Haze using baluns

[UMDRanger 0]

Need some help here.

 

A fellow Loss Prevention Manager in my company took my advice and used CAT5E and baluns for his CCTV system. But apparently he has a problem with a constant "haze" that scrolls across the monitor. This problem is on all 4 of the cameras carried on the CAT5E pull.

 

For the moment, thats the best description he gave me, a "haze".

 

He is using some old baluns on the camera end, and new ones on the head end. Am having him swap out baluns and try a local view test.

 

Anyone have any ideas off the bat?

[rory 0]

high voltage near the cable?

wires not screwed or plugged into the baluns properly?

[VST_Man 1]

mixing old & new?

 

[Rebco 0]

just used some two days ago and have a great picture no problem.

[UMDRanger 0]

I asked him to check the cable path, and be sure it wasn't right on top of high voltage. I know with the CAT5E the concerns about interference from floresent lights and high voltage (under 500v obviously) are much less than those with RG59. I'm thinking it's too close to a high voltage source somewhere.

 

Yes, old... very old baluns. We found them last summer in a storage room. Apparently the company bought some, handed a few out back in the day, but no one knew what they were for. He gave me 8. Of those 8, only 4 worked. The 4 that didn't work caused a constant and very rapid vertical scroll. But I've mixed new ones with the 4 old that do work, with no problems.

[Lolo Wolf 0]

Any bridge taps,untwisted wire/ split pairs.Check his runs for any shorts/breaks even a staple or clip that might of stabbed connects on all wire paths. What you describe as "Haze" could be a ground loop Is he using the same power source for all equip? Maybe induced voltage pollution, I find in working with baluns and cable its the actual mechanical runs that cause a majority of pic probs (related to placement) rarely it is the device itself, any voltage over 0.5volts can cripple a balun. Could be that the older baluns (some work some dont) suffer from manufacture defect mixed in with the original batch.

[rory 0]

Just crappy baluns, remember there were at least 2 different brands I used that could barely go over 100'.

[UMDRanger 0]

Thank you Rory and Wolf. I doubt there are any breaks into the pull, so we'll see how the different baluns work. The spot monitor local test will show the ground loop. Not sure how he has them wired for power, he just said they were powered locally in the stockroom, not along the CAT5E.

[CCTV_Suppliers 0]

Thank you Rory and Wolf. I doubt there are any breaks into the pull, so we'll see how the different baluns work. The spot monitor local test will show the ground loop. Not sure how he has them wired for power, he just said they were powered locally in the stockroom, not along the CAT5E.

 

This "haze" could be a cause of the some electrical equipment or lighting that is too close to the CAT5E cable... and the recourse is either find the source and move the cable at least 5+ feet or change the baluns that come with built in surge and noise suppressors... Many in the market and running around $30.00 for pair of such baluns.

[CollinR 0]

The spot monitor local test will show the ground loop. Not sure how he has them wired for power, he just said they were powered locally in the stockroom, not along the CAT5E.

 

If these are buttets you can run it over the Cat5, another thing is have him try both the Blue and orange pairs. Some old Cat5 cables had fewer TPI on the brown and green pairs.

 

Obviously if you don't us a pair but actually just solid blue and solid orange it's not going to work too well.

 

Is the camera mounted to metal?

[FusionNet 0]

Im having the same problem, Ive ordered ground loop isolators as I can not rerun the cable. These are coming to me monday and Im going to spend a few hours trying different things, If I find a solution Ill mail you.

 

Eoghan

[chanyickwai 0]

Why didn't you?

 

1) collect all the baluns back (it should be easy to detach), using a short cat5e cable, one monitor, one camera, test them on table and confirm no major defects first

2) using a UTP tester (this one also cheap), check the UTP cable with all 8 wire good signal.

 

Hope this will help you find more information.

 

 

Regards, Dove

[UMDRanger 0]

I didn't do any testing since it's not my store. The store with the issue is 3 hours from me. I've given him the instructions on isolating the problem. But Feb is a very busy time of the year for us (so much paperwork). Hell, I've only watched my cameras for maybe 10 hours this month.

 

Thanks again all for your advice.