Help With First Camera Soffit Install?

[wittaj]

Is anyone still watching this thread? I'm looking for some advice for soffit installs. I want to either use standard generic white round junction boxes or double gang boxes. It seems most people forget that their cameras aren't going to last them a lifetime and they'll need to be replaced at some point, and it could be with an entirely different brand with different mounting holes required, where these people will end up with a honeycomb of holes eventually. My plan is to use standard white metal junction boxes, or double gang boxes. When I want to swap the cameras out, all I'll need to do is at worst, buy new standard generic weatherproof cover plates to screw the cameras onto. I'll have a hole in the back of the junction or gang and through the soffit just large enough to squeeze cat5e through into the attic.

Is there any reason to use a round junction box over a rectangular gang box?
Also, my soffits are at a 20 degree angle along with the roof, but it looks like with any 3-axis eyeball type turret camera, that should not pose an issue.

Many of us use a piece or two of aluminum stock and secure the camera to it and waterproof the connection and shove it up in the soffit.

 

[IAmWatchingYou!]

I think the method you speak of would be for vinyl covered soffits? I have wood soffits, and want something to shove the camera pigtails in without having to drill a gigantic hole.

 

[mikeynags]

I think the method you speak of would be for vinyl covered soffits? I have wood soffits, and want something to shove the camera pigtails in without having to drill a gigantic hole.

I've used 3 methods over the years, I have the water-proof junction box, the PFB203W which is listed as a wall mount and and the PFA130 junction box. Obviously, a lot depends on your situation and the camera being used. For the cameras that I run, I really prefer the PFA130.

mounts found here:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DVX7XXR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DVX8QMJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[tech_junkie]

I think the method you speak of would be for vinyl covered soffits? I have wood soffits, and want something to shove the camera pigtails in without having to drill a gigantic hole.

I drill a 1" hole, then seal it up with coaxseal putty tape. That away its easy to change out, and if I just need to plug the hole, its paintable.

I just use the waterproof connector so dust and grime don't get into the connector and shove it up the hole. No junction box madness needed.

Depending on the building, the end soffits might be boxed up and can't get the fisch rod thu into the attic. I usually will then, go about 3 ft inward to where there is usally an attic vent, fish my rod in from the attic vent, then drill a 3/8 hole close to where the soffit meats the house and run the cable extenal to the camera and dress it with some flat plastic peel-n-stick conduit.

 

[IAmWatchingYou!]

Thanks for the replies.
@mikeynags Those junction boxes look nice, I'm just thinking I might want to stick to generic junction or gang boxes from Home Depot, Lowes, etc. that take generic covers since I will be upgrading my cameras every 2-3 years and don't necessarily want to stick with one brand - I might do Hikvision, Dahua, Bosch, Axis, etc, so I want a generic standard box so that 15 years from now I can still just get a new standard cover plate for and drill a few holes in the cover plate that line up with the screw mounts of the camera. Do you think this makes sense in this situation?

@tech_junkie Thank you for the idea on using the vents to help fish the cable into the attic - I indeed do have vents within about 2 feet over where I want to mount the cameras. The attic space is extremely tight as the roof is at a 2- degree angle, so I've been thinking about how to get the cable far enough back into the attic where I can reach it, and without bumping my head on a roofing nail. Also, without a junction box, what do you do about swapping the cameras out for upgrades every couple of years? In about 20 years with different models of cameras and different mounting holes, that would be a lot of damage to the building.

 

[tech_junkie]

Thanks for the replies.
@tech_junkie Thank you for the idea on using the vents to help fish the cable into the attic - I indeed do have vents within about 2 feet over where I want to mount the cameras. The attic space is extremely tight as the roof is at a 2- degree angle, so I've been thinking about how to get the cable far enough back into the attic where I can reach it, and without bumping my head on a roofing nail. Also, without a junction box, what do you do about swapping the cameras out for upgrades every couple of years? In about 20 years with different models of cameras and different mounting holes, that would be a lot of damage to the building.

fish rods is one of the major tools to soffit installs. Just shove it in, and tape the wire on the end, and pull from a better place in the attic than at the soffit.
I got my set of rods at harbor freight because they are the most reasonable in my area:

3/16 in. x 33 ft. Fiberglass Wire Running Kit

Amazing deals on this 3/16In X 33Ft Fiberglass Wire Runner at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

as far as the extra holes, its not that big of a deal to patch them. But if someone hires me to do the job, I wouldn't quote them something they would want to replace a few years down the road either. But if you just want two stanard hole mounting, I would just get the electrical outlet mounting back plate that is optional for the hikvision camera I would sell you. That away its the standard two holes that everybody else would have on their plates. If they were truly worried about "extra holes"

 

[IAmWatchingYou!]

Perfect - I got that exact same set of fishing rods from Harbor Freight a couple years ago for running some wires though my car for a hitch install. I'll have to see if they're going to work because they weren't very flexible, but if I can get them up through the vent vs a small hole, that seems like that should work good. I didn't know that some manufacturers had electric outlet mounting backplates - I'll have to look into that. I guess most people would probably keep their cameras for a lot longer than 2-3 years to have to worry about lots of mounting holes in the building, but not all of us are IP camera junkies!

 

[mikeynags]

Thanks for the replies.
@mikeynags Those junction boxes look nice, I'm just thinking I might want to stick to generic junction or gang boxes from Home Depot, Lowes, etc. that take generic covers since I will be upgrading my cameras every 2-3 years and don't necessarily want to stick with one brand - I might do Hikvision, Dahua, Bosch, Axis, etc, so I want a generic standard box so that 15 years from now I can still just get a new standard cover plate for and drill a few holes in the cover plate that line up with the screw mounts of the camera. Do you think this makes sense in this situation?

@tech_junkie Thank you for the idea on using the vents to help fish the cable into the attic - I indeed do have vents within about 2 feet over where I want to mount the cameras. The attic space is extremely tight as the roof is at a 2- degree angle, so I've been thinking about how to get the cable far enough back into the attic where I can reach it, and without bumping my head on a roofing nail. Also, without a junction box, what do you do about swapping the cameras out for upgrades every couple of years? In about 20 years with different models of cameras and different mounting holes, that would be a lot of damage to the building.

Sure - it makes some sense. It’s personal preference and I do still have 2 of the Lowe’s style boxes going. I will be switching them out though at some point. Also the mounts I sent you wouldn’t prevent you from switching cameras and you also only need a 3/8” hole to pass the coax through which is small.


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