topic Re: battery life in Arlo

battery life

susanloudon — Fri, 19 May 2017 07:04:15 GMT

I have 4 cameras.. all outside. I usually get 3-4 months use out of the batteries. But last month I put fresh ones in one of the cameras, and within 4 weeks they were 100% used up - but I did not have one alert at all during that month! What could be the problem? I've read some of the postings and heard the phrase 'bad batch of batteries' but can't believe that could be a recurring problem out there . Since the batteries are $40.00 plus to replace, I don't want to do that if there is a disclosed problem that could occur with the cameras that cause the batteries to fail so quickly. (don't tell me it's the settings, because that isn't the issue)....Does anyone know?

Re: battery life

manfredz — Fri, 19 May 2017 08:22:19 GMT

the first think that would come to mind is that they aren't seated properly. Have you tried taking batteries out and put them back in (properly), not pushing them down, but letting closing the door properly seating them?

Re: battery life

TomMac — Fri, 19 May 2017 11:21:15 GMT

Since the batteries are $40.00 plus to replace,

Could be a glitch... hard to tell what the cause might have been after the fact... I usu check my cell reading a couple days after install to make sure all ok..

But on the above note, if your paying $10 each, your getting ripped off... My last batch of 12 cells cost (OEM ) about $1.45 each

I buy the OEM cells thru Battery Junction online... ( just a user / no company involvement )

Re: battery life

mgoulais — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 04:57:16 GMT

I have had good battery life until recently. Now cameras burn batteries quickly going from 50% to 2% within a day. Three cameras this week. Something wrong all of a sudden. Extremely dissatisfied!

Re: battery life

manfredz — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 05:28:17 GMT

Has the number of recordings made each day gone uo?

Are you using rechargeable or non rechargeable batteries?

Are you doing periods of live viewing

Re: battery life

mgoulais — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 05:36:24 GMT

Nothing has changed from a usage standpoint. The batteries are not rechargeable. They are Panasonic. Live viewing is occasional and just for moments at a time just as had been done over the past year. Cameras previously would fade linearly but now just drop off abruptly.

Re: battery life

manfredz — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 11:19:38 GMT

Another thing to check out/ eliminate as cause for battery drain is to bring a cam or all cams close to the base station and observe the battery drain then. If battery drain goes to normal then there is a problem with the contact between base station and cams talking, draining batteries as they try to maintain contact

Re: battery life

mgoulais — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 11:28:51 GMT

Cameras have not changed location. They operate like normal then the battery life just plummets. Can these batteries be a bad batch? Can Lithium batteries have a typical linear reduction in charge then just fall to 2% suddenly?

Re: battery life

jguerdat — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 13:23:53 GMT

Could be a bad batch but there can also be a difference in the 2.4GHz signals floating around your house. Has any new device been added or an existing one been moved?