Hikvision Turbo Bullet cameras die when attached to metal building

[aerotechguy]

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Looking for some help here, please!
I have a client on the other side of the state (of course) that bought a system from a local guy, then lost confidence in the guy before it could be installed. I've done tons of installations of the Hik IP systems, using their recorders as well as BlueIris, and have had really good luck with all of it.

This is a different setup, it's all Turbo bullets, and a couple of Turbo turrets inside, and the 8 channel DVR.

The turrets work great, mounted to the wood on the inside of the pole building.
The bullets are another story. I tested everything before mounting it all, and found it worked perfectly. After mounting everything on the outside of the building, nothing worked. It made me a little crazy troubleshooting it, testing my cabling, etc.and finding it all in order.

I have the cameras connected using Baluns and Cat5e between cameras and DVR, and all tests good, until the bullets are mounted to the sheet metal of the building, camera dies. Take it away from the building and it comes right back up.

Like I said, all of my experience (probably 18 to 20 systems, anywhere from 5 IP cameras to 16 IP cameras, with wireless bridges and lots of other crazy circumstances that I was able to get past) has been with IP cameras, and have never had an issue attaching to metal buildings.
These Turbo cameras will just plain not work once grounded to the building.

Ideas......anyone.....please!

Thanks in advance for any help offered!

 

[Art K]

Small piece of plywood, painted to match the building. Screw it to the building, then screw the camera to the plywood. Although, I don't know what would happen if it rains.

The POE circuitry in the DVR (or your network switch) might be shutting down the power when it sees something "off". Does the NVR use a power plug with three pins? Trying to get a handle on how the POE circuitry would "know" about the ground.

 

[aerotechguy]

Thanks for the suggestion Art, it is something I’ve considered. But would be a pain to do all 6 cameras that way, and like you’re suggesting (I assume) when the mounts get wet in the rain it might do the same thing till they dry.
And if there’s something going on with the building, grounding or stray power etc, I’d prefer to sort it out but not really sure how. There’s a 3 volt differential between the sheet metal and ground bar at the foundation, and the power ground at the DVR and power supply for the cameras is good. I’ll see if Hik tech support has any ideas tomorrow, might be a new one for them as well I guess, just thought someone here might have had a similar experience that they were able to solve

 

[fenderman]

Use a plastic round junction box...

 

[Art K]

Check for voltage between the camera and the building.

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