Outdoor POE switch in Texas

[Optimus Prime]

I'm having an electrician run power to the back corner of my yard, and are having him also run a data cable as well. I'd actually like to put 3 cameras on the pole, plus "hobby" stuff when I get around to playing with it

Primary: SD59225U-HNI (23 watts) aka CritterCam and Pool Security
Secondary: 2x IPC-HDW5231R-Z (8.5 watts each) Just pulling regular duty
Tertiary: Birdhouse cam, RPi Astro Observer, etc. (likely not more than one at a time, negligible power draw)

I'd prefer to run one cable out and have a nice, discrete enclosure...and only use one port from my indoor switch. ...but I can't seem to find outdoor POE...well, I can, but it's not coming together very well.

Has anyone mount a POE switch outdoors? If so, can you help me find the pieces I need? I'd like to keep the switch and enclosure under $200. I assume for that price I'll have to do lighting protection separate. I'm in Dallas, Texas. Box will be in direct sunlight for most of the day, although the pole will provide 4" of relief starting at 5:00pm.

 

[master_tinkerer]

I put the my switch and 3 power supplies in a box that live 98 ft up a tower. Clear cover faces north. Thought a lot about heat issue. Ran a test for 24 hours on ground before tower up. Monitored temp. Seemed ok. Put up last November. This will be first summer. Michigan isn’t Texas. Fingers crossed! Used fiber down pole instead of Cat5 for lightning resistance.

 

[Optimus Prime]

@master_tinkerer Thank you. What is the switch on top of that has A and B written on it?

 

[Debbie DeHart]

Where did you get that awesome box, @master_tinkerer ?

 

[master_tinkerer]

Two of the cameras Hikvision 4k's are 24v ac and the A and B are the two camera feeds. Behind the switch are two 24 v power supplies and a Axis power supply (cream color) for the top camera (POE). The box is a Versa-Mount Poly carbonate Washdown Enclosure ( part # 5376K702) from McMaster-Carr ($196). FYI the clear case was to allow light in with a local camera to check on switch status, but I didn't find one that would focus that close or too narrow a view. But I can check with a drone. Could have been neater, but the white wire was pre-terminated cat 5 and going to top camera and I've had multiple tries at getting the RJ45's terminations to work.

 

[Optimus Prime]

@master_tinkerer I love you are checking status with a drone...

Can you guys help me with a part of my install? This weekend I am running power to my back yard, and figure I'd run cables with (electrician is running both.).

• Since there will be power on the pole, I might do some hobby things. But not until later, and definitely not for several months.
• The runs are less than 200', so I can push POE over the lines from my inside patch panel

I'm thinking about going clean and simple, and just running 4 terminations to a 2 gang outdoor outlet. But I cannot find an example on the internet of someone already doing this. I'm envisioning and outdoor rated box like I'd use for the power on the pole or the side of my house. For now, I want to put my PTZ CritterCam on the top, maybe a 2nd dedicated camera watching the pool. The other two will eventually be for a an rpi something or other or solar something.

Am I missing a piece of this I am not considering and need to consider using a larger box and POE at the pole? Is it just as simple as a quad electrical enclosure with industrial keystones to keep the bugs out of the unused Ethernet outlets?

Here's a pic of the backyard. crittercam on top, power on the pole facing the smoker, data lines on the back of the pole to hide them.

 

[Optimus Prime]

I have friends at the MakerSpace advising me I should consider that Texas is a severe weather state. They recommend I run only one line to the pole, put a cheap POE switch in the box, and consider it a consumable item. Then put lightening arrestors on each end of the line.

Thoughts? I was running 4 lines to the box. I bought an enclosure that could support either direct POE from the house or switch in the box. I did not purchase the vented box with rain shields, but I could probably get one here before the electrician shows up. Either way, this gets pricey one way or the other.

 

[tigerwillow1]

I have friends at the MakerSpace advising me I should consider that Texas is a severe weather state. They recommend I run only one line to the pole, put a cheap POE switch in the box, and consider it a consumable item. Then put lightening arrestors on each end of the line.

If you consider the switch at each end of the line (i.e. both switches) a consumable, is there a need for the lightning arrestor? A somewhat close hit will take out the 2 switches and hopefully nothing else. A really close hit will take them out even with the arrestors. (These are assumptions not backed by any actual experience).

 

[Optimus Prime]

@tigerwillow1 I think the assumption is the switch outside is the consumable, the two arrestors between the outdoor switch and the indoor switch would guard the indoor components? Not sure. That's why I'm here Hopefully I'll end up hurting myself a little less...

 

[crw030]

Also I wouldn’t think you would want a clear faced box, isn’t that basically how solar ovens work (sunlight heats the air trapped in a box)? I would think you would want a reflective or at least light colored box since black absorbs heat. Search forums, there are other threads with outdoor installations (in Florida I believe) and might work for you.

And I would echo if you have power at that box maybe run fiber back to the house that eliminates the lightning risk from pole to house in my book. Also find on these forums, awhile back there was a really significantly cool discussion about grounding to protect outdoor equipment, might give you ideas how to even reduce the risk further to the equipment.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Its no longer cold by mid july kinda bath tub...would likely work better to run a closed loop 6 feet into the ground and use geo cooling...

fiber sounds interesting...any chance I can set it by by Friday and not break the bank?

 

[crw030]

Eek I don’t know if you can figure out the endpoint equipment, and order a preterminated fiber cable of the right length and have it arrive by Friday.

You might want to read this thread(Cat5 wiring and lightning protection) about lightning protection and just do your best to protect your Ethernet run from house to pole. That would definitely be doable on that timeframe.

Also, not an electrician, but pretty sure you aren’t supposed to run high voltage and low voltage thru the same conduit, so if you have to have low voltage conduit anyhow, maybe add a pull string in case you ever want to pull a new cable (or fiber optic cable) thru the conduit without digging everything up. And also pull X+1 cables (at least one more than you think you need considering the added work is minimal).

I would expect the real experts to show up this evening, although master-tinkerer gave you some food for thought already.

 

[Optimus Prime]

@crw030 Thank you for the forum referral. I'll look it over for the next home project.

I "need" one cable. I'm pulling four...but learned about pull boxes today, so I'll ask they be installed. I'm also running lines within my house as well.

 

[c hris527]

If you consider the switch at each end of the line (i.e. both switches) a consumable, is there a need for the lightning arrestor? A somewhat close hit will take out the 2 switches and hopefully nothing else. A really close hit will take them out even with the arrestors. (These are assumptions not backed by any actual experience).

Boy you got that right, The Lightning surge suppressors are only going to mitigate the stuff you cant see for the most part. A direct hit and its toast. I lost a Cisco AP 2 years ago from a direct hit, It was pole mounted and sat on a building shadowed by a 75' water tower. My suppressor did its job and saved the switch and all the gear on the inside, the hit was on the water tower and I'm sure grounding had a lot to do with it.

 

[master_tinkerer]

My 2 cents. First, lightning is unpredictable, so I’m guessing. Your pole is lower than nearby trees. Put a ground wire up past your cameras and switch and ground rod at base. Heat is more likely to be your problem. I’d get a bigger box (without clear door) than necessary and put vents in the opposite sides with some rain shields and a hole in both for drainage. Mount equipment above rain splash area. I’m just trying unterminated fiber. Terminal equipment is like $40. each end. Will save in-house equipment from lightning damage.
Pulling a spare string with existing wire in the conduit is very hard. Usually, you have to pull out and add and re- pull bundle. ( string gets wound up with existing cables) depends on conduit size. I’ve found it easier to pre pull 10 ft sections of conduit and then glue together as I go. I’m now using direct bury cable in conduit as I had to replace 50ft pre made cable that checked out but wouldn’t do camera signal. Water effect on cable, I think.

 

[Optimus Prime]

So, the electrician rescheduled. Lots of repair work still be done from the storm. But that’s okay, because it gives me time to think.

When he does my electrical work, I’ve got him also bringIng CAT6 runs to my utility room. Rack is mounted with a patch panel and ready. Total of 24 outdoor and indoor runs.

For the ceiling penetration, can y’all recommend how it should be done?

• Do I provide a collar of some sort?
• How do you keep the conditioned air from leaking into the attic?
• Do I need cable management? There is a small gap between the rack and the ceiling ( <12”)

I’ve asked him to provide Keystones.