Odd behavior from one camera (Dahua IPC-HDW5231R-Z)

[pburgh]

One of my installs has a Dahua IPC-HDW5231R-Z mounted on a tree down by the client's driveway via direct burial CAT5e cable. When I installed it, everything tested fine and the camera was working as expected. Within the first few weeks the client reported the camera going offline every now and then, so I dropped the FPS. That seemed to work for a few months, but now the camera is completely offline.

I made a visit today and the run tested fine. I unmounted the camera and brought it inside to test right by the rack... no problems there... fired right up. I then cut as much length off both ends of the CAT5e run thinking maybe the overall distance was too far, but there's no way that's the issue because I've used this same spool (very good quality cable) on several other installs that are further away that this particular camera. I'd wager this run is well below 200 ft. I recapped both ends of the run and it, again, tested fine. FWIW - The network light on the PoE switch lights up when the camera is connected, though it takes longer to turn on that cameras mounted on the house. The PoE light never turns on. I also connected just this one camera to the PoE switch -- removing all other cameras -- trying to rule out an overall power budget issue. This made no difference.

I'm not sure what to do on this one. I don't really want to pull up the run and do another, but is that my only option? This isn't an ePOE camera, unfortunately. The PoE switch is a Netgear GS305P.

 

[wittaj]

In all likelihood it is a power issue based on what you are saying.

Many here have experienced that some cameras run right at their tolerance limits. So when you put in a longer run, sometimes the drop in power is just enough that the camera won't go.

One member here had two identical cameras purchased at the same time installed on either side of his garage doors so they were essentially looking at the same field of view and one kept going out similar to this. Turns out the problematic camera needed 2.5 more watts than the other camera. And the run was just long enough that it couldn't produce enough power.

I think if you swapped cams and put another one on the end of the line, it would probably work since you said the line tested fine. Do they have the same cameras that you could just swap them around?

I assume when you tested it on the switch with just this camera that you tried a different port as well?

Do you have a POE+ injector that you could try for just this camera for that run?

 

[pburgh]

Do they have the same cameras that you could just swap them around?

Yes, they're all 5231 cameras. I can try swapping.

I assume when you tested it on the switch with just this camera that you tried a different port as well?

Tried every port on that particular switch, including ports that had functioning 5231 prior. No dice.

Do you have a POE+ injector that you could try for just this camera for that run?

You read my mind! I was going to go back over with an injector and see if that made a difference.

Just very odd that it worked for "a while" and then petered out. Thanks for the reply!

 

[wittaj]

It certainly sounds like that particular camera is right at the tolerance threshold of power. For example, if it needs a minimum of 7 watts per the spec (but could really work down to 5 watts), maybe this one is right on the 7 watt number - or whatever minimum wattage number is needed.

 

[looney2ns]

Pure Solid Copper cable used, not Copper clad aluminum?
23awg or 24awg wire?
Good quality Rj45s?
Rj45s wired to 568b standard?
Connection at camera end properly waterproofed?
WaterProofing Connections
Get some Caig Deoxit, and spray on both the Rj45 and the female portion.
For long runs, I would use a minimum of 23awg wire.
Cable is burial rated, and gel filled?
Any chance the cable was damaged during burial?
Was cable placed in conduit?
Does the buried cable run directly from the camera to the POE switch? No patch panels or keystones used?
An ePOE camera requires a dahua ePOE switch, ePOE NVR or ePOE injector to be a valid option.

My 5231's use less than 4watts max. Even the 5442's use less than 5watts, as per a POE switch I have.

 

[pburgh]

Pure Solid Copper cable used, not Copper clad aluminum?

Solid

23awg or 24awg wire?

Not positive, but I think it's 24awg, will confirm. However, I have used this same spec wire on longer runs with no issues.

Good quality Rj45s?

Tripp Lite

Rj45s wired to 568b standard?

558B

Connection at camera end properly waterproofed?

OEM Junction box + OEM weatherproof boot

Cable is burial rated, and gel filled?

Burial rated, gel filled

Any chance the cable was damaged during burial?

Unlikely, but possible

Was cable placed in conduit?

No conduit

Does the buried cable run directly from the camera to the POE switch? No patch panels or keystones used?

Direct from PoE switch to camera

 

[sebastiantombs]

Do you have a TDR trace of that cable? That will show any impedance bumps/damage quite easily.

 

[looney2ns]

OEM Junction box + OEM weatherproof boot
This in a lot of case's is not sufficient by its self.
You always need Di-electric grease on outdoor connections.
See the link I provided above.

 

[pburgh]

I went back and tested a 5442 on the same run -- same issue. After scratching my head for a bit, I decided to try moving the run back with 40' less cable. Voila! Fully functional camera now.

Thanks for the replies!