DC voltage for GE security camera

I found some GE SmartHome GESECCTVBWC b&w hard wired security cameras at closeout. These were meant to be used with an associated GE monitor that supplied the power to the cameras.

The camera has standard RCA plugs for video and audio output, and a male DC plug for power. There are no markings on the camera or DC plug concerning voltage or polarity. (There are no specifications at all provided on the packaging.)

Anyone out there know what voltage and polarity to use with these cameras? I'm assuming it's either 4.5 or 6 volts - like most other CCD security cameras, but you know what happens when you assume things.

I could at least check the polarity - if I could figure out how to open the case for the camera. But after removing the two obvious screws the case parts won't budge.

Would I likely kill the camera if I applied DC voltage just long enough to see if I got the polarity correct?

Rick

Reply to
Rick
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Do you have a bench (adjustable) power supply? Connect the camera to a monitor and slowly crank up the voltage until the picture locks and looks OK. If this happens at say 5 volts, then you can assume it is designed for

6 volts. If it happens at say 10 volts, then you can assume it is designed for 12 volts.
Reply to
Charles Schuler

Reply to
wstanyard

IME most things survive reverse polarity. Consider the people who install them and you'll see why.

Reply to
Homer J Simpson

On Wed, 10 Jan 2007 16:42:11 -0400, Rick put finger to keyboard and composed:

If there is continuity between a particular terminal of the DC plug and the ground terminal of your AV outputs, then that would probably be your negative supply pin.

- Franc Zabkar

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Reply to
Franc Zabkar

Tnaks Franc - great idea. Will check it out.

Rick

Reply to
Rick

Hi Rick...

Google this and you come up with many hits, some of which may be helpful...

ge security camera power supply

Take care.

Ken

Reply to
Ken Weitzel

Hi Ken

I googled my buns off before bringing it here. When I used the camera model number I found other people looking for the same information - but no answer. When I go more generic with the search you suggested I come up with high end GE security camera systems that use 12VDC supplies. But this ain't a high end camera so I'm a little wary deducing that all GE cameras use 12V supplies. It *might*, but all the non GE CCD cameras I've seen in catalogs use 6V or less power power supplies.

Short of someone popping up who has the monitor used with these cameras that provides power for them it looks like I'm gonna have to figure out how to crack the case to solve this.

Rick

Reply to
Rick

I bought one of these, and spent five (scary!) minutes trying voltages with an old PC power supply. The red plug is power, 12VDC, negative on the outside, running about 50mA. The yellow plug is ordinary NTSC component video. The white plug is analog audio, but of course you should check your laws before recording audio along with video! All three plugs' grounds are tied together directly, so do make sure your power supply, audio, and video equipment share a ground.

The GE SmartHome Video (GESECCTVBWC) are nice little cameras, and for the price, the picture's pretty darn good. They do nicely in the dark, too, although their 5 infrared LEDs do spill some into the visible red, and without a diffuser (even a piece of tape!) tend to give a sort of "flashlight effect" to the image.

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olawlor

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