Troubleshooting camera issues should be performed on site by an experienced technician. If you need help, please contact GRIDSMART Support.


Before installing the GRIDSMART system, all components should be tested at the intersection prior to installation. This will reduce troubleshooting time significantly and allow to quickly determine where the actual problem lies.


  • Verify the system is installed per GRIDSMART's specifications.
    • Cable is less than 300' (if no repeater)
    • Cable is solid copper core, shielded, burial-grade Cat5e
    • Only one end of the drain wire is grounded to the EPM ground lug
    • Cabinet and mounting structure are well grounded and measure 5 ohms or less. 

  • Are the lights on the Processor's Camera Port active? Verify the RJ-45 connectors are configured correctly. Next, try plugging the cable into the second camera port. 

  • Verify your laptop's network is set to DHCP and that it is obtaining an IP address in the 192.168.150.xx range.

  • Does the Client show a (yellow) question mark on the site card or when site is opened?  If yes, it is most likely a wiring issue.  If not, it may be an issue with the Client or with the Camera itself*.

  • Check voltage: Open the Diagnostic window in the Client, 48V should read at or near 48V. The Processor supplies power to the camera via POE.  If there is no voltage, unplug the Camera and see if the 48V returns.  If it does, there is likely a short between the Processor and the Camera. If the 48V does not return the Processor will need to be repaired.

  • If you have a spare camera, plug it directly into the Processor. If an image is obtained then the problem is in the cabling, EPM, Junction box, or the Camera itself.

  • If you have a spare Processor, plug the Camera cable into the new Processor.

  • Bypass the EPM and plug the Camera cable directly into the Processor to eliminate a bad EPM. If an image is obtained, replace the EPM.

  • Use a quality network tester to verify cable length and RJ-45 configuration such as the Triplett LVPRO30.

  • Have there been any storms recently? If so, the Junction box will absorb most transient strikes. Try bypassing the Junction with a RJ-45 coupler.

  • Intermittent Camera images should be treated as a wiring issue and normal wiring troubleshooting steps would apply -- to include looking at cable length and the possibility that a repeater is needed.

    These steps work for each Camera in a multiple Camera system


    You could also VNC into the Processor and open the GRIDSMART Server icon in the lower-right task tray to see Camera information. It will show HostName, EndPoint IP address, Camera MAC address, and more. Then use the IP address in the browser to connect to the Camera and see the imagery. But that may not be adequate. Seeing an image in the browser does not mean it's communicating at the required data rates to operate with the Engine. With proper grounding, draining, and after ruling out connections/hardware in the path, it's likely a cabling issue.


    Some things that can cause cabling issues:

    1. Cable longer than 300'. Even if the distance has been measured above ground, there may be extra cable coiled in pull boxes or in the bottom of the pole.
    2. Cable bent/kinked/pinched in conduit or pull boxes. Or if the conduit is extremely full, the installers may have pulled too hard and stretched or broke the wire inside.
    3. Connectors improperly crimped
    4. EMI not properly drained
    5. Bad grounding


    *It is possible that the camera is returning an all black image, and this will show in Client as solid black image. The Engine camera window in VNC will also show a solid black image with zones, etc. This is not the same as an offline camera. An offline camera will show the missing image (black with question mark) in the Client and the Engine will show the text "No image" in its camera window.