How to install Cameras in Vinyl Vented Soffit.

[MrRodgers]

My garage has Vinyl Vented Soffit installed and each corner has a motion flood light. There is no wood above the Soffit to secure a camera to except the ends of the garage where the flood lights are installed.

I installed one camera by cutting a 2x4 and installing it above the Soffit with a one gang box nailed to the 2x4 and cut a square hole in the Soffit. The trouble is a Junction Box model PFA130-E does not align up with the gang box two holes.

This is the one i need to use for my cams.

Any advice? Do most not use gang boxs?

 

[sebastiantombs]

What I do is use some 1/8"x2" flat aluminum stock and span it between the flange on the house wall and the flange on the facia. I add "wings, cut to fit the camera base, to provide a more solid mount for the camera. If your facia trim is aluminum you can bend it, carefully, out of the way and slide out a section of the soffit. That gives you wiring access into the attic and the camera can be mounted directly over a groove in the soffit to provide a wireway for the camera pigtail. When you've got the camera mounted just bend the facia trim back into shape and aim the camera as needed. Fairly easy to do and no holes showing anywhere.

 

[MrRodgers]

Any pics of it mounted with the soffit off?

 

[TonyR]

The trouble is a Junction Box model PFA130-E does not align up with the gang box two holes.

Would this be of any help ? ==>> PFA200G Gang Box Adapter

 

[mat200]

My garage has Vinyl Vented Soffit installed and each corner has a motion flood light. There is no wood above the Soffit to secure a camera to except the ends of the garage where the flood lights are installed.

I installed one camera by cutting a 2x4 and installing it above the Soffit with a one gang box nailed to the 2x4 and cut a square hole in the Soffit. The trouble is a Junction Box model PFA130-E does not align up with the gang box two holes.

This is the one i need to use for my cams.

Any advice? Do most not use gang boxs?

Hi @MrRodgers

Do feel free to share any pictures of your setup once for this you've found a good working solutions.

 

[dudemaar]

Another alternative if your handy, would be to carefully remove a section of the soffit and screw in a piece of 2 x 4 between rafters or wall top plate and fascia. Also pre drilling a 1 inch hole in centre of 2x4 first and measure it’s location before you reinstall soffit.

 

[MrRodgers]

Another alternative if your handy, would be to carefully remove a section of the soffit and screw in a piece of 2 x 4 between rafters or wall top plate and fascia. Also pre drilling a 1 inch hole in centre of 2x4 first and measure it’s location before you reinstall soffit.

Umm yeah that is what i have been doing.....but i guess you could leave out the gang box to make it easy.

I have a hard time screwing in the 2x4 as there is no room and you can't get to it on the in side of the garage to many nails from the roof. I have been driving in a screw at a angle it's not the best.

 

[MrRodgers]

Would this be of any help ? ==>> PFA200G Gang Box Adapter

View attachment 102911

That is a great find!

 

[dudemaar]

Umm yeah that is what i have been doing.....but i guess you could leave out the gang box to make it easy.

I have a hard time screwing in the 2x4 as there is no room and you can't get to it on the in side of the garage to many nails from the roof. I have been driving in a screw at a angle it's not the best.

I completely understand. Have had a situation like this and I have

build a L shaped stud and screwed it to a rafter so it hangs.

 

[MrRodgers]

I completely understand. Have had a situation like this and I have

build a L shaped stud and screwed it to a rafter so it hangs.

I'm not very handy so i have a hard time with it. I'm surprised no one has made a device for this type of mount.

 

[sebastiantombs]

I'll get a shot for you tomorrow.

 

[MrRodgers]

I'll get a shot for you tomorrow.

Thanks, i know it is a pain.

 

[wittaj]

Many here will make sure they waterproof the connection well and shove the connectors in the soffit (which shouldn't be getting a lot of water to begin with) and then if the soffit isn't very wide from house to gutter, use some aluminum stock to hang a camera from and then shimmy it into where the soffit comes together with the house and the gutter.

Drilling holes into soffit big enough for waterproof connectors

Thought I'd get some ideas on what y'all are doing to drill a hole large enough for the waterproof RJ45 connector shells. Did you find that the waterproof shells are 3/4" in diameter and if so I'm assuming you are using a hole saw to cut the hole. I'm hoping a 3/4" hole saw takes out enough to...

ipcamtalk.com

 

[MrRodgers]

Does anyone know if the aluminum flat stock ends circled in red are screwed in? Are they just sitting there.

 

[sebastiantombs]

My apologies for not getting a photo.

With that arrangement screws aren't really needed since it will remain quite stable with that configuration. I've used silicon seal to hold mine when I first started. Now I don't because between experience and better measurement they don't move much at all.

 

[MrRodgers]

My apologies for not getting a photo.

That is ok.

With that arrangement screws aren't really needed since it will remain quite stable with that configuration. I've used silicon seal to hold mine when I first started. Now I don't because between experience and better measurement they don't move much at all.

How is the junction box mounted to the aluminum flat stock? I see screws but is there a nut on the other side? With aluminum you probably can't tighten the screws to much.

Would you mount the junction box first then wedge the aluminum flat stock in?

 

[sebastiantombs]

I drill and tap mounting holes and don't bother with a box under an eave like that. No need for it since the pigtail gets routed in a groove of the soffit and tucked up into the soffit after it's appropriately taped for weatherproofing. I've never had a problem with stripping the holes for the mounting screws. I cut the screws so they are flush to the back of the aluminum bar. I do use stainless screws though, more out of habit for outdoor use.

In terms of getting it in, I just bend the aluminum facia enough to remove a piece of soffit. Get the cable in, plug in the camera and weatherproof the gland, slide the piece of soffit back into place, route the cable as I position the camera, then bend the facia back into shape. No 3/4" hole needed in the soffit that way.

 

[bethzur]

I have this exact type of soffit material. It is not secured at the ends and just floats between some U channel. It's a pain to work with, especially from the attic.

For my install, I drilled a 2" hole though it and mounted a pendant mount on a piece of 1x6 that spans the joists. I screwed the 1x6 to the joists to keep it secure. I ended up getting a longer pole than what came with my mount. The joists create space between the board and the soffit which allows the mounting bracket enough room. The poles I have are 2" in diameter.

It makes for a pretty clean installation. You only have a pole coming out of the soffit and can't see any other brackets.