In today's article, I'll be exploring a broken RY54 CCTV camera. This guide will walk you through diagnosing the problem, assessing the internal components, and attempting a temporary fix, all while shedding light on the steps you can take to keep your surveillance equipment running smoothly. I'm explaining the steps I took to help you understand how I approach repairs so you can solve the problem at hand.
Initial Diagnostics
The first step in fixing the RY54 CCTV camera was to check if the power supply was functioning correctly. This is usually a simple yet crucial step because if there's no power, nothing else will work. I verified the output of the power supply using a multimeter and confirmed it was providing the necessary 12 volts, which meant the issue wasn't power-related.
Next, I tried connecting the camera to the CareCam Pro app, which is supposed to communicate with this kind of camera model. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get any signal or pair with the camera, indicating something internal might be wrong. By observing other online videos, I noticed the camera should make a sound upon starting up, which wasn’t happening in this case.
I explored the camera’s external reset button by holding it down for a few seconds, expecting some response or a reset process to kick in. However, there was no sound, no reset action, nothing.
Detailed Examination
With the camera failing to reset and no sound indicating a successful reset, I decided to go a step further by examining it internally. To get inside, I first had to remove a few screws on the back of the camera, which would allow me to lift the cover and peek at the electronics.
Once inside, I noted that the camera housed a PCB with drivers for the motors and the main microcontroller but not everything seemed to be coming from it. Also, nothing seemed immediately burnt or damaged, so I knew there must be an issue deeper within the electronics.
As I opened the back cover, I saw a second PCB that looked like it managed the Wi-Fi functions, along with wires leading to the LEDs and speaker. Interestingly, one of the camera's antenna cables was fake; it was just a dangling wire meant to mimic a second antenna. However, this misleading setup wasn’t likely the root cause of the camera’s failure to operate. It was time to inspect the internal components further to identify any faulty parts.
Internal Inspection and Observations
Diving deeper into the camera's insides, I took a closer look at the main PCB by removing it from the camera body. It didn’t take long to spot an issue: a burnt chip, which seemed integral to powering the camera.
With a multimeter set to continuity mode, I began checking for any shorts across the board. I found evidence of a short between several pins and a USB breakout point, indicating that this was likely linked to the power circuit that converts the supplied 12 volts down to the operating 5 volts.
With the control 5V missing on the board, it was clear why the camera was not powering on.
Diagnosis of Faulty Component
After pinpointing the burnt chip on the PCB, the next step was to identify exactly what it was and how it functioned. Given its location in the circuit, I deduced that it was likely a voltage regulator of some sort. This component essentially steps down the 12 volts from the power supply to the 5 volts needed by the camera’s control circuitry.
Without a microscope, identifying the chip by its markings was tricky since some letters were burnt off, but I could make out a few. My suspicion that it was a buck converter was confirmed after researching online for similar components. I found that it matched the description of a TPS563209, a six-pin SMD Buck converter. With this knowledge, I mapped the circuit connections to verify against the component's datasheet and confirmed the identity.
The good news was that replacing the chip should be straightforward, but the downside was that it would take a few weeks to order and receive a new TPS563209. Meanwhile, I considered a workaround using an LM7805 linear voltage regulator to temporarily supply the necessary 5 volts, allowing me to test the camera's other features.
Potential Solutions and Temporary Fixes
With the faulty component identified but a replacement weeks away, I decided to attempt a temporary fix using an LM7805 linear voltage regulator. This component, although less efficient than the original buck converter, could provide a steady 5 volts from the 12-volt input, which would let me test if the rest of the camera was functioning.
I carefully soldered the LM7805 into the circuit, connecting its output pin to where the original 5-volt output would be. I also ensured a solid ground connection and used a small wire to link the input pin to the 12-volt supply line. This setup, while temporary, was enough to bypass the burnt chip and supply the necessary voltage to the camera's control circuitry.
Once everything was in place, I connected the power to see if the camera would power up. To my relief, the LED on the board lit up, something that hadn’t happened before. The camera even cycled through its boot sequence and searched for a Wi-Fi connection, indicating that the temporary fix was working and the other parts of the camera were likely operational.
Conclusion and Next Steps
With the temporary fix in place and the camera successfully powering on and going through its boot sequence, it was clear that the rest of the device was operational. This was a promising step forward, showing that the main issue was indeed related to the faulty voltage regulation component rather than widespread damage or multiple failures.
The next step will be to order the appropriate replacement chip—the TPS563209 buck converter. Once it arrives, I plan to desolder the temporary LM7805 regulator and carefully install the new component, ensuring the camera's internal power management is restored to its original, efficient state. This will provide a permanent solution to keep the camera functional and reliable.
For anyone tackling similar electronics repairs, I recommend caution and patience, especially when soldering delicate components.
If repairs are something that you enjoy, I'll ask you to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more repair videos as well as other electronics projects.
Additional Resources
On the links below there are examples of the camera that we repaired in the article, as well as some of the tools and materials I use to work on these repairs. If you purchase through them, you are supporting my work and channel at no additional cost for you!
- CCTV Camera - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_ok4H14n
- CCTV System - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_oE1c4ZH
- Precision Screwdriver Set - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_ol785yJ
- Screwdriver Set - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_ooXTDLN
- Multimeter - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_oEL4Cu3
- Soldering Station - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_onAcvzv
- Tweezers - https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_opdn7aT
