Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras
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DFH3
Tutor
Tutor

Hello,

I have a camera that is draining in about 36 hours with very little use (it is about 2 years old).  Should replacing the batter resolve the issue or is it an indication of a Camera Problem. 

 

Thank you. 

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StephenB
Guru Guru
Guru

@DFH3 wrote:

 

I have a camera that is draining in about 36 hours with very little use (it is about 2 years old).  Should replacing the battery resolve the issue or is it an indication of a Camera Problem. 

Could be either, so worth doing some troubleshooting.  In general, battery drain can be due to 

  1. Too much video streaming
  2. Poor signal quality, resulting in connection drops
  3. Extreme cold temps (batteries are less efficient when it is cold).
  4. Battery failure
  5. Camera failure

 

One aspect on (1) - if you use activity zones, you might be getting more video streaming than you know.  All detected motion results in a stream to the cloud.  The cloud then applies the activity zones, and will supress recordings and notifications if the motion is out-of-zone.  So you need to disable activity zones if you want to check for this.

 

One thing to try is swapping it with another camera, and then see if the problem moves with the camera, or stays with the location.

DFH3
Tutor
Tutor

Thanks Stephen! - I ruled out items 1-3 below and the activity zones have not changed.  

 

I purchased a new battery and put the camera in a location where there is no movement (the bottom of inside stairs).  The light on the camera goes off randomly for no reason and stays on for a handful of minutes before shutting down. 

I am guessing this may mean camera failure. 

JamesC
Community Manager
Community Manager

DFH3,

 

If you disable Activity Zones entirely, do you still experience the same behavior? Is audio triggering enabled?

 

JamesC

DFH3
Tutor
Tutor
I will try it, I didn’t try it because I’ve had the same activity zone on for nearly 2 years.
DFH3
Tutor
Tutor
It was worse with activity zones disabled.
JamesC
Community Manager
Community Manager

DFH3,

 

Consider removing the camera from Settings > My Devices > select the problematic camera > Remove Device.

 

After it's been removed, go through the sync process as if it were new and test again to see if you still experience the same behavior.

 

JamesC

ahernandez04
Aspirant
Aspirant

Hello, was there ever a solution to this problem?

I've had the same issue for over a year with a Pro 3 camera as well. I decided to give up on it eventually after trying the same suggestions (re-synched the camera as if new, got a new battery, renamed the location.....all while having it just feet from the base so I knew it wasn't connection). I ended up having to buy some new cameras. But now one of the previous cameras from my set that was working perfectly fine is having the same issue. The battery drains within 3 days (after no usage, it was sitting in my office with no rules setup for it). So I was wondering if there was ever a solution to this issue that I've been reading about for the last yr or if it's just a defective unit that Arlo won't provide any warranty for.

DFH3
Tutor
Tutor

Unfortunately no.  I bought a replacement battery and that didn't work.  I ended up replacing the Camera with the Arlo Essential - there was no option to purchase the Pro 3 at the time.  It seems as though they've stopped producing the 3. 

StephenB
Guru Guru
Guru

@DFH3 wrote:

It seems as though they've stopped producing the 3. 


It wouldn't suprise me if they've stopped manufacturing Pro 3s in favor of the Pro 4s.

 

The Pro 4 offers the same features as the Pro 3, but also adds the option to connect directly to home wifi if you wish.

 

While I like the price of the Essential, I wish it had a removable battery.

ahernandez04
Aspirant
Aspirant

Were you still within your warranty to get this option? Or did they eventually offer it since product was defective?

 

DFH3
Tutor
Tutor

The camera was over a year and a half - I assumed the warranty was 12 months and didn't think to try any of your recommendations below - wish I had. 

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