EmpireTech Cameras Lose IR at Midnight EVERY night

CCTVnewbie810

CCTVnewbie810

Getting the hang of it
Sep 30, 2025
142
50
USA
I don't understand what has changed over the last few weeks. For some reason, every night, at exactly 00:00, some of my cameras flicker like a reboot and then the IR is underpowered. When they go back to night mode at 18:00 the following afternoon/evening, the IR is good again until midnight. See attached screenshots. Any ideas? I compared the settings from the 1 camera that doesn't do this to the others that do and they are the same. The ones that do it seem to be the IPC-T54IR-ZE models and the one that doesn't is a IPC-B54IR-Z4E S3



Screenshot 2026-08-11 124034.pngScreenshot 2026-08-11 124647.png
 
In addition, the "HouseNorth" and "HouseSouth" cameras were purchased later than the other T54IR-ZE cameras and the "newer" ones seems to be more of a spotlight/hotzone IR than the others...
 
Are you using a Custom Schedule profile? Or day/night ?

Also check your Illumination settings
 
  • Love
  • Like
Reactions: CCTVCam and JDreaming
bigredfish said:
Are you using a Custom Schedule profile? Or day/night ?

Also check your Illumination settings
Click to expand...
I am using customized scene with time plan settings, doesnt make sense though because nothing is set to change at midnight, the illumination settings are below for a camera with issue and one without


WITH ISSUE
1786471495075.png

WITHOUT ISSUE
1786471521535.png
 
Yeah I would look for it being on a schedule at is missing something.

Or a camera is set to blast IR brighter and the POE power blips due to being close to capacity
 
  • Like
Reactions: JDreaming
wittaj said:
Show the schedule that shows when it is switching profiles.
Click to expand...
So I have the schedule set but still have the "Day/Night" section of the settings set to auto, because I was having issues with sunrise/sunset times changing and the Time Plan only being able to change per month. I have been needing to look into the Sunrise/Sunset utility from BP but just haven't found time. Anyways, below are the time plans from the same 2 cameras.

WITHOUT ISSUE CAMERA
1786471884700.png


WITH ISSUE CAMERA

1786471902087.png
 
You know, I hadn't set August for some cameras as when I did this we were very far away from August and usually wait until the month before to get the times closer. But looking at these now, the camera with issue has the times set and the one that doesn't have issue is set to DAY for the whole day in August. The Day/Night auto part is probably overriding it?
 
Those look right - tap on the purple on either side of the day profile and make sure they show

12:59:59 and 00:00:00

If that is good then look at the POE switch and see if you are close to power budget.
 
  • Love
  • Like
Reactions: CCTVCam and JDreaming
CCTVnewbie810 said:
You know, I hadn't set August for some cameras as when I did this we were very far away from August and usually wait until the month before to get the times closer. But looking at these now, the camera with issue has the times set and the one that doesn't have issue is set to DAY for the whole day in August. The Day/Night auto part is probably overriding it?
Click to expand...

Yeah that could do it - been there before like you where I didnt fi yah the setup thinking it would get to it lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: JDreaming
I run Customized scene and Day/Night set to Auto on my 5442's.

What about that light?

Or you might try using manual instead of Smart IR just to see if there's a difference in behavior...

Screenshot 2026-08-11 124647b.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: JDreaming
wittaj said:
Those look right - tap on the purple on either side of the day profile and make sure they show

12:59:59 and 00:00:00

If that is good then look at the POE switch and see if you are close to power budget.
Click to expand...
I can check the POE switch but I am more than certain it isn't close to budget.

I will have to check at night when all the IR is on. I will adjust time settings now for that 35 seconds on all cameras

1786474731129.png
 
CCTVnewbie810 said:
I thought about this too but that light is the same before and after midnight. Also look at the "HouseSouth" camera after midnight. Its completely black.
Click to expand...

HouseSouth is the one I've been focusing on, the others dont seem to have changed much if at all

Missed it but Agree with @wittaj that 35 seconds of null setting would be a likely culprit, and with the carriage light on, Smart IR and Overexposure kick in and dim it
 
  • Like
Reactions: JDreaming and CCTVnewbie810
bigredfish said:
HouseSouth is the one I've been focusing on, the others dont seem to have changed much if at all

Missed it but Agree with @wittaj that 35 seconds of null setting would be a likely culprit, and with the carriage light on, Smart IR and Overexposure kick in and dim it
Click to expand...
Strange because the "HouseSouth" has no other external lights affecting it. The "DriveSouth" is the one with the sconce light and I had also considered that as an issue. At one point the IR from the camera was making the photocell on the light think it was daytime and switching that light off. Either way, I have made the Time Plan and IR/Day/Night settings all match the "FrontNorth" camera which is not having this issue. Will see how it does tonight.

Another weird thing that I wish I took a screenshot of, the "DriveNorth" camera at some point now just seems like it has only 1/2 of the IR power that it used to and has never came back on as bright as previously. This just randomly happened one night and has never been right since.
 
CCTVnewbie810 said:
Strange because the "HouseSouth" has no other external lights affecting it. The "DriveSouth" is the one with the sconce light and I had also considered that as an issue. At one point the IR from the camera was making the photocell on the light think it was daytime and switching that light off. Either way, I have made the Time Plan and IR/Day/Night settings all match the "FrontNorth" camera which is not having this issue. Will see how it does tonight.

Another weird thing that I wish I took a screenshot of, the "DriveNorth" camera at some point now just seems like it has only 1/2 of the IR power that it used to and has never came back on as bright as previously. This just randomly happened one night and has never been right since.
Click to expand...


Duh, I meant DriveSouth
 
  • Like
Reactions: JDreaming
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom