PT-3 power leads are used to connect pre-made Siamese coax cable for security camera to a DC power supply box. They are also referred to as 12V DC power cable leads, CCTV DC power pigtails, and security camera power connectors. PT-3s provide 6 inches of 8 gauge power cable and a female plug type connector. The diameter of the connector is 2.1mm which is the standard size used in low voltage applications.
We also supply PT-4 male security camera power connectors here. Sometimes there is confusion around which is male and which is female. Please refer to this male / female power jack comparison to be sure that you are buying the right type.
The above diagram shows to use a PT-3 power lead to connect pre-made Siamese CCTV cables to a multi-channel power supply box. The 2.1mm female end of the PT-3 plugs into the power portion of the Siamese cable. Then the raw cable ends connect to the power supply box with screw terminals. The BNC video end of the cable connects to the back of the DVR (Not shown connected in the picture). You can see additional pictures that show how to connect CCTV cables to a power supply box here.
If you plan to use RG59 Siamese cable spools to install DC powered security cameras . Your DC cameras will most likely have a 2.1mm male power input plug. In order to attach the 18/2 power cable from the RG59 Siamese, installers can attach a PT-3 power lead to the 18 gauge power cable using butt connectors, B connectors, or the power wire connector of their choice.
Here is a complete HD CCTV camera installation diagram that uses an RG59 cable with an individual power transformer powering the camera from the DVR side of the cable run. You may click on the image for a higher resolution view.
We have the following installations guides available if you want to learn more about how to wire security camera systems (analog CCTV and HD).
When it comes to CCTV power connectors, there is a lot of confusion regarding this connector is male and which is female. At first it appears that the female connector is actually the male, but the gender designation goes by the center conductor.
The above image shows a close-up of the male and female jacks on a PT-4 and PT-3 connector. The center conductor on the PT-4 is inserted into the body of the PT-3 which is why the PT-4 is referred to as the male power lead and the PT-3 as the female.