PoE vs. High-Voltage Outdoor Security Lighting – Part 2 of 2

As we acknowledged in Part 1 of this 2-part series, outdoor security lighting is an effective crime deterrent recommended by security experts for both residential and commercial properties. Home and business owners wishing to secure their properties with outdoor lighting can choose to power the installation in one of two ways: high-voltage power or Power over Ethernet (PoE). In Part 1, we explored the dangers and limitations of high-voltage power. Here, we’ll discuss the alternative – low-voltage PoE.

Low-Voltage Power: The Smart, Simple Solution

While most outdoor security installations today run on high-voltage power, the alternative solution, Power over Ethernet, is a much newer and more sophisticated technology. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of outdoor PoE security solutions.

Unlike high-voltage power, which is wired with Romex cables and can only be installed by a certified electrician, PoE lighting is wired with Cat cables and is easy for anyone to install or retrofit. An added convenience of PoE lighting is that the Cat cables which power the lights are the same cables which power IP security cameras. In fact, with PoEWit lights in particular, PoE Pass-Through technology sends power from the light to a connected camera. Each light has one PoE-in port and two PoE-out ports. If cameras are already deployed and security lighting is being retrofitted into the existing installation, the installer can simply disconnect the Cat cable from the camera, connect it to the light’s PoE-in port, and then run a Cat cable from one of the PoE-out ports on the light back to the camera.

For further details on the installation process and PoEWit’s PoE Pass-Through technology, check out the video at the end of this article.

In addition to being much simpler and easier to install than high-voltage lighting, PoE lighting is also significantly safer. Installing an outdoor PoE security solution greatly reduces the risk of serious electric shock. A major pitfall of high-voltage power is that Romex cables become hazardous when exposed to moisture or rain. On the other hand, Cat cables do not. PoE lighting is so safe and easy to install that there’s no need to even hire an electrician. Any low-voltage installer can deploy PoE lighting.

Time efficiency is another advantage of PoE lighting, as installers can wire security lights and cameras at the same time. Instead of needing to coordinate plans with an electrician, low-voltage installers can develop and execute their own plan for a more efficient, cohesive installation. It’s not only the installation process that’s time-efficient, but also the configuration process. Once wired, PoEWit security lights can be configured with quickly and easily via the free PoEWit app (iOS/Android). Within the app, users can power devices on/off, set schedules (to trigger lights at predefined intensity levels during specific timeframes), and control which light(s) a motion detector will turn on, for what duration, and at what luminosity. App-based controls make low-voltage lighting a significantly more flexible solution than high-voltage, settings can be changed by the user at any time. On the other hand, high-voltage installations have fixed relays and DP contactors, preventing configuration settings from being changed without rewiring the entire system.

Yet another distinct advantage – one which is specific to PoEWit’s outdoor security lighting – is that installing a PoEWit light in the vicinity of an outdoor security camera enables the camera to record in high-definition color at night, as opposed to low-resolution black and white, thereby increasing the probability that a perpetrator could be clearly identified if vandalism or theft were caught on camera.

In summary, when compared to high-voltage, PoE is a far superior choice. PoE security solutions are safer, quicker, and cheaper to install, easier to retrofit, and offer much greater flexibility for users, thanks to their app-based configuration and controls.