topic Re: Battery quickly empty in Arlo Video Doorbell Wire-Free

Battery quickly empty

Wjca — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 11:19:10 GMT

Hey,
On 21 July my video Doorbell wire-free was installed, also the battery was loaded 100% (green light was on and via the app it said 100%)
Now after 1 week + 1 day the battery is saying 48%
I find this worrying I was hoping that the battery would last a bit longer. Could there be something wrong?
In average the camera detect's about 8 movements a day.
Please help.

Re: Battery quickly empty

StephenB — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 11:32:02 GMT

@Wjca wrote:

On average the camera detect's about 8 movements a day.

Are you using activity zones? If you are, then try disabling them, and see how many recordings you get. The activity zones don't improve the battery life, they just supress recordings that are out of the zone.

@Wjca wrote:
Now after 1 week + 1 day the battery is saying 48%

Is there doorbell wiring at the location? If there is, you could potentially wire up a compatible transformer (8-24 V). That will trickle-charge the battery.

Re: Battery quickly empty

Wjca — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 12:09:01 GMT

Yes I have activity zones, I live next to a busy road, the camera would go nuts and me too.

I have been looking at the possibility to hardwire the Doorbell.
But is it normal that the battery drains so quick?

Re: Battery quickly empty

Wjca — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 12:52:51 GMT

Regarding the hardwire option

I have an old Friedland C75 transformer in the hall cupboard.

Basically if I understand correctly it has the following connections:

- 4V

- Earth

- 8V

Would this transformer work with the Doorbell?

And how do I connect it.

Re: Battery quickly empty

StephenB — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 13:26:08 GMT

@Wjca wrote:
Yes I have activity zones, I live next to a busy road, the camera would go nuts and me too.

But is it normal that the battery drains so quick?

In your case yes. The camera is still going nuts, but the Arlo cloud is hiding that from you.

@Wjca wrote:

I have an old Friedland C75 transformer in the hall cupboard.

Basically if I understand correctly it has the following connections:

- 4V

- Earth

- 8V

I'm seeing conflicting specs on this (very old) transformer - some saying that it is 12 volts. The 8V output is at the bottom end of the spec: https://kb.arlo.com/000062491/How-do-I-hard-wire-my-Arlo-Essential-Video-Doorbell-Wire-Free

Given the age (I think it goes back to the 1960s), I'd just get a new one. They aren't that expensive ( < 20 Euros). Though I don't think it would hurt to try it.