Ring Security Cameras
Spotlight Cam Not Recognizing New Solar Panel - Any Ideas
So we bought the Ring Spotlight Battery Camera last week and decided to buy the solar panel for the spotlight camera. After charging the panel for the day, we got it all connected and just noticing its not only not charging it doesn't seem to be recognizing the new solar panel because on our account info under "Power" where "Solar Panel Status" is listed it says "Add Ring Solar panel to Extend Battery Life". The only thing I noticed that is different is the plug on ours (like the illustration" is not the same as in the video. Any help would be greatly appreciated  
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16-02-2020 12:19:33
Responses (9)
- H
We all are having trouble with the solar panels. I just replaced, and paid for, a new one because the old one, 3 months old maybe, isn't working. The new one isn't working either which tells me it's probably not the solar panel. I have panels on my other cameras and they work. This one does not. And Ring has no way to ever know if they are working or not. See the other threads in the Ring community. Many of us in the same spot since Ring hasn't bothered to make any way to know if the solar panels are working and you always get the YOU NEED A SOLAR PANEL message if you have one or not.
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08-05-2020 06:01:34
TI have the same issue ... but only on 2 of my 4 spotlight cams. My camera charges, so no issue there. It became an issue when I wanted to change my snapshot capture to every 5 minutes. The app won’t let me because it does not detect the solar panel. On the two cameras where it does detect the solar panel, I can adjust the snapshot capture to 5 minutes. What say you?
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17-07-2020 03:32:18
CHey @thomasjwhite1, happy to chime in here. If your app is not showing the solar panel as connected under your Device Health page, you will want to ensure the Solar Panel is connected properly. I recommend detaching the solar panel from your device and then attaching it back, while also ensuring that there is no dust and debris on the solar panels and at the connection. After checking the connection, if you find that it is still not showing as connected in the Device Health section, please try resetting your Spotlight Cam (not the solar panel) by pressing and holding the setup button for 20 seconds. After this reset, re-establish the connection your device has in your Ring app by tapping on Reconnect or Change Wifi Network under Device Health. This will take you through another setup of the Ring device in the Ring app. Once completed, check the Device Health again to see if the solar panel is showing as connected. If the device is showing as connected, please ensure you are getting 4 or more hours of direct sunlight to the solar panel during the day to allow a trickle charge to your device. You will also want to ensure that your device is not discharging more than it is charging, as you may have an excess amount of events that could be draining the battery on your device. In the event you may not see the solar panel connected still, please give our support team a call at one of the numbers available [here](https://slack-redir.net/link?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsupport.ring.com%2Fhc%2Fen-us%2Farticles%2F213608406). We're taking additional steps to protect our team and help reduce the spread of COVID-19. This has resulted in longer than normal wait times. If you are outside of the US, please read our response to COVID-19 [here](https://slack-redir.net/link?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsupport.ring.com%2Fhc%2Fen-gb%2Farticles%2F360041597471) to see how to contact support.
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17-07-2020 06:01:32
USolar Status shows "Established" does that mean it's connected? Also would like to know if you need both batteries installed in order for the solar panel to work? Brad
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25-09-2020 03:23:48
CHi @utfan4life. That is correct - the "Established" status means that the Solar Panel is connected. You'll want to have at least one of the batteries installed as the Solar Panel is providing a trickle charge to the batteries. Having both batteries installed is optional, but you'll need at least one battery. I hope that helps clear things up! :)
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25-09-2020 09:17:51
- K
I’m having this problem with 2 of my 4 cameras and Ring is of no help to fix it. I have done all the trouble shooting steps and still it doesn’t recognize the solar panels on two of my cameras. Very frustrating considering I can’t use the 5 minute snapshots. Why can’t Ring address this issue??
•1
07-11-2020 03:25:36
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THi @KathyL13. If the suggested troubleshooting steps have not provided a resolution, please give our support team a call at one of the numbers available [here](https://support.ring.com/hc/en-us/articles/213608406). We’re taking additional steps to protect our team and help reduce the spread of COVID-19, so this has resulted in longer than normal wait times. If you are outside of the US, please read our response to COVID-19 [here](https://support.ring.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360041597471) to see how to contact support.
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09-11-2020 09:15:05
KThank you. I have contacted the customer support and I’m waiting for a resolution.
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09-11-2020 09:18:58
- L
Have you heard back from customer support? I’m having this exact same problem. My solar panel was “connected” yesterday, but today I received a message that it’s not connected and to purchase a solar panel. I tried all the suggestions listed, but no luck.
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26-12-2020 06:43:18
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- S2
I'm finding this process for establishing a connection between the SpotCam & Solar panel a bit perplexing. I have been unable to get the solar panel recognized no matter the steps taken to do so. I've followed all the recommendations from support with the same negative results. From the volume of issues I've noted on this board about solar panels not connecting I'm wondering where the problem might lay. Is it software or hardware related?
•1
11-01-2021 08:12:57
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- WY
Here’s the trouble. I had the same issue. This is what you need to do. Remove the device from your account. Then hold the button on the top down for 20 full seconds. Let go and then wait for the lights to flash (blue & white). Now that the spotlight cam has been removed from your device list, and has finished a hard reboot, You can begin the process of correcting the problem. Open the bottom, and remove the battery(s), wait 10 seconds, and insert the battery(s). Wait until the power up lights finish flashing. Leave the battery compartment open, you will need to scan the QR code during the setup process. Open the app, and go to “devices” and select “add device”- This is the important part... You need to select Spotlight cam Solar from the list, so that it installs the correct firmware during setup. After you scan the QR code go ahead and close the battery compartment. Complete the set up process. After you choose a wireless network to connect to, the spotlight cam will update it’s firmware and will show the solar panel connected and able to charge device. Also important- Charge your battery(s) to full charge before you begin this process, so that you are starting with full battery’s. The issue is when you add the solar panel later as an add on, the device isn’t set up properly to recognize it, because it was originally set up as just a spotlight cam battery, and has the wrong firmware. I hope this helps someone, because this drove me absolutely crazy when I got the solar panels. I read countless threads about this, and people were angry paying 50 bucks for a solar panel and have it not work. You just need to follow these steps above. Remove the device from your account. Do a hard reboot of the device, remove the battery(s) replace the battery(s) and set up as a new device, making sure this time you choose Spotlight cam Solar as the device type.. Enjoy.!
•7
17-01-2021 10:11:29
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Marley_Ring
Hey @JTaylor65 ! While there are limited troubleshooting steps to take when involving the solar panel, it's important to be mindful of device and environmental variables. If you are seeing a message in your device health that says "add a solar panel," this is not an indicator of your Solar Panel failing to charge. This added feature is advertising the Solar Panel as an addition to your battery-powered devices. It's best to observe the battery percentage throughout a sunny day to see if the battery level is changing. For a battery draining with a Solar Panel connected, cold weather is more consistent as the seasons change and the charge life of a battery can differ. Check out our Community [post](https://community.ring.com/t5/General-Questions/Device-Tips-Battery-Draining-Quickly/m-p/1136#M52) about battery draining for tips and tricks on optimizing battery performance. The best steps for troubleshooting your Solar Panel are as follows: - Clean panel to remove any dirt, dust, or debris. - Check the adapter is securely plugged into the device. - Ensure there is no debris or damage to the adapter or port area. - In most locations, winter means overcast. Please ensure your Solar Panel is receiving several hours of direct sunlight per day. If these steps do not resolve your concerns, it would be best to reach out to our support team [here](https://support.ring.com/hc/en-us/articles/360036196372-Get-in-Touch) for more in-depth troubleshooting.
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17-02-2020 07:17:48
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