Dealing with Water Damage to Your Avigilon Camera
Avigilon cameras are built to be robust and durable, with many models carrying high IP ratings for weather resistance. However, under certain conditions, water can still find its way inside, leading to significant damage. If you suspect your camera has been compromised by water, acting quickly and correctly is crucial to minimise the damage.
Important: Your safety is paramount. Do not attempt to handle any electrical equipment that has been exposed to water without first ensuring the power is disconnected at the source.
How to Identify Water Damage
The signs of water ingress can be obvious or subtle. It's important to know what to look for, especially after a period of heavy rain or if a camera is installed in a very exposed location.
Common Symptoms of Water Damage:
- Condensation Inside the Lens: This is the most definitive sign. You may see a foggy, misty, or hazy patch on the inside of the lens dome or cover. In severe cases, you might see visible water droplets.
- Blurry or Distorted Image: The camera feed may appear blurry, out of focus, or have a milky white haze across the entire image, which is caused by moisture on the lens or sensor.
- Camera is Offline: The camera may lose its network connection and appear as "Offline" in the Avigilon Control Center (ACC) software. Water can short-circuit the main board or the network components.
- IR Emitter Failure: The camera's infrared (IR) lights may stop working, resulting in a completely black image at night.
- Corrosion: You might see rust or green/white corrosive buildup on the connectors, mounting brackets, or seams of the camera housing.
- Intermittent Power: The camera might repeatedly power cycle, connect, and disconnect as the internal components short out.
Immediate Steps to Take
If you've identified any of the symptoms above, you need to act fast.
Step 1: Disconnect Power Immediately
This is the single most important step. Water and electricity do not mix. Leaving the camera powered on will cause short circuits and exponentially increase the amount of damage to the sensitive electronic components.
- For Power over Ethernet (PoE) cameras, disconnect the network cable from the PoE switch port that the camera is connected to.
- For cameras with a separate power supply, unplug the power adapter from the mains outlet.
Step 2: Visually Inspect the Camera
Once the camera is safely powered down, examine its exterior.
- Look for cracks in the housing or dome cover.
- Check the rubber seals and gaskets around the base and where the cables enter. Are they cracked, brittle, or out of place?
- Inspect the cable connections for any signs of corrosion or water entry. Was the RJ45 connector's weather seal properly fitted?
Step 3: Contact Your Avigilon Partner or Support
Do not attempt to open or repair the camera yourself. Avigilon cameras are precision-engineered devices. Opening the sealed housing will immediately void your warranty and will likely cause more harm than good. You will not be able to properly reseal the unit to its original IP rating.
Your certified Avigilon partner is your primary point of contact. They have the expertise to:
- Safely remove the camera.
- Assess the extent of the damage.
- Advise on whether a repair is possible or if a replacement is required under warranty or a service agreement.
- Analyse the cause of the failure to prevent it from happening again.
Prevention is Better Than a Cure
To protect your investment, ensure your cameras are installed with water ingress in mind.
- Use Drip Loops: Cables should be looped below the entry point to the camera so that water drips off the bottom of the loop rather than running down the cable and into the camera.
- Properly Sealed Glands and Conduits: Ensure all entry points for cables are sealed with the provided rubber grommets or waterproof silicone.
- Use Junction Boxes: Installing the camera on a compatible weatherproof junction box provides a much safer place to house the cable connections than leaving them exposed to the elements.
- Regular Inspections: Periodically check your cameras for signs of wear and tear, especially the seals and housing integrity.