Fast Battery Drain

[waltster65]

NOTHING has changed. My base unit and my cameras are all in the same place that they have been in for at least two years. The amount of usage has not changed. NOTHING has changed. When I first installed the ARLO cameras two years ago my batteries would easily last 4-6 months. Earlier this summer the batteries started draining much faster. Now I am down to one week. Seriously, I changed the batteries last weekend in two cameras and they are now dead. What gives? As best as I can tell the firmware is up-to-date (1.2.11810)

[ChevyMama]

@0916jmlj yep! Funny thing, it disappeared right when the stock went public! It was an extremely long thread with numerous upset customers! If a thread is "solved" there's a link to see the solution. This one is set so everyone is  denied access.

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@0916jmlj wrote:

You list a link that will resolve the battery drain issue dated 6/21/18.  When I click on it, tells me DENIED.  I have an account, paid for your product, but can't use the link.  Call customer support and the lady asked me the same questions over 5 times and when I asked for someone else to help me, she tells me I have to call back and she can't transfer calls, then hangs up on me.  This is one of the worst customer service reps. I have ever had to deal with.  Maybe if your customer service reps were located in the USA we all might be more successful at getting help with equipment problems.

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Hiding something? I think so. Let's see if this post lasts. Not cool Arlo, not cool!

[Coryvette]

Yes and there are less expensive deals via internet that do the same job for at least half the cost and I do mean AT LEAST.

[Micolabn]

Well it seems a lot of us have the same problem and Arlo is not being responsive.  I am tired of replacing batteries all the time. Of having a product that is irratic and unreliable.  Of getting someone reading a script to me when I ask for help.

I am going to let the batteires all die and not use the product until I hear that the problem has been fixed.

I learned that even when the cameras are "off", they still "talk" to the base station repeatedly.  This is how Arlo can send a message to me that my batteries died, even whjen it is off.

Has anyone tried turning off the base station and see if the batteries drain?    I stay home alot and no need for the base station to be on.   Or will this require me to re sync the cameras?

"Ring" seems good, but works on the outside of the house, maybe they have an "indoor" version.

[0916jmlj]

What happend to the link from June 21, 2018 that was to fix this problem?  It seems to be disabled.  I have been waiting for my replacement camera, since this is what your company claims is the problem.  I think it is time for everyone to contact the Better Business Bureau, since everyone have defective units, with no help from ARLO customer customer!!!!

[Mutchinator]

Reading these posts already frustrates me since many others are having issues - and support seems to be unhelpful. I just fully charged all batteries for my Arlo Pro and Pro 2 cameras -7 in total. Batteries after two weeks already at 50% on one, 78% on another but 100% on others. Ironically they are all in the same places as before - never had reception issues and the cameras which have actually recorded in past two weeks are ones with best battery levels. Frustrating and ready to sell my Arlo system and go hard wired.

[Russell72]

It is the firmware or the hardware. I have 3 cameras wired to DC power supplies and all 3 will show

battery drain with no batteries installed.

[Janetteramsey]

They say engineers are working on the fast drain. This had been an due for too long chargingvevery 3 weeks is unacceptable think I’ll return

[Coz2]

Solution - so far:

I took my three cameras down and took out the batteries. I unplugged the base station for three minutes. Re-installed batteries in different cameras and let them sync by placing next to base station. Put camera’s back in designated locations. It has been four days and cameras are at 97%. Was seeing total drain after two weeks before. Hope it works for you.

[Micolabn]

I have 5 cameras.  they seem to rotate which one drains. Usual;ly only one at a time.   Recently I had a camera, which was totally off, go from 70% to 3% in 3 days.  Camera and system was off and I was using a new base station.    Not replacing batteries until this is worked out

[arloha]

Does the base station not auto upgrade its firmware?  If not how do I manually upgrade it?  Where do I get the "latest version" of firmware?  My Arlo 2s are having similar problems.  The very first charge lasted almost 6 months and after that only a few weeks max sometimes a week.   

[Micolabn]

I stay home alot and keep my cameras off for days at a time.   Tech support says even when off, the base "talks" to the cameras on a regualr basis.

Question:  Has anyone tired to leave their base station off when not in use?  Could this constant talking between the cameras and base be draining the batteries?   Would i have to resync all the cameras when I turned it on?

Does any one know what is the more current firmware version?   I read the updates are downloaded automatically, but why then do different folks have different versions? 

[Micolabn]

Are these the latest firmwares?

Base     1.10.0.8_22190

Camera   1.2.21616

[ShayneS]

Micolabn,

Here is a list of the latest firmware versions. You can find a full list of the release notes at the following link: Firmware Release Notes

Pro Base Station FW 1.10.0.8_22190, Wire-free Base Station FW 1.10.0.8_22190 

Arlo Q/Q+ firmware version 1.8.3.2_21995

Arlo Pro Camera 1.092.0.16_21159

Arlo Pro 2 Camera 1.125.11.0_21156

Arlo Wire-Free Camera v1.2.21616

[jguerdat]

Turning the base off is a bad idea since the cameras will quickly run down their batteries trying to connect to it. There's no real reason to turn the system off - just use the Disarmed mode or the On/Off toggles for each camera in Settings, My Devices, your cameras.

[Micolabn]

OK, 

I must be doing something wrong.

I do not think I got the update this morning.   Current versions are 1100923037     and 1221616.

I got an email that said we could manually update our software

Please be aware that if your cameras or base station are offline or actively recording during that window, they may not receive the update.  If you do not receive the update during that window, you can go to Settings > My Devices in the Arlo app, and from there choose to install the new update. 

I do not see a place to click on for a manual update.   Where shoudl I look?   

[JessicaP]

Hey @Micolabn,

If you are referring to the new firmware updates, we only have the updates available for Arlo Pro, Arlo Pro 2, and Arlo Base Station. 

For information on this release, take a look here:

Arlo Pro - 1.092.0.17_25364 - 26th September 2018

Arlo Pro 2 - 1.125.11.1_25366 - 26th September 2018

Arlo Base Station - 1.10.0.9_23037 - 26th September 2018

[ChevyMama]

Anyone else find your camera offline when you woke up? 

I removed the batteries to find it went up to 92% from 79? Huh? Something is way off here....how can it go up? Its not reading the battery properly

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@JessicaP wrote:

Hey @Micolabn,

If you are referring to the new firmware updates, we only have the updates available for Arlo Pro, Arlo Pro 2, and Arlo Base Station. 

For information on this release, take a look here:

Arlo Pro - 1.092.0.17_25364 - 26th September 2018

Arlo Pro 2 - 1.125.11.1_25366 - 26th September 2018

Arlo Base Station - 1.10.0.9_23037 - 26th September 2018

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[Micolabn]

Thank you for the answer

"If you are referring to the new firmware updates, we only have the updates available for Arlo Pro, Arlo Pro 2, and Arlo Base Station."

What about folks with the "plain" Arlo?

Will there be an update for that system?  Or just the base station?

Thanks

[Micolabn]

Thank you for your quick response.

Will there be an upgrade for the uses of "regular" Arlo?

Not the pro or pro 2?

To purchase the newer system would be a costly event to replace these units which only just recently stopped being reliable?

Thanks again.

[Micolabn]

Is there any type of upgrade for Arlo users to get Arlo Pro models, other than buying new ones and throwing the old ones away?

[langrock]

Charged the batteries overnight for one of the 5 cameras, installed this morning, and after coming home it's at 45%. This is an indoor camera, nobody is home all day, no recording whatsoever. The Arlo Pro users received a firmware update. What about for the original Arlo HD? Arlo, you got us into this mess by issuing faulty firmware, now fix it!!!

[langrock]

I have the following base station FW version

HW Version VMB3010r2

Firmware 1.10.0.9_23037

[langrock]

Problem with the theory of disarming is that after the July FW update the cameras stay 'armed' at all times, meaning that the motion sensor and IR light are active despite being set to disarmed and indeed are not recording events; they are detecting motion events, though, which is causing this insane battery drain issue.

[langrock]

What about the first-generation Arlo HD cameras? When will we be seeing the update that supposedly fixed the battery drain issues? If I don't see an update and improved behavior by the end of the month, the cameras will go and I will let anyone who wants to listen know how crappy a system this is.

[langrock]

Are you seriously considering throwing good money after bad? You, I, and many others have been burned by Arlo when they automatically issued a faulty FW update in July. That's when the cameras became useless. Unless they fix this ASAP, I would never ever buy anything coming from Arlo or Netgear ever again.