The greatest security camera images come from runs of cable that are made directly from the camera to your PVR or display. Sadly, that ideal situation does not always occur, and you must lengthen a wire either because you misjudged your measurements or because you moved the camera or its PVR to a different spot. The way you splice in that extra length depends on the kind of cable you’re using. In this article, we will guide you to Splicing Security Camera Wires In 6 Simple Ways.
Splicing Security Camera Wires In 6 Simple Ways
1. Quick Guide to Cables
Your security system may use older analog cameras or contemporary digital or “IP” cameras, so named because they make use of the internet protocol for home networking. Ethernet connections, the same kind you see coming into and leaving your router, are what IP cameras are made to use. Typically, they transport both the camera’s signal and the power needed to operate it. Power over Ethernet, or PoE, is the term used to describe it.
A 3-wire or Siamese cable, which combines a conventional TV-style RG59 cable to deliver the video signal with a positive and negative wire to power the camera, is what most analog cameras are made to utilize. These can be utilized over longer distances than Ethernet wires and are insulated. Some are known as 3.1 cables and include an additional wire to carry audio. Some people include an additional cord for 4.1 cables, which are cameras with built-in motors that can tilt and pan. The motor is powered by the extra wire.
2. Splicing Pre-Made Cables vs. Bulk Cables
Splicing Security Camera Wires with CCTV cables for your camera can be purchased in bulk or with connections already installed. Bulk cable is less expensive and easier to fish through walls and ceilings, but pre-made cables save you money by not requiring you to purchase connections or the necessary installation equipment. Bulk cable splicing necessitates a modest level of experience as well.
3. Splicing Security Camera Wires By Using Coupler
If your cable already has connectors, the simplest way to Splicing Security Camera Wires is with a coupler. A compact plastic box with a female RJ12 jack on either end serves as the coupler for Ethernet cables, which include plastic connectors called RJ12 plugs. Just attach your new cable to the other end and your old cord to the other. Those connectors always have some play, so it’s a good idea to tape them up to physically immobilize them and stop them from creating interference.
Siamese cables typically have push-and-twist BNC connectors on the video end. For those, the coupler is a straightforward cylinder with lugs on either end. Stack the previous and new cables on either end, then twist them to secure them. A BNC coupler doesn’t need to be taped.
The power wire may contain bare wires or a male 2.1 mm connection on the end. There won’t be many couplers available for those, so you’ll typically have to take off the male connector from one cable and swap it out for a female 2.1 mm connector. Both solder-on and solderless variants are offered.
4. Manual Ethernet Cable Splicing
Eight wires, broken up into four pairs with corresponding colors, make up an Ethernet cable. These pairs are twisted together. For this reason, they are frequently referred to as twisted-pair cables. Remove the outer insulation from each cable’s end to expose a few inches of the wire so you can splice them together. Before you begin, it’s a good idea to place a piece of heat-shrink tubing over the end of one cable so that you may shrink it once you’re done to protect and immobilize the splice.
Because the cables are color-coded, stripping them one at a time will allow you to splice each one to the appropriate wire on the opposite cable. Depending on your preference, you can either solder them or crimp them on tiny butt-type connectors. Both options need persistence and a steady hand because the wires are in good condition. To lessen the chance of a short circuit, tape each wire once you’ve joined it. Keep going until all eight wires have been joined. The heat-shrink tubing should then be slipped into position and heated to tighten.
If you have a wiring diagram for your CCTV camera, you can save some time by not splicing the eight wires that aren’t necessary “live.” If you don’t have it, you can generally find one online by typing in terms like “Revo camera wiring diagram” or “Swann n3960 camera wiring diagram.”
5. A 3-Wire Security Camera Splice
Splicing Security Camera Wires and the RG59 cable are two distinct procedures when using a 3-wire security camera. As a shielded coaxial cable, the RG59 has wire and insulation layers that are wrapped inside one another. The shielding is provided by an outside wire in the shape of a braided weave, and the inner wire carries the actual signal. Remove the outer insulation of the braid, pull it away from the cable, and twist it as you go to splice one without connectors. After that, cut the solid or braided center wire’s inner insulation away.
Apply the same procedure to the new cable portion. By soldering them together or crimping them into a butt connector, the two center wires are connected. Unless you’re using an insulated butt connector, tape the joint. The two braid segments should then be twisted together and either soldered or crimped together using a bigger butt connector. Once more, using heat-shrink tubing to seal your splice is an excellent idea.
Red and black power lines are the norm. Soldering, B-type connectors, or butt connectors can be used to connect black to black and red to red. Unless you’re using insulated butt connectors, wrap each splice separately in tape to protect it, and then seal it with heat-shrink tubing.
6. Splicing a 3.1 or 4.1 Cable
The procedure is essentially the same for a camera that requires a 3.1 or 4.1 wire cable as it is for a 3-wire camera. You match the additional wires or wires’ color to color since they are color-coded. A 3.1 cable’s extra wire may not be the same color from one brand to the next, but it is never either black or red.
You might need to use a wiring diagram to properly identify the extra wires in the 4.1 cables you’re splicing if their colors don’t match or if the power lines in a 3-wire cable aren’t black and red.
Conclusion:
Above is 6 simple ways we want to introduce you to Splicing Security Camera Wires, I hope it is useful for you. Thank you for reading and see you later!
