A dome camera provides the means for monitoring an area with a "Birds-eye" view. Attaching a wireless transmitting dome camera in a dropped ceiling is not so dissimilar to installing the camera onto a ceiling. A number of tools designed for use with the dome camera must be acquired--these can be gotten from a hardware store--along with a tool for cutting into the dropped ceiling. Proper wiring of the camera to a junction box inside of the dropped ceiling is necessary as well.
Instructions
1. Place a ladder beneath the dropped ceiling approximately where an electrical junction box is located--this information can be gleaned from the blueprints of the building or from the contractor who put in the dropped ceiling or by lifting a panel from the dropped ceiling and looking around inside.
2. Lift one of the panels of the dropped ceiling. Move the panel to the side so that you are able to pull it out from the support frame that crisscrosses the dropped ceiling.
3. Place the panel face down on a work surface. Place the bottom of the dome camera on the panel. Draw a circle around the bottom of the dome camera on the panel with a grease pencil.
4. Remove the dome camera from the panel. Cut out the drawn circle in the panel with the blade of a utility knife. Smooth the inside edges of the cut-out hole with fine-grit sandpaper.
5. Attach the drop cord through the loop at the bottom of the dome camera. Wind the wires exiting the bottom of the camera around the drop cord. Secure the wires to the drop cord with plastic twist-ties.
6. Loop the drop cord around a stud block or beam inside the dropped ceiling. Tighten the drop cord if the dome camera is not even with the panels on either side of it. Remove the panels to the side of the dome camera until you can see the electrical junction box.
7. Loosen the screws on the electrical junction box with a flat-edged screwdriver so that you can wind exposed ends of the wires from the dome camera around the screws on the electrical junction box in the following manner: the red wire to the screw at the end of the junction box that has a single screw; the black wire to the screw that is across from the screw that now has the red wire wound around it; the copper-colored wire to the screw that is below and to the right of the screw that has the red wire wound around it; the white wire to the screw that is below and to the left of the screw that now has the black wire wound around it. Insert the screws.
8. Angle the external antenna connected to the top of the dome, if one is present and an internal antenna is not being used, so that the point faces in the general direction of the security room or recording facility where the dome camera's video feed will be monitored or recorded.
9. Return the panels to the dropped ceiling, including the one that has had a hole cut in it. Align the panel that has the hole cut in it so that the dome camera is sticking out a few inches from the hole.
Tags: dropped ceiling, dome camera, screw that, drop cord, dome camera, electrical junction