Security Camera Night Vision Not Working: 5 Handy DIY To Fix It

Is your Security Camera Night Vision Not Working? You’re not alone! Many camera owners struggle with getting crisp, usable footage when the sun goes down.

But don’t panic – with some helpful troubleshooting, you can get your night vision back so you don’t miss any important security events after dark.

In this guide, we’ll cover the most common reasons you may be experiencing poor night vision or no night vision at all.

We’ll also provide some DIY tips to try and resolve the issues on your own. And if that doesn’t work, we’ve included advice on finding a qualified security camera pro who can get your system functioning properly around the clock.

First, let’s look at why properly working night vision is so crucial for surveillance camera systems:

✔️ Deters crime and theft deterrent at night

✔️ Captures important footage in low light situations

✔️ Allows identifying people and objects when dark

✔️ Provides 24/7 monitoring with no vulnerable gaps

Having cameras that switch to night mode reliably lets you keep watch both day and night.

Many incidents happen under the cover of darkness, so it pays to ensure your system stays vigilant after sunset!

Top 10 Reasons Your Security Camera Night Vision Not Working

Before we dig into resolving your specific night vision problem, it helps to understand all the factors that can contribute to low quality or disabled night footage.

Here are the most common culprits:

• Dirty Camera Lenses and Housing – Dust, dirt, spiderwebs and moisture can all degrade night vision quality.
• Faulty Infrared Cut Filter – This filter fails, preventing IR light from reaching the camera sensor.
• Insufficient Power – If cameras don’t get steady, sufficient electricity, night vision suffers.
• Disconnected or Damaged Cables – Loose wiring or damaged cables disrupt connectivity & data transmission.
• Burnt Out IR LEDs – These infrared lights burn out over time, causing black or disabled night vision.
• Incorrect Camera Settings – Software settings like IR mode, exposure, etc. need to be right for night vision to engage.
• Obstucted Field of View – Something physically blocking the camera’s view also blocks the IR lights.
• Severe Weather Conditions – Snow, fog, rain and wind can degrade visibility at night.
• Firmware Bugs – Software issues after an update or integration failure impair functionality.
• Incompatible Camera Components – Mixing and matching devices and cables sometimes doesn’t work.

Those give you an idea of what prevents cameras from working right at night both internally and externally.

Now let’s walk through some steps to diagnose your specific low light issues.

Step-by-Step Night Vision Troubleshooting for Security Cameras

Here is a methodical troubleshooting game plan to identify and address your camara’s night vision problems:

1. Inspect Camera Lenses and Housing for Dirt Buildup
2. Check All Power Sources and Electrical Connections
3. Evaluate Physical Cable and Data Connection Integrity
4. Reset the Camera and Update Firmware
5. Adjust Software Settings Impacting Night Vision
6. Switch Physical Camera Locations to Test Interference
7. Compare Problematic Camera Against Alternate Working Camera

1. Inspect Camera Lenses and Housing for Dirt Buildup

Carefully examine both sides of the lens glass and the external case for dust, oil, dirt and debris.

Use a mild cleaner and microfiber cloth to gently wipe down the surfaces if needed.

Also check for condensation, moisture damage or leaks around the housing.

What to look for:

• Dust, dirt, spiderwebs, pollen covering the glass lens or case
• Scratches, fungus or water spots on lenses limiting visibility
• Punctures, cracks or bent housing damaging components

2. Check All Power Sources and Electrical Connections

Verify the camera, cabling and NVR recorder are getting consistent electrical current and are powered on 24/7.

Test outlets and wiring for faults. Switch to a UPS backup power source if wiring is suspect.

What to check:

• Camera connected to working electrical outlet
• Power adapter providing correct voltage to device
• Functional UPS backup battery connected just in case

3. Evaluate Physical Cable and Data Connection Integrity

Examine all networking cables, Ethernet, coax, fiber optic or wireless connections to rule out severed wires or loose plugs at the camera itself or back at the recording unit.

What to inspect thoroughly:

• Loose plugs and ports on cameras, NVRs and in between
• Crimped, cut or damaged lengths of cable
• Working status lights on wired connections

4. Reset the Camera and Update Firmware

Power cycle the security camera and update to the latest stable firmware version from the manufacturer website. Old unpatched bugs often affect functionality.

Helpful things to try:

• Soft reset by switching device off and on
• Hard factory restore of default settings
• Flash updated firmware from settings menu

5. Adjust Software Settings Impacting Night Vision

Log into your camera’s app dashboard or dig into the advanced settings through the system’s browser portal.

Turn night vision to always “On” or set to “Automatic” switching. Adjust exposure, IR light levels and other relevant night controls per the specs of your cam model.

Key software settings to check for night footage:

• Night vision mode enabled
• IR cut filter mode set properly
• Exposure compensation and brightness right for low light
• Night vision distance setting adjusted as needed
• White balance suitable for IR illumination

6. Switch Physical Camera Locations to Test Interference

If your camera works fine indoors but not outdoors, issues like radio interference, obstructed view, voltage drops from cable runs, weather soiling lenses and extreme temps may be impacting the night vision.

Try switching locations temporarily as a check.

Benefits of moving camera placement:

• Determines if external conditions interfering
• Checks if problems follow camera or tied to location
• Views obstructions from another angle

This isolation technique demonstrates if problems stem from the camera itself or result from challenging installation environments.

7. Compare Problematic Camera Against Alternate Working Camera

If you have multiple cameras, compare footage of problematic night vision camera against a working camera to better diagnosis issues based purely on camera hardware, wiring and components versus conditions impacting the installation area.

What to look out for:

• Same camera models with one working, one not at night points to external factors
• Different aged cameras both having trouble can mean wiring or power problems
• Known working camera operating fine night vs. day may indicate compatibility settings needed

This side-by-side analysis helps narrow down the source of the night vision problems.

Now that we’ve covered a wide-ranging troubleshooting approach, next we’ll discuss some DIY fixes.

Handy DIY Fixes to Resolve Security Camera Night Vision Issues Yourself

Before shelling out money for professional repair or replacement costs, some handy homeowners may want to try tackling security camera night vision repairs themselves.

Here are a few:

1. Cleaning Camera Lenses and Housing
2. Replacing a Faulty IR Cut Filter
3. Swapping Out Burnt Out IR LEDs
4. Improving Wireless Signal Strength
5. Adding External Camera Housings or Shade Visors

1. Cleaning Camera Lenses and Housing

Get quality lens wipes designed specifically for coated glass camera lenses. Isopropyl alcohol can also work wonders.

For plastic housing, multipurpose cleaners work fine, but avoid harsh chemicals.

2. Replacing a Faulty IR Cut Filter

These filters cost around $10-20. Watch manufacturer tutorial videos on opening the housing safely to swap in the replacement part. Take care not to damage connectors and gaskets.

3. Swapping Out Burnt Out IR LEDs

Again check for tutorials on your specific night vision camera model. LED component kits cost $25 or less.

Steady hands, proper tools and care required so as not to harm sensitive boards and electronics.

4. Improving Wireless Signal Strength

Adjust direction of camera WiFi antenna, router placement, change smart device access point channel and consider external signal boosting antenna to maintain strong reception, reducing video buffering and dropouts, especially prevalent at night.

5. Adding External Camera Housings or Shade Visors

Housings give additional protection from weather like blowing snow, rain and sun glare during the day and excessive infrared light pollution at night that might impact video quality.

These are just a handful of common fixes for night vision issues possible with some patience and research.

But when problems persist despite your best efforts, it’s probably best to call in a security camera systems pro. Let’s explore that option.

Calling In Professional Repair Help for Hard to Resolve Security Camera Issues

If you’ve tried everything to get night vision working well again to no avail, a seasoned security system installer or camera repair technician can properly diagnose and fix all manner of issues.

Here are signs it’s definitely time to solicit professional assistance:

• You’ve inspected all wiring and it checks out
• Firmware is fully up to date
• Different placement yields same problems
• Camera night vision sporadically cuts out
• Comparisons against other cameras show signaling abnormalities

Some key benefits of having an expert look everything over:

• Finds obscure problems like IR filter assembly alignment being off
• Checks components only visible disassembling unit
• Has repair/replacement parts ready to swap
• Provides warranty and follow-up support

This specialist expertise often identifies problems home DIYers can miss despite best efforts due to lack of tools, training and experience. 

Plus they test everything thoroughly before declaring the job complete.

When researching area installation pros and technicians, ensure they have:

• 3-5 years minimum industry experience
• Strong reviews and local reputation
• Competitive repair rates and fair diagnostic fees
• Response within 24 hours and timely repairs
• Availability for post-install checkups and maintenance

Also discuss warranty coverage on fixes and replaced components so problems found later won’t come as a surprise cost-wise. Reputable professionals stand behind their workmanship.

One final bit of advice – always clearly communicate your needs and goals for the security system, especially night vision camera performance objectives.

This tailors recommendations to your risk factors, priorities and budget. Guiding the process leads to much higher long term satisfaction and better ROI.

Now that you’ve got some troubleshooting under your belt, let’s wrap up with ways to prevent night vision problems going forward.

Preventative Care and Maintenance to Reduce Future Security Camera Night Vision Issues

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to keeping security cameras working their best both day and night over years of operation through tough environmental conditions.

Here are 9 tips to avoid issues cropping up:

💡 Choose reputable brands like HikVision, Amcrest, Reolink known for quality components and firmware

💡 Select weatherproof, vandal resistant models for durability in outdoor conditions

💡 Install cameras properly positioned to optimize night vision light and focus range

💡 Test night vision thoroughly after camera placement using analytics

💡 Clean dust and debris off housing and lenses routinely

💡 Maintain filter, lens, cap gasket seals for optimum light transmission

💡 Check on cameras at night monthly for unexpected issues catching problems early

💡 Keep camera firmware updated for maximum functionality

💡 Add protective housings, SUNvisors, roof overhangs to shield elements

Staying vigilant in assessing night surveillance visibility and field of view helps avoid bigger headaches down the road.

FAQs

Why Is My Security Camera So Dark At Night?

There are a few common reasons your security camera footage comes out extremely dark or black at night:

• The IR LEDs providing night vision illumination have burned out. These infrared lights allow the camera sensor to see in low ambient light conditions. Over time, the LEDs wear out.
• Dust, dirt or debris has built up on the lens and exterior housing, blocking the infrared lights from shining through and being picked up by the image sensor. Routine cleaning helps.
• The IR cut filter that slides out of the way at night allowing IR light to hit the sensor could be stuck or damaged. A failed filter means no night vision possible.
• Insufficient WiFi bandwidth at night causes pixelation and dark unusable footage. Night requires more intense image processing. Boost signal strength with antenna upgrades, mesh systems, channel shifting to reduce congestion.
• Extreme weather like heavy rain, snow or fog scatter and absorb too much of the IR illumination, resulting in drastically reduced night vision video quality. External housings can help shield precipitation.

So inspect components, clean lenses, adjust settings, optimize wireless connectivity and protect the camera to troubleshoot dark footage issues after sunset.

Why Is My CCTV Camera Not Switching To Night Mode?

If your surveillance camera stays in daytime color mode at night failing to engage infrared capabilities, causes typically include:

• Software settings not enabling night vision properly – Doublecheck modes for automatic IR or always active status.
• Dirty or blocked ambient light sensor tricking camera into thinking conditions brighter than they are. Clean sensor covering window.
• Faulty IR cut filter not shifting position when low light conditions occur so IR can’t pass to sensor. May need replacement.
• Characteristics of certain camera technologies such as thermal don’t require traditional night modes. Depends on hardware.

Refer to manufacturer guides to set software correctly, maintain sensors debris-free and test hardware night vision functionality consistently.

Call for tech support if problems persist.

How Do I Turn On Night Vision On My Security Camera?

Enabling night vision depends slightly on camera model but typically involves either manually switching modes in software settings or programming automatic transition at certain low ambient light thresholds through configuration menus.

• Log into your security camera management interface via desktop or mobile app to access controls. Locate video settings sections.
• Seek out mode options with names like night vision, IR mode, low light compensation, night mode etc.
• Set the mode to always active at night or by light levels like 20 lux or below when dark enough.
• Save settings changes for the camera firmware or system to now engage night vision automatically pointing forward.

Refer to camera manufacturer guides for details on optimal modes and additional controls supporting night vision usage if needing finer tuning for best video quality after dark.

How Do I Know If My Security Camera Has Night Vision?

To determine if a security camera, IP webcam, doorbell cam or other surveillance camera hardware has onboard support for night vision:

• Check product specifications for the model number – Details like IR or infrared capability, IR LED count, night vision range in feet or meters all confirm ability.
• Examine camera body and lens for IR LEDs around perimeter – These LEDs glow faintly purplish when in night vision mode. Their presence clearly indicates equipped properly.
• Switch to nighttime mode and watch live view video turn from full color to high contrast black and white imagery – Only cameras processing infrared light spectrums from integrated or external IR spotlights can show usable footage at night.

So combining physical examination of camera components, published technical specifications from the manufacturer and practical testing of video quality after dark definitively proves true night operation.

Why My Security Camera Is Dark In Daytime?

If security camera image quality appears dark, grainy or black during daytime hours, possible reasons include:

• Lens cap still on. Remove protective cover from lens exterior.
• Polarized lens filter for glare reduction could be limiting light intake significantly.
• Wrong camera location facing away from best light sources during peak daylight hours.
• Dust/dirt built up across lens glass or sunshade visor overhanging too far.
• Exposure compensation and brightness turned down incorrectly in video settings.
• Tinted glass or dark transparent covers filtering out higher light wavelengths.

Start troubleshooting with simple solutions like removing caps and cleaning debris off glass.

Then reconsider positioning, settings adjustments and unnecessary shading elements before assuming hardware flaws.

How Do I Make My Camera Clear At Night?

Achieving nicely clear and crisp security camera footage at night for visibility of people, vehicles and property details requires:

• Functioning IR LEDs providing ample infrared illumination reach
• Clean lens housing for maximal light transmission to sensor
• Proper megapixel resolution for digital zooming clean images
• Sufficient image processing power to sharpen imagery after capture
• Fine-tuned software exposure compensation and brightness
• Lack of competing ambient light sources like streetlamps causing overexposure

Optimizing these factors significantly improves video quality after sunset. Match night vision distances to coverage goals as well based on surveillance monitoring needs both near and farther field.

Do All CCTV Cameras Work In The Dark?

No, not all CCTV camera models can capture video and see clearly after dark or in very low light conditions without sufficient ambient or external illumination provided at the location.

Standard analog CCTV and lower resolution IP cameras tend to depend on IR LEDs to see at night. Models without IR simply won’t function fully in the dark.

So check for specifications showing IR LEDs and supported night vision distances when buying cameras intended for 24/7 operation in varying light levels throughout the day and night.

How Do I Force My Hikvision Camera Into Night Mode?

Forcing Hikvision brand security cameras into night or “DarkFighter” infrared mode manually for testing the night vision consists of:

1. Accessing the camera web interface manager typically by IP address
2. Navigating to Configuration > Video Settings menus
3. Locating Night-to-Day Switching or Day/Night Mode controls
4. Choosing Always IR or DarkFighter mode
5. Saving settings change to camera

This triggers the IR cut filter to move out of the way and let infrared light hit the sensor plus activates IR LEDs to glow parking lot levels of illumination onto the scene.

Verify night vision kicks in on the live view. Boost IR brightness if needed.

How Far Can Security Cameras See At Night?

Most mainstream security cameras with integrated infrared LEDs for night vision boast ranges under 100 feet or 30 meters of visibility after dark for discerning people, objects and details.

Higher end models tout 325+ foot distance claims albeit under ideal conditions. Key factors impacting functional night vision scope consist of:

• Number and power of IR LEDs
• IP camera resolution and sensor sensitivity
• Lens quality and maximum aperture
• Presence of external IR illumination
• Environmental conditions in deployment location

So carefully match claimed detection claims against your property monitoring needs when selecting security cameras for installation.

How Can I Convert My Mobile Camera To Night Vision?

To allow mobile device or smartphone cameras capture usable quality still images or video in severely low light scenes like dead of night almost to total darkness levels requires:

• Adding dedicated and properly-aimed infrared spotlights to flood area in IR illumination invisible to naked eye but detectable by camera sensor similar to CCTV camera IR LED setups.
• Using a physical night vision filter overlay across the mobile device lens tuned to only allow infrared waves from 700nm to 1200nm to pass through to the imaging sensor while filtering out all visible light spectrum waves.

So essentially mimicking security camera IR active approaches allows otherwise basic mobile phone or tablet cameras able to pick up objects in the dark.

The key remains bathing target areas in infrared radiation aligned to the lens field of view. Ambient IR alone rarely proves sufficient.

But strapping some four 850nm IR LEDs surrounding the mobile device lens delivers decent visibility up to 20-30 feet away.

Conclusion

Getting security camera night vision working properly is crucial. We covered key reasons footage goes dark or fuzzy after hours and steps to troubleshoot.

I hope you now understand the most common fixes like adjusting software settings, cleaning components, or calling in an installation pro when needed.

Remember – acting quickly when problems arise, ensuring cameras have IR capabilities, and maintaining visibility after hours deters crime.

Here’s to many years of crystal clear night vision keeping your property secure around the clock.