Put CCTV and network equipment on a dedicated critical-load circuit supplied by the hybrid inverter/battery, use PoE to centralise camera power, retain local recording when WAN fails, and add a small UPS where zero-reboot ride-through or graceful recorder shutdown matters. Size the battery from the full 24-hour digital load.
The points that change the decision
- Map power and data dependencies together.
- Back up the modem/ONT or Starlink, router, switches, access points, cameras and recorder—not only the Wi-Fi router.
- Use local CCTV recording so loss of internet does not mean loss of evidence.
- Test grid loss, WAN loss, low battery and recovery as separate failure scenarios.
The dependency chain most installations overlook
A camera can have power and still be unreachable because the PoE switch or router is off. A router can broadcast Wi-Fi while the fibre ONT or Starlink terminal has no backup. Cloud camera alerts can disappear when internet fails even though local recording continues. Draw the chain before sizing anything.
For a typical IP system the chain is: charging sources → inverter/battery → protected critical distribution → modem or satellite terminal → gateway/router → PoE switch → cameras and access points, with the NVR connected to the same protected network. Each device's measured watts and required hours belongs in the energy model.
Use a layered power architecture
Ubiquiti's official gateway and switch guidance recommends UPS or battery backup against local power instability. Select equipment and voltage standards appropriate to the actual market and installation.
- 1
Main hybrid supply
Solar, grid and optional generator charge the central battery; the inverter feeds a labelled critical-load board.
- 2
Dedicated digital circuit
CCTV and network racks stay separate from AC, pumps, heating and kitchen loads that can exhaust backup unexpectedly.
- 3
PoE distribution
A standards-compatible PoE switch centralises camera/access-point power and makes one protected location easier to manage.
- 4
Short UPS ride-through
A line-interactive or online UPS can bridge inverter transfer, protect sensitive equipment and allow graceful NVR shutdown; it is not a substitute for the main energy bank.
- 5
Monitoring
Track battery state, inverter events, device uptime and WAN status so a partial failure is visible before an incident.
Build the 24-hour digital load
Small individual wattages become substantial because they run continuously. Use maximum PoE budget for equipment selection, but use measured or realistic device consumption for energy sizing.
| Equipment | Illustrative quantity | Planning watts | Daily energy |
|---|---|---|---|
| IP cameras | 8 | 96 W | 2.30 kWh |
| NVR with drives | 1 | 65 W | 1.56 kWh |
| PoE switch overhead | 1 | 30 W | 0.72 kWh |
| Router / gateway | 1 | 18 W | 0.43 kWh |
| Wi-Fi access points | 2 | 30 W | 0.72 kWh |
| Starlink Standard | 1 | 75–100 W | 1.80–2.40 kWh |
| Total | — | 314–339 W | 7.53–8.13 kWh/day |
Illustrative values only. Starlink publishes 75–100 W average for current Standard kits; replace every row with exact models or measurements.
Keep security useful when the internet is down
Local cameras and NVR should continue recording on the LAN without cloud access. Confirm that time remains accurate, motion rules run locally where expected, and users can export evidence directly from the recorder. Cloud-only designs need an explicit offline limitation statement.
For remote alerts during primary-WAN failure, use a supported secondary connection or cellular failover and test the routing behaviour. Dual-WAN does not help when both modems share an unprotected outlet, and a powered Starlink dish still needs a clear sky view to remain connected.
- Give infrastructure devices reserved addresses or managed discovery.
- Use unique administrator accounts and configuration backups.
- Separate user, IoT and camera traffic where the equipment supports it.
- Protect outdoor cabling, surge paths and earthing—not just the rack.
Commission failure modes, not just normal operation
Turn off the grid and observe transfer, camera recording, Wi-Fi, WAN and battery draw. Then disconnect the WAN while power remains, reboot the PoE switch, simulate low battery and restore each source. Record recovery time and any device that requires manual intervention.
A handover should include the network diagram, critical-circuit schedule, device list, IP plan, admin ownership, backup files, battery thresholds and a one-page outage procedure. Without these, three working subsystems can still fail as one combined system.
Eight cameras plus Starlink for eight backup hours
Using the illustrative 314–339 W digital load, eight hours requires approximately 2.5–2.7 kWh of useful AC energy before conversion losses and reserve.
Plan all three systems together
Create one connected property plan for power, CCTV, internet and smart-home priorities.
Primary sources used
Manufacturer and official Nigerian sources support technical or market claims. Worked examples remain SFP Technologies planning scenarios, not product guarantees.
Starlink power requirements
Official average and idle consumption for current Starlink kit families.
Official source ↗Ubiquiti gateway backup guidance
Official recommendation to use UPS or battery backup for power instability.
Official source ↗Ubiquiti PoE fundamentals
Official explanation of active PoE negotiation and powered-device roles.
Frequently asked questions
Will CCTV keep recording if the internet is down?＋
A properly designed local IP-camera and NVR system should continue recording over the LAN. Remote viewing and cloud alerts may stop unless there is a backup WAN.
Should the router have a separate UPS if the building has solar?＋
It can be valuable for transfer ride-through, power conditioning and graceful shutdown, but its runtime should be coordinated with the main battery rather than counted as a separate all-day solution.
How much battery does Starlink need?＋
Current Standard kits publish about 75–100 W average including kit components. Eight hours is roughly 0.6–0.8 kWh before conversion loss and reserve; add router, switches, cameras and recorder to size the real digital system.