Water Behind Lens

S-F

n3wb
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I have a IPC-HDW5231R-Z and after a not so heavy but not light rain last night there's water behind the lens. It has been getting better as the day moves on but there is still a noticable amount of water in there. I'm not too happy about this. It's mounted to a gable wall. What's up with this?
 

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Aengus4h

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you sure its in the lens and not just wet surface on the lens? I see similar with a couple external bullet cameras after rain, takes a while before it dries off and gets back to a clear picture.
 

S-F

n3wb
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I had assumed that it was just on the lens even though nothing like that had happened before. I assumed that it was just fog because it's been that kind of weather. I got up there on a ladder with some paper towels this morning to dry it off and the water is clearly behind the glass.
 

Aengus4h

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not good then :-(

Sounds like a case of dismantle and check all the seals, perhaps add some liquid gasket before rebuilding to be sure.

Unless you can get any sort of warranty support of course, or maybe fit a rain hat on the camera
 

Fastb

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S-F,
Did you ever crack open the cam enclosure for any reason? Maybe to install an SD card? With domes, opening the cam case is needed to aim the "eyeball". Then care must be taken to ensure all seals and o-rings are in place for re-assembly, followed by sequential tightening in a back and forth manner, such as torqueing lug nuts on a car's wheels.

If you do go inside the cam to troubleshoot, check the state of the anti-desiccant bag. It's meant to absorb airborne moisture, but not deal with water. If water is present, that's a leak which no amount of anti-desiccant can deal with over time.

Are you using POE cables for the cam? Or the new WPOE cables? (Water & Power Over Ethernet). WPOE is the latest new thing. It deliver P (to power the electronics), and W (water to cool the electronics). Note: It's easy to mistake WPOE for DPOE, which is Desiccant Over IP. @looney2ns , in thunderstorm prone Evansville Indiana, may share his experiences w/ DPOE....

- S_F, I just put Big Ben up for sale. Maybe you'd like to submit a bid? (my lame American humor. Mate, I don't mean to be too "cheeky"! LOL)

Seriously tho, good luck with getting to the bottom of the problem!

Regards,
Fastb
 

S-F

n3wb
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I'm probably using a WPOE cable! I hadn't thought of that one. Some times I'm a brainless idiot.

No, I've never opened it up. I just took it out of the box. Installed the base and then popped the cam in. Looks like I have a legitimate issue here. Is there any guide or the like on dissembling these? I'm sure I can figure it out but if someone else has already documented the intricacies it would help me by not having to reinvent the wheel. Unless, that is, it's so simple that anyone with a modicum of can do could make it work painlessly.
 

EMPIRETECANDY

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the water is leakage or just vapor?? If leakage camera will burn, get the camera down and use drier to dry it and hang outside again to check
 

mat200

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I'm probably using a WPOE cable! I hadn't thought of that one. Some times I'm a brainless idiot.

No, I've never opened it up. I just took it out of the box. Installed the base and then popped the cam in. Looks like I have a legitimate issue here. Is there any guide or the like on dissembling these? I'm sure I can figure it out but if someone else has already documented the intricacies it would help me by not having to reinvent the wheel. Unless, that is, it's so simple that anyone with a modicum of can do could make it work painlessly.
Hi S-F

can you share a picture of the camera mounted on the wall with the wiring?
 

looney2ns

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Water may have entered the cam if you didn't make a "drip loop" just prior to the cable entering the cam.
Water will follow the wire if not.

I suggest powering down the cam immediately, hopefully no damage as yet, and take it inside when you can, and take it apart, and let it dry for 24hrs.
You tube, most likely has a video of someone assembling one.
 

S-F

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Well all of the water is gone now and I'm getting a clear picture again. It's been two sunny days and the camera is on a southern exposure. I don't have a drip loop and honestly am not sure how to go about setting that up. Any pointers? It was definitely bulk water in there not vapor. I could see water on the inside of the glass when I went up there on a ladder. I find it a bit odd that water would get in behind the glass on the front by way of the cable which is on the back but you never know. Is there a failure mode for these cameras where the seal surrounding the glass gives out? I suppose I should probably power down the cam and bring it inside for forensic dissection.
 

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Fastb

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A drip loop is needed when the cable is exposed to water, usually rain. If the cable to your wall mounted cam comes through the siding, and if the cable is dry behind the wall, a drip loop isn't needed.
But if you didn't seal the cam to the wall, then water could come down the wall, run behind the cam, and reach the cable. It could then run along the cable to reach the cam. Or get behind your siding, or enter your house.

The fact the water is now gone, and no moisture on the lens was left behind, may indicate the inside of the cam is exposed to the outside. Meaning a big breach of the sealing somewhere....
 
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