Arlo Essential Solar Panel question

[jmader72]

I connected the solar panel to my Arlo Camera.  Based on the icons showing, it is clear that the solar panel is connected properly.

The first time the power dropped below 100%, it immediately charged the camera until it reached 100% again.  After that first time, it does not automatically charge.  I have 2 options.  I can unplug the panel from the camera and then plug it back in, or I can go to the app and restart the camera.  Either of these tasks causes the camera to go into a charging status and continue on until it reaches 100%.  

Again, once it drops below 100% later on, it will not automatically start to charge unless I do one of those tasks.

Is there a setting I am missing or is this a known issue?

[Monteagle]

For two days in a row my Arlo Pro 4 camera is charging off the solar panel when the sun is out, and I have not disconnected the charging cable for several days.  When the battery reaches 100%, the sun icon goes gray and the battery icon changes from green charging to full white.

I have done nothing different and I have not upgraded the app, although I did restart the camera from the app last week.  Perhaps something was done at the server?  

[ybnice]

@Arlo-Solar 
There is a big thread about it on link below...
https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo-Pro-4/Arlo-4-Pro-Cameras-using-Solar-Issue/td-p/1886226

[ybnice]

@Monteagle 

So it is working fully as it should then, and a White Icon? ... this is great.  It took them long enough eh.   Hardwired they did not change, it is always Green.

[Capsgator]

So I can say that it’s charging again.  I don’t know if it was because of the app update I did or maybe they pushed a change.  I updated the app yesterday and reconnected the solar cables… this morning the icons went green again on their own.  Seems like it’s fixed now.

I will say that when you update the app there are a bunch of changes I needed to make with the modes.. selecting cameras for each mode and what not.  The geofencing didn’t work off the bat but I’ve made some changes and will see if that works later today.

[Monteagle]

Another bit of information.  My camera with solar panel does not see sun in the winter until about 10 am, but I checked at 9am and the sun icon and battery charger icon were both green.  I suspect Arlo understands the problem and has done something at the server which instructs cameras connected to solar panels to charge during daylight hours -- perhaps a crude fix until the next firmware update.

But yes, solar charging seems to be working for me now.  

[Bajathree]

I updated app version ....restarted both cameras and still no change to my issue. Batteries on my 2 Pro 4's still not automatically charging with my Arlo solar panels. The only way to get them to start to charge is disconnecting and reconnecting charging cable. Battery level will continue to drop till I finally manually reconnect charge cable to get them to start to charge.

[ybnice]

@Bajathree 

Oh that is a shame.  Since you updated the App have you turned your Device (ie; Phone, Tablet etc) off and restarted?  Even you could try since updated by removing the Battery and reinserting it.
GL Bajathree in trying to get the Panels to work.  They seem nothing but a headache eh.

[Capsgator]

I know it sounds silly but maybe the battery thing didn’t do it.  Might want to remove the solar panel battery while the unit is up and running.  Perhaps triggering the solar panel off/ on while it’s operational will trigger something.  When I did it, I had the app up and made sure the solar icon went away then came back when I reattached it.  Just a thought.

[Bajathree]

@Capsgator confused...what solar panel battery?

[Dkmb]

I have tried all troubleshooting steps.  Removed, reinstalled, changed battery, changed solar panel.  It’s all 5 of my outdoor cameras and all will only use solar if I unplug and reseed the cord.  Once it gets to 100% it stops and won’t automatically recharge unless I unplug again and reseed.  Happen to all 5 cameras after firmware update.  

[Capsgator]

Apologies I mistyped.  No solar battery… I meant remove the solar ‘cable’ while the battery was in and powering the camera.

[Tonyschawks]

All, I believe I finally found the answer. For the record, I have an iPhone 11 to access the Arlo app.  In essence their is a two step process with the firmware update. 

Step 1 - Make sure you have downloaded the latest hardware firmware, which in my case was automatically performed via the App. 

Step2 - Force the software to update.   Go to opening Arlo App > Tap add new device > at the bottom you'll find "security system", tap security system > swipe to last card  and tap "start upgrade" > Upgrade Anyway.   A word of caution, this removes your Camera recording modes. 

Step 3 - Climb your ladders remove the solar power chord. Install a 100% charged battery. Remove the camera in the app

and re-sync the camera to the base station. Reconnect the solar panel chord. Suggest doing on this on a sunny day to confirm the charging via solar panel. 

Step 4 - Reconfigure your active zones and sensitivity on each camera you had to re-sync. Place the cameras in the order of your preference. 

These steps finally worked for me to mimic my functioning setup prior to Arlo’s damaging firmware update to all customers.  This push is for Arlo’s desire to be the next ADT/Brinks hence why the firmware (Arlo camera) and the security software updates (Arlo security group) not lining up. 
This took about 20 hours of my life trying to re-troubleshoot and viewing community threads. Customer support was of no help besides going through the typical troubleshooting protocols when the root cause was on their end impacting God knows how many customers. 

Arlo, I’ve been happy with your products for nearly 15 years and this Security System roll out has been a disaster for me. Hopefully you’d be willing to waive a years worth of the subscription service to all the impacted customers and myself. I solved the problem for you, please share with your Arlo tech support.  

[Bajathree]

@Tonyschawks glad this worked for you....but this still isn't working for me with my Pro 4 cameras and solar panels....I have already preformed all what you suggested last week and still hasn't worked for me. The issue with this problem seems to have been mainly with the Pro 4's.

[allsod]

Hi Monteagle, do you mind posting what firmware your Arlo Pro 4's are at? Trying to work out if they pushed a firmware update that my camera's haven't received yet. Thanks!

[Bajathree]

Yesterday I took down both cameras....charged to 100%...removed and installed battery and did a hard reset while I removed both cameras off my app. Restarted both cameras  and they checked for updates (no updates available) and added back to my app/account and put back up connecting the solar panel cable. Both camera batteries slowly declining down below 100% and haven't seen either automatically try to start to charge off solar panel yet.....ISSUE CONTINUES. 

[JRay1]

I'll also confirm that the solar charging issue is not resolved by the new 4.x app version.  After manually forcing the app upgrade I restarted the cameras and reattached the solar cables.  Once they reach full charge, there is no more charging until the cable is disconnected again.

EDIT: I just noticed the app had an update in the last 24hrs (now 4.0.3).  I'll retest the charging issue and report back.

Can someone UNmark this thread as solved?

[Monteagle]

@allsod 
Firmware: 1.080.18.4_52_ec35062

i think the day of update is the day I installed it on Dec 6

[RegularJoe]

  I did this to my phone, Android, which also showed that I was running the newest software.

  It did change the format of how things appeared on my phone. I haven't got any solar panels, yet, but reading about all the trouble panel owners are experiencing, I thought that it couldn't hurt to do it to my phone, anyway.

  Wonder why this wasn't already in effect, since version 4.2 was already in effect on my phone?

[Bajathree]

@JRay1 I don't see any new update for the app. I was on the phone yesterday actually speaking to support in person discussing this issue. We went through what version I have on my app and he said what I had was the latest and I haven't upgraded anything since Dec. 

We went through everything and honestly they had no answers for me. It was more like a fact finding...I don't think anything is honestly being worked on to fix this issue as they admitted themselves they are very confused as to what's going on and it's weird that it wouldn't charge on its own. They want me to take screen shots with time and date stamps showing how the camera wouldn't charge in the sun unless I take the cable off and reconnect to force the charge.

[allsod]

This is ridiculous. So many of us are explaining the exact same problem to Arlo Support yet they seem to have no clue and are asking for evidence if the issue?

if they are confused, how about rolling back the last firmware update which coincidently corresponded to exactly the same time this problem appeared!

it’s not good enough, any problems the latest firmware resolved is surely outweighed by the fact that every Arlo Pro 4 user now has their solar panels tendered useless. Please please please….. roll back the firmware as everything worked fine before this latest debacle!!

[JRay1]

In case there was any confusion about my last post, the firmware version hasn't changed recently.  That's still at 1.080.18.4_52_ec35062.  There was an application update that appeared for me yesterday, bringing the current version up to 4.0.3 (5376) with a release date of Dec 20, 2022.  Updating the app didn't solve the solar charging issue for me.

[ShayneS]

The Arlo development team is currently investigating this issue. We will provide an update as soon as we have more information to share with the community.

[HLStephenson]

Today my battery was down to 83%. Using the app I tapped the red Restart.

After the restart the battery showed it was charging again.  

It would be nice if Arlo fixed this issue before the subscription rates go up in February 

[ybnice]

Arlo need to get their act together and listen to the Customer.  They need to roll back or update the Firmware... it is as simple as that.

[allsod]

@ybnice is spot on. This is not a hardware issue it is a firmware issue. 
Solar panel won’t re-charge camera after 100% full charge until the cable is disconnected and reconnected. It will then charge up to 100% again automatically (even over a couple of days/nights) but once it hits full charge that’s it. You have to climb up and disconnect/reconnect to get it going again, otherwise the battery just slowly depletes down to 0%.
C’mon Arlo it’s not that hard, roll back or update the firmware and look after your customers!!