Help please !! - how can I switch IR on cctv cam on/off?

[Das]

Hi, Just getting a bit of an electonics bug after setting up a nestbox IR
CCTV cam in the school where I teach (nothing adventurous - just plug and
play).

I have a problem though that I hope someone can help me with. Basically, the
cam works in colour during daylight, which is nice for seeing the colours of
the birds etc. and IR at night, lit by the 12 IR leds surrounding the lens.

The only thing is that it constantly flicks to IR when the shadows from the
trees outside fall across the box, meaning that the picture is unstable and
the motion detection software that it is routed to fails.
However, today when I used the wrong power adapter (12v 1000ma instead of
the usual 12v 500ma) the infra red part stopped working and it reverted to
regular colour, though everything worked fine again when I used the correct
adapter.

What I want to know is a) does anyone here know why this happens? and is it
safe to use this as a switching method so that I can turn off the IR during
the day? - Without damaging either the cam or the leds?

Thanks in advance

 

[Nicholas Sherlock]

Das wrote:

However, today when I used the wrong power adapter (12v 1000ma instead of
the usual 12v 500ma) the infra red part stopped working and it reverted to
regular colour, though everything worked fine again when I used the correct
adapter.

That should have made no difference at all - Devices draw as much
current as they need. Are you sure that the adapters are both 12v?

Cheers,
Nicholas Sherlock