How to Choose the Right Construction or Farm Security Camera
Theft and vandalism are common concerns for many property and business owners.
But when you’re on a remote construction site or farm, security should be top priority. Farm crime in Australia sets farmers back more than $10,000 each year. Loss in equipment, stock, fuel and machinery are easy pickings for organised crimes. On construction sites, theft of tools and materials are also at a high.
Farm security cameras are one of the most effective tools to prevent it from happening to you. Beneficial to deter theft, protect supplies and livestock and monitor intruders.
To keep your site or farm protected, here are essential tips to help choose the right outdoor camera for your surveillance needs.
Base Your Buying Decision on Purpose
There’s a difference between high-tech CCTV systems and rugged security cameras. High-tech is better suited for commercial developments, whereas construction sites and farms need durable trail-style outdoor cameras that are immune to harsh weather conditions, similar to products law enforcement use to monitor outdoor areas or hunters and wildlife organisations can benefit from.
To determine what outdoor camera is best for your site or farm, consider what problem you need to address first. This allows for informed decisions about what type, location, size and features are essential.
If you’re monitoring intruders, how you mount your cameras is important. Do you want them visible as a deterrent or hidden to secretly observe? Read our security camera buying guide for more information.
Security Hot Spot Locations
Strategically placed farm or site outdoor cameras provide coverage to check for intruders, monitor daily operations and protect livestock and supplies.
Determine vulnerable spots to set up your camera(s). But make sure to go back to its purpose before installing. If you need to capture trespasses damaging fence lines or monitor livestock, set up monitoring points along the fence line. Entrances, exits and driveways are good locations if you’re looking for who enters and leaves your premises or set up security cameras to watch trouble areas like fuel tanks, water supplies, machinery, tools and feed lanes.
Consider Power Supply
Power supply may be infrequent for remote construction sites and farms.
Look for outdoor cameras that can operate for extended periods of time without replacing batteries or power source. Solar-powered security cameras are good for extending your camera’s battery life and taking advantage of the sun’s natural energy.
Choose a camera with ultra-low power consumption that’s battery-powered, solar-powered or a mix of both for cloudy days and nighttime use. Consider whether the camera has an internal power bank for backup supply. Alternatively, rechargeable battery packs are effective - but be careful, even these can eventually lose charge after a set amount of cycles.
Important features for outdoor camera security, like night vision, trigger alarms and infrared and motions sensors will drain the battery quicker.
Wired vs WiFi
Like power, WiFi connections can be limited for some farms and construction sites, especially in remote areas.
Most people prefer wireless because of convenience and installation ease. But sites without Internet will need to consider wired security cameras. If you’re after stronger network signals, cameras that have a dual-mode WiFi or PoE (Power over Ethernet) are best for 24/7 monitoring.
Trigger Time for Sharp Shooting
Planning to capture moving vehicles or people? Then pay attention to trigger times.
Fast trigger times (how long it takes to snap an image or footage) ensures you won’t miss a thing. A 0.4 second trigger speed is perfect for monitoring moving bodies and cars. Outdoor cameras with this speed can capture 1-5 photos per trigger. If you want to program the delay between detected motions, it also enables you to do this.
Invest in Night Vision
For round-the-clock monitoring, invest in an outdoor camera with clear night vision.
An effective night vision security camera is specifically designed as a black flash camera, so there’ll be no red glow to alert intruders. Check how many metres of crystal-clear night vision the camera supplies, how many infrared LED pieces it has and whether it’s able to capture movement and detail with precision accuracy.
Combine with GPS Tracking for Higher Security
To increase your construction or farm security, combine outdoor cameras with GPS trackers.
GPS trackers are used to locate stolen goods, machinery, equipment and cars. You can use your smartphone or PC to transmit GPS location and the tools or equipment it’s attached to. It’s as simple as logging in and locating the item or setting up instant alerts for when tracked items are moved without authorisation. Learn about the benefits of GPS trackers.
Want more information? Speak to one of our friendly team members to help choose the right outdoor security camera for your needs.
