topic Re: Significant overnight charge drop in (4) VMC2330B Essential cameras using VMA3600B solar panels in Arlo Essential Security Camera

Significant overnight charge drop in (4) VMC2330B Essential cameras using VMA3600B solar panels

omihakkei — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 23:47:41 GMT

We have (4) Essential cameras at a vacation home, four years and counting. They have been flawless.

I scan the cameras almost daily via the Arlo Secure app. The solar panels keep the cameras at 98, 99, 100% charge day to day, even during rainy periods. Overnight last night, they all mysteriously dropped into the 40% range. Today, the solar panels have brought them back up into the 65% range (see screenshot). No events, no recordings, no power outage, no loss of WiFi, and the overnight temp was a fairly typical 49ºF. This sort of drop has never occurred. Each camera has its own solar panel.

Any thoughts as to the dramatic drop? It's more a curiosity than a concern. Thank you.

Re: Significant overnight charge drop in (4) VMC2330B Essential cameras using VMA3600B solar panels

jguerdat — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 14:22:50 GMT

Any chance you're using activity zones? Activity outside the zones are still recorded but then discarded by the servers.

The other possibility is that the cameras couldn't connect to the router for some reason. You state no power outage so that seems unlikely but something interfering with the signal could be the cause.

Re: Significant overnight charge drop in (4) VMC2330B Essential cameras using VMA3600B solar panels

omihakkei — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 21:50:48 GMT

Both are possibilities. Activity zones are in use, and yes, the router may have dropped off during an (undetected) loss of internet service.

Re: Significant overnight charge drop in (4) VMC2330B Essential cameras using VMA3600B solar panels

jguerdat — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 14:54:01 GMT

Loss of Internet wouldn't kill the batteries since the cameras are still connected to your WiFi. You just wouldn't get any recordings and the cameras would be noted as offline.