How to Splice Security Camera Wires

How to Splice Security Camera Wires

Splicing cables or wires is the act of combining two wires together, and it’s an indispensable skill for someone who owns or manages properties that use security cameras. You might need to do this to repair wires, lengthen wires, or combine two different wires together. 

There are two main types of security camera wires: ethernet cables and RG59 cables. Even an amateur can learn how to splice either type, and the process is relatively simple once you get some practice under your belt. 

Here, we’ll show you how to splice both ethernet and RG59 cables.

Can I Splice Security Camera Wires? 

By following simple instructions and tutorials, most people can splice security camera wires themselves. You’ll need some simple tools, such as wire cutters, wire strippers, electrical tape, and heat shrink tubing. Depending on how your wires are set up, you might also be able to splice wires together using a coupler, which makes the job even easier. 

It’s also important to note that while you can splice security camera wires together, that doesn’t always mean you should. Splicing cables could decrease the quality of your security footage, so when possible, it might be a better idea to run a new continuous cable. 

How Do You Splice Security Camera Wires? 

Before you can begin splicing your security camera wires, you need to know what type of wires you’re working with. 

If you have an IP security camera system, you’re likely working with Cat5 or Cat6 ethernet cables. These cables will consist of four twisted wire pairs encased in insulation. 

If you have a CCTV security camera system, you’re likely working with RG59 cables. This is an older type of cable, but it’s still used in many buildings. These cables will consist of copper wire encased in various layers of insulation and shielding. 

The Easiest Method for Splicing Security Camera Wires

Before you begin splicing, take a look at your wires. If they already have connectors on the ends, you’re in luck. Both ethernet cables and RG59 cables might already have connectors on the ends, and in that case, it’s easy to splice the cables. 

Simply find a compatible coupler and either insert or screw the ends of the cables into the coupler. With RG59 cables, it’s a good idea to wrap the connection with electrical tape after you’re done connecting the two cables.

How to Splice Security Camera Wires 

If your cables don’t already have connectors attached, you can still splice the wires together, but it will be a bit more complicated. The process will be different depending on whether you have ethernet cables or RG59 cables.

Splicing Security Camera Wires with Ethernet Cables 

Ethernet cables consist of small, fine wires, so it’s important to be very gentle and intentional when working with these wires. Follow these steps to splice ethernet security camera cables:

1. First, use wire strippers to remove the outer insulation, which looks like a plastic coating on each wire you need to splice. Make sure you leave enough wire exposed to work with. 
2. Put heat shrink tubing on only one of the wires. You’ll need this later when you’re finishing up. 
3. Expose the inner core of each of the eight inner wires by carefully stripping off the outer layer. You’ll want to expose about a half inch of wire so you have enough to work with. Repeat this on each cable you need to splice.
4. Combine each of the eight wires individually using a butt crimp. 
5. Tape each of the eight connections with electrical tape. This helps strengthen the connection you’ve made. 
6. Before sealing up your cables, it’s a good idea to test the connection to make sure it works. 
7. When you’re done combining each wire, cover all of the connections with your heat shrink tubing. Use a heat gun to activate and shrink your tubing. 

When you’re finished, you should have a working ethernet cable. 

Splicing Security Camera Wires with RG59 Cables 

You’ll follow a relatively similar process when you splice RG59 cables. The main differences are the number of layers you need to work through and the number of wires you need to splice. Follow these steps to splice RG59 security camera cables: 

1.   Use wire strippers to remove the outer insulation on each end you need to splice. This will look like a plastic coating. Make sure you leave enough wire exposed to work with. 

2.   Put heat shrink tubing on only one of the cables. You’ll need this later when you’re finishing up. 

3.   Pull back the braided mesh, which is the next layer you’ll find in an RG59 cable.

4.   Cut and strip back the shielding and additional insulation layer; these are the next two layers you’ll find before you get to the wire. When removing these last two layers, be careful not to cut too deeply so you don’t damage the core. 

5.   Add another piece of heat shrink tubing that you’ll use once you have your connection made. 

6.   Use a butt crimp to connect the core on each end. 

7.   Wrap your connection with electrical tape. 

8.   Put the heat shrink tubing over your connection. Use a heat gun to activate and shrink your tubing. 

9.   Put a larger butt crimp over the braided mesh. 

10.Pull the heat shrink tubing over this connection. Again, use a heat gun to activate and shrink your tubing. 

11.Wrap your connection in electrical tape again. 

Depending on the type of cable you’re working with, you might have additional wires to connect when you get to the core. Some cables have additional wires for sound and to power a tilt and pan camera. If you find additional wires in the middle, follow the same process to connect those wires. 

When you’re finished, you should have a single working RG59 cable.

Why Do You Need To Splice Security Camera Wires? 

It might seem like quite a hassle to splice security camera wires, and it definitely takes time and effort. However, it’s good to know what to do in case you have a break in your wires and need to repair them quickly to get your security cameras back up and running. 

You also might need to splice wires to lengthen a cable, move a camera, or add additional security cameras. A good splice job can save you from needing to buy new cables.

CCTV Camera Cable Variations

CCTV Camera Cable Variations

We know that selecting your CCTV cameras and video recorder may have been a little more work than you might have anticipated. We’re sorry to say that the decision making process isn’t over just yet. We can say with confidence that about 90% of tech support related issues are a result of problems with cabling. This makes your choice in cable one of the more important decisions you’re going to make.

Siamese Cable

Siamese cable is really two different cables fused together. You have your coaxial cable (RG59) for video, and power cable. The video portion will serve to relay the video feed from your camera back to your DVR, while the power cable will relay power from your power supply to the camera. Siamese cable is appropriate for any analog, HD-CVI, and HD-SDI security camera system.

This is easily the most popular choice, but there are different levels of quality which can tie into the decision making process. You’ll often see the acronym “AWG” along side of this type of cable. American wire gauge (AWG) is just the unit of measurement that represents the “gauge” or thickness of the wire.

Your standard pre-made Siamese cable will usually be 24AWG or 26 AWG. This is going to seem thin when you hold it in your hand but it’s still very practical. Cable like this is functional for runs up to 150 feet. We don’t recommend going much further than that as you’ll very quickly begin to experience video and/or power loss because of the thinner gauge copper wire. Also, because of it’s thin gauge, pre-made Siamese cable can only be used reliably with standard analog cameras. You will not be able to use this with HD-SDI or HD-CVI cameras.

Pre-made Siamese Cable

The alternative to pre-made is to purchase Siamese cable sold by the spool. This is also commonly referred to as RG59 cable. The coaxial cable that comes off of a spool is normally 20AWG while the power cable is 18AWG. There are two different types of coax in this industry and most of it is copper clad. This means that the center wire is aluminum or silver but cased inside of a copper shell. This type of cable is good for runs up to 300 feet. Some people have been able to push this as far as 400 feet, but usually after 300, you begin to experience video degradation. The other option is solid copper Siamese cable. Unless you have an HD-CVI system, this probably isn’t going to be necessary for you, but you might find that this is a good solution for you if you just need to stretch those 300 foot runs a bit further without video loss.

Siamese Cable from Spool with Various Power and BNC Connectors

Just keep in mind that standard analog and HD-SDI systems are only designed be able to go up to 300 feet. Whether it’s copper clad or solid copper, either one should work just fine for you. Solid copper cable only comes into the picture with HD-CVI systems because there runs can go up to approximately 1600 feet. Without solid copper Siamese cable, you start to experience video degradation pretty early on.

CAT5e Cable

Cat5 and Cat5e are absolutely different no matter what anyone tells you. Ordinary Cat5 cable should not be used with CCTV products. The quality of the cable is too poor for this application and will cause frequent problems if it works at all. If you choose to run this type of cable, it needs to be at least CAT5e (we’ll get to CAT6). You can use this type of cable with standard analog cameras, and it’s required for IP/network cameras.  If you choose to go with Cat5e for your analog cameras, you shouldn't have any issue with runs up to 1000 feet.  If you are using Cat5e with IP cameras that are power over Ethernet (PoE), your cable runs can go as far as 300-1000 feet, while non-PoE cameras will be limited to the power supply being used with them (usually about 300 feet).  The power consumption of your PoE IP camera will ultimately dictate the maximum length of your run but you can usually expect at least 600 feet (12W power consumption).

Analog cameras, as you may have already realized, aren’t really set up for Cat5e cable. The work around for this is to use baluns. Think of baluns like converters that attach to your cameras to make them compatible with Cat5e. There are various types of baluns to choose from depending on your needs.

Network camera, or IP cameras, have a network cable port on their pigtail. Whether the IP camera is power over Ethernet (PoE) or not, the network cable port will be there. You’ll also have a female power terminal on the pigtail very similar to that of any analog or HD camera.

If you have a camera that’s PoE, you can run that single length of Cat5e cable and you’ll have video and power going through the same cable. If your camera is not PoE, you will need a dedicated power source to power the camera. The Cat5e cable will still be good for video, but you’ll most likely need to run a separate power cable in addition to your Cat5e cable unless you have an outlet close enough for the power supply to reach the camera.

The alternative to running two separate cables is to use simple PoE power adapters for non-PoE IP cameras that will essentially convert your non-PoE camera into a PoE camera. They’re identical in purpose to video and power baluns. You’ll still need a dedicated 12V DC power supply for the camera, just like you would any analog camera, but these adapters will enable you to position your power source somewhere much more convenient; for instance, next to your network switch or network video recorder (NVR).

Cat6 Cable

This type of cable is almost never necessary. The fact is that as of right now, there aren’t any IP cameras that require Cat6 cable, but because of the fact that Cat6 is backwards compatible with CAT5e, there is absolutely no harm in using CAT6 or CAT8. Due to the fact that CAT6 is the newer, bigger, and better thing out on the market though, a lot of people choose to go with Cat6 cable in an effort to predict the future in a way. By using CAT6 cable now instead of Cat5e, you may be preventing yourself from having to run new cable later when you upgrade your system. Predictably, cameras will only be getting more advanced and as such will probably require a more advanced cable in the distant future, such as Cat6. Theoretically, Cat6 may be able to lengthen the maximum distance of your runs, but testing for it is so scarce that we wouldn't be able to confirm that with any confidence.

Cat 5 vs Cat 6 vs Cat 8 Ethernet Cables

Designed by integrating cutting-edge technology, the cat 8 cables elevate the performance to the next level. Having a higher bandwidth performance than Cat 5e and Cat 6, Cat 8 cables are the most sought-after ones nowadays.

A comparison of Cat5e, Cat6 and Cat8 Ethernet cables would reveal that cat 8 cables are far more superior than the former two, even though it has a few cons.

Cat8 cables have better frequency characteristics that make them capable of offering higher data speeds than Cat 5e and Cat 6. It can support bandwidth up to 2 GHz for a distance of up to 30 meters. The data speed guaranteed by cat 8 varies from 25 Gbps to 40 Gbps.

On the other hand, Cat 5e Ethernet cables offer a maximum frequency of 100 MHz and Cat 6 supports a max frequency of 250 MHz. The data speed of the Cat 5 cable is limited to 1000 Mbps and that of the Cat 6 Ethernet cable is 10,000 Mbps.

The only major drawback of Cat 8 Ethernet cable is the distance it performs the best. Cat 8 cables are ideal for home installations, LAN in office spaces of small areas etc. Cat 8 Ethernet cables simply assure network speeds from 2500 Mbps to 40,000 Mbps.

The Power of Ethernet or POE is another advantage of using Cat 8 cables. Thereby you can save on cabling expenses at home as well as office. Ideal for space management, reducing clutter, and optimal performance, Cat8 Ethernet cables might be a preferable choice for you.

Twisted Pair Cat 8 Cables

Increased data speed has become a necessity presently. Every minute delay is costing businesses, and individuals offering services their money, time and effort. The electromagnetic field created through the passage of electricity and electromagnetic interference can impede the speed and flawless performance of the network.

Twisted pair cables are a solution used for reducing the effects of the magnetic field. The magnetic field created would be contained in the limited space. Thus high-speed data transmission would occur unaffected.

More twists in the network cabling would provide improved frequency characteristics to the cable. Furthermore, individually shielded pairs of network cables are another method for enhancing frequency.

The categories of cables available in the market presently are:

Cat 5 cables

o   Bandwidth – 100 MHz

o   Data Speed – 100 Mbps

Cat 5e cables

o   Bandwidth – 100 MHz

o   Data Speed – 100 Mbps

Cat 6 cables

o   Bandwidth – 250 MHz

o   Data Speed – 1 Gbps

Cat 6A cables

o   Bandwidth – 500 MHz

o   Data Speed – 10 Gbps

Cat 7 cables

o   Bandwidth – 600 MHz

o   Data Speed – 10 Gbps

Cat 7a cables

o   Bandwidth – 1000 MHz

o   Data Speed – 10+ Gbps

Cat 8 cables

o   Bandwidth – 2500 MHz

o   Data Speed – 40 Gbps

Difference between Ethernet cables ?

Difference between Ethernet cables?

Not all Ethernet cables are the same, so what is the difference, and how do you know which you should use? In this short guide we take a look at the technical and physical differences between the Ethernet cables available on broadband buyer.

Ethernet cables are grouped into sequentially numbered categories (e.g CAT5) based on different specifications; sometimes the category is updated with further clarification or testing standards (e.g. CAT5e, CAT6a). These categories are how we can easily know what type of cable we need for a specific application. For our IP Surveillance ( IP Camera, Access Control, BAS, Intrusion ... etc) CAT6 is recommended to install, including PoE based design. 

Manufacturers are required to adhere to the standards which makes our lives easier.

CAT Technical differences

The difference in Ethernet cable specification is not as easy to see as physical changes; so let’s look at what each category does and does not support. Below is a chart for reference when picking cable for your application based on the standards for that category.

Difference between Ethernet cables
	Length	10Mb/s	100Mb/s	1GbE	10GbE	PoE	Mhz
CAT5	100	Y	Y			Y	100
CAT5e	100	Y	Y	Y		Y	100
CAT6	100 (55 for 10GbE)	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	250
CAT6a	100	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	500

You may notice that as the category number gets higher, so does the speed and Mhz of the wire. This is not a coincidence, because each category brings more stringent testing for eliminating crosstalk (XT) and adding isolation between the wires.

Category 5 cable was revised in 2001, and mostly replaced with Category 5 Enhanced (CAT5e) cable which did not change anything physically in the cable, but instead applied more stringent testing standards for crosstalk. Category 6 was revised between 2002 with Category 6 Augmented (CAT6a) in 2008 that provided testing for 500 Mhz communication (compared to CAT6 - 250 Mhz). The higher communication frequency eliminated alien crosstalk (AXT) which allows for longer range at 10 GB/s.

Physical Differences

So how does a physical cable eliminate interference and allow for faster speeds? It does it through wire twisting and isolation. Cable twisting was invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1881 for use on telephone wires that were run along side power lines. He discovered that by twisting the cable every 3-4 utility poles, it reduced the interference and increased the range. Twisted pair became the basis for all Ethernet cables to eliminate interference between internal wires (XT), and external wires (AXT).

There are two main physical differences between CAT5 and CAT6 cables, the number of twists per cm in the wire, and sheath thickness.

Cable twisting length is not standardised but typically there are 1.5-2 twists per cm in CAT5(e) and 2+ twists per cm in CAT6. Within a single cable, each colored pair will also have different twist lengths based on prime numbers so that no two twists ever align. The amount of twists per pair is usually unique for each cable manufacturer.

Many CAT6 cables also include a nylon spline which helps eliminate crosstalk. Although the spline is not required in CAT5 cable, some manufacturers include it anyway. In CAT6 cable, the spline is not required either as long as the cable tests according to the standard.

The nylon spline helps reduce crosstalk in the wire, with the thicker sheath protecting against Near End Crosstalk (NEXT) and Alien Crosstalk (AXT), which both occur more often as the frequency (Mhz) increases. In this picture below, the CAT5e sheath has the thinnest sheath versus CAT6 but it also was the only one with the nylon spline.

Shielded (FTP) vs. Unshielded (UTP)

Because all Ethernet cables are twisted, manufacturers use shielding to further protect the cable from interference. For example, Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) can easily be used for cables between your computer and the wall but you will want to use Foil Shielded Cable (FTP) for areas with high interference and running cables outdoors or inside walls.

There are different ways to shield an Ethernet cable, but typically it involves putting a shield around each pair of wire in the cable. This protects the pairs from crosstalk internally. Manufacturers can further protect cables from alien crosstalk with additional cable shielding beneath the sheath. The diagram below shows the different types of Ethernet shielding and the codes used to differentiate them.