More battery draining issues

[tallguy56]

I am having issues with random battery drain on cameras that have great signal, no temperature issues and are minimally activated.  Most recently one camera dropped from 89% to 6% in just 3 days and the last time the motion activation went off was 27 days previous!!!  so it is not from over activation or recording.

Other cameras have also had this type of rapid drain and when I replace the batteries they seem to be fine and then one will do the same thing...drop 80-90% in a few days.  I have swapped batteries, done the open the door for a few minutes then close the door on the camera any other suggestions that I found online but the problem persists.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

[StuBee]

I was just about to report a similar issue.  In fact I posted it here somewhere when these devices were first released.

I have the original Arlo model, and for the last month one of the Cameras just won't stay connected to the base station in the location it's been fine at for 2 years.   Not sure if a firmware change, or a ssid channel change or what happened.

But the point is when the camera is not connecting to the Base Station it goes into this Battery Draining mode.  I assume it's trying to screaming trying to connect and it just kills the battery within a week.  I've gone through 8 batteries before I realized the issue.

This could be fixed in Firmware....but I'm pretty sure it won't be.

[goodlord00]

battery life is horrible. I have two HD (H11) camera both inside that the battery life will drop with in three to four days. One camera I put four new Duracell (just like the ones it came with) battery in on Saturday (DEC 23) and as of today (DEC 26) the life left is 75%. It has had about 2 to 4 recordings all at 2min. The other camera I put new tenergy 3.7v battery in Sunday with no recordings in (DEC 25) and the life is down to 97%. Arlo really need to fix this issue. Both camera most options are turned off. My two Pro camera go though battery fast as well. Both PRO cameras have the solar panel connected and it works best only when they get 100% full sun to maintain the charge around 92-100%. I have the pros in trees (facing south) so to work on them it take a large latter to get to them. One faces the driveway and gets maybe 4 to 8 hits maybe a day and holds around 80-87%. So at time I have to remove the battery and wall charge to get it back to 100% and let it work it way back down. ..... Arlo, you need to find the fix on the battery life issue. I kind of wish I never got them and wouldn't of if I would of known about this before hand.

[jguerdat]

For both of the posts just above this, the first step is to bring the camera(s) close to the base to see if they then work properly. It's easy to blame firmware but I'm running the same firmware with no issues. Location, connection quality and strength, etc. all gets in there. It could well be a hardware issue but you have to do some testing to figure it out. If you can prove an issue, opening a case to take advantage of the 1 year warranty is how you can get the devices replaced.

[tallguy56]

I am happy for you that your Arlo is working well.  Unfortunately mine was fine and then started to eat batteries.You may find yourself in a similar situation down the road.  I have done the troubleshooting that you suggested as well as many  techniques other people have suggested.  There is an issue with this system as is evidenced by the number of complaints that have been logged

[jguerdat]

Have you opened a case with support to try to work through the issues?

[Scrubby3250]

I have called twice for this problem. Issue still there...I was told the camera needed to be returned so they send me a RMA email...I switched the cameras..battery good for one day...from 96% to 26% in one day...so back to the drawing board. 

[StuBee]

In response to jguerdat 

- My Arlo is the original...so past the 1 year warranty.

- The issue for mine seems to be if the device loses connection it goes into a Battery Drain mode that kills the battery completely in a week or less.  

- When the device is brought closer, it doesn't seem to drop connection and have this battery drain.  

- I had this happen a long time ago when the Base station was turned off....so it seems to me it's a Firmware issue with the Camera in some kind of panic lost connection mode.

As mentioned previously...it has been in the same position for over a year...so I'm not sure if another signal start interferring...but no matter the cause, the Arlo shouldn't kill the battery when it loses connection. It should just go into a periodic check for signal mode.   

[tallguy56]

to jguerdat:

I had an online chat with tech support and they pointed the finger at the ISP provider saying that  if the connection went out then the cameras could/would drain.  That may or may not be true but if it is, it seems like it is a problem with the camera as well.  BTW..I personally have not experienced problems with my ISP provider dropping the connection regularly or for extended periods of time, so not sure if that is the problem.

[Scrubby3250]

I agre nothing to do with theISP..I just replaced the batteries after replacing tbem two days ago..Iam returing the system it sucks..

[jguerdat]

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tallguy56 wrote:

to jguerdat:

I had an online chat with tech support and they pointed the finger at the ISP provider saying that  if the connection went out then the cameras could/would drain.  That may or may not be true but if it is, it seems like it is a problem with the camera as well.  BTW..I personally have not experienced problems with my ISP provider dropping the connection regularly or for extended periods of time, so not sure if that is the problem.

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If the Internet drops, the batteries shouldn't drain. That would require the base to drop the connection to the cameras. The usual cause of this sort of thing is due to a power outage, perhaps brief. Use of a UPS for your modem, router and base is sometimes suggested to help fly through outages although it won't do anything for Internet outages.

[StuBee]

Back to the original issue though...and something I don't get why Arlo couldn't fix.....

The batteries shouldn't drain like quicksand just because it cannot reach the base station.

When you take an ipad/Android tablet out of the house...it doesn't start zapping through the battery because it can't reach the internet.   A tablet will also quickly/gracefully reconnects when the internet is available again.

Arlo should look at why their product has this failing.

[tallguy56]

thanks for the suggestion but if the power went out, even briefly, then all of my digital clocks would be blinking and begging to be reset.  That has not happened

[tallguy56]

Stubee I agree!!!

[jojo253]

I noticed that my battery will drain quickly if the device sensitivity and going under settings of the app and change the sensitivity to match are not the same then yes my battery drains quickly. I thought if you changed one then the other changes as well n I learned that is not the case. Once I had them match, the batteries last longer now.

[jguerdat]

The sensitivity setting in Settings, My Devices, your camera, Motion Detection Test will never save so setting it there has no effect. It's simply a way to get a number that you can then transfer to your modes. Why it seems to have solved your battery life would seem to be coincidental.

[DukeVo]

i have the same issue.  They all were fined before the firmware updated.  Telling me the batteries are all bad.  Nothing were changed for all 8 cameras, yes 8 cameras beside the last firmware updated.  Two cameras that not even turn on and they drain faster than other.  I was happy when first bought and they last for a long time.  Just the last stupid updated.  They are not cheap, I spend a thousand dollar for this crap.  I need everyone gets together to file a law sue.

[JamesC]

New Base station firmware has been released that should help resolve the issue being discussed here. Check your base station firmware to be sure you are up to date with the latest available version.

Take a look here for more information on this firmware: Firmware Release Scheduled 6/21 to Address IR Rapid Battery Drain and Modes and Schedules Issues

JamesC

[EdRand]

Battery drain since update is just a joke. Camera was fine for 1 year lasting on average 75 days. After the June update., batteries last 1 mth. Bloody joke it is