IP2M-841B IR LEDs will not turn on

[mtnflyer]

IP2M-841B
V2.420.AC00.18R (Build: 2019-07-29)

When I darken the room, I can hear the relay click as the camera goes into night mode, but the ring of IR LEDs does not illuminate.

I have updated firmware, reset settings, and used the web UI to manually set the IR illumination to 100. Nothing has worked so far.

Thanks for reading.

[Revo2Maxx]

So there are a few things that can go on here..

I know you mention that you setup the camera to work with the IR at 100% can you confirm that you are using the right format? Here is why. When the camera comes factory I think it is setup for Normal full time. So if you are messing with IR in Night format the camera never moves to night because it is working in Normal.. Might even be working in Day mode.. Either way the issue is the camera can work in a mode full time and if that isn't the time you are working it you can get the CLICK * This is the ICR* that you are hearing click from day time to night time. This can click even with out the IR being on because the camera is going into B/W mode without IR..

However if in fact your camera is damaged and the IR circuit has gone bad or maybe there was damage to the wiring between the Camera Board and IR board either way it will be a very hard repair. Not because the circuit is hard to work, Because of the time it will take to get to the circuit. You see the camera board and IR board are in the Ball of the camera. To get to the ball you have to take the whole camera apart, There is a point in the camera where it will almost always result in damage because of the tight fitting build the camera was designed. I included some pictures of an 841 with IR board on the camera board and one with the IR board off the lens to see the camera board where the IR connects..

Now lets check the Camera menu for your settings.. Log into the cameras WebUI going to the cameras IP address. Then click on Setup, Then click on Camera on left side, then Configuration, then Profile Management. You will want to see how the camera is running. Is it running day/night Full time or scheduled. If full time what format? Then in that format you will want to make that changes to your IR, Going to the area you were talking about making the setting changes.. Also double check that the IR in that mode isn't turned off...

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[mtnflyer]

Revo2Maxx, Thanks for the thoughtful and detailed reply. The camera is running the "Day" profile, which is "Full Time" with "Always Enable: Day". The "Day" profile is set to "Smart IR". Please see attached.

[Revo2Maxx]

Change from smart to manual and change to 100 see if that works. Even in day light ir will come on manual mode, if still working

[mtnflyer]

I tried that (again), but no luck. I think it is likely broken.

[Revo2Maxx]

OK just connected another 841 for testing this out as I have many cameras can't remember all things lol...

Connect back to WebUI and then setup, camera, config, day/night and change from Auto to B/W and the IR should come on

[mtnflyer]

Thanks for doing the test! I just tried your suggestion, but got no IR lights. I also, in addition, tried switching the IR light to manual and 100%, but still nothing. Later today I am going to do a hard factory reset and see if anything changes. I will let you know if that does anything.

[Revo2Maxx]

So yes I would do a Factory reset, However not sure that would solve the issue. Something that might be going on is a Firmware update that didn't complete all the way or maybe your last update was done without a Factory Reset.. Knowing that the last FW on the 841 was in 2017 and the 2019 firmware is different format it might be that the Factory Reset is needed because there is just enough code that changed to turn on the lights on the 2017.. So in this case if there was never an Update done since going from old style Firmware to the new 2019 one That would solve it..

Take for instance. In the old code there might have been API code that turned on the IR lights and in the new Java Script Firmware that was changed to in 2019 it might be ONVIF Code that turns on the IR lights. So without doing a Factory reset of the camera part of the old code remains and when the camera is trying to turn on the IR it might be going to something in the old code that no longer there, Or maybe it is running part of the old code asking for IR from the old code that no longer in cameras code...

So with all that said.. 1 Last thing that you might want to do is install the 2019 FW again if after doing a Reset didn't help. Then after doing that reset and nothing then doing the firmware update and another reset to factory, Pressing and holding the LED on the back of the camera until the LED flashes red for me a wait until it does flash 2 times before I let go of the reset button. Again that reset button is the LED... Sofware reset from WebUI might not reset back well enough.

[mtnflyer]

I just updated to the 2020-03-30 version of the software and then did a Factory Reset. It did not solve the problem. In the dark, the camera switches to B&W mode, but the IR lights do not illuminate.

I have two other 841B cameras from the same time period that are running the 2020-03-30 version firmware, and they work fine. Do you still think it might we worthwhile to try older firmware?

[Revo2Maxx]

No, If there is no IR after doing a factory reset after an update to the 2020 FW the camera is damaged and because of the cost of the camera not worth being repaired unless you have the ability to do the repair. Taking these cameras apart to the point that the camera would need to be broke down too would take 40 minutes or more depending on how many times you have broke one of these down. Then having the right tools to make the repair with testing the device on the bench would make this repair something not many people would want to do. Again cost to replace the camera is less then what the cost of the repair would be. Camera working in the mode it will work in with Bad IR board or circuit I would look into just setting it up with an External IR Blaster or use in an area that don't require IR. I mean I have an 941 that I use in Color all night in the current installed location.. 1051 that I have also setup to work in B/W but installed in a location that has enough light the camera might switch over to IR maybe 2 or 3 times a month.. If you were local to me, I would do the repair at no cost seeing I have working donor parts that I would be able to swap out..