CCTV soffit instalation

edwincork

Hi folks

Tomorrow im going to srt wiring up a new cctv to the house ..... I cant see myself having an issue but im curious when securing the dome camera to the soffits should i
a) use the rawl plugs
b) just screw and silicone
c) add a support inside the soffit

many thanks in advance

kub

Pvc or wood soffit?

edwincork

pvc

kub

Are the cameras domes?

edwincork

yes dome cameras they are light enough

Sam Quentin

I've bee reading up on that also recently, and lots of peeps with pvc just put a wee bit of 2"x1" up behind/on top of soffit, shir if you catch 2 screws she'll be grand

edwincork

yep that might be tough on my own lol

Sam Quentin

edwincork wrote: »

yep that might be tough on my own lol

Yeah am with you there, I'm doing it on my own also, I have wooden soffits so am grand, maybe just screw them up for now and if you can go up behind soffits and twist small pieces of wood into them with a tiny pre drilled hole in the wood, once it catches the screw it'll be fine to twist/turn the wood gently home.

alta stare

Self tapping screws will do it just fine.

Phil.x

Is that not too high for a CCTV??

Sam Quentin

Phil.x wrote: »

Is that not too high for a CCTV??

2xsoffits and 1 in porch facing straight out, I'm sure would be the norm on regular detached/semi detached/terraced house... Like all 3 are either 'head' height or may as well be up high!?
Why bother drilling in brick and through walls, or even fixing cameras a few feet below soffits and running visible cable up to soffits!?
Anyway if the experts want to jump in here I stand to be corrected...

Sam Quentin

alta stare wrote: »

Self tapping screws will do it just fine.

That's what I would think also.... But just reading up on installation by people on certain forums they all seem to have support behind soffit.. Bearing in mind I was on a few American forums, maybe from the Windy City

alta stare

Sam Quentin wrote: »

That's what I would think also.... But just reading up on installation by people on certain forums they all seem to have support behind soffit.. Bearing in mind I was on a few American forums, maybe from the Windy City

yes them Americans tend to exaggerate things.

But yeah self tapping screws would be fine in plastic soffit. Iv yet to see any camera fall off one yet........even after any storms.

JimmyMcGill

alta stare wrote: »

yes them Americans tend to exaggerate things.

But yeah self tapping screws would be fine in plastic soffit. Iv yet to see any camera fall off one yet........even after any storms.

I'd be more worried about them being pulled off. Can never understand why lads cant mount them on the wall. Maybe I'm missing something blatant here....

alta stare

JimmyMcGill wrote: »

I'd be more worried about them being pulled off. Can never understand why lads cant mount them on the wall. Maybe I'm missing something blatant here....

They would want to be fair tall for that.

And yes you are missing something, something which was mentioned a couple of posts back..... Why drill walls and the likes when you can bring cables etc via the attic it can be an easier way around a house.

JimmyMcGill

alta stare wrote: »

They would want to be fair tall for that.

And yes you are missing something, something which was mentioned a couple of posts back..... Why drill walls and the likes when you can bring cables etc via the attic it can be an easier way around a house.

I'm 6'1 and can easily reach dome cameras on bungalow soffits. If I was so inclined I could rip them down. The trick is to push up, not pull down.
No drilling of walls needed to run the cables and these days most li ion battery powered drills would have no problem popping 2 6mm holes in a plastered or brick finished wall to mount said cameras.
My thoughts were more inclined as to whether many of these cameras can be mounted and function perfectly on the vertical?

alta stare

JimmyMcGill wrote: »

I'm 6'1 and can easily reach dome cameras on bungalow soffits. If I was so inclined I could rip them down. The trick is to push up, not pull down.
No drilling of walls needed to run the cables and these days most li ion battery powered drills would have no problem popping 2 6mm holes in a plastered or brick finished wall to mount said cameras.
My thoughts were more inclined as to whether many of these cameras can be mounted and function perfectly on the vertical?

No drilling of walls needed but then you mention battery drills to drill the wall??? Im confused or is it you that is confused?????

How will the cables get to the camera?

Roen

I stuck two of my hikvision cameras directly into the pvc soffit. Just used the screws that came with them.
They are quite heavy so I attempted to put a bit of timber for the screws to bite into but the angle of the attic meant that there was no way I could.
They are up about 18 months and have sat through a couple of large storms.
It's not ideal but perfect is the enemy of done.

JimmyMcGill

alta stare wrote: »

No drilling of walls needed but then you mention battery drills to drill the wall??? Im confused or is it you that is confused?????

How will the cables get to the camera?

Read my post again.

Take a v out of the pvc runner on the wall or alternatively drill said runner to accommodate cable. It's not rocket science.

alta stare

JimmyMcGill wrote: »

Read my post again.

Take a v out of the pc runner on the wall or alternatively drill said runner to accommodate cable. It's not rocket science.

i think you need to read your own post again.


So tell me this do you think a camera cannot be pulled of a wall either, and is every camera on a soffit only in bungalows where people like you can pull them down if they choose to? I dont think so my friend Like every installation, an installer must check all options (soffit/wall/pole etc) open to him/her so he can professionally and easily install any type of system which is required.

alta stare

Roen wrote: »

I stuck two of my hikvision cameras directly into the pvc soffit. Just used the screws that came with them.
They are quite heavy so I attempted to put a bit of timber for the screws to bite into but the angle of the attic meant that there was no way I could.
They are up about 18 months and have sat through a couple of large storms.
It's not ideal but perfect is the enemy of done.

Yep and i bet they will be there for quite some time into the future.

JimmyMcGill

alta stare wrote: »

i think you need to read your own post again.

Read the bit where i said to use a drill to MOUNT THE CAMERA.

Alta stare wrote: »

So tell me this do you think a camera cannot be pulled of a wall either, and is every camera on a soffit only in bungalows where people like you can pull them down if they choose to? I dont think so my friend Like every installation, an installer must check all options (soffit/wall/pole etc) open to him/her so he can professionally and easily install any type of system which is required.

Far easier pull a camera off a pvc soffit than one drilled to a wall id imagine. Depending on the willingness of the perpetrator of course.

Never mentioned 2 storey soffits.

" Professionally and easily". Youve summed it up there perfectly.
Mate.

listermint

JimmyMcGill wrote: »

I'm 6'1 and can easily reach dome cameras on bungalow soffits. If I was so inclined I could rip them down. The trick is to push up, not pull down.
No drilling of walls needed to run the cables and these days most li ion battery powered drills would have no problem popping 2 6mm holes in a plastered or brick finished wall to mount said cameras.
My thoughts were more inclined as to whether many of these cameras can be mounted and function perfectly on the vertical?

Not being funny but I'm the same and good luck pushing up a sofit bungalow or no bungalow.

You won't be pushing a properly fitted soffit jumping up from the ground.

Now if you had of said you had a ladder and tools with you I would have taken your point seriously. But alas.

alta stare

JimmyMcGill wrote: »

Read the bit where i said to use a drill to MOUNT THE CAMERA.




Far easier pull a camera off a pvc soffit than one drilled to a wall id imagine. Depending on the willingness of the perpetrator of course.

Never mentioned 2 storey soffits.

" Professionally and easily". Youve summed it up there perfectly.
Mate.

The point is that it is perfectly acceptable to mount a camera on a pvc soffit and there is no need to drill walls or create work if the soffit is a viable option so what you are suggesting is irrelevant.

Id still like to know if you mount your camera to a wall how would you get the cable(s) to the camera?

Sam Quentin

Ohhhh and my professional go to guy(who I don't like annoying)also give me a great tip weeks ago, feed the wires from the outside into soffit and on into attic as fas as necessary so you don't need to get wedged between roof and attic floor... Feeder rods that screw together in 4' lengths are great.. I have them of course got a set in Aldi/Lidl couple of years ago..

alta stare

Sam Quentin wrote: »

Ohhhh and my professional go to guy(who I don't like annoying)also give me a great tip weeks ago, feed the wires from the outside into soffit and on into attic as fas as necessary so you don't need to get wedged between roof and attic floor... Feeder rods that screw together in 4' lengths are great.. I have them of course got a set in Aldi/Lidl couple of years ago..

Ah yes rods are a must and 11*8 lidding is also a saviour when running cable. So handy for studded walls and tight spaces.

JimmyMcGill

listermint wrote: »

JimmyMcGill wrote: »

I'm 6'1 and can easily reach dome cameras on bungalow soffits. If I was so inclined I could rip them down. The trick is to push up, not pull down.
No drilling of walls needed to run the cables and these days most li ion battery powered drills would have no problem popping 2 6mm holes in a plastered or brick finished wall to mount said cameras.
My thoughts were more inclined as to whether many of these cameras can be mounted and function perfectly on the vertical?

Not being funny but I'm the same and good luck pushing up a sofit bungalow or no bungalow.

You won't be pushing a properly fitted soffit jumping up from the ground.

Now if you had of said you had a ladder and tools with you I would have taken your point seriously. But alas.

Yeah fair enough points. Trying to come at this from a likely burglar.

Alas, this forum is full of defensive minded professionals touting as innocent posters ready to pounce on any outside questioning of industry standards. I asked a simple question, could cameras be mounted on walls instead of on soffits. I've been defending my posts since with no sign of a constructive answer to my question.

alta stare

JimmyMcGill wrote: »

Yeah fair enough points. Trying to come at this from a likely burglar.

Alas, this forum is full of defensive minded professionals touting as innocent posters ready to pounce on any outside questioning of industry standards. I asked a simple question, could cameras be mounted on walls instead of on soffits. I've been defending my posts since with no sign of a constructive answer to my question.
So fvck off I'm out.

With all due respect no one has got defensive you are just being overly sensitive if you think so.

The OP wanted to know about mounting cameras on a soffit...... They were told by myself and others it was ok. You came along and said you could pull them down off a soffit and mounting them on a wall would be better.

In some case if mounting them on a wall is a viable option then happy days if not and a soffit is a viable option then happy days.

Seen as you mentioned bungalows ill ask the question again..... If you dont want to mount on the soffit and have the cable routed via the attic then where do you come out with the cable on the wall? Would it be surfaced ran along the inside of the wall or would you go up at an angle towards the attic??? Just curious as these are some of the options available on a bungalow. Me personally id go the soffit to attic route.

JimmyMcGill

There's no way the cable can be brought from the attic through the soffit tight to the wall so that the wall mounted camera can conceal the cable? Or are they just back entry only?

Sam Quentin

Just a wee tip if anyone is intent on mounting to wall.. I have a regular security light with sensor mounted to my wall over 3 years now, it's a decent weight, and I'm sure heavier than my cams.. Mounted to a short length of finished 3"x1" which is mounted to my red brick with No More Nails, that stuff is seriously strong, just screw your cam into the 3"x1", paint the wood if you like

Sam Quentin

JimmyMcGill wrote: »

There's no way the cable can be brought from the attic through the soffit tight to the wall so that the wall mounted camera can conceal the cable? Or are they just back entry only?

It seems most are back of bracket cable exits.. I wouldn't like to mess with the cable or disassemble the bracket, it may mess with the waterproofing!?

alta stare

JimmyMcGill wrote: »

There's no way the cable can be brought from the attic through the soffit tight to the wall so that the wall mounted camera can conceal the cable? Or are they just back entry only?

Of course you could do that and to be fair you did not suggest that at first, but imo it would be awkward, possibly look untidy and may have have some of the cable exposed so if the soffit is available then i would use that which also would save on having to use a box and the hassle of working tight against the soffit and wall to get into the attic.

Again these things all depend on the building so it would be up to the installer to decide his/her best option and again back to the OPs original question., yes it is ok to mount a camera on a pvc soffit.

JimmyMcGill

alta stare wrote: »

Of course you could do that and to be fair you did not suggest that at first, but imo it would be awkward, possibly look untidy and may have have some of the cable exposed so if the soffit is available then i would use that which also would save on having to use a box and the hassle of working tight against the soffit and wall to get into the attic.

Again these things all depend on the building so it would be up to the installer to decide his/her best option and again back to the OPs original question., yes it is ok to mount a camera on a pvc soffit.

That's exactly what I suggested,But if its the easier and professional way to mount a dome camera ie on the soffit then on you go.

alta stare

JimmyMcGill wrote: »

That's exactly what I suggested,But if its the easier and professional way to mount a dome camera ie on the soffit then on you go.

You were on about cutting out bits and all that lark when there may be no need to do such a thing. By all means mount it to the wall but many professionals i know in the industry would go the soffit route as it works and is easily accessed.

kub

alta stare wrote:

Id still like to know if you mount your camera to a wall how would you get the cable(s) to the camera?

Any professional can do that very easily especially if the camera is close to a soffit.

alta stare

kub wrote: »

Any professional can do that very easily especially if the camera is close to a soffit.

Indeed they could by why would they bother if they dont have to?

altor

JimmyMcGill wrote: »

I'd be more worried about them being pulled off. Can never understand why lads cant mount them on the wall. Maybe I'm missing something blatant here....

Id be the same, the wall before the soffit.
If they are up high for over view of an area then the soffit is a handy fix.