Ring Security Cameras
A fix for Spotlight Cam Battery not recognizing the solar panel when connected
I’ve read at least a dozen threads about this problem. For anyone who is not having luck with a new solar panel being recognized by their spotlight cam battery, This is what worked for me Here’s the trouble. I had the same issue. This is what you need to do. Remove/Delete the device from your account first. Then hold the setup button on the top down for 20 full seconds. (1 one thousand, 2 one thousand, 3 one thousand...) Let go and then wait for the lights to flash (blue & white) it takes a few seconds for it to start flashing after you let go of the button, so be patient. Now that the spotlight cam has been removed from your device list, and has completed 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 (takes about 5-15 minutes depending on your network speed) and when you go into settings>device health, it 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 dozens 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.
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17-01-2021 10:21:25
Responses (13)
- WY
•1
17-01-2021 10:31:51
WYYou should see the solar panel when you select the correct device to add. 
•1
17-01-2021 10:33:10
WYI had the same problem as everyone else, none of the suggestions I read anywhere worked, until I deleted the device completely from my account, and performed a hard reboot, removed the battery(s), and reinserted them after a few seconds, then completely set it up as a new device, making sure I selected Spotlight Cam Solar, as the new device- As soon as I did that, solar panels were showing as connected on each device after I completed the process on each one. I hope this helped someone else. I found this suggestion buried in the comments on one of the dozens of posts I read trying to solve the problem. So I hope by creating it’s own thread with “fix” in the title it makes it easier to find. 
•1
17-01-2021 10:38:42
WYCredit to the original poster where I got the idea from. 
•1
17-01-2021 10:46:22
- WY
Update: After just 2 days of all 4 of my spotlight cams showing “connected” in the solar status spot under device health, 2 of the 4 are showing “cot connected” again... C’mon ring. Get your act together with this crap.
•1
19-01-2021 12:52:06
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- M
Thank you for sharing this experience with the Community, @Wont-you-be-my-neighbor! When it comes to charging the battery with the Solar Panel and obtaining a successful connection in the Ring app, this can require some fine tuning for optimal functionality. Removing and setting the Camera backup should not be required for this to work, but is a great tip, to see if this method helps out other neighbors. Depending on the location of the two Solar Panels showing as not connected, check to see if they might be getting the same amount of direct sunlight, compared to the other panels. If you believe the Solar Panels are getting the exact same sunlight and usage, as the ones that are showing as connected, try refreshing the Ring app to see if the device health page updates accordingly. Although the Ring app should always show accurate information, depending on mobile device connection variables, if a Solar Panel is showing as not connected, try waiting some time for charging to apply and monitor the status over time. Removing and reinstalling the Ring app is always a great step, as is ensuring there is not a VPN enabled. Your Solar Panel connection should be effective depending on battery drain factors shared in our [Community post](https://community.ring.com/t/device-tips-battery-draining-quickly/305). If they are not, or this concern persists, please give our support team a call at one of the numbers available [here](https://support.ring.com/hc/en-us/articles/213608406). If you are outside of the US, please visit [here ](https://support.ring.com/hc/en-gb/articles/213608406)to see how to contact support.
•2
19-01-2021 08:27:50
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UYeah she still live. Panel should reconnect just fine in the morning. But the the spotlight cam pro doesn't do this. There's a problem with the pro because the plus doesn't have a problem.
•0
08-03-2025 10:24:10
- C•
0
15-06-2022 10:43:31
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- U
Am I the only one who doesn’t get “spotlight camera solar” as an Option? Ring sent out a replacement overnight and the new one does the exact same thing as the original one.
•2
13-06-2024 08:47:04
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CHi @user_249f1c. There is no option for "Spotlight Cam Solar" under the Set Up a Device menu. For the solar version, you will still select Spotlight Cam Battery, as it is the battery version of the camera. We have some tips on how to install the Ring Solar Panel here that may help. If this issue persists, please follow up with our support team for further assistance.
•1
14-06-2024 09:16:14
UI've been dealing with this issue but only with the spotlight cam pro. The plus doesn't seem to have the problem. The spotlight camp pro does not recognize your solar panel when it wakes back up. Now you do have to plug and unplug the connector multiple times to get the initial connection to work because of a bad connector system design. But once you have the connection it will connect. But then you'll lose it in the morning when the Sun comes back up because it doesn't reconnect properly.
•0
08-03-2025 10:21:55
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Wont-you-be-my-neighbor
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17-01-2021 10:31:08
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