Splicing security camera wires is necessary if you need to create a longer wire than what is available. The process is straightforward, but it’s important to be careful. If you don’t splice the wires correctly, it could compromise the system’s integrity, and that is why you need to learn how to splice security camera wires.
To splice a security camera, you need essential tools such as a pair of wire cutters, pliers, masking tape, and a sharp blade or razor with little twisting skills. The process is simple for anyone to do, even if you are not a professional.
Therefore, if you want to splice some security camera wires, we’ve got the best methods to help you get the job done right.
Contents
Can You Cut and Splice Security Camera Wires?
With the right tools, you can cut and splice the wires on your security cameras to extend them, even though it is not recommended. You should only do this if it’s necessary.
To splice the cable, you can use wire strippers to remove the cable’s outer covering, so you can see what is inside. Then, cut out the old wire section with your knife and pull it apart (you can also use pliers for this).
When you have removed the old wire as possible, strip off about 1/2 inch from each end of each piece of new wire, as this will make sure that when you connect them, they will fit back into their original place in the existing cable.
Once both ends are stripped and ready for connection, twist one end onto each other tightly with pliers. Then slide them back into place within your existing cable and wrap electrical tape around everything to secure everything together tightly again.
Now that you know you can cut and splice camera wires, you must know the types of camera wires and the right method to cut them.
Types of Camera Wires you Can Cut And Slice
- Ethernet cable CAT5/CAT6
- Coaxial cable
Ethernet Cable Cat5/cat6
Ethernet cat5/cat6 cable is the most common security camera cable. It’s a type of twisted-pair wire, which means it has two or more insulated wires twisted together to reduce interference and noise. The cable itself is made of special plastic, making it durable and flexible enough to be used in various environments.
The Ethernet cables can be categorized into Cat5, Cat5e, and Cat6. Each version has its specifications for speed and distance and other features such as shielding, which protects the cable from interference.
Coaxial Cable
The coaxial cable is the second most common security camera cable you will find available in the market. It’s used because it is extremely durable and can carry high-quality signals. The coaxial cable has a metal shield around the wires inside, protecting against electromagnetic interference (EMI).
This means that the cable is more resistant to interference from other electrical devices, like microwaves or fluorescent lights. It can also be used for internet and phone lines, so it’s an all-around useful tool.
Those are the common types of security cables you will come across. So, you must know them to go through each splicing method in the right way.
Below, I will share with you the way you can splice the two wires if there is a need for you to do that. But before I share the slicing methods, let’s check out some reasons for slicing security camera wires.
What Are The Main Reasons For Splicing Security Camera Wires?
There are many reasons why you might want to splice your security camera wires. Below are some reasons you might want to cut and splice your camera wires.
Adding More Cameras To The System
Adding more cameras to the system is one of the most common reasons for splicing security camera wires. If you have to add more cameras to your system that don’t require you to change the wiring or add more wires, you will need to splice into your existing cables.
In most cases, splicing the wires is necessary when you need to add more cameras to your system. This could be because you have outgrown your current system and need to expand or add new employees to your business that need to be monitored.
Damaged Cable, And It Needs Repair
The splicing process is the best method to repair damaged cables. For example, if you have a cable that has been cut by accident or damaged somehow, you can have the damaged section of the cable removed and replaced with a new length of wire.
This will ensure that the signal transmitted through your system is not interrupted. However, you need to locate the point where the cable is damaged. If the damage is revealing, then it is easier to fix. If not, it might be tedious work to do, and you might have to change a lot of wire.
To Extend The Camera Wires
One of the easiest ways to extend the wires of your security camera is through splicing. It can be done by either adding a new wire to the end of an existing wire or cutting and attaching two ends. Extending your camera wires is useful if you need to move your cameras or add more locations.
How To Splice Security Camera Wires?
Splicing camera wires can be tricky, but it’s not as hard as you might think. If you have a serious reason just like those mentioned above to slice your security camera cable, let us go through the process below.
If you have got cheap home security systems below $200 or less and need to splice the camera wire to extend it, I’ll share two ways you can slice the two kinds of security camera wires such as the Ethernet cables and coaxial.
You will need the followings:
- Wire crimper
- Utility knife
- Wire stripper
- Soldering iron
- Electrical tape
- Heat shrinks tubing
- Heat gun
- Butt spice (If soldering iron is not available)
Note: some of the tools are optional depending on the cable you are working on. So, let us go through each method of slicing your security camera wires.
How to slice Ethernet cable
Note: Either you have the CAT5 or CAT6, the same slicing method works for them.
Let us use the damaged cable on the image below for this particular method:
1. You need your utility knife here to cut the damaged part off
2. Carefully use the wire cutter to get rid of the plastic insulator
3. Once you can do that, you should have access to the twisted pairs of wires
4. Separate the wires as seen in the image below
5. With your wire cutter, you have to strip off some inches of the rubber. You need to ensure it is more than enough for you to twist with the other wire you want to join in with.
6. Do the same thing with the other cable, as seen in the image below
7. Use your electrical tape to join the two cables together to avoid any future issue
8. Go ahead to join each wire together. You have to join them with their colors. i.e., you should join blue to blue and the same with others
9. Twist the wires together
10. You should have a similar look to the image below if you have done it correctly.
11. Get your liquid tape and apply it to each of the naked connections
Then you have successfully spliced your Ethernet cable. For a more detailed video for an explanation, you can check here.
How To Splice Coaxial Cable
Splicing a coaxial cable is a great way to extend the length of the wire or make repairs, but you need to do it right.
Here is the right method how for splicing coaxial cable:
The same tools above are required for this method.
- The coaxial cable thus has a good insulation layer. You need to peel and strip the layers using your utility knife or cable cutter.
- You need to cut the braided layers of the two cables you want to slice. However, you need to ensure you leave enough to easily join the two together.
- Cut through the shielding layer of the cable and then through the thick insulation which secures the main copper wire
Note: the method has to be done for the two cables you want to slice
- With a soldering iron, you can connect the two copper wires or use the butt crimp. Go ahead to tape for effectiveness.
- Use the heat shrink tubing to secure the spliced wires, and you have successfully sliced your cable
Conclusion
If you need to be splicing security camera wires and do not know how to go about it, then we have got you covered above in this article. The information on this page covers all you need to know about splicing security camera wires.
However, it is necessary to splice security camera wires correctly. Hence, you need to cut the wire precisely and cleanly with a good-quality knife or sharp tool. If you do not cut them correctly, there will be a chance that the wire might break and cause an electrical hazard.
So, this page covers the ways to splice your wires correctly and the reasons you need to slice your security wires.
