14 Messages
Brand new outdoor camera won't hold a charge
As noted, I bought an additional outdoor camera during the recent sale in mid-July. Fully charged the battery and set it up with a similar configuration as my other outdoor cameras. The battery died after 3 or 4 days. Swapped in a battery from one of my other cameras since I knew that the battery would hold a charge and the same thing happened...fully drained after a few days. No motion notifications sent, nor are any expected for this camera's location.
This past Sunday, I uninstalled the camera, fully charged the battery again and tried to reinstall. It wasn't working...the front light never illuminated. I then app chatted with a SS rep for more than an hour and was told that the camera was working normally after I was eventually able to reinstall. This "new" camera is on different software than my others...1.15 vs. 1.16 but the rep insisted that it was on the latest software.
As a test, I again fully charged the battery and put the camera in a dark closet that gets zero use. Turned the indicator light off. I could hear the camera clicking every few minutes despite no motion events. The battery fully drained in about 30 hours.
Am I crazy or does this sound like a faulty camera? I was hopeful that the camera would update when I went to install it but it remained on 1.15. Any thoughts? At this point, I just want it swapped with a new camera if it's determined to not be the software.
PS - are the batteries serialized for the camera they shipped with?
captain11
Captain
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6.1K Messages
1 year ago
@johnion You have gone beyond the call of duty on that camera; suggest you call support, explain what you have already done and ask for a replacement. Please post your outcome here if you get a chance.
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katheek77
12 Messages
1 year ago
I got my system in March and am on my second camera and third battery. What works (I very accidentally discovered) is to charge it muuuuuuch longer than they say. I posted about it here: https://support.simplisafe.com/conversations/cameras/outdoor-camera-battery-drains-quickly/63471b15ef90664918a40224
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emily_s
Community Admin
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3.3K Messages
1 year ago
Hi @johnion,
Apologies for jumping in late. If your Outdoor Camera’s battery died within 30 hours and didn’t record a single motion event, there may be an issue with your camera’s hardware - not the firmware version it is currently running. I agree with Captain11, I would contact our Support team for a replacement.
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johnion
14 Messages
1 year ago
Thanks, all. I've contacted the support team 3x about this issue and the final resolution was to send me a free solar panel or AC adapter. I opted for the solar panel for this location. Support also noted a shortage of batteries, even though I was pretty clear that I swapped batteries with my other cameras and had similar poor performance; the battery certainly isn't the issue. My last "full" charge (i.e., the 3 dots were illuminated) only lasted about 5 days with zero motion events. The camera does get a lot of sun which I understand could impact longevity but not to this degree. There's just something wrong with that camera, its firmware, its hardware or something else. SS just doesn't want to swap it out for a new one for whatever reason.
Can anyone confirm if 1.15.6.391 is an old or new software? It's what the new camera has and my other 3 are on different software. Support couldn't explain why 1 out of my 4 outdoor cameras had different software.
Signed,
A frustrated owner who now has a free solar panel that I really didn't want.
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johnion
14 Messages
1 year ago
I wanted to provide an update to the community. I received and installed the solar panel after fully charging the battery. The panel is facing west and receives plenty of sunlight, much more than the 3 hours claimed necessary to maintain a charge. Per the app, the state of charge went from 100% on Saturday to 11% last night. I may try swapping the battery with a known good one but I've already done that once.
I'm at my wit's end with this camera and once again will need to get on a call/chat with support and waste an hour of my time for a camera that I knew was defective from the start. Oh, how I miss ADT at times...they at least stood by their products, although I really didn't have any complaints about their hardware...it was the price that drove me away.
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