use indoor charging cables outside

[thomasa1980]

Hello,

I have arlo pro 4 cameras that are all mounted outside but out of the weather. They are under an eve and I will be running power cables inside.

Question is, can I use indoor power cables for this?  I see comments on many 3rd party cables that it won't work, some say the cameras don't record while connected or it throws an error saying you have to use an outdoor cable.  Is any of that true?

Thanks,
Thomas

[StephenB]

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@thomasa1980 wrote:

I have arlo pro 4 cameras that are all mounted outside but out of the weather. They are under an eve and I will be running power cables inside.

Question is, can I use indoor power cables for this? 

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Arlo's position will be to use the outdoor charger.

I have a Pro 3 in my unheated garage that uses an indoor charger+cable.  I haven't had any trouble with that.  Not sure about under the eaves (the cables could be affected by moisture/ice).  

[thomasa1980]

the end piece that connects to the camera appears to be the same on both the indoor and outdoor cable though.

[Retired_Member]

The Pro 3 Floodlight will detect if you're using an official outdoor cable and won't operate while charging unless the correct cable is used.  The original Pro 3 will work with a 3rd party outdoor cable.  I can't comment on the Pro 4 re. outdoor cable detection.

The difference between an indoor and outdoor cable is in the plastic used in the insulation (outdoor cables are resistant to UV light and so won't 'rot' (become brittle) over time in direct sunlight and in a little rubber seal on the magnetic connector that keeps moisture out.  On the official Arlo outdoor cable it's wired directly to the charger, whereas the notable 3rd party outdoor cable that works with the Pro 3 (has outdoor plastic and a rubber seal) has a USB connector and a standard charger.  The official Arlo adapter is better designed for outdoor use though (minor quibble) the magnetic connector should have rounded edges, not sharp corners, to make it easier to pass the connector through a drilled hole.  You need to drill a ridiculously big hole to pass the official Arlo cable through it (or, don't try this at home kids) carefully shave the corners off the connector with a box cutter and use a 16mm drill bit.  A 16mm hole is big enough for a USB connector but not big enough for the magnetic connector on the official Arlo cable without some modification.

[thomasa1980]

Thank you.

I'll wait and see if anyone comments specifically on the pro 4.

I'm not worried about sunlight or moisture given the mounting locations so it's really only the compatibility I'm concerned with.

Thank you for the pointers regarding hole sizes.

-Thomas 

[Konobi]

I have 2 Arlo Pro 4 attached under eves using the Arlo 8 ft indoor cables and it works fine.  The Arlo power adapters that come with the indoor cables are located out of the elements.

I also have 1 Arlo Pro 4 attached outside using the Arlo 25 ft outdoor cable and it works too.

I used a 5/8 inch drill bit to pass the cable thru the side of my house.

[Retired_Member]

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@Konobi wrote:

I have 2 Arlo Pro 4 attached under eves using the Arlo 8 ft indoor cables and it works fine.  The Arlo power adapters that come with the indoor cables are located out of the elements.

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Good to know, though be sure to look up what a 'drip loop' is in the context of outdoor wiring.  So long as everything is dry and water can't reach the charger or get between the magnetic connector and the camera it's probably fine, though a strong wind and heavy rain can sometimes cause odd and dangerous effects.