Arlo Pro 2 - Outdoor exhaust from furnace

[Retired_Member]

My backyard camera has been in this position for several winter seasons...I had a furnace installed in March of 2014 well before cameras.  Just this cold season, I am getting alerts just about anytime the furnace runs.  Initially it was alerting to an animal which I have enabled along with people.  I have a dog, so I like the alert when she comes back to the door wanting in.  I have since turned that alert off trying to fix this...now I get alerts to that the exhaust vapor is a person.

Is there a setting I can change?  Getting alerts on my Apple Watch several times during the overnight hours is quickly getting old.

[Dannybear]

Can’t see the image posted yet, try using activity zones to not select activity around the exhaust vent.

[Retired_Member]

I have adjusted the activity zone as much as I can without the camera losing the ability to alert of something or someone in my yard.

[Dannybear]

If you previously had no issues with the heat plume causing false triggering then double check the motion triggering sensitivity that are set in the operational mode camera rules. With all the resetting of cameras and bases after firmware update bugs you may need to lower sensitivity.

[StephenB]

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@Retired_Member wrote:

Just this cold season, I am getting alerts just about anytime the furnace runs.

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The camera detects motion using a passive infrared (PIR) sensor.  Since the furnace exhaust is hotter than ambient temperature and moving, it is not surprising that it triggers the motion detection.  What's surprising is that this wasn't happening before.

Looking at the position on the the furnace exhaust in the field of view, I think the best option is to find a different location for the camera - keeping the furnace exhaust out of the field of view.

If it is practical to add a chimney to the furnace (to raise the exhaust exit higher), then that might also help.