I Strongly Recommend Doing This If You'll Be Using The ARLO PRO 2 As An Outdoor Camera

[levanhalen]

Hi there,

I purchased the ARLO Pro 2 cameras last year and have been using two cameras as outdoor cameras.

As of today, one of them does not charge the internal battery if connected to an external power outlet - this appears to be due to weather damage over time of the micro USB port that connects to the camera via a ribbon cable on the inside.

This means that I now would have to periodically replace the battery for an outdoor camera that is in a hard to reach area, rendering this camera useless for a permanent outdoor solution.

Please be advised that if you use these cameras as outdoor cameras, they are not suitable for long term "set and forget" usage as the micro USB adapter port will be damaged due to rain and other weather elements. It is misleading that these devices are being marketed as outdoor cameras due to this reason. If you do decide to use the cameras outside, I would strongly recommend using some sort of sealant to prevent water and other materials from entering the small gaps to prolong the life of this charging port.

I spoke with a customer service rep for 30 minutes on the phone and followed multiple troubleshooting steps to get to the point where they just ended up RMA'ing the entire camera. I would have loved to just get the micro USB connector / ribbon cable piece and repaired myself, and the camera works fine. Once my warranty is over for the other outside camera and the connector inevitably fails, I'm SOL, unless ARLO can provide that piece somehow. It wasn't clear how to order that piece on the phone when I asked. I was just ignored. 

As a side note, I use all ARLO official adapters and USB cables - I do not use third-party accessories. I have seen posts regarding firmware clashes with third-party accessories being used.

[DudeDad]

I have rubber covers over my cameras, but I also purchased two extra batteries and the dual charger.  Whenever a battery is low, I just swap out a fresh one.  The convenience more than pays for the extra batteries and charger.

[AncientGeek]

I have a number of Arlo Pro 2 cameras using solar panels that are still working ok after a year or more outside.