How to install when there is no attic?

[cmx]

My cousin wants cameras on his doublewide and does not want to make any holes in his roof to install them and to make things worse there is no attic. He works as a CNC machinist and says he can make a camera mount. What would you do for this situation? I have been putting it off for months but with the holidays coming i will have some free time to do the install. The other issue is where do i put a POE Switch to power the cameras he does have a crawl space and does not mind me putting holes in the floor but the trailer has a block wall around it so there is really know way under it.

He only wants 4 cameras at the most 2 may do depending on what cameras i get for him which leads me to my next question.

His property is wide open no one around him for 1,500 feet with lots of farm land around he more or less just wants to keep a eye on the place when at work and to see amazon delivery.

My fav camera is the T180 wide angle turret or the bullet style.

I am no good at installs looking for some advice here.

 

[Underhill]

I’d just go through crawl space and use gutters or corner seams of siding to hide wires.

 

[Mike A.]

Down, under and up. Might also look at mounting to posts off of it where/if you need.

 

[TonyR]

I've wired several single-wide and double wides, one with skirts and another on cinder blocks (which still had a rear entry for plumbing issues, termite inspection, etc.). Was at the single-wide just yesterday and doing fine...the install is 7-1/4 years old. Her cat had likely unplugged the cable from the router that ran under the trailer from there to the NVR's LAN! That was the first and only trouble call and it was not due to any equipment failure.

I ran the cables through the floor near a wall and behind where the POE NVR was going to live, then ran cables to the four corners under the floor, came out and ran up the corners, tucked them behind the vertical siding trim. It's tight but you can press in with fingertips, no clamps needed. Used outdooor/UV-rated cable. Used some clamps like below where needed at corners and up top when running horizontal and no trim there to tuck behind. Clamps come in single or dual cable, black or white. Some places also have brown. Find stud, drive in with 1/4" nutdriver bit.

 

[cmx]

I’d just go through crawl space and use gutters or corner seams of siding to hide wires.

How would i get the cables into the crawl space? and how would i mount the cameras if he does not want any holes drilled into the roof and with no attic?

 

[cmx]

Down, under and up. Might also look at mounting to posts off of it where/if you need.

What type of mounting posts if i am not allowed to drill into the roof? I may be able to hide the wires behind the gutters or as someone said under the siding trim.

 

[cmx]

I've wired several single-wide and double wides, one with skirts and another on cinder blocks (which still had a rear entry for plumbing issues, termite inspection, etc.). Was at the single-wide just yesterday and doing fine...the install is 7-1/4 years old. Her cat had likely unplugged the cable from the router that ran under the trailer from there to the NVR's LAN! That was the first and only trouble call and it was not due to any equipment failure.

I ran the cables through the floor near a wall and behind where the POE NVR was going to live, then ran cables to the four corners under the floor, came out and ran up the corners, tucked them behind the vertical siding trim. It's tight but you can press in with fingertips, no clamps needed. Used outdooor/UV-rated cable. Used some clamps like below where needed at corners and up top when running horizontal and no trim there to tuck behind. Clamps come in single or dual cable, black or white. Some places also have brown. Find stud, drive in with 1/4" nutdriver bit.

View attachment 207461

There is crawl space access but it has a door so you can't really run wires through it or it would not close.

Did you run the cables on the outside or inside the crawl space? I really don't want to go into that space lol

Don't happen to have any pics of your install on the single wide?

 

[TonyR]

There is crawl space access but it has a door so you can't really run wires through it or it would not close.

Did you run the cables on the outside or inside the crawl space? I really don't want to go into that space lol

Don't happen to have any pics of your install on the single wide?

I didn't run any cable throguhs through the door, I went under the crawlspace and drilled holes in the floor (4 near NVR) and out the skirt at all 4 corners (1 for each camera), went up the corners to the roof corners. I could have placed 2 holes/2 cables at 2 corners and then traveled horiz. along the roof for 2 cameras x 2 corners = 4 cameras BUT didn't want that much cable exposed. Came out, went straight up, set a camera.

Not pleasant or fun but I did it, was 68 at the time.

I have no pix, sorry.

 

[cmx]

I didn't run any cables throguh the door, I went under the crawlspace and drilled holes in the floor (4 near NVR) and out the skirt at all 4 corners (1 for each camera), went up the corners to the roof corners. I could have placed 2 holes/2 cables at 2 corners and then traveled horiz. along the roof for 2 cameras x 2 corners = 4 cameras BUT didn't want that much cable exposed. Came out, went straight up, set a camera.

Not pleasant or fun but I did it, was 68 at the time.

I have no pix, sorry.

crawl spaces are not fun at any age doing my best to avoid it but i can't completely.

I was thinking about drilling through his foundation wall with a masonry bit and use PVC pipe in the hole and run the cables in and then just go up the floor where his router is.

My concern is when drilling through his block wall if it where to crumble. Here is a photo of what it looks like.

For mounting the cameras he thinks he can CNC machine a mount for the gutter or the eaves that uses a clamp, i can't find anything like that already made.

 

[wittaj]

What about putting the NVR on an exterior wall and drilling a hole straight thru to outside (as that is probably easier than the blick wall) with an external POE switch outside and then run it all external?

 

[cmx]

What about putting the NVR on an exterior wall and drilling a hole straight thru to outside (as that is probably easier than the blick wall) with an external POE switch outside and then run it all external?

That would be great for me but i don't think he would go for it.

 

[wittaj]

LOL well he has to accept a compromise somewhere lol

 

[cmx]

LOL well he has to accept a compromise somewhere lol

Yes he does lol

He is more worried about no drilling into the roof itself since he just got a new roof put on this year. A metal one at that. It makes me wonder if i can jerry rig up some kind of mount that would fit in between the metal roof panels that would wedge itself in there for the camera to mount to.....just thinking out loud

 

[tigerwillow1]

LOL well he has to accept a compromise somewhere lol

Just about every install decision we make is the result of some sort of compromise. Multiple compromises, actually.

 

[TonyR]

Go through the foundation vents...I've done that as well. Most are plastic, easy to drill. Be sure to from form a drip loop in cable outdoors before entry, go into hole @ vent, use cable wall entry grommets or outdoor-rated caulk around the cable or use Duct Seal.

 

[dudemaar]

Post in thread 'How to wire/install when soffits are too high?'
How to wire/install when soffits are too high?

Lots of crevices to hide wire and connectors in with siding. Wires are all ran/tucked in soffit facia trim ,down the hollow corners and then into the J trim at bottom of wall. From there tuck them around the house and meet up with others at a point where you penetrate the wall and bring them all inside house just above base board inside.

Edit: I call this my trunk slam special.

 

[tangent]

My cousin wants cameras on his doublewide and does not want to make any holes in his roof to install them

Looks like vinyl siding. It's relatively easy to run cables behind vinyl siding, you probably have to remove or pop to bottom of some of it loose.

Also you can buy siding mounting blocks that fit the profile of most vinyl siding. eg. Arlington | Siding Mounting Blocks

 

[TonyR]

Post in thread 'How to wire/install when soffits are too high?'
How to wire/install when soffits are too high?

Lots of crevices to hide wire and connectors in with siding. Wires are all ran/tucked in soffit facia trim ,down the hollow corners and then into the J trim at bottom of wall. From there tuck them around the house and meet up with others at a point where you penetrate the wall and bring them all inside house just above base board inside.

Edit: I call this my trunk slam special.

Exactly! ^^^.
I can't imagine any house being easier to wire than one with vinyl siding.

Also, @cmx.....consider the appropriate junction box for that camera model to hide and protect the camera's pigtail (you don't want to leave it exposed OR drill a 3/4" to 1" hole in the side to stuff it into the wall in a manufactured home).

Since your cams are under the soffits if you DO use the junction boxes at the very least apply dielectric grease to where the RJ-45 plugs into the pigtail and use the supplied protective cover on those pigtail-female-to-Rj-45 male-connections.

 

[cmx]

Go through the foundation vents...I've done that as well. Most are plastic, easy to drill. Be sure to from form a drip loop in cable outdoors before entry, go into hole @ vent, use cable wall entry grommets or outdoor-rated caulk around the cable or use Duct Seal.

I did think about the foundation vents, i tried to remove one and they have cement around them so i would need to drill a hole through one. They are just plastic but would no longer be able to open and close if i did that?

Hiding the cables is the easy part! for me the hard part is mounting the camera. See the red circle in this pic? I pushed on that spot and there is no wood or anything right there and it is already sagging.

If i could mount it there then just run the cable down behind that vertical plastic trim.

 

[wittaj]

Mounting the camera is easy in that scenario. I piece of aluminum stock and you wiggle it in to align with the soffit.

Post in thread 'Mounting to Soffit with no backing?'

Aug 9, 2022

The screws I used are size 4-40 with an oval head as short as you can find them in stainless steel. I typically go to Ace Hardware for screws. I'll drill the holes in the aluminum using a drill bit slightly smaller then use a 4-40 tap from my Harbor Freight tap and die set. The SS screw is harder steel than aluminum so it's possible to use a screw to tap out the threads by working the screw in an out but a real tap is easier. The screws can be ground down shorter using a bench grinder or a file. I already owned a bench grinder, tap and die set, files, drill bits, etc. so this...

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