We’ve had some issues with an inherited surveillance pole that moves around so much when wind strengths get above 20 knots it’s impossible to view footage from the cameras.
The pole looks strong but there’s a lot attached to it, including multiple cameras and lights and a junction/control box. Do we need to replace the entire pole or might moving some of the attached cameras around reduce the issue?
A: Without seeing the application it’s only possible to generalise about the issues you face. Any time you are installing cameras and housings in high wind areas (it be motorized or fixed) seriously consider side mount configurations. It does sound like wind pressure may be inducing a harmonic.
As well as moving cameras around the pole to reduce drag, you could also move some of the attachments lower where wind speed is reduced. You need to make sure cameras are symmetrically-mounted in line with the horizontal rotating axis when pole mounting. This reduces imbalance on the horizontal tilting axis of the pole, ensuring a significant decrease in wind loading.
You’ll also find this configuration has no requirement for springs and counter balancing weights. Reducing wind loading will decrease vibration and mean much improved performance. Try to keep the poled equipment as small as possible to reduce wind resistance. As well as correct placement, any pole mount application demands powerful and robust equipment securely mounted on drag-reducing poles.
In extreme cases, you might consider vibration reduction mounts from suppliers like Gelmec. It’s also possible to buy cameras with electronic image stabilisation and this technology can help a lot. Not knowing your camera brand, we can’t confirm whether or not you have EIS but many modern cameras do have it and it will be possible to activate remotely via the camera browser.
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