Bosch IR Illuminator 940nm medium range - IIR-50940-MR

Bosch IIR-50940-MR IR Illuminator 940nm Medium Range

Overview

The Bosch IIR-50940-MR is a 940nm covert infrared illuminator designed for surveillance applications where active illumination must remain invisible to the naked eye. Unlike 850nm illuminators that emit a faint visible red glow, the 940nm wavelength of the IIR-50940-MR produces zero visible signature — critical for covert perimeter monitoring, correctional facilities, executive protection sites, and any deployment where lighting presence cannot be disclosed. With a rated range of 135 m (443 ft) on its 10° narrow beam and four swappable beam angles covering 10°, 30°, 60°, and 95°, this unit handles everything from long-corridor coverage to wide-area parking lot illumination from a single hardware platform. Explore the broader Bosch Security product line for compatible cameras and systems.

Key Features

• 940nm True Covert Wavelength: Zero visible red glow at the lens — distinguishes this unit from standard 850nm illuminators. Mandatory for deployments where subjects must not detect active IR lighting, such as covert surveillance, wildlife monitoring installations, or exterior perimeter zones where lighting discipline is a site security requirement.
• Four Field-Selectable Beam Angles (10°, 30°, 60°, 95°): Beam angle determines both coverage width and achievable distance. The 10° narrow beam reaches 135 m (443 ft) — suitable for long fence lines or vehicle entry lanes. Stepping up to 30° covers 65 m (213 ft), 60° covers 40 m (131 ft), and 95° covers 20 m (66 ft) for wide-area courtyard or lobby coverage. Selecting the right angle for your camera's field of view prevents wasted power and uneven illumination.
• Adjustable IR Intensity (10–100%): Full power isn't always optimal — overdriving IR into a narrow scene can saturate the camera sensor and blow out detail. The 10–100% manual intensity range lets you dial in uniform illumination matched to your camera's sensitivity and the scene's reflectance, whether you're covering a light-colored concrete wall at close range or a dark-painted fence at distance.
• Integrated Photocell (20–70 lx Sensitivity): The built-in photocell triggers automatic dusk-to-dawn operation without requiring a separate controller or relay. Sensitivity is adjustable between 20 lx and 70 lx, giving you control over activation threshold — useful when ambient light sources like street lamps could cause premature shut-off or delayed activation.
• 26W Power Draw, 12–32 VDC Wide Input Range: The broad 12–32 VDC input accepts both standard 12V and 24V power supplies without an additional converter, simplifying integration in mixed-voltage installations. At 26W, plan your power supply accordingly — a dedicated supply or a PoE-to-DC converter rated for at least 30W gives you clean headroom. For multi-illuminator runs, factor the aggregate load against your cabinet's total output capacity. See our security power supplies for compatible options.
• IP66 and IK09 Rated Enclosure: IP66 means no ingress from high-pressure water jets — suitable for exterior walls, building overhangs, and exposed mounting positions that take direct weather. IK09 impact resistance (rated to EN 62262) handles a 10-joule mechanical impact, providing meaningful protection against deliberate tampering or incidental physical contact in high-traffic or public-facing locations. This combination makes the unit deployable in conditions where a standard indoor-grade illuminator would fail within a single season.
• -50°C to +50°C Operating Range: Few illuminators are rated below -40°C. The IIR-50940-MR's -50°C floor covers extreme cold-climate deployments — northern border infrastructure, cold-storage facilities, and Nordic or Canadian outdoor installations where ambient temps routinely fall below what most IR units tolerate. The +50°C ceiling handles direct-sun desert and rooftop mounting without thermal shutdown.
• Anodized Aluminum Housing with Polycarbonate Front Window: The anodized aluminum extrusion provides corrosion resistance without the weight penalty of stainless steel, while the polycarbonate front window avoids the glass-cracking risk in high-impact or thermal-shock environments. Total unit weight is 1.06 kg (2.3 lbs), keeping bracket load manageable even at extended arm reach on a parapet or column.
• Stainless Steel U-Bracket Included: The stainless steel U-bracket handles pan and tilt adjustment for aiming. Stainless construction prevents corrosion-driven bracket seizure in coastal or chemical-exposure environments where galvanized or zinc hardware corrodes within 12–24 months. Bracket dimensions are 110 x 125 x 35 mm at 0.2 kg (0.44 lbs) — compact enough for pole or wall surface mounting without requiring a separate adapter plate in most installations.
• 3m (9 ft) Pre-Terminated Cable: The factory-attached 3 m cable eliminates a field termination point at the unit, reducing a common failure source in outdoor wiring runs. Budget this length into your conduit routing plan — if your junction box is more than 3 m from the mounting point, plan a weatherproof splice or extend with a suitably rated cable.
• cULus, FCC Class B, CE, and RCM Listed: Compliance covers North American (UL 2108, UL 8750, CSA C22.2 No. 250.0-08), European (CE LVD, EMC, LED Safety EN 62471 Risk Group 2), and Australian (RCM) markets. UL 2108 specifically covers low-voltage lighting systems, and UL 8750 covers LED equipment — both relevant for AHJ approval in commercial and institutional projects. Review our outdoor IP camera selection for compatible camera pairings.

Integration & Compatibility

The IIR-50940-MR functions as a standalone illuminator and is camera-agnostic — it does not require a Bosch camera or VMS to operate. Any monochrome or day/night camera with IR sensitivity in the 940nm band will benefit from this unit, including most Sony Starvis, Starvis 2, and similar back-illuminated CMOS sensors that retain sensitivity at 940nm. Verify your camera's IR sensitivity spec sheet: some lower-cost sensors show a sharp sensitivity rolloff above 850nm that will reduce effective range below the rated figures. The photocell operates independently, requiring only DC power; no serial or network connection is needed. For large perimeter deployments requiring synchronized illumination zones or intensity control from a central management system, external relay or 0–10V dimming integration will depend on your specific control architecture — the IIR-50940-MR's 10–100% intensity adjustment is set manually at the unit. Pair with compatible network video recorders and day/night cameras for a complete covert perimeter solution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the 940nm wavelength truly invisible, and why does that matter compared to 850nm?

A: Yes — 940nm infrared is outside the range of human vision, producing no visible glow at the illuminator lens. 850nm illuminators emit a faint but detectable red dot visible in low light. For covert installations where subjects must not detect active surveillance lighting, 940nm is the correct choice. Note that 940nm sensitivity varies by camera sensor, so confirm your camera's IR response curve before deployment.

Q: What is the maximum range of the IIR-50940-MR?

A: At the 10° narrow beam setting, the IIR-50940-MR achieves 135 m (443 ft). At 30° the range drops to 65 m (213 ft), at 60° to 40 m (131 ft), and at 95° to 20 m (66 ft). Range is also affected by scene reflectance, camera sensitivity at 940nm, and ambient IR interference.

Q: Can the IIR-50940-MR be used in extremely cold environments?

A: Yes. The operating temperature range extends to -50°C (-58°F), making it suitable for extreme cold-climate outdoor deployments — including northern perimeter security, cold-storage facilities, and arctic-condition infrastructure — where most IR illuminators are not rated to operate.

Q: What power supply is required?

A: The IIR-50940-MR accepts 12 to 32 VDC at up to 26W. This wide input range accommodates both standard 12V and 24V power supplies without a voltage converter. Use a supply rated for at least 30W to ensure clean headroom; dedicated regulated DC supplies are preferred over shared multi-device supplies for stable operation.

Q: Does the photocell turn the unit on automatically at night?

A: Yes. The integrated photocell provides automatic dusk-to-dawn activation. The sensitivity threshold is adjustable between 20 lx and 70 lx, allowing you to tune the activation point based on your site's ambient lighting conditions.

Q: Is the IIR-50940-MR rated for high-vandalism or tamper-prone environments?

A: The IK09 impact rating (per IEC/EN 62262) means the housing can withstand a 10-joule impact — a meaningful level of physical resistance for public-facing or high-risk-of-tampering installations. Combined with IP66 weatherproofing and the stainless steel mounting bracket, the unit is well-suited for exposed exterior positions in correctional, perimeter security, and public infrastructure applications.

Karl Wilson

The IIR-50940-MR earns its place on covert perimeter projects specifically because of that 940nm wavelength — on every deployment where the client requires that subjects cannot detect active IR, this is the spec that matters. A 135 m rated range on the 10° beam is genuinely useful for long fence runs and vehicle approach lanes, but the covert requirement is usually the first filter, and the Bosch IIR-50940-MR clears it cleanly.

Technical Highlights:

• Four Beam Angles in One Housing: 10°/30°/60°/95° interchangeable optics mean you're buying one hardware SKU that covers the full range from long-corridor (135 m/443 ft) to wide courtyard (20 m/66 ft at 95°) — reduces spare-parts inventory on large multi-zone perimeter projects.
• -50°C to +50°C Operating Range: The -50°C floor is unusual in this category. It's the spec that makes this unit viable for northern Canada, Scandinavia, and cold-storage exterior walls where competing illuminators derate or simply aren't rated.
• IK09 + IP66 Dual Rating: The 10-joule impact rating alongside IP66 weatherproofing puts this in a bracket appropriate for correctional facilities, transit infrastructure, and exterior public-access walls — environments where standard IP66-only units get physically damaged within months.

Deployment Considerations:

• Verify your camera's 940nm sensitivity before specifying — sensors with aggressive IR cut filters or low NIR quantum efficiency above 900nm will show meaningfully reduced effective range compared to the rated figures, sometimes by 40–60%. Request the camera manufacturer's relative spectral response curve, not just the headline IR range spec.
• The 3 m factory-attached cable is a fixed constraint. If your conduit run from junction box to mount point exceeds 3 m, plan a rated weatherproof splice junction into your cable management design before installation day — field-improvised splices at the unit are a chronic failure point in outdoor IR installations.

This unit is the right specification for correctional facility perimeter upgrades, military base fence-line coverage, and executive estate exterior zones where covert IR is a firm requirement and the temperature range or IK rating rules out lighter-duty alternatives. If your project is a standard commercial parking lot or building exterior with no covert requirement, an 850nm illuminator at equivalent range will likely cost less and deliver higher effective illumination, since most cameras are more sensitive at 850nm than 940nm.