PTZ Camera Repair

You can see the black horse shoe shaped element and the metal strip that needs to

work with it. The horse shoe spins close to it, but the shape has been affected with the fall. How to work this?

Thank you for your fast reply. I had a feeling in that direction, because of its black color and tried it before, without result.

Three possibilities I had overseen:

1. Maybe I didn't bend it enough and there was still enough spread light available,

2. my desk lamp fooled it.

3. It needs a dark environment.

I was a little bit afraid because that lip has not a lot of space due to the small diameter it rotates on.

Well, The first post is a hit. I did it and it works. Your beer is waiting. I need to wait now for the fans to have them replaced (found a set of 10 on ebay for $25). But I can proceed to see if the RS485 still works. That is definitely worth a good answer.

Thanks, D

Added a vote myself since according to the exchange a fix was affected among friends.

P.S. I don't know what a PTZ Camera is yet.

This is what I knew as motion control when using cameras on rails with servos back in the late 80s.

It would appear from my quick read of the thunderstorm problem, that still to this day lighting is required for fully capable photography.

I suspect that the camera has limits and needs light of intensity and out of the correct direction to work when it has failed in the past events of thunderstorms, same as great cameras and motion control systems I worked with still needed lighting of the scene. P.S. I apologize that I cannot remember the names of the people involved in a motion control shoot I worked on in 1987. Was a Kroger Food Store Commercial, and a SuperBowl 3D halftime entertainment segment. I just pointed lights at stuff on that job. Truly I was really raw back then.

The RS 485 is back to work. One broken (stretched wire) from the plug to the camera, probably just before the drop. Brings me to the next problem: everything works except the diafragm of the camera The image is dark. Took the camera apart. 3 micro motors. Just don't know yet which one is controlling the diaphragm.

did you post any model & or part numbers?

pelco makes a large number of security cameras & was recently purchased/merged with schnieder electric

That thing has 70 screws of 1.2mm - has a light metal frame in too many parts, and I have no time now (maybe I became a movie star overnight?)- I took it apart - ordered a Sony body camera 1.4 lens with 980 X zoom in China - $290 tax and S&H included - on my doorstep.

Needed some other material too.

I didn't know that Pelco was also a supplier - probably the protocols PELCO- D. PELCO-P and PELCO 1-8 have been introduced by them? Pelco-D is almost an international standard now for RS485 PTZ communication protocol.

Thanks. D

That brings us to the next question - same PTZ camera.[p]

For Transcendian - P = pan T = tilt Z = zoom. It is one of those dome cameras that you can see outside and this one could be directed that you easily could recognize a person between 10 meter and 2 kilometer. (960 X zoom)

Well: it does the preliminary job. The startup movements.[p]

Brings me to the RS 485 - the serial protocol (polarized) over 2 wires.

The camera is N0 1 - dip switches accordingly

Protocol Pelco-D Baud rate 2400 Position 4.

No reaction noted. Tried to switch RX/TX reset..

Here how it looks like naked. The movements are all done with stepper motors and I notice a resistance after the initiation (step lock) that dissappears after disconnecting the 24 volts AC power.

If someone knows a fix all suggestions are highly appreciated.

I'm sorry I can't help with communications interface.

Stepper motors will tend to "hold" a fixed position with power applied and will "loosen up" when drive power is removed. Is this what you are describing?

Because this camera sustained a significant impact, I would examine the board and components carefully for broken traces or "popped" solder joints. You may still need some additional hardware repair.

Exactly. This phenomena I know. I noticed that the pan stop is exactly in the horse shoe.

Maybe it needs to pass there? Too much shade? Maybe wrong response time? I'm just trying some logic ideas. I'll try the RS 485 on a different similar camera tomorrow. I have no digital measuring device for pulse trains, otherwise I could check the transmission. The zoom function of the camera I cannot activate either. Maybe one talks to another? The board doesn't look stressed but I'll use some magnifier glass. Thanks again. D

inspect the circuit board for a hairline crack that prevents proper operation of the position sensor. This will require a bright light and a hand lens.

If the crack is found, scrape to bare copper and solder a small wire bridge across it. This takes a person with a small iron and experience.

A bridge using electrically conductive Silver loaded two part epoxy adhesive which has conductive properties of pure silver and applied cold may be preferable being a cold process and simplicity of application.