A CCTV system is only as reliable as the cable feeding it. Cameras across Punjab and Haryana - at shop counters in Bathinda, dairy farms outside Malout, godown gates near Sirsa, and apartment lobbies in Dharamshala - all rely on the same basic infrastructure: a power cable that delivers steady 12 V DC and a signal cable that carries video back to the DVR or NVR. Get the cable right and the system works for years with grainy-free, drop-free footage. Get it wrong and you spend weekends climbing ladders to chase loose connectors and dim images. This guide covers what each cable does, when to use which, and how to size them correctly for typical Indian installations.
What a CCTV Camera Cable Actually Does
Most analog CCTV installations use two cables that run side by side from each camera to a central DVR location. The first is a 2 core 0.75 sq.mm copper cable that carries 12 V DC power from a switch-mode power supply (SMPS) to the camera. The second is an RG6 coaxial cable that carries the analog video signal back to the DVR. The two are usually pulled together as a pair, often pre-bonded into what dealers call a 3+1 or 4+1 cable. The number before the plus refers to coaxial conductors and the +1 refers to the power pair.
IP cameras work differently. They use a single Cat5e or Cat6 network cable that carries both Ethernet data and Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) on the same four pairs. For most existing analog installations across North India, however, the 2 core copper plus RG6 combination remains the standard. It is what local electricians stock, what most off-the-shelf 4 channel and 8 channel HD-CVI / HD-TVI / AHD DVRs expect, and what is easiest to maintain.
Cable Type 1: The Power Cable
Ramros CCTV 3+1 Composite Cable combines one coaxial video section with three insulated copper conductors for camera power and supporting connections. Its integrated construction helps installers route compatible analog CCTV connections through one protected cable run, reducing clutter and simplifying installation.
If you are wiring a row of shops in a market or a perimeter installation around a small farmhouse and the camera is sitting more than 50 metres from the SMPS, do not stretch a single 0.75 sq.mm cable. Either step up to 1.0 or 1.5 sq.mm copper, or place a local 12 V power supply at the far end and run only the video signal back. A camera receiving 9 V instead of 12 V usually still gives an image, but in low light it switches in and out of IR mode, and motion detection becomes unreliable.
Cable Type 2: The Video Signal Cable (RG6)
Video for analog HD cameras travels along an RG6 coaxial cable. RG6 has a thicker copper-clad steel inner conductor, foam polyethylene dielectric, and dual aluminium foil and braid shielding inside a PVC jacket. The construction matters: the dielectric keeps the impedance steady at 75 ohm, the dual shield blocks interference from nearby AC lines and motors, and the inner conductor carries the high frequencies of HD video without significant loss.
Older installations sometimes used RG59. It works for short SD analog runs but loses too much signal at the higher frequencies of HD-CVI, HD-TVI and AHD over modern distances. For any new install in 2026 - whether at a clinic in Solan, a college in Hisar, or a wholesale godown in Mansa - RG6 is the default choice. Ramros RG6 ships in 90 m, 180 m and 305 m rolls so contractors can choose the right size for the job without wastage.
Choosing Between 3+1, 4+1 and Separate Cables
The 3+1 cable bonds an RG-style coax with three small power conductors. The 4+1 adds a fourth conductor, typically used for audio or as a spare. Both save labour because you pull a single combined cable instead of two. The downside is that combined cables are harder to terminate cleanly with separate connectors, and if either the power or the video pair fails, you replace the entire run.
For installations where reliability matters more than convenience - a fuel pump in Goniana, a jewellery showroom on Mall Road in Shimla, a cold store on the Bathinda-Malout highway - running separate Ramros 0.75 sq.mm 2 core copper plus RG6 coaxial cable is still the cleaner choice. You get cleaner terminations, easier troubleshooting, and the ability to upgrade the video cable independently when the system moves to higher resolution.
Sizing for Typical Installation Lengths
A small shop installation rarely runs more than 15 to 20 metres of cable per camera. Up to about 30 m, 0.75 sq.mm copper power and RG6 video work well together for a 1080p HD analog camera. Between 30 and 60 m, you can either step the power cable up to 1.0 sq.mm or move the SMPS closer; the video on RG6 still travels cleanly. Beyond 100 m, even RG6 starts losing signal at HD frequencies, and that is when video baluns and Cat6 begin to make sense.
Most homes and shops in India fit comfortably inside the 30 to 60 m bracket, where Ramros CCTV 3+1 Composite Cable provides a convenient combined route for compatible analog video and power connections. Long perimeter runs in farmhouses or warehouses may require separate RG6 and correctly sized power conductors, or an IP camera setup using CAT6 and PoE.
Indoor, Outdoor and Conduit Considerations
All CCTV cables should be inside conduit wherever they are accessible to people, animals or weather. Punjab summers push surface temperatures above 60°C and monsoons bring driving rain into eaves and parapets. Both PVC sheaths on Ramros CCTV cables hold up well to indoor and protected outdoor use, but direct UV exposure for years will eventually crack the jacket. The simple fix is to run cables inside Ramros 16 mm or 25 mm conduit pipe wherever they leave a wall, cross a roof, or sit exposed.
For underground or exterior wall runs, use UV-resistant conduit or armoured cable, and seal any junction boxes against ingress. Where the cable enters and exits a wall, leave a small drip loop so any water that does get in drips off rather than running into the conduit.
Connector and Termination Choices
On the camera and DVR ends, RG6 typically terminates in a BNC connector. Twist-on BNCs are fast and forgiving, but compression BNCs (with a proper crimp tool) give a much more reliable connection that resists pulling and corrosion. For a long-term install, compression connectors and a small dab of dielectric grease at outdoor terminations are well worth the extra two minutes per camera.
On the power side, the 2 core copper terminates in a male DC plug at the camera and screw terminals at the SMPS. Maintain consistent polarity (centre positive on most CCTV power supplies), and label each pair if you are wiring more than three or four cameras. Future maintenance becomes far easier.
When to Move to IP Cameras and Cat6
If the project is greenfield and the budget allows, IP cameras with PoE on Cat6 give you better resolution scaling, cleaner cable runs (one cable instead of two), and easier multi-site networking. Most modern apartment projects, schools and hospitals in India now default to IP. Analog HD with RG6 still wins on cost for small shops and homes, on simplicity for non-technical owners, and on existing wiring upgrades where the conduit was already pulled with coax in mind.
Bottom Line
Run cables inside conduit wherever exposed, use compression BNCs at terminations, and step up wire sizes for runs longer than 50 metres. Done right, the system runs for years without dim images, dropouts or weekend ladder calls.
