10 Messages
Outdoor Camera no longer sends motion detection alerts when battery is plugged in to 2.0 Amp 5V power cube with outdoor cable
For the last year+ I have had my SimpliSafe outdoor camera on a covered front porch with a permanent 5V, 2.0 Amp (max) rated cube and outdoor 15 foot cable. As of a few weeks ago, we started to notice that we were no longer getting motion detects on the camera. After three reset/reboot conversations with Simplisafe they shipped me a new camera. After replacing this camera, I get the same end result.
And before anyone suggests that I check the settings for the camera motion detection (detection ON and notifications ON) and the iPhone settings (all notifications in Simplisafe App turned ON), I already tried all of that with every different permutation of sensitivity setting. Rest assured, everything is ON. Plus I'm getting motion detect notifications under certain situations, as described below.
The camera is no more than 20 feet from the base station and router. The router is no more than 20 feet from the camera and base station. I have no problems streaming video. That works perfectly, every time.
Note that the camera is actually detecting motion per the status light (blink once bluish on detect) with and without the power cube plugged in, but there were no motion detects on the timeline or sent to the iPhone when the power cube is plugged in. After some experimentation, I found that when I left the battery cable and power cube unplugged, I was again consistently getting motion detect notifications, both on the timeline and via iPhone. So I replaced the power cube and cabling and still the same result: motion detection per the status light but no events sent to the base station to update the timeline and notify via iPhone. Again, after unplugging the power cube I started getting motion detect notifications again.
So why would this setup of outdoor rated permanently plugged in battery charging cube suddenly become a problem when it worked perfectly for over a year? So far this points to two possible things, as I have changed out the camera:
1) A buggy software push to the cameras/base station from Simplisafe.
2) A bad base station. Yet all other sensors seem to respond just fine. Perhaps cameras have a separate antenna/circuit?
Anyone else experience this? I'm sure SimpliSafe will "simply" say: "Buy our cable." Well why? Will you guarantee it? 5V, 2.0A outdoor setups are readily available and nothing special. At the high cost of the camera, it should come standard.
captain11
Captain
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6K Messages
5 months ago
@rmolinowski "Becuase why?" How about elminating SS's excuse and then getting to the bottom of the issue without letting SS off the hook? My apologies for being so direct but their response is not that much different with a lot of companies and I am following my own advice with an issue I am having right now with a technical product and another company. I spent $48, now its all their equipment/software and a tech is coming out tomorrow to solve their issue. Yes, I don't like I had to spend the $28 bucks but now they own the problem.
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rmolinowski
10 Messages
5 months ago
@captain11 If it makes you feel any better, I've been having a conversation with Alyssa in their development department and they believe this is related to a recent software change they've made that regulates how the cameras behave when they are in a low versus high (>90%) state of charge and are or are not plugged into a charging unit. In fact, I sent them some feedback on the behavior of the two cameras I have after letting them discharge down to about half, and we've found that indeed, the problem is dependent upon the state of charge of the battery.
So SimpliSafe isn't "off the hook" at all. They sent me a replacement camera and are sending me an outdoor cable free of charge, just to be sure that's not the problem (it isn't). The real problem is that this seems to be software related, as I suspected. Moreover, this is one of those problems where you won't notice that you even have a problem until the Amazon delivery person shows up at your front door and the camera doesn't detect.
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rmolinowski
10 Messages
5 months ago
So I installed the outdoor power cable and unsurprisingly it works just like the aftermarket outdoor power cable. Moreover after some experimentation I have found that once the battery charge goes below around 90%, the camera sends motion events to the base unit again even with the power cable plugged in. But once the battery charge goes above that threshold, the motion events cease. In short, what this does, for anyone using a battery charger permanently affixed to the outdoor camera, it renders the motion detection ineffective because the battery is pretty much ALWAYS charged above 90%.
I also forwarded SS the results of my testing. So my question is: when does SS plan on fixing this software bug that is related to performance mode? I'm running camera software version 1.20. One would think that due to the LIABILITY concern that this would be a high priority fix.
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mmisra
1 Message
4 months ago
Have the same issue. Got on SimpliSafe chat and got no help.
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maboynt
1 Message
2 months ago
I have the same issue and tried to troubleshoot with a SS tech person. No luck. We reset the cameras, he was able to "detect motion" but didn't know why no alert was going out. Our batteries are backup as the cameras are plugged in (outdoor). We have 2 not working. Next step is probably seeing if our internet tech can figure anything out. They use SS at their store. Most the SS tech got through was a SS icon showing up at the top of my phone (Android) but no sound. I'd be happy noticing an icon, but that didn't happen more than twice. I get notifications for everything else: updates, alarm triggered, device offline, etc.
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Bassilsaid
3 Messages
2 months ago
I am having the same exact issue. Outdoor camera was working just fine until I decided to plug it into power. It stopped sending motion notifications. the SS customer support did not help much.
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MLP
1 Message
1 month ago
Wow, thank you for posting this fix! I've had the exact same issue for months and months and tried everything. Countless hours on the phone with SS and was given the same instructions you received with no resolution whatsoever. Saw your post last night unplugged the outdoor cameras from the power source and like magic began receiving motion detection alerts again! I cannot believe SS has not fixed this reported issue or at the very least trained their reps on how to respond. It should not be necessary to unplug the cameras let them discharge and then replug to cycle again in order to receive motion alerts. But at least I know now. Thank you again!
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