Dahua HFW-3200C blinking night vision problem

[gaijin4ever]

Ah, so you think it's maybe a ground issue, that would make sense.

It makes little sense to me because it didn't happen out of the box (as you would expect a ground issue would), but showed up slowly, one camera at a time until half the cameras I bought had the problem. MAYBE it's an issue where a resistor helped keep the problem from manifesting, but eventually wore down and completed the circuit (short) and the blinking started. Whatever the case. Isolating with electrical tape, while crude, completely fixes the issue. When I get time (maybe never?) I'll work on it some more and maybe get a more elegant solution that allows the screws to be put back in.

 

[networkcameracritic]

That didn't fix it for me, the IR LEDs still blink. I can put tape over the sensor, but still blinks. Putting electrical tape in the locations you said doesn't really add any value as there's a metal strip that's parallel to the camera that's attached to the ring that attaches to the camera, so it isolates nothing but tried it anway. Even still blinks if I take the guts out completely.

 

[gaijin4ever]

That didn't fix it for me, the IR LEDs still blink. I can put tape over the sensor, but still blinks. Putting electrical tape in the locations you said doesn't really add any value as there's a metal strip that's parallel to the camera that's attached to the ring that attaches to the camera, so it isolates nothing but tried it anway. Even still blinks if I take the guts out completely.

Then maybe the tape is adding height that stops it from grounding out on the back somewhere? It's definitely an electric current issue. Do you have the exact same model?

If you take the lens cap off yours, does the blinking stop?

 

[networkcameracritic]

I have the same model, ipc-hfw3200c. Sometimes it stops blinking, can't isolate why. The screws you took out from outside the case, those go into a beam along the top of the chassis, that piece is attached to ring you are putting tape on, no? So what are you isolating from?

Here's my camera, so I have this correct, you are saying put tape all along the silver colored disc that attaches to the rails that ride along channels inside the body of the camera so metal that ring does not touch the case or do I have it wrong.

 

[gaijin4ever]

I have the same model, ipc-hfw3200c. Sometimes it stops blinking, can't isolate why. The screws you took out from outside the case, those go into a beam along the top of the chassis, that piece is attached to ring you are putting tape on, no? So what are you isolating from?

Here's my camera, so I have this correct, you are saying put tape all along the silver colored disc that attaches to the rails that ride along channels inside the body of the camera so metal that ring does not touch the case or do I have it wrong.

View attachment 564

It's all voodoo. Maybe it's not ground. Maybe it's live low voltage current. Dunno. I'll try to get a multi-meter on it to see what might be happening. I didn't put it all the way around the ring, but just folded it over the 4 flaps sticking out, bottom to top.

But if you take your cap completely off and have the camera powered, does it still blink?

 

[networkcameracritic]

When I take the cap off or on, blinks the same. Now I just put everything the way it was, no tape, works fine, so thanks, enough shaking things around fixed it, LOL. I did email my contact at Dahua to see if he knows anything.

Spoke too soon. It's gone back to it's blinking mode. It's seems sometimes it stops for a while, then starts back up.

 

[ex123yz]

It's random blinking on my camera. Some nights it is fine, while other nights it is blinking mode. I thought maybe how much light is available that may trigger it, but
when I turned on all my front lights, it still blinks once it has started blinking for the evening.

I just turned it back on from day mode tonight and no blinking, but I'll bet tomorrow evening it will be back to blinking again.

EDIT: spoke too soon, seeing the camera blinking again

 

[gaijin4ever]

When I take the cap off or on, blinks the same. Now I just put everything the way it was, no tape, works fine, so thanks, enough shaking things around fixed it, LOL. I did email my contact at Dahua to see if he knows anything.

Spoke too soon. It's gone back to it's blinking mode. It's seems sometimes it stops for a while, then starts back up.

That's different than mine. All mine blinked the second the lens cover hit the first thread on the casing, but would no blink at all with no cover, or if the body was pulled out and the cover was just resting on the IR/lens assembly. Sorry this couldn't help you. It would be great to know what the actual core problem is, though! Definitely post if your contact in China has some hard answers!

 

[gaijin4ever]

It's random blinking on my camera. Some nights it is fine, while other nights it is blinking mode. I thought maybe how much light is available that may trigger it, but
when I turned on all my front lights, it still blinks once it has started blinking for the evening.

I just turned it back on from day mode tonight and no blinking, but I'll bet tomorrow evening it will be back to blinking again.

EDIT: spoke too soon, seeing the camera blinking again

Did you try the electrical tape? Three days now and all of mine are rock solid at night again.

 

[ex123yz]

I will see if I get some time this weekend to get up there and give it a try.
Do you feel that I need to take the camera completely down to do this, or is it doable mounted?

 

[gaijin4ever]

I will see if I get some time this weekend to get up there and give it a try.
Do you feel that I need to take the camera completely down to do this, or is it doable mounted?

I did all mine mounted, a few a day (didn't want to do them all if it didn't work). I had to re-adjust the positioning when I was done, but that's it.

 

[ex123yz]

I tried the fix with the tape. No luck. Still blinking.

 

[gaijin4ever]

I tried the fix with the tape. No luck. Still blinking.

Such a shame. I was hoping it would work for everyone. I have no idea why it worked on mine and not anyone else's.

Did you leave out the external 2 hex screws and 2 internal Philips screws so the body was just resting inside the camera, but not attached to it?

 

[ex123yz]

Such a shame. I was hoping it would work for everyone. I have no idea why it worked on mine and not anyone else's.

Did you leave out the external 2 hex screws and 2 internal Philips screws so the body was just resting inside the camera, but not attached to it?

yes, left screws off

 

[networkcameracritic]

I would guess the problem is in the LED light ring as that contains the sensor and lights. If anyone has a working one and problem one, you could try swapping the two rings to see if the problem follows the ring. If that's the problem, maybe I can ask Dahua if they will sell us the repair part.

 

[gaijin4ever]

I would guess the problem is in the LED light ring as that contains the sensor and lights. If anyone has a working one and problem one, you could try swapping the two rings to see if the problem follows the ring. If that's the problem, maybe I can ask Dahua if they will sell us the repair part.

I'm not sure. I have a managed switch running this, and when the cameras were having the problem, the switch reported that those cameras were drawing about 1 watt less than the "normal" cameras.

 

[ex123yz]

Ok, I went back up there this weekend and reopen and re-taped it again. This time I pushed it all the way back in until it hit the metal mount, then slid it forward a little to remove any contact, and since last night, no more blinking IR. Hope this holds. I will report back after some time and see if this fix is still working.

 

[gaijin4ever]

Ok, I went back up there this weekend and reopen and re-taped it again. This time I pushed it all the way back in until it hit the metal mount, then slid it forward a little to remove any contact, and since last night, no more blinking IR. Hope this holds. I will report back after some time and see if this fix is still working.

Great news that you found success. I haven't had the blinking problem since I first made the change. Some of the cameras will blink briefly (up to 4-5 minutes) in the transition from color to black and white night vision in the early evening daily, but that's it. It's a voodoo solution, but it worked, and I'm glad you fixed it on yours, too.

It would be nice if we knew what the actual problem was at some point, but this at least fixes the issue while we wait for that.

 

[ex123yz]

3rd nite after fix, and still no problem with blinking.
Thanks gaijin4ever for sharing your workaround.

 

[gaijin4ever]

3rd nite after fix, and still no problem with blinking.
Thanks gaijin4ever for sharing your workaround.

Glad it worked for you. Hopefully others with the (seemingly widespread on a certain batch of the Dahuas) issue find success as well, since it's a much better (cheaper) solution than a round trip to china for each affected camera for a warranty repair.