‎Doorbell sending alerts for every car that goes by and outdoor camera battery down to 50% in a week | SimpliSafe Support Home
 
skolat's profile

Tuesday, March 12th, 2024 7:22 PM

Doorbell sending alerts for every car that goes by and outdoor camera battery down to 50% in a week

I installed the video doorbell - it constantly sends me notices for every car that goes by.  If I block out the street there isn't much else left for it to see.  I have tried turning motion off, waiting, turning it back on - everything that is stated here, but it keeps alerting me to cars and is driving me nuts.  If I turn off alerts for doorbell cam can I still use video doorbell?  I also have an outdoor camera there - which is another issue, as the battery is down 50% in a week, but it doesn't have very many alerts or videos.

Community Admin

 • 

3.4K Messages

8 months ago

Hi @skolat, 

Just to confirm, is People Only motion detection turned on for the Video Doorbell? If it is not, turning that setting on in the SimpliSafe mobile app can help to reduce the amount of motion the Video Doorbell senses.

But if People Only is on, then it sounds like those motion settings aren't sticking properly. In that case, I would recommend resetting the doorbell by pressing and holding the large button on the back of the device for 30 seconds. Once you release the button, you will be prompted to set the device back up again in the SimpliSafe mobile app. 

The Video Doorbell also comes with a vertical angle bracket that can adjust the device's angle by 10 degrees up or down. Installing that bracket so the Video Doorbell is facing less of the street can also help minimize the amount of motion it detects. 

And if you turn off the Motion Notifications setting for the doorbell, it will still record motion, but you will not be notified of it.

Regarding your Outdoor Camera, how many motion events does it typically record in a day? If it's detecting 20 or more events a day, that can cause its battery to deplete quicker than usual - especially if its facing a high traffic area like a busy street or sidewalk.

There are some placement and setting changes that can be made to maximize the life of the Outdoor Camera's battery - like enabling Activity Zones and adjusting its sensitivity. This article in our Help Center will take you through the adjustments you can make to improve the camera's battery life.

Also, if you are viewing a live stream of the Outdoor Camera's feed quite often that can impact its battery life as well.

(edited)

6 Messages

@emily_s​ - I reset doorbell - still getting alerts every time a car goes by.  I then turned off notifications but I keep getting them.

2 Messages

I’m having this same issue. I have installed the bracket, reset, connected to a Wi-Fi extender, reset. Turned settings on and off. Set sensitivity to low. The motor of cars triggers the camera throughout the day but the camera delays its response to people, if at all. It’s driving me nuts!

1 Message

7 months ago

I just bought a new doorbell.  I have set it to low sensitivity (day and night). I have blacked out the street completely, leaving very little camera activity on my doorstep.  It is still sending me messages with every single car that drives by.  The application clearly doesn't work. 

2 Messages

I have reset it and done the same thing as you. I don't get notifications when someone approaches my door, but I get them when cars drive by. It drives me crazy! I suppose I'm going to have to carve out time from work to get on the phone with SimpliSafe to troubleshoot.

6 Messages

I finally just turned off notifications for doorbell.  I also have an outdoor camera so if someone is there I still get that notification

New to the Community? Get started by reading our Welcome Article and please be sure to review our Community Guidelines before posting.