Ridiculous ongoing battery meter fiasco

[Stevewins]

This ridiculous issue is continuing to persist for XL batteries with Arlo solar chargers and Ultra 2 cameras on a VMB5000 base!

C’mon Arlo, this is not one of those bugs that you can delay fixing for 6 months to a year like some of the others. This has been happening off and  on since last summer. This is a critical function that cripples the system and renders it unreliable for its intended purpose. Hire some competent programmers and FIX IT already!!! 

Every time the Arlo brand solar panel charges the XL battery to 100% the power meter in the app gets stuck there and continues to show 100% right up until the battery dies and the camera becomes utterly useless. This renders it unfit for purpose. Going up on ladders and unplugging and replugging the solar panels is the only fix I’ve found so far, and it’s temporary, as soon as we have a string of sunny days and the battery reaches 100% again the problem recurs. 

Don’t  make us publicize this all over the internet and tech publication media ad nauseum in order to get you to do your job right and fix it. 

[Stevewins]

I have 10 Arlo cameras: 4 Ultra 2, 1 Pro 3 Floodlight, 2 Pro 2, and 3 Pro.

The 4 Ultra 2s and the Pro 3 Floodlight are outside and all have Arlo solar panels. The other 5 are indoors. I’m using a VMB5000 hub for the outdoor cams and a VMB4000 hub for the indoor cams.

 
Lately, the power level indicators and solar charging indicators on 3 of the 4  Ultra 2s have been stuck at 100% charge and show as charging on my iOS apps. They show 100% right up until the battery dies and the camera stops working. The rest of the cameras work normally. Once I bring the camera inside and plug it in, the iOS app indicator shows the charge level normally as it goes from 1 to 100. 

I’ve discovered that if I log in on an android Arlo app that I normally never use, the power level and charging indicators work properly. And, once I’ve logged in on the android app, the iOS app will then show the new, correct power levels and charging indicator status. I have yet to determine whether the iOS app works properly from that point forward or if it just freezes with those new figures as the cameras get used. 

This began happening around the same time as the spotlight button failure on wifi so I’m guessing it’s another bug in the latest app or firmware update. 

[ShayneS]

Thanks for starting a new thread on this issue. I already escalated and I am waiting for an update.

[ShayneS]

Is this with the Arlo app version 4.0.2? 

[ShayneS]

Did you happen to see my recent posts?

Thanks 

[Stevewins]

It does this on 4.01 on my iPad and 4.02 on my iPhone. 

[ShayneS]

Thanks

[ShayneS]

Is this issue still occurring? 

[Stevewins]

It’s recurring. I can fix it by unplugging the solar panels and then logging in, then reconnecting the solar panels. It works ok for a while until the next full charge, then it sometimes gets stuck and shows 100% and charging on solar perpetually, even at night. I just fully recharged a few today so I’ll know soon if any are stuck again. It’s been cold and gray skies here so the solar panels aren’t really doing much if anything lately so I’m manually recharging every few weeks for now. 

[Stevewins]

It looks like it’s still getting stuck. I’m at 100% after a day and a half and I normally use 3-5% per day due to my active dog. I’ll know for certain in another day or two. 

On a different note, it looks like the spotlight button on iOS on local Wi-Fi now works about 90% of the time so that’s much better than 0% but still not 100% yet. 

[Stevewins]

This has started happening again. The power level indicator is stuck on 100% and indicates being charged by the solar panel, even in the middle of the night.

[Stevewins]

Once again the battery power meters are stuck/frozen on 100% on my Ultra 2 XLs and Pro 3 floodlight. This is constantly happening lately. It’s the third time I’ve posted it here. I’ve sent in my logs twice already as requested. I’m done playing that game, please fix this already. The only fix I’ve found is to climb the ladder and manually disconnect and reconnect the solar panels (Arlo factory brand panels). That fixes it temporarily until it happens again. This a huge flaw that renders the system totally unreliable for its intended purpose because you never know if they’re going to run out of power right when you need them. You never know where you actually stand regarding charge level. It’s a major PITA. 

On another note, I suddenly got a warning 2 days ago that my SD card in my VMB 5000 base requires reformatting after working perfectly since I installed it. However, neither the reformat function nor the safe eject option is available in the app now so I’m afraid to pop it out and reformat it by computer for fear of bricking it without a safe eject. 

[StephenB]

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@Stevewins wrote:

On another note, I suddenly got a warning 2 days ago that my SD card in my VMB 5000 base requires reformatting after working perfectly since I installed it. However, neither the reformat function nor the safe eject option is available in the app now so I’m afraid to pop it out and reformat it by computer for fear of bricking it without a safe eject. 

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Did you power-cycle the base or lose power? 

Removing the card won't damage it - the worst that can happen is that some cached writes will be lost.  Since you are reformatting anyway, it shouldn't matter.

If you do connect it to a windows PC, then it might offer to "repair" it.  Let it do that, and you will probably avoid the need to reformat.

There are some other reports of local storage misbehaving, I think Arlo is investigating.

[Stevewins]

Yep, every new update seems to result in a re-break or a new break of something. I think they need to re-write the entire app from scratch and maybe keep the same programmers on staff long enough to document the code fully so we don’t have all these new rookies screwing up the code every time they try to do something.

[Stevewins]

It really sucks not knowing what my camera’s power levels are.  If I fall off a ladder while dealing with this I’m going to sue you for millions, I promise. 

[ShayneS]

Thank you for the feedback, I will have the team investigate this. 

[Stevewins]

ShayneS, you’ve been saying that since last year. I’m going to contact McRae on Twitter every day for a status update going forward. I’ll be sure to mention your name so you get credit where credit is due.

[ShayneS]

Did you happen to send in any logs from our previous conversation, regarding this issue you are experiencing? The last communication I received was the following on March 14th, you were waiting to send in a diagnostic log if the issue persisted:

"I can’t replicate the issue, I’ll have to wait until it happens again.  We’ll need some sunny days with temps over 32° F for them to charge back up to full and then I can see if one or more get stuck there. Then I’ll get the logs for your team to analyze.

Steve Aronson"

Is it possible to send the logs for the team to analyze?

Thank you 

[Stevewins]

Shayne, I sent the logs in twice already. You know I did. I can send them a third time if you’ve lost or deleted them. I went up on a ladder and disconnected the solar panels on all 5 XL cameras today, and them reconnected them so they’re not stuck right now, they’re in the 80s. They will be stuck soon enough once they reach 100% again. We have plenty of sun in the forecast. Do you want the logs now, or after they get stuck again? Does it matter, logwise? This is the last time I’m sending them for this same issue.

[ShayneS]

HI Steve, 

I was able to gather some info. The team let me know there is a test firmware we can send to your hub for the time being that contains the fix. Would you like me to have them send this to your Smart Hub? I wanted to check with you first. 

You will just have to reboot the Smart Hub and check for a firmware update. 

Thank you 

[ShayneS]

Your cameras have been updated to the latest test firmware, please continue to monitor the issue and let me know if it still occurs and  I will escalate to the team. 

Thank you 

[Stevewins]

Ok, thanks. I’m in the 90s now, so another day or 2 of good sun and it’ll probably hit 100% and we can see what happens. 

Does the test software also fix the SD card issue by any chance? The base keeps corrupting the card once it gets full enough to start overwriting.

[ShayneS]

I wasn't informed of a local storage update on the test firmware, I see your other thread regarding the local storage issue, I'll reply there and let the team know.

Thanks

[Stevewins]

Thanks. Which firmware was updated, cameras or hub? 

[ShayneS]

It look like it was sent to the cameras via FW:1.070.53.0_56_f59603d