Best Uses of Outdoor Security Camera Housing
Outdoor security cameras are usually placed in very physically demanding environments. The security camera will probably need protection from elements such as rain, extreme hot or cold, dust, corrosive substances, vibrations and vandalism. If the outdoor security cameras you employ are not built to handle the specific environmental challenges you put them in, the easiest and cheapest solution is to provide a separate enclosure to protect your investment. Other options are designing built-in special-purpose camera enclosures, and/or using intelligent algorithms that can detect and alert you of a change in the cameras’ operating conditions.
In most cases, housing enclosures for your outdoor security cameras are required. Camera housings come in different sizes and qualities and with different features. For controllable cameras, dome camera housings are available and fixed camera housings for fixed position cameras. The camera housings will be composed of either metal or plastic.
Several key considerations have to be made when selecting camera housings. For fixed cameras you have to choose between side or slide openings. Dome camera housings come in clear or smoked bubble form. Of course mounting of the housing is something to consider as well as cable management including power supply, level of vandal resistance, and special features like temperature control systems. If you have wireless outdoor security cameras in metal housing, an external antenna is usually included. A wireless security camera placed inside a plastic housing will work without the need of an external antenna.
Extreme temperatures cold and heat will be the main threats to your security camera along with water and dust. Some camera housings come with heaters or fans for cameras used in high heat or extreme low temperatures. For water and dust, higher rated housing units are carefully sealed and where acids may be involved, there are stainless steel housings available.
The level of protection your camera housing enclosure provides is often indicated by classifications set by such standards as IP, which stands for Ingress Progression and is a worldwide standard. If the camera is to be used in a potentially explosive environment, IECEx is the global certification and ATEX is the European certification that you should be focused on.
While a camera or housing can never guarantee 100 percent protection, the design, mounting, placement and use of intelligent video alarms can greatly reduce the chances of your outdoor security camera being destroyed as well as the amount of damage suffered.