Floodlight Cam battery drain

[MikeMcQ1]

How's the drain on your floodlight Cam? I replaced a pro 2 camera with the pro 3 floodlight Cam in the same location. The pro 2 would last for several months. The floodlight Cam is barely lasting 3 days, and that's WITH the pro 3 solar panel connected!

I've got a northern exposure location with no shade and sunlight the entire day. And yet this camera is depleting about 25% a day.

[michaelkenward]

As with all Arlo devices, battery life depends on several factors:

• distance from hub/AP (communication takes energy)
• how much work it does (constant triggering takes energy)
• how long the light is on (longer light = more energy)

[MikeMcQ1]

"

As with all Arlo devices, battery life depends on several factors:

• distance from hub/AP (communication takes energy)
• how much work it does (constant triggering takes energy)
• how long the light is on (longer light = more energy)

"

I know all of that. This light replaced a Pro 2 in the exact SAME location, so distance from hub is the same, event triggers have been FEWER (see below), and there have been ZERO nighttime triggers with the light.

Fewer triggers because I have set up Arlo Smart zones with this camera as opposed to the previous Pro 2, and as a result have been getting far fewer event triggers.

Yet this floodlight camera is depleting its battery in 4 days with the Solar Panel.  The Pro 2 in the same location would last for several months before needing to charge.

[michaelkenward]

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@MikeMcQ1 wrote:

I know all of that.

Apologies. I must have missed it in your original message.

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@MikeMcQ1 wrote:

Yet this floodlight camera is depleting its battery in 4 days with the Solar Panel.  The Pro 2 in the same location would last for several months before needing to charge.

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Not having any LEDs, your Pro 2 didn't light up the night sky.

On battery, the floodlight delivers 2000 lumens, around five times the 400 lumen output of Pro 3 and the other cameras.

The floodlight needs a large battery to deliver that light. The Pro 3 solar panel is designed to charge a smaller battery. (I reckon that the floodlight is best used with permanent power.)

So, no light, bigger battery, makes it hard to compare Pro 2, Pro 3 and floodlight.

[MikeMcQ1]

Thanks Michael, I do appreciate the info. I'm hoping to hear from other Floodlight cam owners as well and their experience with it.  The comparison with the Pro 2 was to establish some context as to the expectation. I can't imagine that a 4-day battery life is acceptable, especially when purchased from Arlo in a bundle that included the solar panel.

[StephenB]

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@MikeMcQ1 wrote:

I can't imagine that a 4-day battery life is acceptable, especially when purchased from Arlo in a bundle that included the solar panel.

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Mine has excellent battery life (been running quite a while on batteries alone).

Are you connected to a base or are you using your home wifi?

[MikeMcQ1]

Good to hear, what is a while? I'm connected to an Arlo hub.

I suspect there is something wrong with my light or battery. In the last 3 hours alone my floodlight Cam has depleted 10%. There has been zero events to trigger, I have settings set to "Best Battery Life" and all other video features set to off.

[StephenB]

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@MikeMcQ1 wrote:
Good to hear, what is a while? I'm connected to an Arlo hub.

Weeks (also connected to a hub).  It hasn't needed to be recharged yet.

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@MikeMcQ1 wrote:

I suspect there is something wrong with my light or battery.

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That could be the case.  It might be fastest to simply exchange it with the seller.

[JamesC]

MikeMcQ1,

I've escalated this for further investigation, I have a few additional questions as well:

-Do you experience the same behavior if you remove the solar panel?

-If you remove Activity Zones, how often is the camera triggering a recording?

-Are there any obstructions or sources of interference near the floodlight?

-What are your brightness/dusk to dawn settings?

-How often are you manually live streaming?

-How often is the light being turned on (through triggers/manual activation)?

JamesC

[brh]

@MikeMcQ1,

What happens when you unplug the solar panel? I have heard of some people saying the solar panel drains the battery, but I have not experienced that. Mine is on an Ultra/Pro 3 solar panel and even with many recordings during the day and several during the night caused by small animals scurrying around, mine only loses about 3 to 4 percent but the solar panel charges it back up to 100% every day. Another thing you can try is to charge it indoors with a VMC5600C charger then test it with just the battery or place the solar panel in a window that receives plenty of sunlight. That would let you know if there is a distance problem.

Brian

[MikeMcQ1]

-Do you experience the same behavior if you remove the solar panel?

I haven't tried yet, and will try when I return home.

-If you remove Activity Zones, how often is the camera triggering a recording?

I'll remove and try when I return home.

-Are there any obstructions or sources of interference near the floodlight?

No obstructions other than the roof awning it is attached to. There are no electrical sources near this location.

-What are your brightness/dusk to dawn settings?

I can't check as I'm out of town and can no longer access the camera, presumably because it has drained completely and I'm not there to charge the camera.

-How often are you manually live streaming?

I almost never live streamed the camera. Only on initial installation to check framing. 

-How often is the light being turned on (through triggers/manual activation)?

Very rarely. In the few days/nights after install, it may have had 2 nighttime triggers.

[ArloUser71]

I have Arlo Pro3 solar charger that is not charging my Pro3 floodlight.
It shows the charging icon but the battery is steadily going down each day.
I have to manually charge via the micro usb every 3 or 4 weeks.

[JamesC]

ArloUser71,

How much activity is your floodlight seeing? The solar panel is a slow charging solution and constant motion activity may result in the battery draining faster than it can be charged.

JamesC

[MarkRJ]

I am having the exact same problem.

I installed the Pro3 Floodlight Camera with the optional Solar Panel expecting it to be maintenance free. I fully charged the battery before installation. Installed it. After one night the battery is down to 43% with no recorded videos. I doubt the solar panel will recharge that amount of battery drain. HELP! 

[michaelkenward]

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@MarkRJ wrote:

After one night the battery is down to 43% with no recorded videos.

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Remember, it also eats juice communicating with the hub/access point. If it is struggling to maintain a good wifi link it will drain the battery.

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@MarkRJ wrote:

I doubt the solar panel will recharge that amount of battery drain.

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I fear that you are correct. Massive battery. It would take a sizeable panel to fill it up.

I use an outdoor charger, the Arlo  Ultra/Pro 3 adapter, to keep the floodlight on line. This has the advantage of enabling features that need permanent power.

[MarkRJ]

I live in Southern California where the sun always shines.

Here is a picture of my installation.

[MarkRJ]

WiFi signal is good on driveway with garage door closed. Two out of three bars on iPad.

[MikeMcQ1]

I have had this problem resolved for about 3 weeks. JamesC reached out to me and provided some info about what the problem was for my Floodlight Cam. I believe they updated something to my camera specifically and then asked me to reinstall.   Everything works as it should! The battery stays fully fully charged with the Solar Panel connected. Ever since this update, I've never seen my battery get below 95% (if that). Prior to this it would drop 25-30% each day and the solar panel could not keep it charged.

Hope this helps.

"...

 it appears from the data they were able to collect your floodlight camera is stuck in a state that disables hibernation, meaning, the camera is always awake, not only when motion is being detected.

You should be able to resolve this by performing a factory reset and reclaiming the device. To factory reset following these steps:

-Remove the floodlight from your mobile app by navigating to Settings > My Devices > select your floodlight > Remove Device

-Press and hold the sync button until the amber LED flashes 3 times

-The camera will reboot and should then be ready again for installation.""

[MarkRJ]

Is it possible the Solar Panel drains the Camera at night?

[MarkRJ]

I am performing the recommendations. Recharging camera to 100%. Will re-install and  post result.  

[MikeMcQ1]

And to clarify, I believe Arlo pushed a firmware update specifically to my camera before I was instructed to reset and re-install. Maybe if JamesC is still following this thread, he can clarify.  (Your problem sounds identical to mine, and might need this particular fix).

[michaelkenward]

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@MikeMcQ1 wrote:

Maybe if JamesC is still following this thread, he can clarify. 

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He might if you tag @JamesC.

[JamesC]

MikeMcQ1,

There were recent firmware updates that resolved various issues with Arlo Pro 3 floodlight that impacted some users. Try factory resetting and test again to see if you experience the same behavior.

JamesC

[MarkRJ]

Just wanted to let everyone know that the issue has been completely resolved with a factory reset. I have had the floodlight camera installed two days now and the battery charge has not dropped below 100%. I am extremely satisfied and the product is now performing as I expected. The solar panel is keeping the battery charged even with a fair amount a daylight activity. I had 27 videos uploaded to my library yesterday..

Thank you everyone for your help getting this resolved.

Mark

[spirosspike]

How did you factory reset ? I am having same issue