CCTV Camera & Security Housing Cooling Fan
A camera housing is the hardest place to move air: there is almost no volume to work with, the fan sits behind the lens where noise is picked up by the microphone, and an outdoor unit has to keep running through rain, dust and direct sun. We build 25–80 mm DC fans for camera bodies, PTZ domes, IR illuminator boards, NVR chassis and outdoor housings, including IP68 sealed versions for pole-mounted cabinets.
Part of: cooling fan applications · also relevant to telecom cabinets.
What a camera fan has to survive
- A 25–60 mm footprint, 7–15 mm thick. The fan has to sit between the sensor board and the housing wall, so frame size is fixed by the mechanical design, not by airflow.
- Rain, dust and washdown. An IP55 fan in a housing that takes driven rain will ingest water through the motor bore. For exposed mounts we build an IP68 version with a sealed stator and potted lead exit.
- Sun load and winter cold. A housing in direct summer sun reaches 60 °C inside while a winter installation can drop below freezing overnight — both ends of the range stress the lubricant.
- Night-time acoustic noise. Sound carries on an outdoor site. A 40 mm fan at 8,000 rpm is audible at several metres; a larger, slower fan or a temperature-controlled speed curve solves it.
Fan sizes and voltages for CCTV equipment
| Frame | Typical position | Voltage | Models |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25–30 mm | compact IP camera body, lens module | 5 V, 12 V DC | DC 2510, DC 3010 |
| 40 mm | bullet camera, IR board, encoder | 5 V, 12 V DC | DC 4010, DC 4015 |
| 50–60 mm | dome camera, NVR chassis | 12 V DC | DC 5010, DC 6015 |
| 80 mm | outdoor housing, small cabinet | 12 V, 24 V DC | DC 8025, DC 8038 |
| 172 mm, IP68 | pole-mounted cabinet, shelter | 24 V DC | DC 17251 IP68 |
Three failures we see in the field
- A standard fan in a housing with a drain path. Water enters, sits in the motor bore and the winding fails in the first wet season. The cost of the IP68 version is a fraction of a site visit.
- No filter on a dusty site. Dust builds unevenly on the impeller, the fan goes out of balance and the bearing wears out long before its rated life.
- The fan runs at constant full speed. Continuous maximum speed pulls in dust around the clock and produces the noise complaints that follow. A temperature-controlled version is quieter and lasts longer.
How to specify a camera fan
- Frame size and thickness that the housing can accept, plus the screw hole pattern.
- IP level: IP55 inside a sealed housing, IP68 for exposed or washdown positions.
- Rail: 5 V, 12 V or 24 V, with the tolerance the camera PSU holds.
- Acoustic target measured at 1 m, if the unit has a microphone or sits on a residential wall.
- Lead length and connector, since the fan is usually wired into the camera harness.
Questions from camera and housing makers
Can a normal fan be used outdoors?
Only inside a housing that is itself sealed against rain. If the fan is exposed, or sits behind a louvre that can take driven rain, specify the IP68 version: the stator is sealed and the lead exit is potted, so water cannot track into the winding.
Do you supply 5 V fans for camera modules?
Yes, 5 V DC windings are available across the 25–60 mm range. Send the current draw and the rail tolerance, because a 5 V rail that sags under load will stall a small fan before it stalls a larger one.
How do I keep the fan quiet at night?
Use the largest frame the housing allows at lower speed, and add a temperature-controlled version so the fan idles when the camera is cool. A 60 mm fan at 2,500 rpm moves the same air as a 40 mm fan at 6,000 rpm, at a much lower noise level.
Related: Telecom cabinets · Medical devices · All DC axial fans
Send the housing drawing and the ambient you expect, and we will shortlist two or three frames with the right IP level. Ask for a selection.