Solar power charging station

[larana]

I've got a few Arlo Pro 4s that are hard to get too in the winter. I'd like to add solar power for these, but I don't want mushrooms all over the house. I was thinking of putting a small solar power station (50w panel and 30ah battery) in the backyard, as it faces south and the cameras in question face north.

This raises two issues, is voltage drop going to be an issue with 100' cables. The second problem is that the Arlo cameras require 9v to charge, but I can't find a 9v buck converter with decent amperage. I don't want one buck converter per camera.

Has anyone else done something similar?

[ShayneS]

Hey @larana 

Thank you for your question, I know this may not help answer your question directly; the recommended solution is to use Arlo’s official solar panels, which are specifically designed for Arlo cameras and eliminate potential voltage regulation or power conversion issues.

Your Arlo Pro 4 is compatible with the following solar panel options:

• VMA5600 Solar Panel (magnetic connector)
• VMA7600 Universal Solar Panel (includes magnetic adapter cable)

These panels are engineered to provide the correct voltage and safe, consistent trickle charging.

At this time, Arlo does not support third-party solar or custom power configurations, including setups that use buck converters or extended cable runs (such as 100 feet). Using non-Arlo power sources may damage the camera and could void the warranty.

Please also keep the following in mind:

• The solar panel is designed to maintain battery charge (trickle charge), not recharge a fully depleted battery. We recommend fully charging the battery before connecting the solar panel.
• The battery will not charge in temperatures below 32°F (0°C).

For additional details, you may refer to the following resources:

• Arlo Solar Panel Compatibility
• How to Troubleshoot Arlo Solar Panel Charging Issues
• Arlo Pro 4 FAQ

In summary, we recommend using one compatible Arlo solar panel (VMA5600 or VMA7600) per camera rather than building a custom power solution. This ensures proper performance and maintains warranty coverage.

[ShayneS]

Hey @larana 

Thank you for your question, I know this may not help answer your question directly; the recommended solution is to use Arlo’s official solar panels, which are specifically designed for Arlo cameras and eliminate potential voltage regulation or power conversion issues.

Your Arlo Pro 4 is compatible with the following solar panel options:

• VMA5600 Solar Panel (magnetic connector)
• VMA7600 Universal Solar Panel (includes magnetic adapter cable)

These panels are engineered to provide the correct voltage and safe, consistent trickle charging.

At this time, Arlo does not support third-party solar or custom power configurations, including setups that use buck converters or extended cable runs (such as 100 feet). Using non-Arlo power sources may damage the camera and could void the warranty.

Please also keep the following in mind:

• The solar panel is designed to maintain battery charge (trickle charge), not recharge a fully depleted battery. We recommend fully charging the battery before connecting the solar panel.
• The battery will not charge in temperatures below 32°F (0°C).

For additional details, you may refer to the following resources:

• Arlo Solar Panel Compatibility
• How to Troubleshoot Arlo Solar Panel Charging Issues
• Arlo Pro 4 FAQ

In summary, we recommend using one compatible Arlo solar panel (VMA5600 or VMA7600) per camera rather than building a custom power solution. This ensures proper performance and maintains warranty coverage.