App shows incorrect power source for stick up camera battery

Hi,

One of my stick up cameras (2nd gen) is draining battery very fast despite minimal motion events.

When I look at device health, it shows the power source as power outlet. However, I have configured it as a battery operated camera. It shows the battery icon with a lightening bolt through it.

When I noticed this the first time, I suspected I may have chosen incorrect power source when I set it up. So I tried to update the power source setting. I also removed and reset the camera and added it again with the right power source. The camera continues to show as AC powered and continues to drain battery

Please advise how to fix this.

Hi @DeepakPhadnis! Is the power adapter plugged in? Even though you’ve set the power mode in the Ring app to be battery, please ensure the adapter is not feeding power to ensure it is not interfering with the status change.

Setting the Camera up again was a great step! When you performed a reset, did you hold the setup button for 20 seconds? This is the proper method of reset, which should also have helped with this. As you’ve covered a great many steps, I recommend removing and reinstalling the Ring app, then reconfiguring your power mode. This will test out any Ring app or communication factors, where the power mode configuration may have not updated. Feel free to let us know how this goes! :slight_smile:

2 Likes

Hi Marley,

Thanks for the detailed response. I bought the camera as a battery camera, there is no power adapter. I am only suspecting that the first time I set up the camera, I may have clicked on the powered option by mistake. The reset should have taken care of that.

Perhaps either the app, or the Ring system remembers the QR code?
I have multiple cameras as well as a doorbell. What will happen to them if I uninstall and reinstall the app? Will I have to configure them all again?

Thanks

@DeepakPhadnis wrote:
Hi,
One of my stick up cameras (2nd gen) is draining battery very fast despite minimal motion events.
When I look at device health, it shows the power source as power outlet. However, I have configured it as a battery operated camera. It shows the battery icon with a lightening bolt through it.
When I noticed this the first time, I suspected I may have chosen incorrect power source when I set it up. So I tried to update the power source setting. I also removed and reset the camera and added it again with the right power source. The camera continues to show as AC powered and continues to drain battery
Please advise how to fix this.

@DeepakPhadnis ,

I’m a little confused about your setup. I know that Stick-Up cameras can either be the Plugged-In version or can be battery operated too. So, do you have your camera using both power supply versions (it is externally plugged-in AND you put a battery in it)?

I’m running all my Stick-Up cameras as Plugged-In, and therefore the battery compartment inside is empty. Therefore my “Device Health” displays “Power Source > Power Outlet” and the “Battery Level > 0%” because there is not any battery in it. If you are using both Plug-in and a battery, you’re the first person that I’ve heard of doing this. I don’t see the advantage of using both, because if you lose house electrical power, you’ve also lost power to your router too, both which render your camera inoperative. If you have a battery in it, it won’t have a router to ‘talk’ to during a power outage either. The main advantage of using a battery is that no electrical external power outlet is needed.

When you have your Stick-Up camera setup to “Power Outlet” setting, your camera has much higher power requirements. With Plug-In external power, Ring enables your Stick-Up camera to have many options that the battery version does not (since they are not worried about rapidly depleting battery life). Some of these Plug-In options abilities include:

  • Extensive modifiable Motion-Zones.

  • Shorter Interval times for the Snapshot functions, as low as 30 seconds intervals.

  • Up to 2 minutes recording time ‘batches’ per Motion Activations

       -- Battery-configured cameras can only do 30 seconds video 'batches'
    
       -- Plug-In cameras could go 60 seconds
    
                 ---  but the new feature allows up to 2 minutes per recording 'batch'
    

So it is possible that with a battery in the compartment, coupled with your setting as Plug-In, your camera is using the battery as the primary power source but also using the high-draining software features of a Plugged-In version of the Stick-Up cams. It may appear the camera isn’t doing much, since you said, “draining battery very fast despite minimal motion events” but actually it is doing lots of stuff, such as computing special motion zones, etc. And the charging from the external power just can’t keep up with the high-drain.

If indeed you are Plugged-In AND using a battery, I would recommend removing the battery, and configure your camera as only a Plug-In version in order to take advantage of the extra options that are unavailable to the Battery version.

Now, if in my confusion, you are really using ONLY battery power (and incorrectly selected Plug-In during the initial setup), and you do not also have the camera plugged in, you’ll need to also “un-confuse” your camera too. The best and easiest way to do that is with a Hard Factory Reset. It is possible that during your initial setup, “Plug-In power” version Firmware was downloaded into your camera. So instead of completing just another standard “setup”, this Hard-reset will wipe out any incorrect power-source downloaded Firmware (other than what it had from the factory). Doing a Hard Factory Reset will require you to take the cover off the bottom cover and **press & hold the reset button for 30 seconds. **

For Hard Factory Resets, it’s best that you Remove your Ring device from your phone app, prior to any Hard Reset (Main Menu > Devices > select your Ring Pro > Device Settings (Gear Icon) > General Settings > Remove This Device.

After the Hard Reset, your device will start a setup, and do not click “Skip” when you get to the part when it is downloading new, fresh “Glitch-free” Firmware (could take 5 or 6 minutes). If possible, temporarily move the router and/or camera closer together, so a good clean firmware download can happen (for the correct power-source selection).

Dang, even writing this was confusing. LOL :slight_smile:

I hope this helps you with your draining issue. :slight_smile:

2 Likes

@Marley_Ring wrote:

Hi @DeepakPhadnis! Is the power adapter plugged in? Even though you’ve set the power mode in the Ring app to be battery, please ensure the adapter is not feeding power to ensure it is not interfering with the status change.

Setting the Camera up again was a great step! When you performed a reset, did you hold the setup button for 20 seconds? This is the proper method of reset, which should also have helped with this. As you’ve covered a great many steps, I recommend removing and reinstalling the Ring app, then reconfiguring your power mode. This will test out any Ring app or communication factors, where the power mode configuration may have not updated. Feel free to let us know how this goes! :slight_smile:

Ugh . . . Sorry @Marley_Ring , I didn’t mean to appear like I was ‘stepping on your toes’ with my post. I had seen the post from @DeepakPhadnis , and left the web-page up on my PC in order to come back to it later. In the meantime, you answered it. Since I didn’t refresh my web-page, I was unaware that you indeed did answer him. I didn’t see your reply, or his, until after I posted my posted reply. My bad, sorry. :slight_smile: I guess I’m just in a confused state of mind. LOL

1 Like

Hi,

Thanks for a very detailed explanation of the differences between the two cameras as well as the reset procedure.

I tried the reset procedure again and then reconfigured the camera. Unfortunately, I got the same result. I had removed the camera from Ring App prior to reset. The camera did go through firmware update step, but it completed in less than a minute. The device health report does not show firmware version, so I am unable to verify if this firmware is different from my other cameras.

Am I missing a step, that would completely ‘un-confuse’ the app? Should I reboot the phone after removing the camera, to restart the app?

Marley had suggested reinstalling the Ring App. I have multiple Ring devices, would prefer not to have to configure them all again.

Thanks,

Deepak

Hi,

As a further update, I tried this sequence again

  • Remove the camera from the app

  • Reboot my phone

  • Reset the camera

  • Add the camera again as a new device, making sure to select the battery option.

Somehow, the app still seems to recognize the prior install (perhaps remembers the QR code), prompts me for the prior WiFi network and then proceeds through the rest of the process. At the end, the camera still shows power source as AC power.

Would appreciate any help resolving this.

Regards,

Deepak

@DeepakPhadnis wrote:

Hi,

As a further update, I tried this sequence again

  • Remove the camera from the app

  • Reboot my phone

  • Reset the camera

  • Add the camera again as a new device, making sure to select the battery option.

Somehow, the app still seems to recognize the prior install (perhaps remembers the QR code), prompts me for the prior WiFi network and then proceeds through the rest of the process. At the end, the camera still shows power source as AC power.

Would appreciate any help resolving this.

Regards,

Deepak

@DeepakPhadnis , Sounds like your cam is stubborn. I dunno. I would try another Hard Factory Reset, just because it seems to be hanging on to old firmware for some reason (or it could just be a defective cam). I did have one ‘stubborn’ cam and it took 3 hard resets to finally make it trouble-free. So I think it is worth a shot. But this time, take your time and try to eliminate anything that could mess up the reset.

Since your cam will want to know it’s location. Ensure your phone’s GPS is on first (even go outside to give it a chance to ‘see’ some satellites. Then again remove your that cam device from your phone app, (Main Menu > Devices > select your Stick-Up cam > Device Settings (Gear Icon) > General Settings > Remove This Device.

The initial ‘Set-up” of your cam, and same for a Hard “Set-up”, this can be the most delicate process to ensure a glitch-free download of updated firmware. Sometimes, the device doesn’t get a ‘clean’ firmware download during your setup, and can develop a “glitch” later. That’s why I think another hard reset is your bet.

Since now I realize your cam is a battery version, if you can bring it indoors to be near your router that might help. On your cam, depress & hold the reset button for 30 seconds to initiate a hard reset. After you have released the button, the cam should enter set up mode again. Go slow and methodical, trying for that clean firmware update. Having the cam relatively close to your Wi-Fi router will help. When the cam enters the phase of updating stage, don’t do anything! Do not select “Skip” as it downloads its firmware. I even wait until my phone app steps by itself to the next part of the step-up process (ignoring when the voice says the cam is ready. Also check the Blue Cam light is no longer flashing, … and then wait a minute longer. I’ve just had better luck waiting … I’m just guessing, but I think the full/complete firmware update can take longer than expected (I’ve waited over 6 minutes). I’ve had less future camera issues by waiting long enough before continuing the set-up rest of the steps. It’s just a gut feel … at least I’ve had better luck & less future issues with my cams by waiting (I have quite a few cams).

I hope the hard re-attempt at the Hard reset helps you. :slight_smile:

Hi @DeepakPhadnis! Thanks for that update and covering all these bases to obtain the desired setup. In addition to all the great solutions that @Boone shared, please also try the following:

  1. When removing and reinstalling the Ring app, please add a step to clear the Ring app cache on your mobile device. This is best done prior to the remove/ reinstall process, and will not effect the devices on your Ring account.
  2. During the setup process, instead of using the QR code, try setting up manually. This should be an option on the same screen at this setup step in the Ring app.

If possible, please also share a screen shot of this power mode indicator once setup is complete. Thank you both for working so diligently and neighborly on this! :slight_smile:

1 Like

@Marley_Ring wrote:

Hi @DeepakPhadnis! Thanks for that update and covering all these bases to obtain the desired setup. In addition to all the great solutions that @Boone shared, please also try the following:

  1. When removing and reinstalling the Ring app, please add a step to clear the Ring app cache on your mobile device. This is best done prior to the remove/ reinstall process, and will not effect the devices on your Ring account.
  2. During the setup process, instead of using the QR code, try setting up manually. This should be an option on the same screen at this setup step in the Ring app.

If possible, please also share a screen shot of this power mode indicator once setup is complete. Thank you both for working so diligently and neighborly on this! :slight_smile:

Hi @Marley_Ring,

If I uninstall the Ring app, will I need to reinstall all of my other Ring devices? I have a Ring doorbell and multiple cameras. It would be a pain to reconfigure everything.

If uninstalling the app AFTER removing the offending camera will make it forget only that camera, that would be a simpler solution.

I guess if uninstalling is the only solution I will attempt it, but it’s going to take some time. I am hoping there is a better solution.

Deepak

1 Like

@DeepakPhadnis wrote:

“If I uninstall the Ring app, will I need to reinstall all of my other Ring devices? I have a Ring doorbell and multiple cameras. It would be a pain to reconfigure everything.”

@DeepakPhadnis ,

Nope, you will not need to reinstall all your other devices. Your Ring Account (email) is where your configuration information is really stored, not in your phone. Now, when I did this, I did notice a few little things had slightly changed (defaulted?) and to be put back to my original preferences, like a few App-Alert-Tones and Chirp-Alert sound choices.

I understand. I was really hesitant to completely un-install my Ring App, worried about having to do everything from scratch again. :slight_smile:

1 Like