how best to route cctv cables from cameras(external) to dvr

[howardino]

Hi guys,

I've just bought an 8ch dvr (apollo) along with 5 external (qvis) 700tvl dome cameras with 5x20m pre-made shotgun rg59 cable.

I'm trying to figure how best to cable this up, (haven't drilled through external brick walls before.) and don't want to do a homer simpson! and end up destroying the structure of the house.

The dvr I'm thinking of placing in the downstairs utility room which has an external wall to the side of the house. I'm looking to place 2 cameras at the front - 1 covering doorway and 1 covering drive; 1 camera covering side of house and 2 cameras for the rear.

These dome cameras have an osd controller on the cable and power and video out cables - they look to big to hide in the underside of the dome camera (I'm aware you can get the ring things which just make the cameras look more bigger.)

I was thinking of taking all the cables round the outside of the house to the utility area and drill a hole big enough to pass all cables through. This would be quite a big hole - is this ok? The osd controller and the video/power connections I was thinking of hiding in some trunking.

Another way would be to drill straight through where the cameras are located and route inside prob involve more drilling through interior walls etc
Any other ideas or tips much appreciated.

thanks,

 

[lee2009]

i take it you mean you have a controler fitted to the cable of your cables from your cameras?

if so unless you want to butcher the cable (on screen controllers and switchs are normaly on the circuit board of pro install type cameras)

think your going have to put the cables that come off the camera into a ip rated junction box.

get cat 5 cables baluns power ect (one cable) this cable then goes to above junction box where all the conecctions are made.

you then only have one wire (per camera per junction box as you want to cover different locations) to drill a hole through your wall to get to your dvd, where power and video conections are made.

this will cost money, and is the way id of done i diy install, the pro way is to bring the cables straigh in from behinde the camera, as pros install where there is a minimum of cable on show.

us diyers dont mind running cable along outside walls (as high as possible) when fitting multiple cameras.

so if you have hours to spend and dont mind ripping up flooring to lay cables, or the trunkking route (you will still ned to drill through rooms, or bring cables into loft. theres many options)

way for you would be the cable running along out side walls, cabled clipped neatly running to junction boxes, as me and all my mates do

you do not want cctv cables running down external walls and into any ground floor rooms.

 

[Swalesecurity]

Laying the cabling is never a fun job but it has to be done.
First off locate your cameras and DVR unit. Make sure you have enough cable!
I alway lay in conduits it gives protection and also helps prevent tampering.
The bottom line is you may have to drill. Use a 22-25mm drill piece with a sds drill. And please please make sure your not drilling into electric points or wires... The normal place to drill is 4inches under a window so your enough away from he lint but high enough not to kill yourself or **** the mrs off.
Then you can tidy the hole up with brushed plates and a outside terminal box. Once you have pulled the cables trough fill the hoe with silicon it helps stop moisture.

My key advice is run a cable in a pipe at a time and tidy that cable before starting on the next, I spend many of hours swearing at tangled cable sometimes I think doctors in white coats will come... I'm sure many of us in the trade have been there.

 

[howardino]

thanks for the tips, certainly one of my concerns is drilling only to find there are electrics or water pipes.

I noticed in the utility area where I'm thinking of locating the dvr, there is an air vent next to the boiler. I was wondering if its ok to use this air vent to bring the cables through?

 

[Swalesecurity]

Is the air vent straight through? Or is it part of the outlet of the boiler?
I've used many of vents to run cabling through. But make sure they are just air vents nothing else take the lid off and look inside.

 

[howardino]

Its completely seperate to the boiler, its about a good 30cm or so from the boiler and appears to be a straight through vent, will have to pop it open and have a look. The boiler has its own vent and chucks out a fair bit of steam. Guess the air vent is there so that the boiler has enough oxygen to burn.

 

[Swalesecurity]

No that's so u don't get carbon monoxide poisoning your boiler should be in a vented room. The outline that(steam) is poisoness. It dispenses excess gas and moisture from the boiler. The vent can be used but there is a unwritten rule the cables can not exceed 30% of the hole as it is a vent to keep the room aired for gases and damp.