Arlo Go 2 not charging with Solar Panel

[daviddlv]

Last month we purchased a few Arlo Go 2 cameras for our rural land to monitor for trespassers. We also installed the solar panels. Everything was working fine until this week. Now the solar panels are not charging the cameras. Here is what happens.

We unplug the solar panel wire from the camera. Wait a few seconds, plug it back in. Icon on the app shows a lightning bolt thru on the battery. In direct sunlight the camera charges to 100% quickly. As the camera is used, the battery % depletes downward, but even in full sunlight the battery never charges. We have to kick start the charging by unplugging the solar panel wire and plugging it back in. But after the battery reaches 100% it starts draining from use and does not charge.

This is happening on all 5 of our cameras. Some of the cameras are 30' high. I don't want to crawl up there every week to unplug a wire.

What can we do to fix this? It's very annoying.

[LindaJ1965]

My Firmware Details are below: Application Firmware VML2030_EC25AU_V3.00.58_1785 Modem Firmware EC25AU R06.A06.F23.TE System Version 1.090.10.4_V3.00.58_R06.A06.F23 Please note that I'm in Australia and my firmware may be different to what is used in other countries. This Firmware had only just become available in Australia when mine was updated and fixed. As soon as the firmware was updated to the above it hasn't missed a beat and has been continually charging ever since.

[jguerdat]

When discharging does the lightning bolt still show on the battery icon?

I'd suggest using Settings, Support to select your camera model and scroll down to Contacts to talk to official support.

[FranklinRT]

I've discovered with the Go cameras, sometimes they need a good solid wall charging.  I have 2 with solar panels however when you notice the percentage starts to dip down below 80 this is a sign to unplug from panel, bring inside and let it get a good solid charge.  Usually this corrects the issue, if not it could be a solar panel issue, if not it could be a firmware issue.  I would try the solid charge first.

[daviddlv]

The only time the lighting bolt icon is visible is when I re=plug in the solar panel. It hits 100% then I never see that icon again. It's doing the same thing on all 5 new Go 2 cams I bought.

[daviddlv]

These are 5 new Go 2 cams and 5 new solar panels. All doing the same thing. I had them wall charged for 24hrs out of the box. There is no way 5 cams and 5 solar panels are bad. The firmware is the latest.

[ShayneS]

Please reach out to the Support Team to further investigate this issue you are experiencing. You can find several options for contacting support though the Arlo Mobile App by navigating to Settings/System/Support.

[Citrogal]

I was coming on here to find a solution for the same issue. We farm and have 8+ cameras mounted at extremely dangerous heights to be up there every week or so trying to fix a connection or recharge a battery manually. The old camera plugs were awesome, these new magnetic plugs are making us CRAZY!! I'm ready to sell them all and go back to my game cameras. I can't catch anyone if the camera isn't staying charged. At least the game camera gets me a photo...

[ShayneS]

@Citrogal 

Please reach out to the Support Team to further investigate this issue you are experiencing. You can find several options for contacting support through the Arlo Mobile App by navigating to Settings/System/Support.

[RJHK]

Why doesn’t support just outline the options on the chat chain? Getting support via your support channels is not easy, impossible when on a remote property owned by a family but the account was set up by my son who’s moved elsewhere for work. 

[ShayneS]

Hi @RJHK 

Thank you for the feedback. Were you able to get a hold of the support team? If you aren't in contact yet, I can connect you with the team.

Thanks 

[RJHK]

Thanks Shayne, no connection with support, just the chat bot which ends up leaving you in limbo! Meanwhile the Go 2 just runs down and I have to hope it retains juice till next time I get to the property and can charge it on the grid. One junk model has ruined the whole Arlo experience!

[ShayneS]

@RJHK  I have escalated this for you and someone from Support will be reaching out to you as soon as possible.

[LindaJ1965]

I've been having the exact same issue ever since I bought and installed the Go 2 Camera with the Solar Panel about 2 or more years ago.  It rarely shows the charging lightning bolt and loses charge constantly.  It is mounted very high on a rural property so we have to use a Cherry Picker to get it down so we can charge the battery (which is not ideal).  The solar panel is in full sun.  Each time we get the camera down to charge it, we also give the solar panel a wipe and on some very rare occasions it charges for a short time only then stops again, so it doesn't seem to have anything to do with us giving it a wipe over, I think it's more to do with it being disconnected and then reconnected once the battery has been manually recharged.

We also have an Essentials Camera with a Solar Panel and have never had any issues with that one charging, and we've had that for much longer.  It seems like the Go 2 Solar Panels have a major issue, or perhaps there was a batch of faulty ones?

[ShayneS]

@LindaJ1965 

I provided this info to the support team and they will be reaching out to you as soon as possible. 

[mtaarlo]

I have a new Arlo Go 2 camera that is running into the same issues shared here. The solar panel will initially show that it is charging but the very next day when it is directly in the sunlight it doesn't charge. I am now having to bring the camera in weekly and charge while plugged into power adapter. I have tried another solar panel and the same thing happens. I put in a support ticket on Tuesday 6/18 of this week and have received no reply. Is there a problem with the magnetic connection on the bottom of the camera? My take is that the solar panels are not able to provide enough power for the cellular unit in the device. Is there a larger solar panel that provides more charge for the Go 2 camera? What is the actual fix to this issue?

[ShayneS]

@mtaarlo 

I have escalated this for you and Support will be reaching out to you as soon as possible.

[LindaJ1965]

Hi,

When I had the same issue if was fixed by Technical Support Level 2.  There is now a firmware update for this camera that fixes this issue.  The problem was something to do with the camera and solar panel not talking/linking correctly.  The Firmware update fixes this issue.  If you are able to update your firmware yourself it will fix your issue.  There is no issue with the magnetic connection.

Arlo Technical Support Level 2 updated my firmware remotely as the firmware was due out shortly after they looked into the issue for me.

I can confirm that ever since the firmware was updated on my camera it has been charging constantly for the first time since I've had it.

Cheers

Linda

[Ron317]

Have the same problem with my Go 2. 
firmware 1.090.9.6_51_6f36a1e   says no updates available.

I’m 1000 miles away and this sucks

[Ron317]

How do you get to level 2 to fix my same problem?

firmware 1.090.9.6_51_6f36a1e  says “no updates available”

[LindaJ1965]

Level 1 support looked into my issue first and trouble-shooted it with me, then they past it on to Level 2 Support who added the firmware update that had just became available. I believe that it was available in America & I know Australia as that's where I am, not sure where else it was available for.

[LindaJ1965]

The Firmware you need to fix the Arlo Go 2 not charging issue is: 1.090.10.4_63_264f9f0

[ShayneS]

Hi @Ron317 

Are you still experiencing this symptom?

[LindaJ1965]

No

[SimonJakobsen]

Im in contact with the EU department of Arlo.

They say this is an active bug, and working on a fix. I just have a hard time understanding why Arlo US can update a firmware and fix it, and Arlo EU dont know about this firmware update, and are working on fix.

And how long time for fix to take place.

I have 64!!! cameraes in 25 different locations spread out with 250 km between. We use them prevent theft in some unmanned and off grid roadside shops from where we sell our own grown strawberries. We struggled so much with replacing batteries this year, and last year we had no issue. 

The trust in Arlo devices are on an all time low. Also we run LTE and weird thing is that after we installed sim cards and ran the setup procedure, all worked and had connection. After some dayes deployed in the field, about 20% af the cameraes came with a message that they needed to be configured for SIM card, despite they had been , and had been running for some days. Last year with Arlo cameraes. its just no worth the hazzle. Slow portal, weird limits with maximum 40 devices per secure account, forcing us to split the cameraes on to two accounts ans cross sharing them for a central view, and dotn even get me started on the login logic for the My Arlo portal. Auto log out on different device, contstantly having to go though 2 factor, can never remember a browser, even if it is marked as trusted.

User experience is just to bad and buggy

[Cville]

I have firmware 1.090.10.4_64_264f9f0, and I am still having the problem. I am trying to see if the firmware is really a fix. My solar charger is working and putting 8+ volts out at the pins. The wall charger is working with a lower voltage. What is the next thing to try?