Navigating Camera Ratings for Outdoor Monitoring
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December 22, 2021
No
matter where you are located, winter likely brings a host of inclement weather
conditions, from icy cold temperatures to intense rain or snow. Can the outdoor
cameras you’ve installed withstand the season? Aside from knowing how to keep
your security cameras working in winter, it is also
important to understand the camera ratings suitable for your actual outdoor scenario.
Dahua has a few simple tips on what to look for when choosing your outdoor surveillance devices:
IP67 Rating
Looking
at the IP rating on cameras is the simplest way to tell if a camera can handle
outdoor environments. A camera with IP65, IP66, IP67, or IP68 rating means the
camera offers full protection against dust, and varying degrees of water
resistance ranging from a water jet (IP65) up to 1m of water submersion (IP68).
Most of Dahua’s cameras offer an outdoor rating of IP67.
Even with outdoor IP ratings on cameras, utilizing incorrect mounts or mounting techniques can cause the camera’s outdoor design to become ineffective. Ensure that proper mounts are used and a drip loop is installed to prevent any water from finding its way into the outdoor conduit and components. This should be done in any outdoor application, whether or not water is a primary concern.
Temperature Ratings
While a camera may be outdoor rated for water and dust, that doesn’t automatically qualify it for all outdoor temperature applications. Check Dahua’s temperature ratings on specific cameras and make it a point to note the temperature range on each camera to ensure it meets your deployment’s specific needs. While many of Dahua’s outdoor rated cameras are able to perform in temperatures down to -22° F, for extremely cold climates a temperature rating of -40 °F is recommended.
It is also important to note that even those cameras designed for outdoor use will usually need to be installed in weather resistant housing and may even require a heater to stabilize the temperature inside the housing in the event of extreme cold.
Heating Elements
For
particularly cold applications, it is best to look for cameras with built-in
heaters. This feature allows cameras to withstand more extreme winter
temperatures. It is important to note that cameras with built-in heaters will
require additional power compared to cameras without a heater.
For scenarios with temperatures below -40, you can avail Dahua cameras with built-in heater. Some great examples are: HFW5241E-ZHE model (IPC); SD5A432XB-HNR model (PTZ); and HAC-HFW3802E-ZH-VP model (HDCVI).
2MP IR Vari-focal Bullet WizMind Network Camera (IPC-HFW5241E-ZHE)
Wiper Blades
For
outdoor environments that are plagued by rain, snow, or fog and require
high-powered PTZs that can capture distant details, look for built-in wiper
blades. This small feature ensures that the lens of the camera is clear of
water and other debris, so that video is usable no matter the weather
conditions.
Voltage Tolerance
The
final requirement may seem like a strange one, but voltage protection is an
important yet often overlooked spec for outdoor cameras. Many Dahua cameras can
handle a 25% change in voltage coming into the camera, which is important for
outdoor deployments as environmental conditions can easily affect a power
source. For more advanced protection, specific lightning protected cameras can
be found with up to 8 kV surge protection rating.
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