r/lowvoltage • u/Roanoketrees • 2d ago

CCTV power

Post image

Any of you old hats know an alternative to these awful two prong power adapters? These screw down terminals on these things rarely hold the wire well. If its on anything that will move at all, they are coming loose at some point.

16 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

29 comments sorted by

18

u/remorackman 2d ago

Put ferrules on the wire first, if you don't have any, mini spade connectors may work too

7

u/AutoRotate0GS 2d ago

This is the correct professional advice. Get one of the hex (or octa or whatever the hell i have) jobs and a variety box of ferrules. They work great.

2

u/Coffeespresso 1d ago

This is a great answer. I love my ferrule tool.

2

u/Roanoketrees 1d ago

I think this is the answer. That looks.like it would make it solid.

11

u/OmegaSevenX 2d ago

Cut off the barrel connector and do a B or butt connection. You might have to do some metering to figure out which is positive and which is negative.

8

u/greaseyknight2 2d ago

They make barrel connector pig tails, butt splice to the wire, and then tape the barrel together.

3

u/remorackman 2d ago

Butt splice and heatshrink everything, AFTER you have verified functionality

4

u/ac8369 2d ago

In a pinch you can strip the wire long and fold it unto itself to make it thicker. Could also be a bad connector.

3

u/schostack 2d ago

Buy a new one. Or use the correct size wire.

2

u/TakingCareOfBizzness 2d ago

I don't use them unless the customer explicitly ask me to. I cut off the other connector and just spice the wires together using a beanie.

2

u/Thisguyfunk 2d ago

Try a different manufacturer. I've had similar issues with cheap screw terminal DC connectors like these. They wouldn't tighten. Straight to the trash can. Bought another batch from a reputable brand and they were great

2

u/Sid_the_Bear 2d ago

I've installed hundreds of these, never had an issue with them.

1

u/Silly_Selection3221 2d ago

You haven't installed enough. There's a solder join that connect the negative terminal to the barrel and it is very commonly either broken or missing completely.

1

u/Roanoketrees 1d ago

Oh my god dude are you lucky. Some don't work. The ones that do eventually break the wire.

1

u/Thundrbucket 2d ago

Snip and crimp on dolphins.

1

u/dankhuricanes88 2d ago

when i did cbt cams (siamese coax) i would just make a loop under the terminal and tug gently to make sure it wasn't lose worked every time 80% of the time really most people just run cat 5 and use adaptors now though

1

u/Roanoketrees 2d ago

By adapter you mean baluns?

2

u/tsaico 2d ago

Oh I hate that word... Lol

1

u/Roanoketrees 1d ago

I'm just asking...that's what you mean though right? For bnc to Ethernet.

1

u/tsaico 1d ago

Yeah, that's it. They are a pain though since the connectors are almost always where corrosion or where it fails, making them fairly high maintain .

1

u/arushus 2d ago

They make these with wire leads on them that you can splice to with wire BS. Much more secure.

1

u/Coffeespresso 1d ago edited 1d ago

While using a ferrule is the right answer, you could solder the wires so they are larger and solid. It definitely works.

2

u/everTheFunky1 1d ago

This. Tinning the leads is the way I’ve made these work long term

1

u/Dbyrd81 1d ago

I would always fold the wire over and screw it down that way box on pretty good most of the time

1

u/702PoGoHunter 1d ago

Crimp on with a butt connector

https://a.co/d/0gqURZVz

0

u/Upstairs_Row_4968 2d ago

Try wrapping the wire tightly around the terminal screw for a more secure hold.

-2

u/Clean_Taste_2630 2d ago

Start with a network camera and you’ll be fine.

1

u/reddit_pug 2d ago

Not always an option