Pro 3 floodlight battery icon

[Bwong20]

Hello,

Ive just noticed recently that the battery icon for the floodlight camera shows red with a lightning bolt in the app. Is this new or indicative of a problem? Thank you in advance for your responses.

[jguerdat]

New and a problem which rather seems like a backend thing since it happens to both apps and the web client. I have this, too.

[Bwong20]

Thank you for the reply. Hopefully its not an issue with the battery itself, fingers crossed. Fwiw i am using app v3.5.4 (2966) on iOS

[JamesC]

The red icon with the lightning bolt is an indication that a charger is connected but no actual charging is taking place. In these cases, it means your solar panel is connected and functioning correctly but it's not charging the camera (likely because it's not in direct sunlight or it's night time). We're working on getting our documentation update to reflect this new icon behavior.

JamesC

[Bwong20]

Hi James

It shows the new icon regardless under v3.5.4, day or night. In the previous versions on the iOS app, it was the old standard icon with the lightning bolt and at night would just show the battery, with no lightning bolt. Currently, the batteries continually show > 95% so i assume it is charging. I updated my other iOS device to 3.5.4 and it now shows the new red battery with lightning bolt at all times as well.

[jguerdat]

The red battery icon with lightning bolt is now correct when a solar panel is connected and the battery is full. It's a new UI change but the docs have to still be updated to reflect this change.

[Bwong20]

Copy all. Thanks!

[pent]

Hi James,

I also have this red charging battery icon regardless of day or night. I have this behavior on the android app and the web application. 

I think there may be a UI bug regarding this newly introduced red charging icon.

[pent]

What did you have to do to make the battery icon display correctly? My Pro3 floodlight is also connected to a solar panel and I'm getting the red charging battery icon (no matter if its day or night)

[pent]

Okay, so I unplugged my solar panel from the pro3 floodlight camera, waited about 45 seconds, plugged it back in and now I have the green charging icon that I used to have. Hopefully that helps someone else

[m4f1j0z084]

As you can see on the screenshot attached, my Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight always shows the red charging icon. If the camera is charging, fully charged or not charging, the same icon is always shown.

The camera is connected to the Arlo solar panel and I can confirm that charging works as it always did.

I tried removing the battery and reconnecting the charging cable, didn’t help.

The camera and the solar panel are both new, I installed them about 6 weeks ago.

Is there a malfunction I should worry about or is the app simply showing the wrong icon?

[StephenB]

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@m4f1j0z084 wrote:

Is there a malfunction I should worry about or is the app simply showing the wrong icon?

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Most likely neither.

Arlo changed the icon a few days ago.  The red icon now means that the floodlight is connected to a charger (or panel), but is not actually charging at the moment.  So you will see the red icon at night, or if the battery is already full.

[LK66]

All my batteries/cameras ( except 1 hard wired camera ) are showing the red lightning bolt icon @ homes in 2 different states. Just happened yesterday morning. You’d think the powers that be would send out a message about this so no one is wasting their time trying to find out what’s up. Thank you ARLO - uff duh. All my cameras are on ARLO solar panels with the exception of one that is hard wired. This one shows the green lightning bolt icon.

[JamesC · Accepted solution]

For more information on battery status icons, take a look at the definitions found here: What do my Arlo camera's battery level icons and notifications mean?

JamesC

[LK66]

Thanks for the response/link but the definition for the red lightning bolt icon “ seems “ to be incorrect since all my batteries are @ 100% charge even with many recorded activations. I will see how the battery charge goes as time rolls on but It seems like the batteries are getting a charge from solar panels ( that have been all aligned for the Sun angle ) with the red lightning bolt icon showing - it’s all good …, just trying to figure out what’s going on exactly. At the very least I know the batteries will last months ( for me ) on a charge alone 👍

[DPrez]

I agree, it’s a bug since the new update. In my seven camera system, I have two Pro3 floodlights with arlo solar panels that started this behavior a few days ago. Both had the red lightning bolt and were showing 100% charge constantly, day and night, for a couple of days. I unplugged the solar panels and removed the batteries to both. That fixed one of them. It went to a green lightning bolt and 87% charge. Day 2 and still ok. However, my other floodlight is still showing the red lighting bolt and 100% charge all day and night. I know that’s not right so I tried to unplug and remove the battery and re-synch it, still not fixed. I then remove it from my hub, reinstall it and still not fixed. Arlo, please debug this, it’s frustrating having invested so much money and time in this ecosystem for it to not work properly. I have a couple of Ring stickup cameras that work flawlessly…I like my arlo system but I’m starting to wonder if I invested in the wrong system/brand.

[DPrez]

Giving us the definition of the NEW red lightning bolt is not a solution. Arlo folks/staff/techs, read all the comments people are posting here. We’re all pretty much having the same problem with this inaccurate red lightning bolt indicator. It’s a bug, please fix.

[Bwong20]

Agreed. I don’t believe this is solved as it is not indicative of whats occuring. It’s night time now, and i have one camera showing green with lightning bolt and one red with lightning bolt and neither has strayed from 100% charge since i reported this issue. I have not touched the camera at all.

Arlo: Please review this issue further. It has only been an issue since updating my app to iOS 3.5.4.

[BV96]

Why is my Arlo pro 3 floodlight camera that is connected continuously to an Arlo solar panel facing direct sunlight west say it’s 100% charged but highlighted in red with lightning bolt?

[StephenB]

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@BV96 wrote:
Why is my Arlo pro 3 floodlight camera that is connected continuously to an Arlo solar panel facing direct sunlight west say it’s 100% charged but highlighted in red with lightning bolt?

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Based on earlier mod responses in this thread, it is showing red because the battery is not charging (since it is 100% charged already).  Very confusing, and either there is an omission in the kb article or a bug in this particular situation.

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

[DPrez]

UPDATE: I thought I fixed my two floodlights. They were showing the correct charging/lightning bolt status for a couple of days but now they’re back to showing red bolt/100% charge day/night 24/7. I know it’s incorrect because we’ve had cloudy weather and rain here for a few days and it didn’t budge. Out of curiosity, again, I unplugged both and removed the batteries. I reinserted the batteries and plugged the solar panels back in and one floodlight went to 78%/green bolt and the other 84%/green. C’mon guys/gals please fix this already or return it back to just the normal bolt. At least that way I know the true charge status of my battery. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Take back your red/green lightning bolts, they complicated and screwed up something that was simple and working fine.