire pigtail through or 3/8" (half as big) to fit only the Ethernet cable through and keep the pigtail in the junction box.

Either way, I don't want to be back out there up on a ladder unless the camera goes bad so in the so-called "water-proof" box (or in the soffit if no box), I dress the RJ-45 male with a touch of dielectric grease before I plug it into the pigtail and then wrap the union of the 2 (going past the connectors a good 1" onto the cable on both sides) with coax seal (self-vulcanizing rubber tape) and finally a tight layer of electrical tape (like 3M 33+ or 88) to speed the curing process.

 

[Corellon]

If it's outdoors I would strongly suggest conduit and mounts unless you are able to feed everything from inside without anything exposed.

I have 6 Cameras, 5 that I have installed using conduit (3/4 as 4 camera's feed back through the same conduit) and a 2 gang outlet box with weatherproof cover (I drilled out the mounting holes into the box). Like Tony suggested I used the self sealing tape around each of the RJ45's but on the next time I'm up there I'm also going to use some heatshink to keep the connection from pulling apart. I also fastened 2 chains to the camera bolts that are fastened inside the junction box... because? I was worried something might pull or land on the camera and yank it right from the junction box lid..... (I did have what appears to be squirrel or large bird land on one of the camera's and completely twist it's orientation.

Edit: Forgot to add that I also silicone caulked all joints between the camera and the mount plate including extra in the cutout where cable would come out of the camera if it was surface mounted. And for go measure filled in all the screw holes as well so that they wouldn't rust in place (If I need to undo the camera I can just loosen the bolts from the inside)

As for the mounts, with the 6th camera i set it up temporarily to watch a point of interest and just run the straight Ethernet back into the house, couple days later I go out and check and something has chewed on/through the power cord (Fortunately I use POE so I wasn't using/needing it anyways)... lesson learned, keep it all secure at all times either inside conduit/box or inwall wiring.

 

[TonyR]

If it's outdoors I would strongly suggest conduit and mounts unless you are able to feed everything from inside without anything exposed.

and

......something has chewed on/through the power cord (Fortunately I use POE so I wasn't using/needing it anyways)

and

... lesson learned, keep it all secure at all times either inside conduit/box or inwall wiring.

Same here. I live in the middle of a National Forest Area and I think the squirrels sharpen their teeth on a bench grinder. I don't dare leave any extension cords in my tractor shed, they'll gnaw them in two. (see below)

Rodents of all types LOVE thermoplastic. One forum member stated that there is some soy in many thermoplastics that they really like.

 

[Corellon]

Ouch!, Yup it's the soy and a lot of cars use plant based plastics now too for the wiring.

I wouldn't be surprised at the bench grinder.... The squirrels here are sharpening their teeth on the roofing shingles. I think anything that has an abrasive edge and they go for it.

 

[BillG]

Read somewhere that squirrels teeth can grow 10 inches a year. So they have to constantly gnaw,chew on stuff to keep them ground down. Had a cable on a tree once that they gnawed almost in half.

 

[djernie]

I have 1 PFA130E, and yes it does make it more difficult to install a camera upside down as the OP stated. Personally, I prefer the plain jane PFA137 or 139 as these are much easier to install cameras on, upside down. As far as how water proof they are, that's academic. The PFA130E is just not worth the hassle. Turrets have way too many gaps IMO to require this kind of mount. To each their own, but I use the KISS principle.

The KISS principle?

 

[CastleSurveillance]

There is some situations where mounts are absolutely necessary... there are many situations where they're not.

For example: if your wires are going to be hidden in a soffit of a house that sees very little moisture and they're already inside their weatherproof boot and no one is ever going to see them - a back box is obviously not necessary.

However, if you're putting it on a brick surface - and it is open on the other side of the wall - this would be an instance to use a back box, to hide your connection from being an eyesore.

Long story, short - if you're installing cameras on your own house - you probably wont need a box. If you are installing cameras on a commercial business, there's a 50/50 chance you'll need one.

 

[TonyR]

The KISS principle?

Keep It Simple Stupid

 

[TonyR]

Read somewhere that squirrels teeth can grow 10 inches a year. So they have to constantly gnaw,chew on stuff to keep them ground down. Had a cable on a tree once that they gnawed almost in half.

Squirrels chewed the ACSR (Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced) overhead electric service drop (120/240VAC, 3 wire) to my M.I.L.'s house, left the 2 insulated hot legs alone but completely severed the bare neutral; she lost all 120VAC devices in the house, only the 240VAC water heater worked.
(House built in 1911, no driven ground rod near panel tied to neutral buss).

 

[djernie]

Keep It Simple Stupid

ok got it!

 

[Sunny7]

I'm not sure why you feel the need to use a mount? I have 10 cameras in same orientation, nil mounts. If you're running conduit to it though that's another story....

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

Mostly because everyone and their grandmothers reccemended mounts, so I figured "Why the heck not? What could go wrong?" lol

and

and


Same here. I live in the middle of a National Forest Area and I think the squirrels sharpen their teeth on a bench grinder. I don't dare leave any extension cords in my tractor shed, they'll gnaw them in two. (see below)

Rodents of all types LOVE thermoplastic. One forum member stated that there is some soy in many thermoplastics that they really like.

View attachment 62606
View attachment 62607

Man I'm so glad I don't have to deal with rodents, the worst I'll get are birds that like to roost on loose cables. Insects are another story.

There is some situations where mounts are absolutely necessary... there are many situations where they're not.

For example: if your wires are going to be hidden in a soffit of a house that sees very little moisture and they're already inside their weatherproof boot and no one is ever going to see them - a back box is obviously not necessary.

However, if you're putting it on a brick surface - and it is open on the other side of the wall - this would be an instance to use a back box, to hide your connection from being an eyesore.

Long story, short - if you're installing cameras on your own house - you probably wont need a box. If you are installing cameras on a commercial business, there's a 50/50 chance you'll need one.

Yeah that's sounds like a good plan. I also need to remember KISS next time lol.