Arlo Pro camera shows online only when plugged in. VMC4030

[kbr6417]

Hello.  My Arlo camera functions properly when plugged in for batter charging.  However, even though the charging icon shows the battery if fully charged, the camera no longer shows up as online when not plugged in for charging.  The firmware is 1.092.1.0_9_120d8b7.  It's an Arlo Pro camera.  I've tried buying new batteries, as well.  

[jguerdat]

You can check the battery connections in the camera but otherwise it sounds like something has died. Can you leave it plugged in?

[kbr6417]

Hi.  Thanks for your reply.  I've had the camera/battery plugged in for numerous hours and it still dropped off after unplugging. 

[jguerdat]

The point is to let the camera to always be AC powered. You can remove the battery for use with other cameras since the camera won't work on battery-only.

[StephenB]

Are you using the Arlo charger?  Or a different one?

[kbr6417]

Yes, using the Arlo charger

[jguerdat]

BTW, check the charger's label. It has to have both 5v and 9v outputs to charge the battery. A charger with only 5v will run the camera but not charge.

[kbr6417]

It's the same charger that came with the original package

[StephenB]

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@kbr6417 wrote:

It's the same charger that came with the original package

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Does the fine print include both 5 volt and 9 volt output?

[kbr6417]

Yes, the label shows 5 & 9 volt output

[StephenB]

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@kbr6417 wrote:

Yes, the label shows 5 & 9 volt output

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ok.

Possible causes include

1. failing battery
2. bad microusb cable (including a poor fit if not Arlo's)
3. failing charger (not delivering 9 volts)
4. failed circuitry in the camera

Sounds like you've already ruled out the first possibility.

If you have another camera, I'd swap batteries and see if the other camera charges normally as the next step.

[kbr6417]

It might be bad batteries.  They sat for a long time after the hurricane and they're about 9 years old.  The new ones I got (Amazon) could be defective.  I swapped the batteries with another working camera.  The working camera stopped working and vice versa.

[kbr6417 · Accepted solution]

It turns out that it was the charger.  I don't know whether it was the cord or the "brick" that plugs into the wall. I purchased a dual charger and the batteries charged without issue.