With the advent of solar energy systems, people have found a convenient, environmentally sound, free of cost, wireless solution for fulfilling their power requirements. The applications of solar energy systems range from household lighting to pool heating to even powering surveillance cameras. Security cameras are installed at both indoor and outdoor settings in homes, offices, or commercial areas. For outdoor cameras, managing the wiring network and power supply system is a great challenge. Therefore, these days people are preferring solar-powered security cameras which offer a wide range of benefits. The advantages include no reliance on the power grid, no long wiring, allows remote installation, and no adverse environmental impacts. This article presents a detailed review of Arlo Solar Panel which is compatible with Arlo Pro 2, Pro 3, and Ultra cameras.
Arlo Pro 2, Pro 3, and Ultra cameras are wireless HD quality cameras that have great popularity for surveillance and security applications. The cameras use a lithium-ion battery as a power source. As the security cameras need to work 24 hours, 7 days a week so the battery needs to regularly replaced. If you have got tired of changing batteries, you should switch to solar chargers. Here is everything you need to know about Arlo Solar Panels and if they are worth the investment.
Solar panel for charging security camera
Arlo Solar Panels
For powering your Arlo security cameras, these solar panels are the best choice. They are exclusively designed while considering the product features and outdoor performance requirements. With Arlo Panels, you can sit back and relax as your security and surveillance will be managed by Arlo solar panels. These solar panels have a fast charging time. It takes only 8-10 hours for Arlo panels to charge the camera’s batteries. Moreover, it also functions well with little sunlight. For outdoor application, the panel has a weather-resistant design. The panel comes with an adjustable mount for ease of installation. This mount also facilitates its installation on vertical walls.
Key features
- It comes with a 6-feet power cable to connect the panel with the camera
- Adjustable mount for an easy installation is present
- An installation screw kit is provided with the product
- Compelete product guide
- Window decal available
- Temperature range for operation: 0° – 45° C.
- Can completely charge the security camera within 8-10 hours.
Pros
- Allows wireless charging
- Energy conservation
- Provides an environment-friendly powering option
- Weather-resistant design
- High sun-light capturing potential
Cons
- Due to only a 6-feet long connecting cable, there is a short distance between the solar panel and the camera.
- The cable does not have a configuration that is easily concealable.
Arlo Solar Panel- Detailed product review
According to customers, changing batteries is a great hassle while using Arlo cameras. The camera consumes a battery faster than many people have expected before buying it. The battery dies very quickly, particularly when the cameras are installed at a height as people usually prefer to install their cameras high up in the trees or on the second floor of the buildings. It is difficult to access the cameras for replacing batteries from such a height. Therefore, solar panel chargers provide a great solution to security camera charging problems.
The strong areas
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Design
Arlo solar panels have a compact, delicate and simple design. Upon unboxing, two components can be seen. These include the panel itself and 6-feet long power cable. In addition to this, there is also a magnetic mount and a wall-mount provided in the box which allows its easy installation. The metallic wall-mount has a strong built quality and is way better than the plastic mount which comes with the camera.
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Performance in low-light
The customers have highly appreciated Arlo solar panels’ performance in low light. In the product reviews section, the consumers have commented that they had installed the solar panel at the backside of their house or at the front door. These areas are usually under complete shade as the direct sunlight might be available to the panel for only 2-4 hours. They claimed that they are satisfied with the performance of Arlo panels in low light. The panel completely top-off the camera in a period of 24-30 hours under low light.
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Performance in stormy conditions
Consumers have tested Arlo panel’s performance on rainy and windy days when the wind blew so hard that it whipped off their backyard table covers. There were even days when the set-off motion notifications in the Arlo camera drained its battery to 35% so quickly. The camera eventually gets turned off and at the off-set of the storm, it takes a long time to charge back completely. Therefore, on rainy days in order to prevent the camera from draining off to 0%, you should turn it off until the storm ends and the sun starts shining again.
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Performance on sunny days
However, it is quite anticipated but just for the sake of reporting, the Arlo panels charge two times faster in sunny locations.
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Small size and weather resistance
The 12 cell Arlo panel has dimensions of 188 x 102 x 11.7 mm and weighs around 173g. In some varieties such as the Alro Ultra solar panel, there is also a 360° angle gimbal mount present same as provided by the camera. This facilitates capturing the best light angles. In addition, the solar panel is made up of a weather-proof casing that can tolerate high wind pressure. However, the company does not quote any IP rating.
The weak areas
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Arlo does not power AC-only features
In view of the amazing features of Arlo panels in terms of charging power and speed, the question arises if they provide additional features that require the camera to the plugin?
Unfortunately, the answer is NO. These solar panels do not support additional features such as activity zone and 3-second look back etc.
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Connecting cable
The customers are quite unsatisfied with the charging cable which has been provided with the solar panel. The major reason being, its short length i.e. 6-feet. Moreover, some customers have reported that the configuration of the cable is not easily concealable.
Review summary- is the Arlo solar panel worth the investment?
Arlo has provided a great charging system for its range of security cameras in the form of these solar panels. As reported by customers, they have felt great relief and are very satisfied with the panels’ performance. Furthermore, the hassle of constantly replacing the battery is also not a concern now. Arlo provides a wide array of advantages as highlighted above which prove that the product is worth an 80$ investment. However, there are some weak points also like every product. To sum up, we can say that whether going towards a solar-powered charging system is a very subjective decision. If you have planned to solar power your security cameras, then Arlo is a great choice but before going to buy one, give this comprehensive review a thorough reading. Good luck with your selection!
