Checklist for outdoor equipment after a dust storm

How does dust harm devices?

In Şanlıurfa dust comes with the wind and leaves a thin layer on every surface. On the camera's glass, this layer fades the image during the day. At night, infrared light reflects back from the dust and the image looks foggy and whitish. Many users mistake this for a camera fault.

The second effect of dust happens inside. Devices with vents, such as the recorder, switch, UPS and barrier control boards, draw dust in along with the air through the fan. When dust builds up on the boards, heat dissipation suffers. Combined with humidity, it can form a conductive layer.

On moving parts, dust works like an abrasive. A barrier arm, a sliding gate track and a motorized camera mount turn harder and make more noise after dust.

First look remotely

Do not climb a ladder as soon as the storm dies down. From your phone or the recorder's screen, open all the cameras one by one and look for answers to these questions: Is the image coming in? Is the image clear? Is the camera still looking at the same place? Strong wind can turn a lightly mounted camera.

Also check whether recording was interrupted during the storm hours on the recorder. If there is an interruption, the recorder's event log usually shows whether the power went out or a camera lost its connection. If a single camera was cut, the problem is most likely in that camera's cable or junction box. If all were cut at the same time, check the power, the switch and the UPS first.

Expert note: As a first job after the storm, take a screenshot from each camera. When you compare with the same angle a week later, you can easily notice slow drift and blurring.

How is camera glass cleaned?

Camera glass and dome covers scratch easily. Rubbing hard with a dry cloth drags fine sand grains in the dust across the glass and leaves permanent scratches. Night vision is also affected by these scratches.

The right method is to first blow off the dust or brush it away with a soft brush, then wipe in one direction with a clean, slightly damp microfiber cloth. Check the camera's user manual before using glass cleaner, alcohol or detergent; some coatings are sensitive to chemicals.

• First blow off the dust or brush it away with a soft brush.
• Wipe in one direction with a slightly damp microfiber cloth.
• On dome cameras, clean the cover from the outside; do not open the housing.
• Do not climb up to high cameras without a safe ladder and a second person.
• After cleaning, check the image once at night too.

Cables, junction boxes and outdoor cabinets

Check whether the cover of the junction box behind the camera is in place and the gasket is seated. Wind opens a loose cover, and the cable splices are exposed to dust, then to rain. If a cable duct running along the wall has a piece that has broken or come open, note it.

Before opening the door of an outdoor switch or fuse cabinet, think about the electrical hazard. Seeing that the cover is closed and locked is usually enough. If dust seems to have built up inside, the cleaning must be done with the power cut and by someone who knows how.

Solar panels, barriers and gate motors

Dust on the surface of a solar panel lowers production. Clean the panel at cool hours, early in the morning or in the late afternoon. Pouring cold water on a panel heated by the sun can stress the glass. Pressure washing and hard brushes can damage the panel's surface coating, so use the method the manufacturer recommends.

On barriers and automatic gates, open and close the arm or gate a few times. If there is sticking, sudden stopping or an unusual noise, clean the dust around the track and hinge area. Do not open the motor housing or the control board. If the safety photocellis covered with dust, the gate may not see an obstruction; be sure to wipe the front of the photocells and test that the gate stops by walking in front of it.

Do not forget indoor devices

Dust gets inside through gaps in windows and doors too. Clean the vents of the recorder, modem and switch, when they are off, with a soft brush or low-power air. If the fan noise is louder than before, the fan may be full of dust.

In businesses with a server room, the air conditioner filter clogs quickly after dust. If filter cleaning is skipped, the room heats up and the devices shut themselves down after a while.

Preparing for the next storm

Preventing the storm is not in your hands, but you can reduce its effect. When the meteorological service issues a dust transport warning, a few small precautions shorten the next day's cleaning. Devices standing in open areas and cabinets whose doors are left ajar benefit most from this preparation.

Decisions made at installation also make a difference. Keeping cable splices in a closed box, choosing covered cable ducts and gasketed cabinets prevents a significant share of post-storm faults from the start. If an older system lacks these, it makes sense to have them completed at the next maintenance.

• Check that the outdoor cabinet and junction box covers are locked.
• Keep the door of the server room or equipment cabinet closed.
• Remove loose items around the barrier and gate track.
• Make sure the recorder is connected to the UPS.
• Test that the remote viewing app works on your phone.

When should you call a technician?

If the image is still blurry after cleaning, the camera gives no image at all, dust has gotten inside the dome cover, or a cabinet cover was left open and the inside got wet, leave the job to a technician. Opening the housing breaks the water and dust seal; when closing it again, the gasket must seat properly.

In areas that get a lot of dust, the protection rating of outdoor devices, closed cable ducts and gasketed cabinets should be planned from the start. In Desa Bilişim's maintenance visits we do these checks on site; you can request a site inspection for your installation.

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