How to fix security camera to eave?

[Monument]

Hi,

I have purchased a Wireless security camera that I would like to place under the eave outside my Garage. The Camera has a short piggy-tail power cord and then a longer cable to join to it with an adaptor/plug. 

While I can mount it to the eave and put the cable through I'm afraid roof spaces are a complete mystery to me. So my question is, how do I access the short power cable from the camera inside the eave to join it to the long power cable so that I can introduce that into the Garage and plug it into a power point?

I'm not keen on getting up into the roof space as we have a steel frame roof and tradies in the past have been nervous about the frame holding their weight. In addition, I think it would be a difficult spot to access.

So I am hoping there is a method that is a shortcut for accessing the Camera power cord to bring it into the Garage.

Thanks very much for any help.

[EricL]

Hello @Monument

Thanks for sharing that question about fixing your security camera to your eave. Generally, a tool known as a Poly Eiger 4mm 3.6m Yellow Poly Cable Feeder is used to feed the cable into difficult-to-access space. One end of the cable is taped to the end of the cable feeder and is threaded through the cavity. At the other end will be a hole where you can then remove the tape and get access to the cable that's been threaded through.

However, because you have a metal roof that conducts electricity, there are probably extra parts and precautions you'll need to take. It's not an easy task and takes experience to use the cable feeder effectively. Registered electricians have longer dedicated feeders and are adept at their use. In this instance, because you have a metal frame, I suggest consulting a registered electrician first and finding out what is involved with running the cable through your metal roof cavity.

Let me call on our experienced member @MikeTNZ for his recommendations.

Please keep us updated with your progress, we look forward to seeing your security camera installed.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[MikeTNZ]

Hi @Monument,
Welcome to Bunnings Workshop, it's great to have you here!
First off, can please I ask where the man-hole to the roof space is in relation to the outside eave, where you want to install this camera?
I'm loosely assuming it's in the garage somewhere, that's where they normally put them these days.
One other thing, if it is in there, get a ladder and a bright torch and just have a look around in there, without actually climbing into the roof space.

I don't know how they get away with building ceilings that will only take the weight of the plaster-board itself.

From there, this should give you an idea of what you're dealing with.

As an electrician, normally what I would do, is drill a small hole (with a layer of PVC tape on the bit, so that the drill bit only pierces the eave panel), where the camera is going to go, you need to be careful doing this, in case some idiot has run cables above where you are drilling, have a feel around with a screwdriver to make sure there are no cables.

Then what you can do, is drill a larger hole to suit the cables you need to install for the camera power.
What I would then do is run a nylon cable snake up into the roof void above the eaves, you can actually hire these from decent hire places, just make sure it is a nylon snake, not metallic.

Get a long stick with a hook on the end of it and grab the snake from the ladder you put under the man-hole, tape the power cable for the camera to the end of the snake and pull the snake and the cable back out through the hole you drilled ( this is so much easier with two people, one person pulling the snake and the other person feeding the wire in to make sure it doesn't snag on anything in the ceiling).

Once you have the cable for the camera in place, it's just a matter of hooking it up and mounting the camera, also make sure you seal up the hole with some neutral-cure silicone sealant to keep everything water-tight.

Bearing in mind that these cameras use 9 or 12 Volts DC, it would be an idea to keep the cabling away from any Mains voltage wiring, not so much for Safety but you can have the mains cabling interfere with the operation of the camera.

I hope that this has been of some use to you, if you need further advice, by all means let us know.

Cheers,
Mike T.

[MikeTNZ]

Hi @Monument,

What model camera is this?

[EricL]

Hi @MikeTNZ

Thank you very much for that in-depth recommendation about running the cable in the ceiling cavity. It looks like it is the H32K model, but we'll have to wait for @Monument to confirm.

Eric

[Monument]

Hi @MikeTNZ and @EricL ,

First I apologise for the lengthy delay in replying to your incredibly helpful guide Mike. I followed your advice (in part) as was appropriate to my circumstances. Access via the manhole was not an issue as far as I was concerned. It is located in a hallway within the house a significant distance from the eave outside the garage.

The camera required a central hole about the size of a 20 cent piece and then 3 mounting holes. So I drilled the central hole following your cautionary procedure. I was able to use the Cable Feeder recommended by Eric to probe about the area near the hole. I was confident that there were only insulation bags in the proximity. I then drilled another hole using the same procedure inside the Garage and used the cable feeder to put the cables through and join them to the power adaptor. Fortunately on an adjacent wall there was a double power supply put in place for the irrigation system. I mounted the camera and traced the power cable along the garage ceiling using small hooks. 

Once plugged in the big test was whether the camera would receive the W

ifi signal from the router. So with everything crossed I switched it on and went through the setup procedure to receive ... transmission from the camera on my mobile!! Much relief from myself and even more from my wife who was sure I was going to fly off the ladder due to electric shock. Oh ye of little faith!

The camera model is an EZVIZ C3N. Attached are a couple of images. Thanks to both of you for the excellent guidance - it gave me the confidence to undertake the task and to feel assured that due precaution was comfortably achievable.

I am in your debt Sirs.

Cheers,

Monument.

Camera in situView from camera

[EricL]

Hi @Monument

Congratulations on the successful installation of your security camera. Not only did you succeed in the installation of the camera, but you have also gained invaluable knowledge in the steps necessary to install one. 

Thank you very much for posting those pictures and the details of your installation, I'm sure our members will find this information very handy.

We look forward to seeing your next project.

Eric

[MikeTNZ]

@Monument,

I'm really impressed with that.

Thanks for the feedback, it's always satisfying knowing you've tried to help someone with their project.

And you came away with a good result.

Top marks, my friend.

Cheers,

Mike T.

[MikeTNZ]

Hi @EricL,

Just for your information,

With these being Infra red (IR) cameras, you see in the first picture with the camera glowing, a smart-phone camera will pick up IR,

it is not visible to the naked eye, this is also a way that you can find out if the batteries in your TV/VCR?/Sky remote have failed.

Don't laugh, I still use a VHS VCR here at home and yes you can still buy the cassette tapes, although they are getting hard to come by.

Cheers,

Mike T.

[EricL]

Hi @MikeTNZ

That's actually a legitimate method to check for battery strength in your remotes. Just to put your mind at ease, I still have a VHS player. Trust me when I say that my family look at me in disbelief.  

Eric