Dahua, water in camera
- Thread starter Saltster
- Start date
The most common reasons for condensation in a security camera is poor gasket sealing to the lens assembly. Next is temperature differential of the glass vs outside environment.
When the environment sees extremely high humidity or rain fall a camera that isn’t well sealed will exhibit this issue. This is why it’s important to install the camera on a bench and let run for several hours prior to fixed mounting especially true during winter months.
As the internal temperature will have displaced any moisture inside of the unit. The reverse is also true where you leave the unit outside to acclimate to its environment and thus allow the camera to come up to temperature which reduces fogging / condensation.
Your only choice is to leave it up there in hopes the summer temps will dry it out. Or take it down and separate the lens from the glass and clean it off. Prior to doing so you’ll want to apply some anti fog spray to the interior of the glass lens.
This will reduce fogging but does not address moisture buildup when the root cause is extreme temperature differential and air leakage.
When the environment sees extremely high humidity or rain fall a camera that isn’t well sealed will exhibit this issue. This is why it’s important to install the camera on a bench and let run for several hours prior to fixed mounting especially true during winter months.
As the internal temperature will have displaced any moisture inside of the unit. The reverse is also true where you leave the unit outside to acclimate to its environment and thus allow the camera to come up to temperature which reduces fogging / condensation.
Your only choice is to leave it up there in hopes the summer temps will dry it out. Or take it down and separate the lens from the glass and clean it off. Prior to doing so you’ll want to apply some anti fog spray to the interior of the glass lens.
This will reduce fogging but does not address moisture buildup when the root cause is extreme temperature differential and air leakage.
I have also had this happen when the SD card cover was not seated right.
Make sure the o ring is in the correct slot, and it is sealed all the way around, not cock eyed.
Dry it out all the way, replace the silica gel, and seal it all back up.
Make sure the o ring is in the correct slot, and it is sealed all the way around, not cock eyed.
Dry it out all the way, replace the silica gel, and seal it all back up.
I’ll add one of the ghetto ways to remove moisture if taking the camera apart is too hard is to use a hair dryer / heat gun or to place the camera in a toaster oven.
It goes without saying using a heat gun / toaster oven requires a high level of caution and safety!
You can easily melt soft plastic components or hardware. Proper distance of the heat gun while moving it around is a given. Wrapping the camera in multi layers of foil set to a moderate temperature is also a given.
Good Luck . . .
It goes without saying using a heat gun / toaster oven requires a high level of caution and safety!
You can easily melt soft plastic components or hardware. Proper distance of the heat gun while moving it around is a given. Wrapping the camera in multi layers of foil set to a moderate temperature is also a given.
Good Luck . . .
ljw2k
Known around here
I would take the camera apart dry it out and grease the seals before putting a new silica bag inside. I had a BMW 435D with LED headlights and it was common for them to mist up like your camera but putting silica bags inside sorted this problem straight away.
I’ll add if you don’t or want to purchase a new silica packet. You can place the same in the oven to dry it out and reuse. You can usually get another year or two out of one going this route.
Cost you nothing but time . . .
ljw2k
Known around here
Not all Silica can be dried in the oven unfortunately so best to buy new for around $2I’ll add if you don’t or want to purchase a new silica packet. You can place the same in the oven to dry it out and reuse. You can usually get another year or two out of one going this route.
Cost you nothing but time . . .
handinpalm
Getting comfortable
Best to remove any cover/s, and place in a full size oven to bake out moisture. Toaster ovens have too much of a temperature swing. Probably around 160 - 200F for at least a day. It takes a while to get the moisture out of the PCB also. If you leave as is, it will be like steam bath and reduce life of camera. Sooner is better. Be sure to check seals when cover is off.
flynreelow
Known around here
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2016
- Messages
- 1,252
- Reaction score
- 1,142
'like others have said. make sure the packet inside is fresh, and also make sure it has a good seal.
where would you get a new seal?
flynreelow
Known around here
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2016
- Messages
- 1,252
- Reaction score
- 1,142
im sure the seal is still good (unless totally dried out in the Florida heat. But just make sure when you put it back together the seal is seated correctly in the channel making it waterproof.
Assuming it’s just a connection problem I’d inspect, clean, and lube both ends of the RJ45 connector. If both have been confirmed as good insure the other end connecting the NVR is fine too.
You can also try to power it with 12 VDC and connect a new Ethernet cable to see if there’s a difference.
The next step would be to hard reset the camera to factor default and see if it comes back up.
The last two steps require you to pull the camera down to test and reset.
Thanks, I cut back the wiring outside about two inches and it is working again.Assuming it’s just a connection problem I’d inspect, clean, and lube both ends of the RJ45 connector. If both have been confirmed as good insure the other end connecting the NVR is fine too.
You can also try to power it with 12 VDC and connect a new Ethernet cable to see if there’s a difference.
The next step would be to hard reset the camera to factor default and see if it comes back up.
The last two steps require you to pull the camera down to test and reset.
Thanks
Awesome to hear now be mindful to have applied some dielectric grease to the RJ45 (Both Ends) to inhibit air & moisture to stave off corrosion. If the connector is using a water tight coupler you're good to go. If not, use some self sealing tape to prevent air & moisture from entering the connection.
yes, I have water-tight couplers in them, it probably was a pinched wire.
sebastiantombs
Known around here
I'd add a layer of self vulcanizing tape, like Coax Seal, and extend it an inch past the "watertight" connector and then wrap it with a couple of layers of quality electrical tape, like 3M 33+ or better, extending that and inch past the self vulcanizing tape.