Guides
Solar-powered CCTV for sites with no mains
Solar CCTV combines a panel, a battery and a low-power camera to cover sites with no mains supply — tube wells, farm gates, remote yards and boundary walls. It works well when sized honestly for winter daylight, and fails when sized for a summer afternoon.
Size for December, not June
The system has to survive the shortest, cloudiest days of the year. A panel and battery sized on summer output will run flat in winter, which is when most people discover the problem.
Low-power cameras only
A solar setup cannot carry a power-hungry PTZ with long-range illuminators. Fixed cameras recording on motion, with modest infra-red, are what actually works.
Getting the footage back
The camera can record locally to a card, or send over a mobile data link. Data links cost money every month and use power, so on a remote boundary a local card checked periodically is often the practical answer.
Theft of the panel
The panel is worth more than the camera to a thief. Mount it high, fix it properly, and keep a camera covering it.
Can CCTV cameras run on solar power?
How long will a solar camera run without sun?
A properly sized system carries three to five days of autonomy. Anything less and a cloudy week takes it down. We size the battery to the darkest realistic stretch, not the average.
Can I add solar to my existing cameras?
Sometimes, if they are low-power and the run to them is short. More often it is cheaper to fit purpose-built low-consumption cameras than to solar-power hungry ones.
Need this doing?
CCTV installation covers surveying your premises, choosing camera positions that actually cover your entrances and till, running cable in conduit, fitting the recorder with enough storage for your retention needs, and setting up phone viewing before we leave. A four-camera system typically costs PKR 45,000 to 70,000 installed.
CCTV installation — what it costsRelated pages
Get a free site survey
We walk the premises, mark up a plan and give you an itemised quote in rupees. No obligation to buy from us afterwards.