Junction box - Camera specific or generic round electrical PVC one?

[RCGA]

I want to mount my camera outside under my soffit. I don't have attic access and will be fishing a wire from my basement, around my vinyl siding trim, arriving at my soffit.

I need a junction box of some kind to keep my connection between the PoE camera and the ethernet cable dry and secure.

The problem is, most of the camera-specific junction boxes are quite thick looking and expensive. A generic PVC junction box is much slimmer. But I have no idea how to mount the camera to the generic junction box.

I'm in over my head and need help!

 

[avspin]

Doesn't the camera come with a watertight ethernet fitting? I have most of mine mounted to the wall under the overhang. I drilled through the wall into the attic/garage and the connector always falls inside, about 1 foot. This way the wire is not seen or exposed outside. I do have a couple where they are mounted on the exterior wall with the cable running down from the overhang. In this case I drill a 3/16" hole for the cable and a 3/4" behind the camera and use the wall cavity to hold the connection. I fish the wire from the 3/16" to go out through the 3/4 to crimp the fitting then attach the camera and push back into the wall.

 

[IReallyLikePizza2]

What camera? they usually make specific ones for the camera

But anything will work as long as you can get it secure

 

[VorlonFrog]

I installed my first two cameras with generic plastic electrical boxes. They were inexpensive, round, and white, matching the cameras well enough. These round exterior boxes came with lids/covers, where I drilled holes to match the camera's mounting plate. Then I used stainless steel bolts and nuts to attach the camera to the cover. Mount the box to the surface, mount the cover to the box. Looked good (at the time) for about $7 or $8 and a little bit of effort. Recently, I purchased the Dahua-specific mounting bracket, and it provides a much better looking mount, and better placement of the Dahua turret camera. At about $15 to $18 each, it's twice as much, but better looking and more functional.

 

[mat200]

I want to mount my camera outside under my soffit. I don't have attic access and will be fishing a wire from my basement, around my vinyl siding trim, arriving at my soffit.

I need a junction box of some kind to keep my connection between the PoE camera and the ethernet cable dry and secure.

The problem is, most of the camera-specific junction boxes are quite thick looking and expensive. A generic PVC junction box is much slimmer. But I have no idea how to mount the camera to the generic junction box.

I'm in over my head and need help!

FYI - there's a few examples... I don't have time to search, but do check around.

Basically
1) modify a homedepot junction box lid ( drill holes as you need )
or
2) buy premade junction box lid for a 1Gang box
or
3) buy a complete junction box for the camera

 

[TonyR]

I want to mount my camera outside under my soffit. I don't have attic access and will be fishing a wire from my basement, around my vinyl siding trim, arriving at my soffit.

I need a junction box of some kind to keep my connection between the PoE camera and the ethernet cable dry and secure.

The problem is, most of the camera-specific junction boxes are quite thick looking and expensive. A generic PVC junction box is much slimmer. But I have no idea how to mount the camera to the generic junction box.

I posted this back in Sept. 2017 ==>> Bullet Camera Mounting Box

FWIW, the above is also found in The Cliff Notes

 

[IReallyLikePizza2]

Just don't do what I did with this abomination, don't worry though I made it right

After this ill never skimp on the official boxes

 

[IAmWatchingYou!]

This seemed to be the most relevant thread to asking a question I have. I'm looking at either getting generic painted aluminum weatherproof 4" round junction boxes and attaching larger diameter turret cameras to it, or getting weatherproof rectangular double gang boxes.

What I'm thinking is:

• Have a box with a cover so that when I replace or move cameras around, all I have to do is get a new generic weatherproof cover for, and just dill holes in it for the camera to attach. I don't want to have a ton of different holes in the soffits from every time I replace cameras and the camera has a different screw layout.
• Have something to curl the camera's pigtail in. I plan on poking Cat5e up through a small hole under the junction box into the eve, and using a long reach grabber tool to grab the wire up in the attic. My roof is on a 20 degree incline so it's not steep at all. Getting close to the soffit from the attic is not possible.
• A metal box so that it's not subject to UV destruction.

It looks like the only good generic options out there are the white or gray round aluminum boxes. They secure with two screws on the outside of the box. I'm wondering if two screws is enough, or if I should drill more mounting holes inside the boxes.

I also don't understand why nobody thinks of camera replacement in the future, and all the holes that will end up being drilled into the mounting area when not using junction boxes. What gives?

 

[TonyR]

I haven't taken a poll, but AFAIK, most people do, in fact, use a junction box made specifically for the camera they are mounting. Sure makes accessing and protecting the cam's pigtail easier and better, and IMO, a 3/8" hole for the un-terminated CAT-5e/6 into the junction box seems more logical than a twice-as big-3/4' to 1" hole for the pigtail because of no JB to put it and protect it.

However, I'll go out on a limb and say that most people that buy a boxed kit from Costco or the like mount the camera's flange right to the mounting area with no box because....there wasn't any in the kit!

But even then, a replacement camera in the future may or may not have holes that line up with the existing box so that a new box or lid is in order. With any luck that existing lid could be drilled to fit the flange of the new cam; not likely though if the previous cam was a bullet and the new cam is a turret with a larger footprint.

 

[tech_junkie]

junction box for the connection isn't a very good Idea. I think its just better to drill a 1" hole and use the camera waterproof connector and plug the hole with coax-seal which is a non hardening, paintable putty that comes on a roll.
Because mounting a junction box in a soft already built is not going to be fun in the first place.

When I mount a camera on a soffit I always go into the attic. On boxed in ends, I will go more inboard and take off a vent, fish the wire thru the hole with wire fish rods (I got mine at harbor freight for like $8) Then drill a 5/16 hole close to where the soft meets the house, then track it the rest of the way with flat plastic peel and stick conduit that I screw on the ends on the inside of the conduit.

 

[tech_junkie]

I haven't taken a poll, but AFAIK, most people do, in fact, use a junction box made specifically for the camera they are mounting. Sure makes accessing and protecting the cam's pigtail easier and better, and IMO, a 3/8" hole for the un-terminated CAT-5e/6 into the junction box seems more logical than a twice-as big-3/4' to 1" hole for the pigtail because of no JB to put it and protect it.

However, I'll go out on a limb and say that most people that buy a boxed kit from Costco or the like mount the camera's flange right to the mounting area with no box because....there wasn't any in the kit!

But even then, a replacement camera in the future may or may not have holes that line up with the existing box so that a new box or lid is in order. With any luck that existing lid could be drilled to fit the flange of the new cam; not likely though if the previous cam was a bullet and the new cam is a turret with a larger footprint.

actually, the only residential installs that have junction boxes have been DIY installs. And very few cases in businesses because they were industrial buildings with metal conduit and j boxes and no drywall. Most of the camera business installs inside are usually on drop tile or mounted on drywall.
Some camera manufacturers do have their own j box adapter plate, and I know there are generic ones too.
The J box is an unnecessary thing especially on small POE cameras.

 

[TonyR]

....junction box for the connection isn't a very good Idea.

You're welcome to your opinion but I disagree completely.
And IMO, Duct Seal would be a better choice for plugging those over-sized holes.

actually, the only residential installs that have junction boxes have been DIY installs.

Maybe in SD but that has not been my experience and observation.

 

[IAmWatchingYou!]

Here's what I'm looking at and thinking. I've got this angled soffit to deal with, along with the fascia up front to get the turret camera to be able to see under. I'm thinking about getting this weatherproof aluminum double gang box here:

3-Hole Double Gang White Weatherproof Box | 1/2" Electrical Box | Topaz

1/2" 3 Hole Double Gang White Weatherproof White Box. The 3 Hole, Double Gang Box features a 31 cubic inch capacity and is complete with closure plugs, mounting lugs and...

www.topaz-usa.com

along with a plain aluminum weatherproof cover they sell. The gang box should have plenty of space to coil up camera pigtails into.

I'll position and mount the gang box to the soffit, drill a hole in the soffit to pass that cat5 through, and possible open up that vent next to the camera to feed the cable back far enough into the attic so I can grab it, or just use a long reach grabbing tool to grab the cable shoved into the hole in the soffit. I'll crimp an RJ45 end onto the cable sticking out of the box.

When I want to swap cameras, all I'll need to do is buy a new standard cover and drill new matching holes into it. The RJ45 end will be right there in the weatherproof box.

Thoughts?