Rechargeable Batteries

[Kithay]

Hi, I purchased LiFePo4 rechargeable batteries for my cameras and I have installed 1 set of fully charged batteries, but my camera is still showing the batteries to be flat. Any suggestions?

[Showguy]

There was a camera software update back in April that dealt with how the cameras report the status of reachable batteries. The current camera sw is 1.2.2412 or higher. Make sure your camera is running this software version.

[Kithay]

I am running 1.2.2545. Normal rechargeables work fine. Itts only a problem with lithion iron phosphate batteries.

[TomMac]

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Kithay wrote:

Hi, I purchased LiFePo4 rechargeable batteries for my cameras and I have installed 1 set of fully charged batteries, but my camera is still showing the batteries to be flat. Any suggestions?

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Old thread;

2015-05-15 01:58 AM - edited ‎2015-05-15 02:11 AM

Bought and set my Arlo 4 camera system 5/4/15 around 3-4pm. As soon as the provided Energizer batteries dropped 1 bar on the battery indicator, I ordered rechargeable batteries and chargers.

- (8) Tenergy Li-Ion 3V 900mah (blue/silver) with 4 dock charger, X 2

- (10) Tenergy LiFePO4 750mah (green/silver), X2

As soon as they arrived some of the blue 900mah needed a 3 hr charge. 

The green 750mah were charged on arrival.

5/14/15 I got a 1 red bar battery indicator / 10% email at 8:30pm. 

I changed out the old Energizer one-use batteries with the blue 900mah Tenergy, reset the camera in position, THEN noticed the battery indicator wasn't corrected to a full 3 green bars via iOS app but still 1 red bar (should've checked before mounting). I checked to see if the camera would work, it did but had a longer than usual delay with live streaming.

I tried the green 750mah Tenergy, in the other camera I wanted to change to rechargeable batteries even tho it had 2 green bars (both high traffic, best quality), and the battery indicator dropped to 1 red bar. I then tried the blue Tenergy in this same camera and got the same results.

I ended up putting the old Energizer batteries back into the cameras and now have both cameras at 1 red bar via iOS and website through computer.

Support said that the Engineers tested these batteries and found that they WILL NOT WORK. They said that I need to buy 3.6V-3.7V Li-Ion Rechargeable batteries and added that I should NOT use the green 750mah LiFePO4 Tenergy. They said that 3V is not enough to operate the camera.  I expressed my confusion since the provided Energizer batteries are 3V as well. So that doesn't make sense... rechargeable or one-use shouldn't make a difference, 3V is 3V.  They said thay there is a specific discussion referring to ONLY USE 3.6V or 3.7V Li-ION RECHARGEABLE batteries on here but I can't find where a Netgear/Arlo rep says this, just customer discussions about trial/error. Also, this is NOT indicated on the box, app, etc. as operating requirements. Now I'm stuck with a bunch of batteries I can't use?  I asked about a possible software problem and they said it was not a software problem.

[TomMac]

Bought and set my Arlo 4 camera system 5/4/15 around 3-4pm. As soon as the provided Energizer batteries dropped 1 bar on the battery indicator, I ordered rechargeable batteries and chargers.

- (8) Tenergy Li-Ion 3V 900mah (blue/silver) with 4 dock charger, X 2

- (10) Tenergy LiFePO4 750mah (green/silver), X2

As soon as they arrived some of the blue 900mah needed a 3 hr charge. 

The green 750mah were charged on arrival.

5/14/15 I got a 1 red bar battery indicator / 10% email at 8:30pm. 

I changed out the old Energizer one-use batteries with the blue 900mah Tenergy, reset the camera in position, THEN noticed the battery indicator wasn't corrected to a full 3 green bars via iOS app but still 1 red bar (should've checked before mounting). I checked to see if the camera would work, it did but had a longer than usual delay with live streaming.

I tried the green 750mah Tenergy, in the other camera I wanted to change to rechargeable batteries even tho it had 2 green bars (both high traffic, best quality), and the battery indicator dropped to 1 red bar. I then tried the blue Tenergy in this same camera and got the same results.

I ended up putting the old Energizer batteries back into the cameras and now have both cameras at 1 red bar via iOS and website through computer.

Support said that the Engineers tested these batteries and found that they WILL NOT WORK. They said that I need to buy 3.6V-3.7V Li-Ion Rechargeable batteries and added that I should NOT use the green 750mah LiFePO4 Tenergy. They said that 3V is not enough to operate the camera.  I expressed my confusion since the provided Energizer batteries are 3V as well. So that doesn't make sense... rechargeable or one-use shouldn't make a difference, 3V is 3V.  They said thay there is a specific discussion referring to ONLY USE 3.6V or 3.7V Li-ION RECHARGEABLE batteries on here but I can't find where a Netgear/Arlo rep says this, just customer discussions about trial/error. Also, this is NOT indicated on the box, app, etc. as operating requirements. Now I'm stuck with a bunch of batteries I can't use?  I asked about a possible software problem and they said it was not a software problem.

[Kithay]

Well thats nice to know considering I spent $100Au on those batteries. Arlo will be hearing from me about this one.

[JamesC · Accepted solution]

I would like to thank you for your posts and contributions! I want to make sure you take a look at an article outlining best practices when it comes to batteries. For those involved in this discussion I encourage you to review Remember these golden rules for your Arlo camera batteries along with BATTERY WARNINGS AND SAFETY.

We strongly recommend using one of the following types of batteries:

• The non-rechargeable batteries supplied with your Arlo Wire-Free cameras
• Tenergy Li-Ion RCR123A 3.7V 650mAh rechargeable batteries specifically marked “Works with Arlo”
• Non-rechargeable batteries from other high quality, established, well-known manufacturers such as Panasonic^®, Energizer^®, or Duracell^®

NEVER try to recharge the C123A batteries that came with your Arlo camera as they are non-rechargeable.

Thank you for sharing! 
 
JamesC