I purchased a Spotlight Cam and a Hardwired Kit during the Black Friday sale and have had it fitted recently, and it seems like the Hardwired Kit is somehow not compatible with UK wiring? As when I twist the camera into position the Pogo pins are burning holes into the pad and stopping the camera from working.
An electrician has fitted a new fused spur inside the house and ran some 3core from it, outside the house and clipped up the wall to the camera position.
For those not familiar with the Hardwired Kit, it’s essentially a Wiska junction box with a proprietary cover so you can attach the Spotlight Cam. You connect the cables inside the box with the supplied Wago clips, but you’re told not to connect the earth cable from the supply, and a cable from the camera is left similarly unconnected.
I twisted and locked the camera into place and it worked for about 10 seconds, then died. I checked everything and it seemed ok, the. Then I noticed this…
I’ve read that the Spotlight Cam Mount found in the US is not sold in the UK due to “compatibility issues” (see UK Hardwired spotlight camera - Possible?) and I’m starting to think the same applies to the Hardwired Kit. I cleaned up the pins and tested the camera in the regular wired base supplied with the Spotlight Cam and it worked perfectly, so the camera isn’t at fault.
The same electrician which fitted it has tested the circuit and there are no faults. He suggests that the Pogo Connector Collar (the bit which the camera locks into and has the wires coming out the back) could have badly soldered joint inside, but the part isn’t serviceable as it’s filled with epoxy.
After a 35minute phone call with Ring Technical Assistance, where I was asked no less than 3 times if I would like to purchase the entire Hardwired Kit again, I was told the Pogo Connector Collar isn’t available as a spare part, either as a FOC replacement or purchasable item. After being told that nothing further could be done and it was suggested I simply put the Hardwired Kit aside and mount the Spotlight Cam as it comes (but I have no external socket, hence the Hardwired Kit). Only after I queried if I could return the Hardwired Kit for being faulty did the operator say they’d pass on my details to their billing department who would be in contact shortly. That was a week ago and I haven’t heard anything, and I’m hoping someone reading this has had a similar problem and can offer assistance.