Solar panel causes fast battery drain

[Pablo63]

I have 2 Pro 2 cameras that I’ve had for years.  They work great, but I need to charge them every few weeks.  I recently purchased compatible solar panels to help keep them charged.  

In just one day, both camera’s batteries were drained.  This looks to be the same issue with the attached solar panels that others are having.  There was no additional activity that would warrant the difference in battery drain.  The battery icon displays that it’s in a charging condition.  

As a test, I fully charged both of the cameras, then set them up, one with solar, one without.  The camera with the solar panel is disabled - to ensure no activity.  The disabled camera with the solar panel is still draining extremely fast!  

What internal functions could be draining the battery?  

[Pablo63]

 Seven hours with the camera disabled and it’s down to 63% with solar panel attached.  

 

 

[StephenB]

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@Pablo63 wrote:

 Seven hours with the camera disabled and it’s down to 63% with solar panel attached.  

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Do you see one of the solar icons in the link below (it should be on the main screen with the charging icon)?

• https://kb.arlo.com/1179176/What-do-my-Arlo-camera-s-battery-level-icons-and-notifications-mean

I am wondering if the camera is somehow thinking it is on AC power.  I believe that would explain the battery drain (though there could well be other causes).

[Pablo63]

As you can see from the photo, only the battery shows that it’s in a charge state.  No solar icon

the camera is turned off and it’s still draining if the solar panel is attached 

[Dannybear]

What model solar panels are you using, are they arlo brand or third party clones?

[SAub]

I had 3 solar panels from Wasserstein (because they were much less expensive than Arlo's). After a few days to a few weeks all 3 did the same...that is drain the batteries, not charge them. I threw out all 3 and ran 25' power cables to cameras. 

[TomMac]

Cannot trust 3rd party devices as they may not function as factory items ( they may not know the proper specs )

[Dannybear]

It could be missing a diode in the cable connector. 

[ArloJay]

I seem to have a battery drain issue on one of my Ultra 2 cameras connected to a Arlo Ultra solar panel.  It seemed like it was at 100% having somehow automatically rebooted after a prior battery drain.  But after 17.05 minutes of recording over a few hours it seems to have died again.  Seems a bit short (for the middle setting).

 I suspect something funny is happening as the camera has mysteriously died multiple times now with panel being there.

Arlo support indicated that the battery meter indicated 100% both times.  Any other similar occurrences by other users would be useful and how to solve it?

It is super annoying I have to climb up a ladder to reset things if needed.

[StephenB]

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@ArloJay wrote:

I seem to have a battery drain issue on one of my Ultra 2 cameras connected to a Arlo Ultra solar panel.  It seemed like it was at 100% having somehow automatically rebooted after a prior battery drain.  But after 17.05 minutes of recording over a few hours it seems to have died again.  Seems a bit short (for the middle setting).

 I suspect something funny is happening as the camera has mysteriously died multiple times now with panel being there.

Arlo support indicated that the battery meter indicated 100% both times.  Any other similar occurrences by other users would be useful and how to solve it?

It is super annoying I have to climb up a ladder to reset things if needed.

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You could try charging up the battery and disconnecting the panel for a bit, and see if that resolves the fast drain (or not).  Unfortunately that does require going up the ladder.

[Tigers66]

After a few weeks of putting up Arlo 3 floodlight camera and Arlo 4 camera along with solar panels each and facing south….the Arlo 4 is definitely holding charge much better than the floodlight with settings at similar minimums. There is definitely room for improvements for the floodlight and it’s battery usage, whether Arlo is willing to admit it or not.

[StephenB]

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@Tigers66 wrote:

There is definitely room for improvements for the floodlight and it’s battery usage, whether Arlo is willing to admit it or not.

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The floodlight will of course use a lot more power at night, there's no way around that.

I've had good battery life with my own floodlight (though I have no solar panel connected).  Though it is in the back of the house, so doesn't record as much as my front cameras.

[Tigers66]

The floodlight camera battery drains in a weeks time. The Arlo 4 camera will go 2+ weeks without needing battery charge or change. Again, these both are using the solar panels and settings at minimums.

[StephenB]

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@Tigers66 wrote:

The floodlight camera battery drains in a weeks time. The Arlo 4 camera will go 2+ weeks without needing battery charge or change. Again, these both are using the solar panels and settings at minimums.

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Trt disconnecting the panels and see if battery life improves.