Terrible Customer Service Regarding Defect in Camera Essential Spotlight Camera

[DavidDouglass]

The Essentials Spotlight Camera VMC2030AERH9 has a defect which has been discovered due to being installed outside on my home in Florida between the months of April through July. It endured the direct sunlight daily for four months which caused the two-piece outer camera housing to warp outward at the seam between the two pieces. This gradual warping of the housing at the seam, created a gap where rain entered the interior of the camera, causing it to go offline. 

I contacted Customer Support, who led me through the process of reconnecting the camera. However, the camera went offline within hours. I called Support again, and we did the same process again, and again, and again, and again. 

The personnel at Customer Support have all suggested that the camera is fine, and that the problem is Wi-Fi related and even though I have three Arlo cameras working fine on my Wi-Fi system, and all of these cameras are installed under protection from the sun and did not suffer same abuse from the Florida sun for four months. 

But nope, according to Customer Service, it's not the sun nor the weather. I informed them that I have a second Essentials Spotlight camera mounted outdoors under a roof eave, protected from the sun and the seam on the two-piece cover is not compromised like the camera mounted in the sunshine. The second camera's seam is unaffected because it's always in the shade. 

I provided Customer Service with pictures of the defected camera's seam, showing the gap that has developed and how water could and did, get inside the camera, which is causing the problem. BUT NO WAY, according to Customer Service. I offered to pay to have it shipped to them, I told them I just want their technicians to look at the camera so they could see what has happened when one of their two-piece housing unit bakes in the Florida sun for four months during the Florida summer months. NO, they won't work with me.

So here is my final offer to resolve this problem. I will pay to ship it to Arlo, I don't want a replacement unit...unless Arlo personnel want to replace it. But what I do request is that quality control techs provide me with the information of what they found after they troubleshoot and inspect this camera. 

Last April I had a defective camera, the same camera type, and the process of getting replaced took one session and within a week the problem was resolved, and I had a replacement camera. Not anymore. Customer Support acts politely antagonistic, condescending, and arrogant. According to all seven encounters with them over the past six days, the camera is not the problem, it's fine, it's you and your Wi-Fi.

[Gary_BKK]

Rather than the sun/heat warping the case, it *could* be a defective battery.  When some types of batteries are defective, the battery can swell up in size and force open the casing.  I've seen this with mobile phone batteries, as well as power bank batteries.  When that happens, it needs to be disposed of properly because it is a fire danger.

I do agree with you regarding Arlo support being useless though, based on my own experience.

[ShayneS]

Hi @DavidDouglass 

I have provided this info to my team and someone should be reaching out as soon as possible. I let them know you have water ingress.