Best Way To Dispose Of Old IP Cameras

Parley

Known around here
Dec 19, 2015
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Cypress, California
I have maybe 15 older Dahua and Hikvision IP cameras that I want to dispose of. I have already outfitted two neighbors houses with some of the better cameras and NVRs. These are probably still better than the Costco cameras. Just wondering what some of you have done with your old cameras?
 
Gave away some to family/friends. Traded a couple with people here. Gave some to Goodwill a while ago. Tossed some that were junk. Still have a bunch. Probably should put what's still decent up on ebay but got tired of dealing with knuckleheads there.

We should start a "Pay it Forward" thread for stuff that's just collecting dust that somebody else here might want.
 
Or on terrible cams that have a 12VDVC jack plug in a 24VDC adapter and let the magic smoke out....

I accidentally did that to a 12VDC Shelly 1 Wi-Fi switch last year; the 24VDC wall wart was from an old Engenius radio, it had the EXACT same size coaxial power connector (5.5mm outside x 2.1mm inside ) as the 12VDC ones and I didn't check first. Needless to say the Shelly1 was NOT impressed and I first smelled it then saw the plastic bubbling about the time it started smoking....not the best way to test the UL-approval!

Consider playing Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" while performing the above sacrifice... :headbang::lmao:
 
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I am a bit of a packrat. Comes from growing up in a family that could not afford very many nice things.

So all my old cams are kept in a box, and I even keep failed cameras around for parts, like, imagine a shithead throws a rock and breaks a lens. A camera that just boot loops still has a good lens. One of the more common electronic failures have actually been just the PoE capability not working anymore, so we have two cams I can think of with that issue, and one of them is still in service being powered via its barrel connector.

And when the opportunity arises to donate one to a family cause, I start with the oldest and least desirable first. When the Ubiquiti AirCam (1st gen lol) supply ran out, it became Hikvision DS-2CD2032-I. Although one required a fair amount of zoom so they got a 2MP Dahua starlight varifocal. The model without a built in mic of course.
 
First place I would ask is charity shops or community organisations that would be grateful to have any sort of surveillance camera. Even just so they can use it as a dummy camera.

Otherwise a local metal recycling place might take e-waste.