Need help with dahua product IPC-WL46A

Jason Zhu

Jason Zhu

n3wb
Feb 21, 2023
4
4
canada toronto
I Just received a dahua product sample: IPC-WL46A and need some help about how to install it?
Until now I have never seen a camera like this with only three unknown wires on the back. (The cameras I saw before have ports, such as network cable or SIAMESE CABLE)
Would anyone care to help me understand this camera and what the three lines mean？

PS: Just graduated from university and worked in the security industry for one year.
My current job is marketing and technical support. Personal desired career path is to develop towards Solution, product or technology
So have a lot of questions in this area
 
This camera is a wifi camera and the three wires hook up like a floodlight or any other light fixture. A white, black, and green to connect corresponding color wires in the junction box that has power.

This is not a POE IP or analog siamese cable camera. It goes up like any other light fixture, it just happens to have a wifi camera on it.

Review- IPC-WL46A 4MP 2.8mm Floodlight Wifi Network Camera

As first announced here by @EMPIRETECANDY we have the new Flood Light Network cam in exchange for a fair and honest review. Ring, eat your heart out. ;) Please keep this thread on topic. 4-MP 1/3" CMOS image sensor, low luminance, and high definition image. Outputs max. 4 MP (2560 ×...
ipcamtalk.com ipcamtalk.com
 
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wittaj said:
This camera is a wifi camera and the three wires hook up like a floodlight or any other light fixture. A white, black, and green to connect corresponding color wires in the junction box that has power.

This is not a POE IP or analog siamese cable camera. It goes up like any other light fixture, it just happens to have a wifi camera on it.

Review- IPC-WL46A 4MP 2.8mm Floodlight Wifi Network Camera

As first announced here by @EMPIRETECANDY we have the new Flood Light Network cam in exchange for a fair and honest review. Ring, eat your heart out. ;) Please keep this thread on topic. 4-MP 1/3" CMOS image sensor, low luminance, and high definition image. Outputs max. 4 MP (2560 ×...
ipcamtalk.com ipcamtalk.com
Click to expand...
Thank you for your reply.

So these three wires are used to power the camera and its lights.
 
^^+
@Jason Zhu ,
I believe Canada is like the U.S. regarding the color codes for residential 120VAC, split phase, 3-wire service:
  • Black ==> HOT (120 VAC, LINE or L1)
  • White ==> Neutral (AC RETURN)
  • Green * ==> Ground (EARTH)
* or green with yellow stripe or bare (no insulation)
 
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Even the Dahua Quick Start Guide is no help if you have little or no electrical expertise. Note the suggestion I placed a red dot next to:

DahuaIPC-WL46A.jpg
 
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Does Canada use 120 VAC or the Euro 240 VAC?
 
wait, do these come bare wired?

That's going to make it very tricky for sale in Australia where electrical work requires an electrical license, which is something i doubt many camera installers would have.

TonyR said:
Note the suggestion I placed a red dot next to:
Click to expand...
I wonder now if they will even sell this in the Australian market.
 
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This kind of camera use a plug also not easy to install too, you have to get a socket at the installation place. So need some electrical skills.
A POE one maybe good, but the Floodlight need bit more power than the normal LED illumination on the full color cameras.
 
looktall said:
wait, do these come bare wired?

That's going to make it very tricky for sale in Australia where electrical work requires an electrical license, which is something i doubt many camera installers would have.


I wonder now if they will even sell this in the Australian market.
Click to expand...
I'm so sick of the terms "licensed contractor" or "certified installer", etc. IMO, it's nothing more than a way for the gov't make more money and have more say-so in more areas. More importantly, it's does not guaratee that the so-called contractor/installer will get it right. It DOES mean they know how to take a test. Don't get me wrong...I'm not saying there are not good ones out there, because there are...likely most of them. When they study and take the test it means they know what to do but you can't honestly depend that they WILL do what's right...there's no test for for honest or integrity in the process.

My entire family came close to be killed by a licensed HVAC contractor in CA in the 90's....I know of what I speak. And in the over 30 years I practiced my former profession in CA I saw and corrected the work of several licensed electrical contractors. A license of any kind tells me you may know what to do...it sure does NOT mean you will do it correctly or safely.

It does, however, insure that they can charge more for their services in most cases.
 
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^ +1 this exactly. @TonyR how many of these have you seen:
  • Family hires licensed electrician to install an outlet outside - they simply drill a hole thru an existing outlet to the outside and put a non-GFCI outside.
  • Licensed electrician connect 2 or more sets of wires to one set of screw lockdowns of an outlet to extend more outlets.
  • Licensed plumber that takes a hammer and busts a hole in the sewer pipe to connect to and then wrap a bread wrapper around it instead of using a proper fitting.
  • The drive-by inspection where the inspector doesn't even get out of their vehicle and simply hands the approval sticker to a worker to place on the panel.
 
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Anyway, the argument is pointless because the camera in question will absolutely require an electrician to wire it in if it's to be used legally in Australia.
Which is a shame.
If it at least came with a plug it could be used with an existing outlet.
 
TonyR said:
I'm so sick of the terms "licensed contractor" or "certified installer", etc. IMO, it's nothing more than a way for the gov't make more money and have more say-so in more areas. More importantly, it's does not guaratee that the so-called contractor/installer will get it right. It DOES mean they know how to take a test. Don't get me wrong...I'm not saying there are not good ones out there, because there are...likely most of them. When they study and take the test it means they know what to do but you can't honestly depend that they WILL do what's right...there's no test for for honest or integrity in the process.

My entire family came close to be killed by a licensed HVAC contractor in CA in the 90's....I know of what I speak. And in the over 30 years I practiced my former profession in CA I saw and corrected the work of several licensed electrical contractors. A license of any kind tells me you may know what to do...it sure does NOT mean you will do it correctly or safely.

It does, however, insure that they can charge more for their services in most cases.
Click to expand...
Totally agree, I think certificates can be considered as a business model to make money. Logically anyone can create a certification and make money from it, if he makes this certificate famous enough and makes it a necessary warrant in this industry.

So now the certificate is more in favor of the props that I can make money rather than the guarantee of the quality of personal work.
 
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