# Is a camera needed

**URL:** <https://community.purpleair.com/t/is-a-camera-needed/1254>\
**Category:** Data\
**Created:** [July 15, 2022, 12:15am UTC](https://community.purpleair.com/t/is-a-camera-needed/1254 "2022-07-15T00:15:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![lacnob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9d8465/32.png) [@lacnob](https://community.purpleair.com/u/lacnob)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2022, 12:15am UTC](https://community.purpleair.com/t/is-a-camera-needed/1254/1 "2022-07-15T00:15:06Z")

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A sensor was set up by my Town because people living close to a quarry were complaining about the dust. The sensor has only been online about 10 days. We’re averaging 30’s and 40’s ( Newington CT) but get spikes well over 50 and even 100. As I mentioned, they are only spikes and do not stay high. Would we have to set up a camera to see if “trucks from the quarry” are causing the spikes? Has anyone else used cameras for this purpose? Also, what is Channel A and Channel B? Is it the same as sensor A and sensor B? Newbie here, just learning.

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**Author:** ![Robert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e95f7d/32.png) [@Robert](https://community.purpleair.com/u/Robert)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2022, 5:39pm UTC](https://community.purpleair.com/t/is-a-camera-needed/1254/2 "2022-07-15T17:39:56Z")

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I have a problem with a neighbor’s son, who has a dilapidated diesel truck fetish, which I’ve monitored both via my PurpleAir sensor, and an outdoor webcam. They’re definitely linked, i.e. the start/idle of the dirty truck viewable on the cam, with spikes in my meter, particularly if I’m downwind. So yeah, I think you could draw some correlation between the camera monitoring the sensor spikes, too.

A and B are the two sensors on the device.

Regards,  
Robert

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**Author:** ![lacnob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9d8465/32.png) [@lacnob](https://community.purpleair.com/u/lacnob)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2022, 6:48pm UTC](https://community.purpleair.com/t/is-a-camera-needed/1254/3 "2022-07-15T18:48:50Z")

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Thanks for your input.

Joyce

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**Author:** ![Jasmine\_Bootman](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.purpleair.com/jasmine_bootman/32/369_2.png) [@Jasmine\_Bootman](https://community.purpleair.com/u/Jasmine_Bootman)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2022, 7:06pm UTC](https://community.purpleair.com/t/is-a-camera-needed/1254/4 "2022-07-15T19:06:42Z")

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A camera might be good to have, something particular to observing dust. PurpleAirs are not the best for measuring dust; PM2.5 yes but dust not necessarily. The sensors tend to underestimate compared to reference monitors during dust impacts.

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**Author:** ![lacnob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9d8465/32.png) [@lacnob](https://community.purpleair.com/u/lacnob)\
**Post date:** [July 15, 2022, 9:07pm UTC](https://community.purpleair.com/t/is-a-camera-needed/1254/5 "2022-07-15T21:07:57Z")

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Thanks for your input.