Solar panels draining batteries faster than using none?

[Idprint]

Model # VMS4430P Arlo Pro 2 with 4+1 HD camera

Installed all 4 without issues & used to get at least 1 to 1.5 months until charging batteries. However, 3 are high up & painful to get down, hence I bought 3 x Arlo Solar Panels to plug into.

Just to ensure I had set it up correctly after seeing issues on this forum

I removed all batteries from the cameras, waited 10 minutes, & then replaced the batteries

I charged ALL 5 cameras to 100%.

I disconnected the base station, & re-started

Relinked the cameras to the station

Installed as per previous positions

All cameras have the same default settings

The cameras I plugged the solar panels into now lose charge at a frighting rate. 1 day, down to average 53%. This includes charging in bright sunlight ALL DAY. The solar panels do not increase the charge??? But all show charging icon. All solar panels orientated at the high point of the sun and are on an unobstructed roof. All cameras plugged into the Arlo solar panels exhibiting the same behaviour. The other cameras are still at close to 100%.

Removed the solar panels from all 3 & recharged the cameras back to 100%. Left overnight & next day with no solar panels connected, after 2 days, still showing 98%+

Experiment 1

Bought all 5 cameras back in & recharged all to 100%

Placed all cameras back out with only on connected to solar panel

Left for 48 hours

All cameras not plugged into solar panel read, 99%, 97%, 98%, 96%.

The one plugged into the solar panel is 56%

Experiment 2

Removed batteries & reset cameras

Charged 2 cameras to 100%

Placed both with default settings & PLACED BOTH SIDE BY SIDE

One had no solar connected

One had solar connected

After 24 hours

Camera with no solar power, 98%

Camera with solar power 51%

Mostly sunny day

Experiment 3

As per experiment 2 but swapped to another solar panel

After 24 hours

Camera with no solar power, 97%

Camera with solar power 54%

Mostly sunny day

Please advise my solution to this issue

[ShayneS]

Idprint,

Have you contacted Customer Support regarding this issue? I have attached the link for you here - Arlo Tech Support

[Idprint]

Hi Shane, Yes I have contacted support. There are sending out a replacement solar panel to test. I don't think it's the solar panels as I have 3, all tested independently & have very different serial numbers on the solar panels, therefore  I don't think it could be a dodgy batch. But I am happy to try. Because I have 5 cameras and 3 solar panels, I was able to swap and test. Arlo support also mentioned it may be a faulty base station sending a different signal to the solar panel connected cameras. I would tend towards firmware. I think the cameras that are connected to the solar panels think they are able to use more signal and switch to AC "plugged in mode" when in fact they are not. 

I'll keep posting the results

[Idprint]

So just to confirm results, I ran another series of tests.

Before this weekend I charged 3 of the 5 Arlo Pro 2 cameras up to 100%. Switched them on at the same time, one connected to one of the solar panels, the other 2 not connected. All camera set to default settings

Thursday morning

The one plugged into the solar panel with 6 notifications is at 45% battery

One with no solar panel with 9 notifications is still showing 100% battery

One with no solar panel with 19 notifications is showing 97% battery

Has to be a firmware issue????

[LPORTO]

I experienced the same issue and disconnect my solar panel. Now it's happen with the original charger If It stay connected after battery reach 100%.

[ShayneS]

@LPORTO

Have you tried to reboot your base station & remove/re-insert the batteries? Is it possible to test a battery from another camera?

[Craig-9]

Having the same issues with a solar panel.

[jguerdat]

It can be a hardware problem. Open a case with support here:

https://www.arlo.com/en-us/support/contact.aspx

[Evan_Aggie]

I’m having the same issue. I tried on Arlo pro 2 and the battery drains very fast. Here is my theory: the engineers didn’t really get the threshold (if at all) a sto whether the charging is sufficient to overcome the additional power-on or activity zone modes.

It knows it is being charged and therefore will sip extra juice. I need to test my panel with Arlo pro 1.

This should be an easy fix for you guys. If charge is < 0.5A, leave in low power mode.

[thelastosirus]

I have the same issue with a custom built solar panal charger. I thought I had a bad rectifier diode but I replaced it with a tested good one and the battery continues to drain. It has to be firmware related. I will make a small circuit which will physically disconnect the usb power line when solar power drops enough to un-latch a transitor (fooling the camera into thinking nothing is plugged in). This will solve the issue when the sun is down but not the high power use when the panel gets enough sun the bring the voltge up but not enough current to offset the high-power mode of the camera. I guess I will test and see if the panel is large enough to at least have a net gain on the battery.

[Darryn]

I have a two camera setup, which requires me to get out a ladder and take out the batteries for charging every week and a half or so. So I thought the solution was to get two solar panels and save me having to climb up to the roof to swap out my batteries (and avoid the risk of it being offline at any point). 

Solar panels were installed and positioned, and it clearly shows the charging icon for a good part of the day (I live in South Africa, so we have PLENTY of sun). Unfortunately the cameras last just short of a week now. I tried a test again and unplugged the solar panels, and they lasted the original week and a half to two weeks. 

I have a feeling the cameras think they're plugged into AC and can therefore make use of more resources, when in actual fact they need to be just as lenient on the power usage as if they were still just on battery power.

Is there any chance of getting a flag in the settings to set that the cameras are only on solar power and should use more power than is being provided by the sun. Setting the video settings to power optimised mode makes no difference other than the video being worse quality. The base station is less than 3 metres from both of these cameras (literally just on the other side of the wall).

I have a seen a couple other posts on this forum as well as on www.reddit.com/r/arlo complaining of the exact same issue.

[jguerdat]

When the panels are plugged in and the sun is shining, you should see the battery icon with a lightning bolt in it, indicating charging. Do you see that? It's possible that the panels are bad so you can swap at the store (if still within the grace period) or open a case with support:

https://www.arlo.com/en-us/support/contact.aspx

[Darryn]

Hi. Yes, I had said that the charging icon shows. It actually shows for a good 10 hours of the day (we have a lot of sun). The panels are still new. Unfortunately swapping them out isn't an option as there aren't any official sellers in South Africa.

But, logic would dictate that if the solar panels were a problem and for example not charging efficiently, then at worst the batteries would last as long as they do if they weren't plugged in. But they don't. The batteries drain significantly faster. This indicates that the base station or cameras themselves enter a more power hungry mode when they detect they are plugged in (and they for some reason assume it's into dedicated power supply such as a wall plug). If it was a faulty panel (both of them??) then the cameras should simply just run as long as they do without any power source.

This clearly isn't an isolated case as can be seen by the numerous reports are various forums.

[jguerdat]

I haven't experienced this myself but, based on other posts, it appears that some panels have an issue that can cause the battery to drain back through the panel somehow (a blocking diode malfunction?). About all you can do to try to isolate the issue is to disconnect the cables on both ends and ensure that you reconnect them fully for more tests. If the same thing happens, it's gotta be the panels themselves that need to be replaced. I don't believe it's a camera issue but a panel one.

[NickDi]

Besides having the Base Station going offline bug (seperate thread) I too am having the issue in which my one camera which is connected to the solar panel instead of charging actually drains in a week (versus a month or 2 when not connected to the solar panel).  Is this another firmware bug?? Anyone get any answers from support?  Thought I would ask since support has not proven to be effectivce so far resolving many issues.   My panel worked perfectly when I installed it about a year ago and I never needed to replace my battery.  I have tried different batteries, resynching the camera's power resets etc.

[NickDi]

Besides having the Base Station going offline bug (seperate thread) I too am having the issue in which my one camera which is connected to the solar panel instead of charging actually drains in a week (versus a month or 2 when not connected to the solar panel). Is this another firmware bug?? Anyone get any answers from support? Thought I would ask since support has not proven to be effectivce so far resolving many issues. My panel worked perfectly when I installed it about a year ago and I never needed to replace my battery. I have tried different batteries, resynching the camera's power resets etc.

[ShayneS]

Hi @NickDi

Have you tried to swap batteries with another camera if possible & test the battery drain again?

[NickDi]

Yes I have tried several batteries.  Same thing happens

[ShayneS]

@NickDi

Have you contacted customer support regarding the solar panel and draining issue? 

[Darryn]

I too have swapped batteries.

[ShayneS]

I have a few questions for you all

1. What cameras are you experiencing the battery drain issue with?

2. What firmware is your camera(s) & base station running?

[NickDi]

Arlo Moderator:

I would give you the firmware levels but my Base is offline again! 

Other issue:

https://community.arlo.com/t5/Arlo-Pro-2/Arlo-Pro-2-every-night-changes-time-zone/td-p/1692637/page/...

(Don't be fooled by the Time Zone Change issue... read the thread it is a Base Station goes off line issue.)

I will look in about an hour to see if it is back up and send you the firmware!

How do you think my customer experience is????

[Craig-9]

Battery issue resolved by replacement of the Solar Panel. Allegedly the solar panel drawing power from camera not producing power.

[NickDi]

Camera Arlo Pro2:

HW Version H3

1.125.13.0_31717

Firmware

Base Station:

HW Version VMB4000r3

Firmware 1.12.2.3_2762

C

[Darryn]

Base Station

HW Version VMB4000r3

Serial Number 4R03757TA5D77

Firmware 1.12.2.4_2772

Cameras

HW Version H8

Serial Number 4XH3737EB126B

Firmware 1.092.0.23_32920