# prewire for security camera



## chenley

You will need to know the type of camera's they are installing. There are wireless ones that take a plug transformer and send the video feed to a wireless router. There are one's that use RG6 with a power adapter, and there are one's that use a termination box for power and the RG6 where you run the 12-24V and Rg6 to the camera.


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## Fredman

Chenley - Great points!

My 2 cents: I am wiring a "no frills" basic system. Homeowner wants to choose a simple camera later. I am running a "Siamese" cable that has an 18/2 stranded for power grafted onto a RG59U cable. Pull cable from cam to TV distribution point/central location like the basement. Easiest/cheapest way to distribute signal from that point is to make sure the the main TV's or most used TV's (Liv room, bed room) have an extra RG6 ran to them. Direct Feed signal thru the extra RG6 to the video inputs on TV's. If there's more than 1 TV or long cable runs, a simple video amplifier might be required at the distribution point.


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## CTshockhazard

I'd likely use the siamese RG59 w18/2. Since you don't need much for wire length, if you already have CAT5, run it and use baluns on each end. The other nice thing about CAT5 is that upgrading to IP Cams at a later date will be easier.


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## MisterCMK

RG59 and 18/2 for power for just a basic camera. You can put the power supply in the garage or in the house. Most cameras run off of 24VAC. Size your conduit so as to allow for future cabling. Baluns are handy in some situations but for something like this I wouldn't use them.


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## te12co2w

Thanks for the replies. We will pull cat 5e and some hybrid cable that the homeowner is going to supply.


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## steven shica

*For Video, RG59 and for power and LVT wire is ok*

most usually, residentially used security cameras are supplied with 24V or less. so any wire for low voltage usage is ok.
RG59 is the best for security cameras.RG6 is for public cable TV.
hybride video cable(a power combined with a coaxial) is ok for residential, but not acceptable by most commercial customers.

I don't think a Cat5 is suitable for power supply according to the NEC.


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## MDShunk

I'd probably pull a couple siamese cables and a couple cat5e's. More and more, people are switching to IP cameras, which gives them the flexibility to view their cameras over the net, on their iPhone's, etc. They might start out with regular cameras, but my gut tells me they'll be switching to IP cameras at some point in the future.


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## rexowner

steven shica said:


> I don't think a Cat5 is suitable for power supply according to the NEC.


Power over Ethernet standard provides for up to 15 Watts
at 48V nominal (newer version of standard is 25W) up to 
100m over Cat 5, which is plenty for a camera etc.


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## MDShunk

A couple of years ago, I had a heck of a time finding flooded Siamese cable for a gate camera. I forget if it wasn't available or if the lead time was too long. I ended up pulling flooded RG6 and a couple #12 THWN's. I switched to Siamese cable at each end with F connectors and a little chunk of barrier strip.


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## MisterCMK

MDShunk said:


> I'd probably pull a couple siamese cables and a couple cat5e's. More and more, people are switching to IP cameras, which gives them the flexibility to view their cameras over the net, on their iPhone's, etc. They might start out with regular cameras, but my gut tells me they'll be switching to IP cameras at some point in the future.



Eventually there will be a switch to IP cameras but at this point the cameras are considerably more expensive than your typical analog camera and the head end gear is a lot more expensive than a DVR. Technicians need to know a lot more about computers and networking when it comes to setting up and troubleshooting IP cameras.


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## MisterCMK

steven shica said:


> most usually, residentially used security cameras are supplied with 24V or less. so any wire for low voltage usage is ok.
> RG59 is the best for security cameras.RG6 is for public cable TV.
> hybride video cable(a power combined with a coaxial) is ok for residential, but not acceptable by most commercial customers.
> 
> I don't think a Cat5 is suitable for power supply according to the NEC.


What are you smoking saying that commercial customers do not accept siamese cable? They don't care. The only difference between 18/2 and RG59 and a siamese cable is that they are stuck together and you can pull apart each cable to go to a DVR or power supply. 

As far as Cat5 goes, why do you say that it isn't suitable for power? Do you know what the insulation on Cat5 is rated to? (I do)


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## Fredman

steven shica said:


> most usually, residentially used security cameras are supplied with 24V or less. so any wire for low voltage usage is ok.
> RG59 is the best for security cameras.RG6 is for public cable TV.
> hybride video cable(a power combined with a coaxial) is ok for residential, but not acceptable by most commercial customers.
> 
> I don't think a Cat5 is suitable for power supply according to the NEC.


The cable info is misleading to some degree as well. For any broadband CATV or satellite system, RG6 is recommended by all the experts. For any signals that are video frequencies RG 59 will be adequate but RG6 could be used as well.


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