Extending 24vAC to 65 Feet?

[joecam]

Hi Guys,
I am installing a new IP PTZ camera that does not allow for POE. It has a power supply that puts out 24vAC and I extended the 24 volt side with like 16-18 gauge wire about 65 feet and the camera just makes noise like the motor is running, but I am not anything on the ethernet. When I take away the extension (just do it with the short wire on the bench it works fine). Is there an issue with extending a 24vAC line 60 more feet? Thanks.
Joe

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[switchman]

Have you taken a voltmeter and measured the loss? Plug in the adapter, measure the voltage at its connector. Plug it into the cable and measure again at the end. Do this with your cable unplugged from the camera. You will probably need a new power supply or a camera that uses DC.

This is from an online calculator based on 16Ga wire, 18 is worse. You need to increase your voltage to accommodate for loss.

Voltage Drop Calculator
Result
Voltage drop: 1.04
Voltage drop percentage: 4.33%
Voltage at the end: 22.96

Note: I assumed 2 amp load.

Using 18 gauge wire shows a voltage drop of 1.66 with voltage at the end 22.34 Vac

 

[switchman]

You might be ok if you run 10ga as a quick search for 24vac adjustable power supplies doesn't return much. Or get a dc based camera.
Voltage drop: 0.26
Voltage drop percentage: 1.08%
Voltage at the end: 23.74

 

[Masejoer]

I'm surprised it doesn't work. I doubt your camera takes 2-Amps - that would be nearly 50VA. More realistically, with 16awg COPPER wire, there should be 23.5-23.7V getting to the camera. A bit less with 18awg. If using copper clad aluminum wire, rather than pure copper, you're looking at 60% more loss than with copper.

Simple test - use a voltmeter to see what Voltage you have from the supply WITH camera attached, and what Voltage you have at the other end of the extension wire WITH camera attached. Perhaps your power supply is already putting out below 24V?

24VAC cameras are typically designed to take some losses into consideration. Even 24awg copper wire can run a 24V-15VA load at your 65ft distance, but it's a borderline length for such small wire gauge.

Put a multimeter/voltmeter on it!

 

[tangent]

what gauge wire?

The initial piece of wire you're connecting your 'extension' to may be too small.