Arlo|Smart Home Security|Wireless HD Security Cameras

Will a standard 12V cigarette socket USB charger run cam indefinitely or cause camera harm?

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CaptMahty
Aspirant
Aspirant

In this earlier forum question:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/forums/forumtopicpage/board-id/en-arlo-pro/message-id/452/agent-typ...

 

Forum user, TomMac wrote:
"...As to the USB adapter, it has a dual voltage output... 5v and 9v
( the 9V is needed to charge the packs fully to 8,4v ) .
..So it's not just a standard USB adapter.... Not sure how the PRO decides which voltage to use...
may access another pin in cable"

 

That leads me to ask the following question about the USB wall charger verses using a standard 12V cigarette socket USB charging adapter:

    Will using a 12V cigarette socket USB charging adpater harm the Arlo Pro camera?

This question is regarding using Arlo Pro cameras in an exclusive 12V use case (car or boat or even just a stand-alone deepcycle battery in remote location)


I assume that most 12V cigarette socket USB charging adapters (like the one shown below) use +5V & ground on USB Type A pins 1 & 4 respectively.

12V-USB-Car-Charger.jpg

 


If the Arlo Pro AC wall charger is using a micro USB port to charge and has both 5V & 9V then it must be sending 9V over either the D+ or D- pins? I'm thinking that could harm a device other than an Arlo Pro camera?


I wonder will a standard 12V USB charger that has only 5V charging on pin 1 keep the camera running indefinitely without causing any harm to the Arlo Pro camera?

 

--Kindly, CaptMahty

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jguerdat
Guru Guru
Guru

It turns out that the battery is charged at 9v using the Qualcomm fast charge capability. So, you must use the Arlo adapter to charge. If the camera is powered all the time but has the battery installed, the battery will charge to 80% (for longer battery lifetime)but then will use 5v to run the camera. Without the battery, the camera just uses 5v.

 

SL, a standard charger seemingly would work too run the camera but will never charge the battery. Whether that's a good idea is up to you and your warranty.

 

Edit: it's not anything to DL with the cable other than usi g a good quality one with appropriately sized wiring. Cheap cables use smaller gaugywiring which causes issues.