Yearly Clean and Desc Gel Replacement

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Revo2Maxx
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Yearly Clean and Desc Gel Replacement

Post by Revo2Maxx »

Hello all it is that time of year again for me.. So there are some cameras that are on a 2 year Change but I always clean the lens and Air out any of the units that require. However there are some cameras in my Install that require a yearly change of Gel Packets.. I was shocked to see that this year this camera wasn't as bad as it has been. Sure this year we had some Late Snow but didn't have the 2 months of ICE Cold with 6 weeks of that time in deep snow either so I am going to guess this is why this camera isn't as bad as it normally is..

I am in no way promoting anyone to take their cameras apart as far as I do... However this camera in Question has a Gel Pack that is taped in between the power supply board and the Video board.. There is also a Packet that Sits in the Lens area that is wire tied to the post that hold the IR...

This camera is a IP camera with Alarm in and out, Audio in and out and has a CVBS install view port. This camera has IR Cut Removable Filter and a DC Lens that you can tell by seeing the 2 small motors on the Lens.. Sadly this camera isn't a Motorized VF but I do have a Lens to get in its place if I wanted to add a Motorized 2.8-12mm lens from another Zoom camera that the mini computer in it died. However where I have this placed I need to keep it as it is for now...

This is the area where the Front Gel pack goes.
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Is is after removing the Back screws and disconnecting the wiring that goes though the seal hole for all functions you can see the GEL pack. I put a new one in its place double sided taped just as it was when I bought the camera 5 or 6 years ago now
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This is with the Whole Camera out of the housing. This is a Large Bullet camera about 1/2 the size of one of my Other older camera. You can see the Gel pack in between the 2 boards
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This is a Picture of the Camera all the way apart and to show this year the packet is not as colored as it would be all the other years I replaced it.. This time you can see only a few of the Balls are not clear but I will replace the Gel anyway because I don't want to have any issues with foggy camera if it gets all used up before winter this coming winter I am not going up the Ladder to get it when it is Freezing out lol..
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I don't want people to take apart a Camera that is under Warranty if there is normally no need to get into your camera. I live in a Very Humid area and need to make these changes every year on most of my outdoor cameras I do have a few that are under and far enough back that they don't get yearly change of GEL.. If you have never worked in Electronics and your camera isn't fogging up you might be ok to leave it go longer.. I have a Friend that lives in a area that has never changed out his.. Last year when I went to visit I said he needed to change them out one for sure because it was foggy.. Sure enough the pack was spent but all his other cameras packs were still clear so we put in new anyway seeing we had them apart... I was expecting some of his others would be 1/2 as bad as the one that was getting foggy but he does live in a Dry area...
Here to help the best I can.
Be Safe
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Revo2Maxx
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Posts: 5820
Joined: Sat Jun 15, 2019 3:05 pm

Re: Yearly Clean and Desc Gel Replacement

Post by Revo2Maxx »

Well today I put that one back up and went and got another one off the other side.. This one is a CVI camera after taking it apart I noticed it also isn't as bad as it is all the years before this one.. This camera is also a 2.8 to 12mm VF. This one is also IR and has IR as well.. I only have 1 Gel Pack in this camera. It is behind the Camera so I had it down and apart so I put in a New pack however after this one and it is another one that has to be done yearly I will spend tomorrow just cleaning off the lens of the rest of the cameras and not even going to bother taking them down. Seeing last year did them all because it was the second year for the ones that only get the every other replacement. No since even bothering.. I still have to take one of my TVI cameras down because even though it has a heater when it is cold with rain it acts funny like it is trying to fog up.. If I didn't have 3 other cameras covering that position I would worry more about it.

Only picture I took of this was after removing the camera and down the camera body where the pack is cable tied onto the wires...
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Here to help the best I can.
Be Safe
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