Review PFA200G Gang Box Adapter

[aristobrat]

DH-PFA200G
Gang Box Adapter

Review unit courtesy of Andy (@EMPIRETECANDY) in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Andy's ipcamtalk vendor forum: link
Andy's AliExpress store: link
Andy's Amazon store: link
Andy's Email: kingsecurity2014 (at) 163 (dot) com

Price Approximately US $16-19
Link to camera on Andy's AliExpress store: link
Link to adapter on Andy's Amazon store: link
(price and link valid 06/12/19)

What caught my eye:
Dahua states this is for indoor use only.

DH-PFA200G DATASHEET:
https://www.dahuasecurity.com/asset/upload/uploads/soft/20190311/DH-PFA200G_datasheet_20190225.pdf

DH-PFA200G SPECIFICATIONS:
PFA200G

General
Material: Aluminum alloy + ABS
Dimension (WxHxD): Ф154mmx8.5mm (φ6.06”x0.33”)
Weight: 0.16kg (0.35lb)
Load Bearing: 1kg (2.2lb)
Color: White
Operating Temperature: -40℃ ~+60℃(-40℉~+140℉)
Humidity: 0~90% RH

 

[aristobrat]

The yellow box at the bottom mentions the gang boxes supported:



The circles below mention the camera series supported.

Note that while the metal plate (that attaches to the gang box) has all holes drilled out.
The plastic cover (that clips to the metal plate to make it look tidy) only has holes drilled for the two eyeball series. If you have a R/E series dome camera, the holes are clearly marked on the plastic cover, but you'll need to drill them through.




For this review, I didn't have a real gang box that I could easily work with, so I ran up to Home Depot and snagged a 2x2 foam board and a Carlon 1-Gang Non-Metallic Low-Voltage Old Work Bracket.

In hindsight, the foam board wasn't the best idea because it's a little too flexible (derp), so I am not able to show (with precision) how well this adapter snugs to the board.

This adapter does not come with screws to attach to the gang box. The included four screws are to attach the camera to the adapter.

Here we go:

The 1 Gang bracket installed in the foam board:



Like I mentioned, the adapter doesn't come with screws to attach to the gang box, and all of the extra screws I had were too big.

The adapter would have ideally mounted like this, using the adapter's B3 spots:



Since I was lacking the proper screws to attach here ... and because the B2 slots happened to line up with my 1 Gang bracket, I ended up using them (and the screws that came with the bracket)...



Once the metal plate is attached to the gang box, then the plastic cover pops right on and cleans up what's visible:



I'm going to mount a HDW5231R-Z, the popular 2MP Starlight varifocal turret (eyeball). This series ring (pedestal) lined right up with the holes already exposed in the cover.

The holes pass through the cover and into the metal plate. The hole in the metal plate aren't fully threaded, so it takes a little bit of effort to get the screws all the way in and tight.




Once the camera ring (pedestal) is mounted, the camera mounts like normal.



And here's the final product. Again, the foam board was a bit flexed out, so I'm not sure it's a good example of how tight the mount/cover hugs the ceiling/wall that the gang box is in. Sorry about that.

 

[aristobrat]

[saved]

 

[MakeItRain]

Incredibly interesting idea. I am also looking to mount a dome/turret in the drywall ceiling.

I wonder if this is also compatible with US-spec circular/round ceiling junction box. You know the ones they use for hanging pendant lights, etc.

 

[aristobrat]

I wonder if this is also compatible with US-spec circular/round ceiling junction box. You know the ones they use for hanging pendant lights, etc.

I'll try to take it on my next Home Depot run and see what lines up.

If you're up for converting mm to inches, the Data Sheet has the specific measurements between the mount holes...

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

Thanks to @aristobrat trying, If ipc-hdw5231r-z can work, then IPC-HDW52/4/6/831R-ZE, IPC-HDW2231R-ZS all can work

 

[ThomasPI]

Nice thanks putting these on the shopping list.

 

[MakeItRain]

This thing doesn't look water proof right? I have a couple of 1 gang boxes outside that the builder installed ethernet ports to. Right now I have bullets on them and they are sealed using caulk around the face plate so moisture can't get in. Using this adapter, it sounds like it will make a very clean look because the bullets doesn't cover the entire 1 gang plate. But my only concern would be, one may have to apply liberal amounts of caulk around the rim of this plate and then the camera base to use outdoors.

Nonetheless, it looks like when I upgrade my cams to turrets, I'll be using this. I have 5 Amcrest bullets and they've been running for too long. Maybe I'll just give those away

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

This thing doesn't look water proof right? I have a couple of 1 gang boxes outside that the builder installed ethernet ports to. Right now I have bullets on them and they are sealed using caulk around the face plate so moisture can't get in. Using this adapter, it sounds like it will make a very clean look because the bullets doesn't cover the entire 1 gang plate. But my only concern would be, one may have to apply liberal amounts of caulk around the rim of this plate and then the camera base to use outdoors.

Nonetheless, it looks like when I upgrade my cams to turrets, I'll be using this. I have 5 Amcrest bullets and they've been running for too long. Maybe I'll just give those away

Not waterproof, but if you can protect your RJ45 ports well, then no problem to use, the most important thing is the camera is waterproof one.

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

@aristobrat may i know if the PFA130-E can work with this PFA200G? I don't have the PFA200G here, so ask you if can help me to make a checking.