cctv & rg59

[Thwack]

Hi I stumbled upon this site looking for an answer to this. My job includes upgrading cctv systems, and as such, I need to trace out existing systems. I basically need to trace out the wiring (rg59) from the camera to the patch panel in a comm room somehwere inside a usually large building. Now my problem is that when the building is large, and you can only find the signal cable every few rooms, you no longer know which camera you're following, as they tend to join, mix, etc.

Heres my question, is there anyway to tap into (inductively or otherwise) the signal inside and rg59 cable without actually having to cut and splice it? being able to do this would reduce some tracing headaches. at the very least is there some way to at least tell if there is signal running through the cable or not? I figure I could monitor a certain cable and unhook cameras untill i sense a lack of signal inside the cable..
any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated, thx.

 

[mikeydidit]

I have something that might be of some use to you. The last micro scanner that I bought came with a coax to rj-45 connector. This would allow you to use the Micro scanner pro and tone it out. If this is something that you could use let me know and I post the part numbers for you.

If you find any mistakes, please consider that they are there for a purpose. And everyone needs a purpose.
Mikey

 

[daronwilson]

Yeah toning coax can be a bit tricky, but it can be done. Sometimes I find it better to clip one side of the tone generator to the shield and leave it at that, or clip the other side to ground, just depends on the installation.

I'm not completely sure why you are doing what you are doing. Are you going to end up with every wire marked every 15 feet or something? Obviously you can tell which wire is which camera at the headend where it runs into a mux or something, I'm not sure i understand what you are ultimately after. I'd try toning it, but I'm not so sure that will give you real easy indications.

Good Luck

It is only my opinion, based on my experience and education...I am always willing to learn, educate me!
Daron J. Wilson, RCDD
daron.wilson@lhmorris.com

 

[jeffbouldin]

I'm with daron on this. Hook up the cameras and use a monitor at the head end. Then if any aren't there track those down. Unfortunately tone generators only go so far. And in a factory or warehouse enviroment it may be to far for it.

I am a little confused. Did the company who put the cable in run the wire from the camera to a mechanical room, terminate it to a patch panel, run wire to the next mechanical room to a patch panel, and do this till you get to the head end? Hooking each patch panel up with jumpers like you do in networking? If so how many times? If this is how they did it then it is installed incorrectly. You want to keed splices down to a minimum, every time you splice you lose signal quality. You could get ghosting, lines, or many other quirky video problems.

Post back with details, distance, type of enviroment, inside, outside, or any other details and I'll help recommend what would be best.

 

[Thwack]

Well, it has to do with gov blgs and security, so i cant get too into it, but basically, there is an existing cctv system that needs to be upgraded. the cctv signal must run inside conduit. if I want to add cameras, or switch a camera from one that runs off local power at the camera site to one that runs off centralized power from a power supply at the comm room (requiring a power wire to run with the signal(low power of course)), I need to know how the camera is routed every step of the way so I can tap into the counduit if needed, or simply pull new wire along that conduit. I need to be able to inspect the specific conduit where the camera runs, see if it can hold more wires, needs replacing, etc. when we get into large gov bldgs, it becomes very difficult to follow a specific signal across the large building, especially when you have other cameras that are not in your system, catv, comm wires, networks, etc. Right now it takes a very tedious tracing process, mixed with a little guesswork, and trial and error. I'm simlpy trying to figure a better way.

I appreciate all the help and replies up to now, and any more that may be forthcoming.

 

[daronwilson]

Well wait, is it in conduit or not? You say it isnt at first, then your last post says that it is. If you are trying to tone through the conduit, I don't think you will have much luck. Perhaps your upgrade is to put it in conduit?

If you are in a government facility, you might consider reviewing the drawings for the building. Our government contracts require asbuilt drawings be provided when done with cable routing and labeling. Hopefully you would have something similar to go on.

Good Luck

It is only my opinion, based on my experience and education...I am always willing to learn, educate me!
Daron J. Wilson, RCDD
daron.wilson@lhmorris.com

 

[Thwack]

it sometimes is in conduit, it sometimes isnt. when its free-running, its not too hard to trace, but when it is in conduit its much harder. I cant tone through conduit, but i can at random pullboxes placed along the conduit that i can open up..

I do use as-builts, but the in last building, the as-builts were over 10 years old, and no longer very accurate.. thats when we can even find as builts. sometimes they upgrade stuff in house, and they have no documentation of it. some places I'm going in completely blind.

so puting a toner on the shield is the best idea I've heard so far...