You want your CCTV cameras performing at the optimal level on a 24-hour basis. Unfortunately, as a business owner, you won’t always know what happens at the end of the day when the lights go out. The safety of your office premises is, after all, a top priority, and you don’t want to deal with instances of damage or theft. There are various simple steps to making sure the performance of your security camera system is maximised throughout the night. Follow them and you’ll find you won’t be waking up to any nasty surprises.

Do rudimentary checks

An issue you might encounter with your CCTV system is having no image at all at night time. It’s an unfortunate problem but still one that you can avoid, simply by performing a few basic checks. Look to see if your camera has power and that its wires are properly secure. Also make sure that the infrared light on your camera is illuminating, as this will signify that power is coming through.

Protect your cameras against dust

Dust always has the habit of getting in the way, and on camera at night time it presents itself in the form of annoying white particles that can obscure vision. To prevent dust from being an issue, make sure all areas where security cameras are installed are thoroughly cleaned on a daily basis. 

Adjust the lighting around the camera

Improper night vision functioning is often the result of too many light sources surrounding the camera. Night vision cameras are fitted with small LED bulbs that activate in dark conditions and act as a floodlight for the camera. With too many bright lights nearby, the camera will not switch to night mode. Keeping bright lights out of the camera’s view or reducing the number of light sources in the vicinity can ensure you get a good night vision quality.

Check your cabling

When it comes to CCTV camera installation, make sure that your cables are not too long, as this tends to cause connection problems and image deterioration. Long cables can result in voltage drop, which is essentially the loss of electricity along the path of a circuit. This is particularly important to note for night time video surveillance, as when the infrared switches on the camera depends on an increased supply of power. If your cables are too long then an impeded power supply might cause your camera to switch on and off or stop working altogether.

Don’t allow your security camera system to let you down. While these simple fixes can help, know that the industry is moving away from infrared cameras toward more sophisticated night monitoring technologies. If you want a camera system that performs at the optimal level throughout the day and night, upgrading to an advanced surveillance solution like Hikivision’s ColorVu is well worth the investment. Using advanced lenses and high-performance sensors, this advanced night monitoring solution delivers colourful videos and better image quality even in extremely low lighting conditions, meaning your premises will be safer against possible threats.

• READ MORE: Reasons For Updating Your Company’s Security Camera System