Did not use sealant with 30mm hole in external wall - security cameras

[duck155]

Last year I installed a number of (Reolink) security cameras to the outside of the external brick wall of my property.

The wall mount bracket for the cameras is a metal circle, maybe 120mm in diameter, with a cut out in the centre to allow the camera cables to be concealed within the bracket. I drilled the hole in my wall to be where the cut-out of the wall bracket is.

These cameras have really inconvenient, big hardwired pigtail cables, which meant I needed to make a 30mm diameter hole in the wall to have sufficient space for the cable to be fed through.

Once I made the 30mm diameter hole, I fixed the wall mount bracket so that I could feed the cable through the hole and then attached the security camera to the bracket. I did not apply any sealant / silicone to the hole or bracket.

The cameras themselves are sufficiently water tight, so I don't have any concern about the cameras. However, I am worried that leaving such a big hole in my external brick wall without having applied any sealant, even though the hole is sort of covered by a mounting bracket and the camera itself, may lead to damp issues etc for my house/walls. I haven't noticed any damp issues inside or outside and it has been over a year since I installed. However, I started worrying that damp issues could remain undiscovered for a long time and would very much appreciate any advice as to whether I need to take some remedial action etc!

Thanks!

[Someone-Else]

Yes, sealant in the hole.

[duck155]

Thanks - but does it matter the hole has been there for a year? If I put sealant in now is there a risk I may lock in any water which has already seaped in?

[Someone-Else]

Leave the hole as it is then.
If you were to "lock in" any water, where would it be?

[big-all]

my thoughts
do not overthink it
if the brick around and below the hole and bracket remain wet long after the wall say 25mm away above and too the side dry out then there may be trapper/penetrating water if not the water is not entering
your thought off trapped water sealed in is non-existent as that relies on masses off pooled water unable to escaped and held in the area off the hole which can not happen as brick is porous and the hole the other end is open and even a cup off water will easily escape and your likely maximum trapped would be perhaps a teaspoon full that will easilly be absorbed
a picture off your setup may help to understand the brackets

[duck155]

Thanks for all the replies.

It's raining today so haven't removed the cameras from their mounting brackets, but see photos of the cameras in situ.

A couple of the cameras are just above some weep holes - not sure if that helps in the event moisture gets in through the hole to the cavity? I will remove the cameras when the weather dries and show the cut-through in the bracket and the hole in the wall - basically there's a 30mm diameter hole in the brick wall right in the middle of the brackets (but this is concealed by the cameras).

I guess question is should I just leave them alone even though there is no sealant, or remove and seal the 30mm hole to protect building from water ingress?

Thanks

[toolbox]

Unless it is very exposed (rain driving on to the camera frequently) I wouldn't worry. Think of the spiders who need a home!
If it really worries you run a bead around the top half of the mounting leaving the underside clear to drain anything that does find it's way in.
I know what you mean about those chunky plugs, I have them and I have had the odd camera stop working, then unplugging them and refitting them a few times clears the fault.
You don't need to dig out half a ton of silicone from around the wires when it happens.

[fourtytwo]

IMOP if you put sealant in there you may never be able to remove the cables without damage to replace the camera when you need too.
I wouldn't worry so much about water as woodlice etc, for largish holes I use bubblewrap that is easy to remove.
Apart from aesthetics is there any reason you did not use a 50mmsq box on the outside to put the connections in ?

[duck155]

I didn’t use a Wiska or camera junction box purely for aesthetics! Maybe not the smartest! I could have had a much smaller hole if i used an external box as would have only needed to drill a hole big enough to fit a cat 5e/ethernet cable. In hindsight I should have done that.

I’m guessing not many insects will get in as the gap between the mounting bracket and brick wall is pretty small - maybe 5mm at max in some places where mortar is - and any insects would need to get through that to have access to the bigger hole i drilled in the wall.

Thanks.