Help With First Camera Soffit Install?

[XrayDoc88]

I'm building a new house that will have hard stucco in the soffits. I wish to install multiple IP cameras. I've read the recommendation to use an external Dahua junction box so there is room for the IP camera tail to be coiled up and the ethernet plug to all fit in the junction box. But should I have the electrician place round or rectangular junction boxes within the stucco as well? Can the Dahua junction boxes screw to an embedded electrical junction box? I don't want to try to attach everything to the stucco directly without a box there.

 

[TonyR]

Hoping that you'll install turret-style cameras, consider having him flush mount 2" x 3" (single gang) boxes then you furnish the Dahua PFA200G Gang Box Adapters available from @EMPIRETECANDY.

 

[XrayDoc88]

Thanks TonyR. Yes, I was planning on purchasing turret style cameras. So the electrician should just flush mount the regular single gang rectangular boxes? Then with that adapter I can attach the round Dahua junction box plus camera?

It doesn't look like a round style junction box such as this would eliminate the need for the adapter plate, correct?

https://www.lowes.com/pd/CARLON-1-Gang-Blue-PVC-Interior-New-Work-Standard-Round-Ceiling-Electrical-Box/999920788

 

[sebastiantombs]

The actual size of the camera and the mounting holes the camera has are very different than what a 4" round electrical box, or any electrical box, has. Kind of a square peg and round hole situation.

 

[XrayDoc88]

So I just followed the link to the adapter thread. Aristobrat didn't use a Dahua junction box at all. He just installed the camera. Is the external junction box not really needed with the flush mounted single gang box? Also, I noticed the adapter is listed for indoor use only. Doesn't Dahua or someone else make an outdoor solution for mounting IP cameras to standard junction boxes?

 

[sebastiantombs]

A couple of comments about soffet mounting. We're talking about a location that is pretty much shielded from the weather, IE water. Simply using some dielectric grease and the cable gland that's supplied with Dahua cameras, for example, then wrapping that with coax seal or another rubberized tape and covering that with a good, quality, electrical tape, like 3M 33+ or 88, will keep things more than weather proof enough. The tail can be tucked into a standard rectangular electrical box and the camera can be mounted, safely, using appropriate anchors. A 4" round electrical box would probably be a little too big to allow secure camera mounting.

 

[samplenhold]

Since the box will be installed in the soffit and have a cover, one could just drill the proper holes in the cover to mount the cam and feed the wires. As @sebastiantombs stated, properly weatherproofing the connection and placing that connection in the box would work.

 

[TonyR]

So the electrician should just flush mount the regular single gang rectangular boxes?

Yes, rectangle 2x3 as shown.

Then with that adapter I can attach the round Dahua junction box plus camera?

Yes...with or without Dahua junction box. The 2x3 will house the camera's pigtail, the Dahua junction box can also.

It doesn't look like a round style junction box such as this would eliminate the need for the adapter plate, correct?

As stated by @sebastiantombs , those don't work out well with hardly any version of turret cams, the bases of which are larger than standard round PVC boxes found at HD , Lowes, etc. The adapter fits for sure a 2x3, it may fit a 4x4 or double-gang square box, I don't know.

Is the external junction box not really needed with the flush mounted single gang box?

Optional, as stated above. ...either will house the camera pigtail.

Also, I noticed the adapter is listed for indoor use only. Doesn't Dahua or someone else make an outdoor solution for mounting IP cameras to standard junction boxes?

I don't think you need to worry about that being under a soffit. Just caulk the edge of the adapter where it meets your house's soffit with outdoor-rated, UV- resistant silicone sealant. Weatherproof the camera's pigtail as stated by @sebastiantombs which is detailed here.

 

[mat200]

I'm building a new house that will have hard stucco in the soffits. I wish to install multiple IP cameras. I've read the recommendation to use an external Dahua junction box so there is room for the IP camera tail to be coiled up and the ethernet plug to all fit in the junction box. But should I have the electrician place round or rectangular junction boxes within the stucco as well? Can the Dahua junction boxes screw to an embedded electrical junction box? I don't want to try to attach everything to the stucco directly without a box there.

HI XrayDoc88

notes:
1) Over cable
2) conduit is ok to use, makes it easier for future pulls
3) Need enough space for cable and connectors... so if you use a 1-gang or 2-gang box in wall/in soffit - use a larger one
4) I like to have a 2x4 next to the box so that I can securely mount a junction box or camera there ( even if just with 1-2 longer screws )
5) double check your placements so that they are not too high, especially now with everyone wearing masks you need a good clear facial ID image...

Side note:
Use metal boxes for electrical! Seriously seen many broken plastic 1-gang 2-gang boxes in my time.. steal is great, and not much more...

 

[XrayDoc88]

HI XrayDoc88

notes:
1) Over cable
2) conduit is ok to use, makes it easier for future pulls
3) Need enough space for cable and connectors... so if you use a 1-gang or 2-gang box in wall/in soffit - use a larger one
4) I like to have a 2x4 next to the box so that I can securely mount a junction box or camera there ( even if just with 1-2 longer screws )
5) double check your placements so that they are not too high, especially now with everyone wearing masks you need a good clear facial ID image...

Side note:
Use metal boxes for electrical! Seriously seen many broken plastic 1-gang 2-gang boxes in my time.. steal is great, and not much more...

I know that the electrical gang boxes come in different depths. But for IP camera installation only, couldn't the electrician just use the plastic open backed low voltage boxes? I'm not sure if those come in a steel version.

Thanks so much for all the great advice. I had no idea that an adapter plate was needed to mount these cameras. Also, I will definitely use the dielectric grease, rubber tape and electrical tape and then add some silicon caulking for good measure.

This is off topic, but I'd like to ask. I'm running cat 6a cable for the home network. I've done this before myself. It's a little fatter in diameter and a little more difficult to terminate. But it also has much better distance/frequency capabilities than using cat 6. Is there any reason why I shouldn't have the electrician also just run the cat 6a for the cameras? One thousand foot spool would probably be enough for everything, instead of purchasing a second roll of cat 5e or cat 6 for the cameras.

Thanks again!

 

[sebastiantombs]

If your electrician knows what CAT6 is and how to install it, sure, why not. Be aware that many electricians will say "Sure, no problem" then proceed to nail the cable down, tight, with cable staples meant for romex. If you follow "best practices", you'll be pulling two cables to each location so a second roll is probably a good idea. No CAT cable will increase the maximum distance of the 100 meter spec, it takes electronics to do that. Given that cameras are 10/100 devices CAT6 is kind of overkill, CAT5E is more than sufficient.

 

[XrayDoc88]

Will the camera mounting holes on this adapter also work with the Dahua 5442 turret model? It only lists dome type indoor and eyeball cameras. Or is eyeball another term for turret?

 

[mat200]

I know that the electrical gang boxes come in different depths. But for IP camera installation only, couldn't the electrician just use the plastic open backed low voltage boxes? I'm not sure if those come in a steel version.
..

Steel "mud ring: do exist.. I really dislike plastic boxes for my own home, especially as I have seen contractors really screw up stuff....

 

[samplenhold]

Or is eyeball another term for turret

Yes

 

[Shotglasspeppa]

Will the camera mounting holes on this adapter also work with the Dahua 5442 turret model? It only lists dome type indoor and eyeball cameras. Or is eyeball another term for turret?

Yes, eyeball is another term for turret. The adapter will work with the camera or you can install a pfa130e junction box after the adapter then attach the camera to the pfa130e. I have 2x3 electrical junction boxes that hold my cat6 and I will be using the adapter (pfa200g) then pf130e then the camera. Using the pfa130e will also help you achieve a slightly lower mounting position which I have learned is more desirable.

If you are confident in your electrical contractor pulling all the cable, get them to do it. If you aren't then do it yourself, either way do it NOW and not after drywall. I would also run at least 2 or 3 cables to every location and add extra drops in places you might need down the line (ex. Doorbell area). Cat6 is plenty for what you should ever need so I wouldn't bother with the hassle of pulling the much thicker 6a. I had all of my drops terminate at the same spot in the corner of my basement. Some of them aren't used yet but some are already terminated.

 

[XrayDoc88]

Very nice "wiring corner" Shotglasspeppa! I've done something similar in my basement beneath my stairs in my current home. It looks like you have two switches. Do you set them up like this: internet>modem/router>switch1>Blue Iris computer>switch2>IP cameras? Just curious. Also, are you certain that you can mount the pf130e junction box to the pfa200g adapter? The only picture I could find of the backside of the junction box showed 3 equally spaced holes. I have no idea if they match up with the adapter in some way.

 

[Shotglasspeppa]

Very nice "wiring corner" Shotglasspeppa! I've done something similar in my basement beneath my stairs in my current home. It looks like you have two switches. Do you set them up like this: internet>modem/router>switch1>Blue Iris computer>switch2>IP cameras? Just curious. Also, are you certain that you can mount the pf130e junction box to the pfa200g adapter? The only picture I could find of the backside of the junction box showed 3 equally spaced holes. I have no idea if they match up with the adapter in some way.

I actually don't have any of my cameras or BI stuff integrated or installed as of yet. We just moved in and I'm finally getting around to it.

I actually have 3 switches but only 2 are pictured. The switch on the bottom without anything hooked up currently is not in use as it was my main switch before changing over to Unifi. My current setup is the fibre ONT to an unmanaged switch (not in pic) which then splits to 2 different modems/routers to give me 2 different public IP addresses. The first one goes to the ISP supplied modem/router which actually has zero clients (I just keep it up to function as a hot spare wifi network if the Unifi gear goes down). The second goes to my Unifi USG which then goes to a switch and connects to all wired clients including 2 access points I have placed in the house to give me adequate wifi coverage. All of the cams and BI will be hooked up to the Unifi gear and will be on their own VLAN so they won't have access to anything else on my network and won't be able to reach out to the internet.

As for the pf130e to the pfa200g, I've asked and was told it would work but I haven't actually tried it yet. I'll triple check with Andy before I order them.

 

[XrayDoc88]

Wow! That's pretty clever and I think I understood most of it.

I also have fiberoptic internet with an ONT. I had no idea it was possible to have two public IPs with one connection. Do you have to pay for two internet connections from your ISP?

 

[Shotglasspeppa]

I'm not sure what it looks like on the back end where they provision ip addresses so every ISP may be different. I only pay for 1 connection as it still limits me to 1000mbps total.

 

[IAmWatchingYou!]

Is anyone still watching this thread? I'm looking for some advice for soffit installs. I want to either use standard generic white round junction boxes or double gang boxes. It seems most people forget that their cameras aren't going to last them a lifetime and they'll need to be replaced at some point, and it could be with an entirely different brand with different mounting holes required, where these people will end up with a honeycomb of holes eventually. My plan is to use standard white metal junction boxes, or double gang boxes. When I want to swap the cameras out, all I'll need to do is at worst, buy new standard generic weatherproof cover plates to screw the cameras onto. I'll have a hole in the back of the junction or gang and through the soffit just large enough to squeeze cat5e through into the attic.

Is there any reason to use a round junction box over a rectangular gang box?
Also, my soffits are at a 20 degree angle along with the roof, but it looks like with any 3-axis eyeball type turret camera, that should not pose an issue.