13 September 2019
 Categories: Technology, Blog

Your building's surveillance system is a crucial component of your company's overall security package. While that surveillance system is usually consistent and reliable, you may notice that your camera system is becoming a little bit more unpredictable. If your camera images are cutting out at night, it's important to understand what could be causing this. Here are a few of the common reasons for your surveillance system cameras to cut out, and what you can do about them.

Power Supply Problems

The power supply to your surveillance cameras is an important component and should be the first thing you check when your video becomes intermittent or interrupted. While the cameras may seem to run fine during the daylight, remember that they have additional power demands at night.

Surveillance cameras rely on infrared lighting at night to help provide clearer pictures in low light. If the battery source for the cameras is low, your infrared lights may not get the consistent power supply they need to function. The best way to avoid this problem is by having your surveillance cameras hard-wired into your building's electrical grid instead of running them off battery power.

Fluctuating Lighting

While your camera system is equipped to compensate for low light at night, fluctuations in the lighting outside can interfere with the camera's ability to capture images. For example, headlights from a passing car can disrupt the camera's visibility, as can a flashlight shined directly at the infrared sensors.

The change in light levels will cause the camera to switch from infrared to standard mode to respond to the difference in the light, which can often cause the image to flicker or interrupt briefly. If this is a problem for you, evaluate your camera positioning to shift them away from the passing headlights and other light sources.

Wiring Damage

Surveillance systems require a lot of wiring to be run outside your building. That wiring is susceptible to all sorts of damage, from weather deterioration to pest problems. If the wiring gets damaged, that can lead to flickering and intermittent images from your surveillance cameras.

The best way to prevent a problem like this is to have all of the wiring encased in hard, weather-protective shells when the cameras are installed. If it's too late, you should have the wiring replaced and then shielded to prevent the problem from occurring again.

The more you understand about what can disrupt your surveillance images, the easier it is to ensure that your company has clear, consistent surveillance video when you need it.

For more information about surveillance system cameras, contact a company like ABC Technology Group.