Discovering that your Arlo camera isn’t charging properly is frustrating, but there’s no need to panic. There are several common factors that can cause this to happen, and most of them can be easily fixed.
The problem could be anything from indirect sunlight to a bad charging cable. That’s why in this article, we’re going to cover how you can troubleshoot your Arlo camera.
Here’s a quick outline of what we’ll be going over.
- Checking your cables to ensure you’re properly connected.
- Repositioning your panel for maximum sun exposure.
- Learning about the proper charging level for your battery.
- Monitoring your camera usage.
- Contacting Arlo customer support.
This list is sure to have just what you need to get your Arlo camera charged up and ready to record.
Arlo cables and Connectivity
Loose or improperly connected cables are a common problem with an easy solution. So, before we try anything else, let’s make sure your Arlo camera is properly connected to the solar panel.
Before anything else, visually examine your charging cable. If you see spots where it’s frayed, broken, or where the inside wiring can be seen, you likely need a new cord.
Using damaged cords is dangerous, so it’s important to confirm that yours is in working order before you continue.
- Locate both ends of the Arlo camera’s charging cable.
- Once you find them, you will need to unplug both sides. To unplug properly, gently squeeze the size of the plug.
- Afterward, reconnect the charging cable to the solar panel.
- When it is properly in place, you will hear a click.
- After the click, plug the other in end to your Arlo camera and check to see if charging has begun.
If the camera still won’t charge or takes too long to do so, it’s time to move on to another troubleshooting technique.
Positioning Arlo Solar Panel in Sunlight
The Arlo solar panel needs direct sunlight. Solar panels operate by absorbing the sunlight that hits them and using their internal panels to convert that sunlight into electrical energy.
The key ingredient for solar panels to work properly is that they’re placed in the right amount of direct sunlight, so let’s check and make sure yours are properly situated.
The first step to making sure your solar panel is working effectively is to verify that it’s in a location that gets the maximum amount of sunlight that you have available.
Consider how the sun moves through the space throughout the day and determine whether or not factors like trees could cause it to be shaded.
If your panel is shaded for part of the day, it may not receive enough sunlight to properly charge itself. This will result in it being unable to properly charge your Arlo camera.
If you believe your panel is in a good spot, ensure that it’s positioned so that your solar panel is facing south if you’re in the northern hemisphere and north if you’re in the southern hemisphere.
Finally, wipe down your solar panel to confirm that no dirt or debris is blocking it from absorbing the sun.
After taking these actions, attempt to charge your camera and see if the issue has been resolved.
See also: Solar Panel for Arlo (What’s Best and Alternatives)
How Long does an Arlo Battery Last?
There are a few important things to understand about what your solar power charger is capable of when it comes to your Arlo camera.
First, keep in mind that for safety reasons the camera shouldn’t be charged in temperatures that are below freezing. This could lead to a malfunction in the camera or your battery.
Second, remember that the different kinds of Arlo batteries have different life expectancies.
Do you know long how long your Arlo battery lasts? If it’s an Arlo wire-free battery the answer is three to six months, in average conditions.
If you have an Arlo Go battery, that drops down to two to three months in average conditions.
- These battery life expectancies are calculated with the assumption that the camera will be on an optimized or best battery life setting, which would mean that your camera records roughly five minutes a day.
If your camera is in use more often than that or is using a different setting, keep in mind that the battery life will be shorter.
Drained Battery
Other factors such as low light, extreme temperatures, or a weak connection to the base station can also cause your battery to drain faster than average.
Finally, it’s important to understand that the solar panel charges the camera battery using trickle charging.
Trickle Charging
This means that it’s designed to maintain a battery charge, not charge a battery from low to full. If the camera battery is completely drained, you’ll need to use an alternate charging station.
The average Arlo battery takes about two hours to charge completely.
If you’ve taken all of these factors into account and don’t believe they’re what’s causing your issue, you can move on to other troubleshooting techniques with confidence.
Is The Problem Solved? Monitor Your Camera’s Battery Level To Find Out.
If your camera charges after trying the troubleshooting techniques listed above monitor the battery level over a few days time.
If the camera doesn’t remain sufficiently charged, then the battery is draining power more quickly than the solar panel can supply it.
Check once more to ensure your Arlo solar panel is getting strong, direct sunlight.
Still Having Trouble? Contact The Arlo Customer Support Team.
If you have taken every troubleshooting step and are still having issues charging your Arlo security camera using your solar panel, it’s time to contact Arlo’s customer support team.
The Arlo support site contains articles with answers to questions that other customers have already asked, so you may be able to find a solution by reading through.
These articles can be very helpful with common problems, and save you time in the long run.
There is also an Arlo community section where other customers can try to assist you, and a live chat section where you can speak with an expert.
Before you begin chatting with an expert, you’ll be prompted to choose what type of service you need help with. Choose “troubleshoot an issue” to get started.
The Arlo experts should be able to talk you through your problem in chat and advise you on what to do next. They can also help you open a support case if your product is still under the one-year warranty.
That way, if they find that there’s a reason for them to replace the product or offer another such solution, they’ll already have the information they need.
You don’t need to be logged in to your Arlo account to access the chat function, but if you wish to open a case on your own you’ll need to log in with your account email and password.
Wrapping Up
This troubleshooting guide covers some of the most common problems with the Arlo solar panels and Arlo camera batteries. If you follow the steps outlined above, you should have your camera up and running at full capacity in no time.
