Every thunderstorm season in Madhya Pradesh, we see the same pattern: cameras that stop working after a storm, a DVR that keeps beeping, or recordings that simply stop. In most cases the cause is a voltage spike that travelled through the power line or the camera cabling and burned the SMPS power supply or damaged the DVR hard disk.
How surges reach your cameras
Outdoor cameras are connected by long cable runs, often along walls and rooftops. A nearby lightning strike or a sudden fluctuation on the mains supply can induce a surge in those cables and carry it straight to the camera, the power supply and the recorder. Poor or missing earthing gives the surge nowhere safe to go.
Practices that prevent damage
- Proper earthing. The DVR/NVR, power supplies and metal camera mounts should share a sound earth connection. Check it periodically — earthing that has corroded does not protect anything.
- Surge protection on the power side. Feed the recorder and camera power supplies through a quality surge protector rather than a basic extension board.
- A UPS for the recorder. A UPS smooths out fluctuations and lets the DVR shut down or keep recording through short cuts, protecting the hard disk from sudden power loss.
- Good-quality power supplies. Cheap SMPS units are usually the first thing to fail. A reliable supply with proper connectors lasts longer and protects the cameras behind it.
- Neat, protected cabling. Concealed PVC conduit keeps cables away from water, rodents and tampering, and avoids damaged insulation that lets moisture in.
- Surveillance-grade hard disks. Drives such as WD Purple or Seagate SkyHawk are built for 24/7 recording and cope better with continuous use.
After a storm
Check that every camera still shows a picture, that the recorder is not beeping or reporting disk errors, and that playback works for the last few hours. Catching a failed power supply early means you do not discover the gap in your recordings only when you need the footage.
Our CCTV team installs CP Plus, Hikvision and Dahua systems with concealed wiring across Jabalpur, and repairs systems damaged by power problems. Book a check-up before the next storm season.
Need a hand with this?
Our engineers can take a look at our Wright Town workshop or at your doorstep anywhere in Jabalpur.
