ThermovisionFLIR SR Series Installation and Operation Manual

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Prior to changing a fuse, turn off the electrical circuit or completely disconnect the camera. 
Make certain that no dangerous condition exists before restoring power. Replace the fuse with a 
fuse that is of the same rating and proper for the circuit. Never use anything other than a fuse of 
proper rating. 
 
 
3.4 Serial Communications 
For serial communications, there are several choices available to the installer and the camera 
user. If the camera is configured for RS-232 protocol, then it may be directly attached to a PC or 
laptop running the FLIR Camera Controller graphical user interface (GUI) software, which is 
included with the camera or downloaded from the FLIR website.  
If the camera is configured for RS-422, then a communication protocol converter (also known as 
a serial 232-422 converter) can be used to connect to a laptop or PC running the appropriate 
GUI software, allowing a longer cable run.  
The following diagram illustrates these communication options. 
 
Figure 3-3: Serial Communications Options 
Warning! Failure to disconnect power to the camera while replacing a fuse could result in 
accidental injury or death or could damage the camera.  
						

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The serial cable should be 100 ohm impedance twisted pair with an overall shield. For RS-232, 
the cable length should be no longer than 50 feet; for RS-422 the cable should be no longer 
than 4000 feet. Many laptops may not have a standard 9-pin serial port, and therefore a device 
such as a USB-serial adaptor may be needed. 
3.5  Sealed Cable Glands 
Cables enter the SR-Series cameras through liquid-tight compression glands. 
Be sure to insert the cables through the cable glands on the rear of the 
enclosure before terminating and connecting to the camera (the terminated 
BNC video cable will not fit through the cable gland). The camera power cable 
(and serial cable, if used) should be inserted through the cable gland on the left 
of the rear of the enclosure, and the video cable should be inserted through the 
cable gland on the right. Leave the glands loosened until the cable installation 
has been completed. 
 
Inspect and install gland fittings with suitable leak sealant and tighten to ensure water tight 
connection. The gland generally will not tighten flush against the back plate. Water intrusion at 
the gland seals due to improper installation will void the warranty. An example of a suitable leak 
sealant is DuPont RectorSeal ® T plus 2 ® non-hardening paste-type pipe sealant with Teflon. 
In order to maintain a proper seal, each cable gland should contain a single cable sheath. 
Installing more than one cable bundle in the cable seal may compromise the seal. If separate 
cables are to be used for power and serial communications, the gland should be changed to a 
Heyco
®-type multi-hole NPT hub, with the hole size dependent on the cable outside diameter 
(http://www.heyco.com/
). 
FLIR Systems, Inc. recommends a minimum cable diameter of 1/4” through the cable glands in 
order to maintain adequate environmental sealing.  
						

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3.6  Analog Video Output 
The analog video signal is accessed via a standard coaxial cable BNC connector and meets the 
requirements of NTSC or PAL video standards, depending on the configuration ordered. The 
analog video signal is intended to drive video coaxial cable (RG-59 or equivalent) and is 
designed to transmit a 75 ohm load with minimum signal loss. Excessive signal loss and 
reflection occurs if cable rated for other than 75 ohms is used. Cable characteristics are 
determined by a number of factors (core material, dielectric material and shield construction, 
among others) and must be carefully matched to the specific application. Moreover, the 
transmission characteristics of the cable will be influenced by the physical environment through 
which the cable is run and the method of installation. 
In video security systems, camera signals must travel from the camera to the monitor. Proper 
termination of cables is essential to a systems reliable performance. The end point of any video 
cable run must be terminated in 75 ohms. Usually, the cable run will end at the monitor, which 
will ensure that this requirement is met. 
3.7 Camera Mounting 
Mounting the SR-Series camera is accomplished using the ¼x20 tripod mount holes on the 
underside of the enclosure foot. FLIR Systems recommends using the supplied hardware. The 
dimensions of the camera mounting foot are provided in the section titled SR-Series Camera 
Specifications for reference.  
The enclosure can be mounted via the enclosure foot to a wall mount, ceiling or pedestal mount, 
or a pan/tilt mechanism on a wall or ceiling. The enclosure should be attached by a minimum of 
two ¼x20 fasteners. For further mounting instructions, see the documentation accompanying 
the fixed or pan/tilt mount. The screws that attach the camera enclosure to its foot are 3/32” 
head hex screws. The screws that attach the sun shield to the foot are 9/64” hex head screws.  
						

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4 INSTALLATION 
Prior to installing the SR-Series camera, be sure to review the general installation procedures 
given above. Each camera system has a fixed-focus lens and it is not necessary to adjust the 
focus when the camera is installed. 
Be sure to insert the cables through the cable glands on the rear of the enclosure before 
terminating and connecting to the camera (the terminated cable will not fit through the cable 
gland). 
Be sure to properly ground the camera according to the information provided in section 3.2 
Ground Connection
. 
 
 
 
4.1 Open Camera Enclosure 
It is necessary to remove the rear of the enclosure in order to access the electrical connections. 
It may also be necessary to remove the front of the enclosure and remove the camera from the 
enclosure in order to access the DIP switches. Note: The SR-Series cameras come pre-
configured for RS-232 communication from the factory and the installer may change the option 
via a DIP switch. The switch would only need to be accessed if changing from the default RS-
232 to RS-422.  
Remove the camera from the enclosure as follows: 
1.  Loosen the two captive hex screws from the rear of the camera enclosure using a 1/8” 
hex wrench as shown in Figure 3-1. 
2.  Pull the back of the environmental enclosure off using the “T” handle. 
3.  If necessary, remove the two Phillips screws on the front of the enclosure as indicated in 
the figure below. 
 
Figure 4-1: Front view of SR-Series camera 
4.  Push the camera assembly out of the front of the enclosure from the back using the 
lower left and right parts of the chassis as push points. The ground cable inside the 
enclosure may have to be temporarily disconnected from the rear plate before removing 
the camera.  
Remove these screws to loosen 
the front of the enclosure 
Do not loosen this screw (screw 
not used on all models) 
 
Caution!  Proper ESD protocol should be followed at all times while working inside the unit.  
						

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4.2  DIP Switch Settings 
The serial protocol (RS-232 or RS-422) is configurable via a DIP switch on the cameras. 
Switch On  Off 
1  Enables 100 ohm 
termination resistor 
(set to On for RS-
422) Removes termination resistor 
(set to Off for RS-232 
communications) 
2 Enables RS-232 
communication Enables RS-422 communication 
 
Note: Daisy-chaining of cameras (point to multi-point configuration) is not supported and the 
termination resistor should always be enabled (On) for RS-422 and disabled (Off) for RS-232. 
 
 
Figure 4-2: Serial Communications DIP Switches  
						

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4.3 Camera Installation 
Instructions for connecting the power, video and communication leads to the camera are given 
below. The power and serial communication leads attach to a detachable connector which is 
inserted into a mating connector on the interface board, as shown in Figure 4-3: SR-Series 
Connections. The power and serial communication leads attach to the detachable connector 
according to Table 1: Power and Serial Pin Designations. 
   Note: the pin numbers are not designated on the connector. 
 
Connector 
Pin Used for Power or Serial 
Communications DB-9 Comments 
1  Serial  2  RS-422: Tx-; RS-232: Transmit Data (TD) 
2 Serial 7 RS-422: Tx+ 
3  Serial  3  RS-422: Rx+; RS-232: Receive Data (RD) 
4 Serial 8 RS-422: Rx- 
5 Serial 5 Signal Ground 
6  Power    Power DC- or AC neutral 
7  Power    Power DC+ or AC line 
  Power    Be sure to connect the ground to the lug inside the rear 
cover, as shown in Figure 3-2: Earth Ground Connection 
Table 1: Power and Serial Pin Designations 
 
1234567 
						

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Figure 4-3: SR-Series Connections 
Installation Steps 
1.  Route the RG-59 video cable through the right-hand gland (when viewing from the rear) 
on the rear enclosure cover and crimp the connector to the end of the cable. Connect 
the cable to the BNC bulkhead connector. 
2.  If necessary, set the SW1 DIP Switches according to the preferred RS-232 or RS-422 
configuration.  
3.  Make sure that the O-rings supplied on the front and rear covers of the camera 
enclosure are free of dirt and debris before reassembly. The O-rings are lubricated with 
silicone grease. 
4.  Insert the SR Series camera assembly into the front of the enclosure aligning the tongue 
on the underside of the interface board bracket with the groove on the inside bottom of 
the enclosure, as shown in Figure 4-4. Press the two components together and ensure 
the O-ring is seated properly.  
 
BNC connector 
for video output 
Ground lu
g 
Power and 
serial 
connections  
						

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Figure 4-4: Tongue and Groove Alignment 
5.  Secure the front cover to the enclosure using the included screws. If the ground cable 
inside the enclosure was disconnected, reconnect it to the ground lug on the rear plate 
of the enclosure. Connect the Earth Ground lead to the Earth Ground Lug on the inside 
of the rear of the enclosure (refer to Figure 3-2: Earth Ground Connection). 
6.  Insert the enclosure sled and rear plate into the enclosure body. Press the two 
components together and ensure the O-ring is seated properly. Secure the rear plate to 
the enclosure with the captive hex head screws. 
7.  Eliminate almost all of cable slack inside the enclosure. Now tighten the cable glands on 
the rear of the enclosure to create an appropriate seal. 
 
 
Bracket Tongue
Enclosure Groove
Bracket Tongue 
Enclosure Groove  
						

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5  OPERATING THE SR-SERIES THERMAL CAMERA 
5.1  Advantages of Thermal Imaging 
Originally developed for the military, thermal imaging cameras are now deployed in numerous 
commercial applications where it is impractical or too expensive to use active illumination 
(lights). They are perfect for wide-area surveillance in critical infrastructure or high-value 
residence installations where lighting is unwelcome or impractical. The cameras also provide 
improved daytime surveillance in environments where traditional CCTV security camera 
performance suffers, such as in shadows, backlit scenes or through foliage. 
 
 
Figure 5-1: Backlit daylight camera on left; thermal image on right  
Observe that the setting sun in the backlit image on the left makes it difficult to discern any 
objects of interest; the thermal image on the right is not affected by the bright sun and therefore 
provides detail and contrast.  
The SR-Series
 is designed to be a drop-in replacement for current systems employing daylight 
cameras. Initial setup of the system includes connecting power supply leads for the input power 
and a BNC cable for monitoring output video. Optionally, a serial cable can be connected to 
allow control of the camera settings. 
5.2 Thermal Imaging 
The SR-Series camera is a state-of-the-art thermal imaging 
system that will provide you with excellent night visibility and 
situational awareness, without any form of natural or artificial 
illumination. The SR-Series camera is easy to use, but you 
should take a moment to carefully read this section so you 
fully understand how to interpret what you are seeing on your 
display and how to use the controls.   
						

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While the imagery you will see on the monitor may at first look similar to ordinary black and 
white daylight video, as you get familiar with the camera you will appreciate the characteristics 
that make thermal imaging distinct.  A few tips on how to interpret some of the imagery will help 
you to make the most of your system.  
The thermal imager inside the camera does not sense light like conventional cameras; it senses 
heat or temperature differences. As you experiment with the system during daylight and 
nighttime operation, you will notice differences in the picture quality; this is normal. The camera 
senses small “differences” in apparent radiation from the objects in view, and, in white hot 
mode, displays them as either white (or lighter shades of gray) for warmer objects, and black (or 
darker shades of gray) for colder objects.  
Your thermal imaging camera relies on the fact that all objects, even very cold objects like ice, 
emit thermal energy in the portion of the infrared spectrum that this camera can “see”, the long 
wave infrared (LWIR). Therefore, unlike an illuminated infrared camera, a thermal imaging 
camera does not need an additional active illumination source and images based on directly 
radiated rather than reflected energy. 
This is why you will see hot objects such as exhaust stacks or vehicle engines that appear white 
(or black, or red depending on the video image mode selected), while the puddles of water and 
other cold objects appear dark (or cool). Scenes with familiar objects will be easy to interpret 
with some experience. The camera automatically optimizes the image to provide you with the 
best contrast in most conditions. 
FLIR Systems, Inc. offers a comprehensive selection of training courses to help you to get the 
best performance and value from your thermal imaging camera. You can find out more at the 
FLIR training web page: http://www.flir.com/training
. 
5.3  Configuration and Control 
Through a serial communications interface, there are various settings available to the user in 
order to optimize image quality for particular applications. These settings are accessible using a 
standard serial cable (refer to the appropriate installation section for cable pin outs). Note: The 
SR-Series cameras come pre-configured for RS-232 communication from the factory by default 
and the installer may change the communications to RS-422 via a DIP switch. 
The SR-Series may be controlled by a PC running a Windows-based software application 
known as the FLIR Camera Controller GUI
2. For information on how to use the software, refer to 
the user guide included with the software.  The software user manual and software updates are 
also available from the FLIR web site:  
http://www.flir.com/cvs/cores/resources/
 
5.4  Flat Field Correction (FFC) 
Periodically the image will momentarily freeze for a fraction of a second while the camera 
performs a flat field correction. A shutter activates inside the camera and provides a target of 
uniform temperature, allowing the camera to correct for ambient temperature changes and 
provide the best possible image. Through the software user interface, the frequency of the FFC 
can be modified and the FFC warning indication can be disabled. 
                                                
 2 Also known as the Tau GUI