Outdoor PoE cam install and wiring question

[iandroo888]

Hi ! first post and new member of this forum. I've been tryin to plan out how to run ethernet wires outside for outdoor PoE cameras and hoping to look towards you guys for some tips/tricks/recommendations

Currently i have 4x Amcrest ProHD 1080P WiFi IP2M-841 cameras inside the house working wirelessly and recording with BlueIris running on my computer.

I had recently purchased an Amcrest NV4108E-HS 4k 8CH PoE NVR and put in a 4TB Western Digital Purple HDD in hopes to move the indoor cams and add outdoor cams to all be on that NVR system.

During a recent sale, i had picked up 4x Amcrest ProHD Outdoor 4MP PoE IP4M-1024E cameras in plans to put them outside covering the surrounding areas of the house.

The house was built in the mid 90s with a wood frame and stucco finishing. I live in a city where temperatures can reach low 120s F during the summer.

Is the gray PVC conduit available at Lowes/Home Depot fine for this type of weather for direct sun exposure? I'm planning on ordering gel-filled and shielded Cat5e cable (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006TH38XE/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3NM7B2QFY5PG8) to use to run inside the PVC. Conduit size im hoping to use is 3/4", theoretically should be fine but im more worried about the turns and bends, if its big enough. Each camera will be mounted to a non-metallic round junction box with PVC running directly across the side of the house.

I had thought about trying to put the conduit under the bottom lip of the house but i couldnt figure out a way to have it sit under the lip then angle out and up along the wall... the limited type of fittings doesnt really allow it that well.

Also, any ideas on how to route wires from the outside to inside? I have a coaxial cable that runs outside in, but that was just 1 wire. With the possibility with running 4-5 more, is there a "neater" and "weather sealed" way to do so? Planning to put a junction box around that same spot, with possibly a camera mounted in that spot as well.

Interiorly, i currently have a plate with a coaxial (without a box behind it), but im planning on getting a 6 port plate w/ 5 Cat6 keystone jacks and 1 Coax jack, putting one of those 1-gang non-metallic old-work brackets after cutting a hole.

I know this is kind of a mess of a questioning, hope you guys can understand. If not, feel free to shoot me any questions and ill do my best to answer

 

[Mr_D]

I believe the grey PVC conduit is UV resistant. For getting the cables inside, you can put a conduit body there and drill a hole big enough to push a few inches of conduit into the house. Then seal around the hole.

Home Depot makes some approx 12" lengths of flexible conduit that can be used to mate up odd angles. It's in the same section as the conduit bodies.

I'm planning something similar and am just using standard Cat6 cable since it'll be protected inside the conduit. I've heard that gel filled cable is tough to work with.

 

[mat200]

Welcome @iandroo888

Definitely take a look at the notes giomania has assembled
IPCamTalk WiKi | IP Cam Talk

Also do take a look at what Mr_D has done in his garage, it turned out really nice and maybe useful for you if you have an attached garage.
Two cameras up - notes and pics included

Note gel filled cat5e/6 is not necessary for above ground setups in general

Also note Dahua OEM junction box PFA134 should fit for those Amcrest Bullet cameras in case you want to buy junction boxes which require minimal customization.

@Mr_D note - I would recommend avoiding flexible conduit if possible, as it can make it significantly harder to pull cables through it compared to typical rigid conduit.

 

[iandroo888]

I believe the grey PVC conduit is UV resistant. For getting the cables inside, you can put a conduit body there and drill a hole big enough to push a few inches of conduit into the house. Then seal around the hole.

Home Depot makes some approx 12" lengths of flexible conduit that can be used to mate up odd angles. It's in the same section as the conduit bodies.

I'm planning something similar and am just using standard Cat6 cable since it'll be protected inside the conduit. I've heard that gel filled cable is tough to work with.

I guess it was for a double safe way for longevity, considering how strong the sun is in this city. Im sure the PVC will turn color over time too. I did hear that gel-filled cable is tough to work with but it was a recommendation by my friend who lives in the same city. I had originally wanted to use normal cable inside conduit.

Welcome @iandroo888

Definitely take a look at the notes giomania has assembled
IPCamTalk WiKi | IP Cam Talk

Also do take a look at what Mr_D has done in his garage, it turned out really nice and maybe useful for you if you have an attached garage.
Two cameras up - notes and pics included

Note gel filled cat5e/6 is not necessary for above ground setups in general

@Mr_D note - I would recommend avoiding flexible conduit if possible, as it can make it significantly harder to pull cables through it compared to typical rigid conduit.

wasn't planning on using flexible conduit. was trying to hard line the entire way. using conduit inside a hole sounds like a reasonable enough though.

i looked at the garage way but unfortunately, only 1 camera will be in that area of the house, and that would be under a "roof lip". Though, i am planning on running the PVC like that outside of the house.

 

[Mr_D]

@Mr_D note - I would recommend avoiding flexible conduit if possible, as it can make it significantly harder to pull cables through it compared to typical rigid conduit.

I can't see any other way to get the conduit from horizontal to matching the pitch of the roof. See picture. I plan on putting conduit bodies near the flexible section to allow access and break up the pull.

 

[tangent]

Is the gray PVC conduit available at Lowes/Home Depot fine for this type of weather for direct sun exposure? I'm planning on ordering gel-filled and shielded Cat5e cable (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006TH38XE/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3NM7B2QFY5PG8) to use to run inside the PVC. Conduit size im hoping to use is 3/4", theoretically should be fine but im more worried about the turns and bends, if its big enough. Each camera will be mounted to a non-metallic round junction box with PVC running directly across the side of the house.

Mounting cameras to non-metalic junction boxes could be challenging. Cameras aren't designed for standard boxes you find at the hardware store.

Sun will take it's toll on pvc conduit and even outdoor rated cable, just not as badly as indoor cable. Painting either goes a long way. You probably don't need to use conduit.

In hot enough temperatures with intense enough sun, PVC conduit can change shape. I remember some pics on another forum of pvc conduit on the side of building that looked like a wet noodle after a few years of sun.

I would consider running metal emt conduit and painting it. emt is pretty easy to bend. You can bend pvc conduit too if you heat it.

 

[iandroo888]

I can't see any other way to get the conduit from horizontal to matching the pitch of the roof. See picture. I plan on putting conduit bodies near the flexible section to allow access and break up the pull.

View attachment 29120

i can see what you mean. I saw something at home depot that allowing bending at angles outside of the 45 and 90 they have in store, but that bendy attachment is expensive in comparison

Mounting cameras to non-metalic junction boxes could be challenging. Cameras aren't designed for standard boxes you find at the hardware store.

Sun will take it's toll on pvc conduit and even outdoor rated cable, just not as badly as indoor cable. Painting either goes a long way. You probably don't need to use conduit.

In hot enough temperatures with intense enough sun, PVC conduit can change shape. I remember some pics on another forum of pvc conduit on the side of building that looked like a wet noodle after a few years of sun.

I would consider running metal emt conduit and painting it. emt is pretty easy to bend. You can bend pvc conduit too if you heat it.

i looked into metal conduit. wouldnt that make it even hotter ? some areas will be out of the sun completely, some only in the sun a few hours a day. But as some may know, even a few hours could be deadly (in a car anyway) Lol... i thought PVC would be better. thats just my guess

i had looked at the round junction box at home depot vs the mounting bracket dimensions of my camera, seems to fit perfectly within the box cover screws. Just need to drill some holes to mount camera and a center hole for the wire. ill attach using the "sleeve" it comes with prior to crimping a plug so it has that additional layer of waterproofing... Lol

 

[Mr_D]

i looked into metal conduit. wouldnt that make it even hotter ? some areas will be out of the sun completely, some only in the sun a few hours a day. But as some may know, even a few hours could be deadly (in a car anyway) Lol... i thought PVC would be better. thats just my guess

I just looked and my Monoprice cat6 cable is rated to 75C. I bet it'll get hotter than that in EMT on a 120F day.

edit: I just checked that cable on your link and it's only rated to 70C.

 

[tangent]

i looked into metal conduit. wouldnt that make it even hotter

I'm not sure painted metal would get much hotter than painted pvc conduit, it might even stay cooler. Metal will hold up to the heat better. I'd recommend you look at metal junction boxes designed for your cameras. At those temps, gel filled cable will squirt a bit.

 

[mat200]

I just looked and my Monoprice cat6 cable is rated to 75C. I bet it'll get hotter than that in EMT on a 120F day.

edit: I just checked that cable on your link and it's only rated to 70C.

If you're installing the conduit under your roof hang, the shade should help keep it cooler.

 

[Mr_D]

If you're installing the conduit under your roof hang, the shade should help keep it cooler.

Mine will be fine since it never gets that hot around here. I'm more concerned with the thread starter's cable.

 

[mat200]

Mine will be fine since it never gets that hot around here. I'm more concerned with the thread starter's cable.

Hmmm.... a light colered paint will significantly help in that case.

 

[iandroo888]

considering primer and white paint for pvc. price jump to metal is quite a bit, especially since i dont have a saw or bender tool.

amcrest j-boxes look like the dahua one people use here.

with good reason, i dont mind using a different cable if you guys think it would be better than the one i had mentioned.

 

[RockyJ]

i can see what you mean. I saw something at home depot that allowing bending at angles outside of the 45 and 90 they have in store, but that bendy attachment is expensive in comparison



i looked into metal conduit. wouldnt that make it even hotter ? some areas will be out of the sun completely, some only in the sun a few hours a day. But as some may know, even a few hours could be deadly (in a car anyway) Lol... i thought PVC would be better. thats just my guess

i had looked at the round junction box at home depot vs the mounting bracket dimensions of my camera, seems to fit perfectly within the box cover screws. Just need to drill some holes to mount camera and a center hole for the wire. ill attach using the "sleeve" it comes with prior to crimping a plug so it has that additional layer of waterproofing... Lol

Hi ! first post and new member of this forum. I've been tryin to plan out how to run ethernet wires outside for outdoor PoE cameras and hoping to look towards you guys for some tips/tricks/recommendations

Currently i have 4x Amcrest ProHD 1080P WiFi IP2M-841 cameras inside the house working wirelessly and recording with BlueIris running on my computer.

I had recently purchased an Amcrest NV4108E-HS 4k 8CH PoE NVR and put in a 4TB Western Digital Purple HDD in hopes to move the indoor cams and add outdoor cams to all be on that NVR system.

During a recent sale, i had picked up 4x Amcrest ProHD Outdoor 4MP PoE IP4M-1024E cameras in plans to put them outside covering the surrounding areas of the house.

The house was built in the mid 90s with a wood frame and stucco finishing. I live in a city where temperatures can reach low 120s F during the summer.

Is the gray PVC conduit available at Lowes/Home Depot fine for this type of weather for direct sun exposure? I'm planning on ordering gel-filled and shielded Cat5e cable (

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006TH38XE/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3NM7B2QFY5PG8

) to use to run inside the PVC. Conduit size im hoping to use is 3/4", theoretically should be fine but im more worried about the turns and bends, if its big enough. Each camera will be mounted to a non-metallic round junction box with PVC running directly across the side of the house.

I had thought about trying to put the conduit under the bottom lip of the house but i couldnt figure out a way to have it sit under the lip then angle out and up along the wall... the limited type of fittings doesnt really allow it that well.

Also, any ideas on how to route wires from the outside to inside? I have a coaxial cable that runs outside in, but that was just 1 wire. With the possibility with running 4-5 more, is there a "neater" and "weather sealed" way to do so? Planning to put a junction box around that same spot, with possibly a camera mounted in that spot as well.

Interiorly, i currently have a plate with a coaxial (without a box behind it), but im planning on getting a 6 port plate w/ 5 Cat6 keystone jacks and 1 Coax jack, putting one of those 1-gang non-metallic old-work brackets after cutting a hole.

I know this is kind of a mess of a questioning, hope you guys can understand. If not, feel free to shoot me any questions and ill do my best to answer

Looks easy and cheap enough . I pushed my Ethernet and aux wires through each section of pipe and fitting before I push the pipes into the fittings, this made it easier to get through the 90 degree turns in the Tee's to branch off to cameras as I went past each one . I do not think I could have pulled the Ethernet around the bends of the fittings with out damage, maybe I could have bought sweeps and went bigger pipe. This link will show different type of boxes and mounts CCTV camera junction box - Shop Cheap CCTV camera junction box from China CCTV camera junction box Suppliers at SECURE LIFE Surveillance System on Aliexpress.com and CCTV camera bracket - Shop Cheap CCTV camera bracket from China CCTV camera bracket Suppliers at SECURE LIFE Surveillance System on Aliexpress.com . I went through the wall behind the rain gutter downspout so my mess was hidden when I was done.

 

[tangent]

price jump to metal is quite a bit, especially since i dont have a saw or bender tool.

EMT isn't that expensive. A 10' piece of 1/2" EMT is about $3. You can cut it with a hacksaw or pipe cutter. A bender runs $20-30 but you may not need one.

 

[iandroo888]

except going up to 3/4" EMT bumps it to 5.50 a piece. =[

 

[Mr_D]

except going up to 3/4" EMT bumps it to 5.50 a piece. =[

But how much do you really need? Considering most of us are spending a good amount of money between switches, recorders, and cameras, a few bucks worth of pipe is chump change.

 

[iandroo888]

sorry. being a bit chinese. tryin to save money while getting the best i can. Lol. lookin at about 15 pieces. granted thats "only" $30 more. had originally gone into doing the camera system thinking i was saving money by buying things on sale and what not, later realizing ive spent more than my friend who bought the lorex kit at costco

should i use those 3/4" emt pull elbows? or just bend a pipe...

and i cant find junction boxes that are compatible with IP4M-1024E model

 

[TonyR]

and i cant find junction boxes that are compatible with IP4M-1024E model

What about these boxes ==>> here?

 

[iandroo888]

What about these boxes ==>> here?

yeah those are ones i was considering before some other people said to look into own brand ones. shouldnt be hard to just drill 3 small holes