Hello, thank you for reporting. It sounds like what's happening is that the camera is keeping itself awake in case it's needed again, and should go back into deep sleep to save battery shortly. Does the flashing on your units persist for a long time? Or do you see this same behavior in the daytime? If so, something else might be going on that I'll have to report to our engineers.
Thanks for reporting! Have you already tried resetting the camera? You can do that by pressing the reset button in the back of the unit for 16 seconds. When you release, it will go back into setup mode and you can set it up again through the SimpliSafe app.
I have noticed this behavior on my outdoor camera as well. I must say I find it bothersome after paying a lot of money for this camera to have it do this.
With mine I will commonly see it happen when I take the dog out before going to bed. When I step out the door the spotlight will come on (as expected) but when I am standing there waiting for the dog - the light will often blink.
I would expect the light to stay on until motion is no longer detected. With that in mind - I would understand if the light turned off until movement happened. However, more often then not it will simply turn off-on-off-on-off (etc). Most the time the spotlight is OFF when I walk back to the door (not helpful) and will usually turn back on once i'm back inside (again - not helpful).
I have wondered if perhaps this behavior is due to the battery being low ('low' warning in orange). Under this theory I've expected the unit to power off or display a 'very low' type warning? At this point I'm waiting to see how low the battery gets and the various warning levels before I charge. In the end hoping charging the battery solves the problem (as silly/annoying as that would be).
Mine does the same thing. It is annoying especially after paying so much for it. I ordered another one for the front of my house before I noticed this was happening. Hopefully it won’t do it.
I did charge the battery on the camera (was at ~19%) but this did not change anything - couple days later it did the 'blinking thing' again.
My next working theory is perhaps it is temperature related? I don't have any sort of log or data but I feel like it has done the 'blinking thing' more often when it's cold outside. This will get more difficult to confirm because the weather is warming up.
I am in contact with a SimpliSafe technician working with them to try and figure out a cause to this problem. I will keep everyone posted.
I just installed my system and I’m noticing this as well. The blue led and spotlight alternate blinking every few minutes even with no motion trigger. Mine is plugged in to the AC adapter. Could they be the culprit?
I don't think it's the AC adapter because my camera is not using the AC adapter and it is sometimes blink.
Since I have been in contact with the SimpliSafe technician my camera has not really misbehaved.
From what I understand.........if the motion settings are set to 'people only': the spotlight will turn on when motion is detected and if/when the camera determines the motion is NOT a person - the spotlight will turn off. I'm starting to wonder if this might explain the spotlight blinking - motion (from something) is detected and the camera quickly deems it 'not a person' and shuts the spotlight off.
I tried a power cycle (removing and replacing battery), removing the camera from the system then re-adding, played with sensitivity and brightness settings to no avail. The spot light still blinks and alternates with the blue led even when not detecting motion. For now I’ve disabled the spotlight and the status light. Hopefully there is a fix coming soon. Also hoping for some added functionality to allow the camera to awake all the time if plugged in to AC power. It takes forever to wake up!
I have two outdoor cameras both powered by an outlet. I am having flashing spotlight issues with only one of them. I have reset it a couple of time with no success. Since they have power all the time I would thing the low battery issue would not cause this issue. Any other suggestions?
I agree with others is the forum, the camera are to slow to wake up to have live viewing. I previously had Nest camera and they were constantly on for immediate viewing. I would thing the software or firmware could be updated to recognize there is a constant power source and be in always on mode or at minimum awaken in a second or two.
I am having another issue with the other camera, but that is for another time.
@rjay at this time, the Outdoor Camera behaves the same regardless of how it's powered - as if it was on battery power. The Power Adapter just keeps the battery level at close to full at all times.
But it definitely doesn't affect how the Spotlight functions. It sounds more like an issue with the built-in motion detection. We do have a different thread with a similar issue here. Update 1.10 for the Outdoor Camera was rolled out last year, and seems to have resolved a majority of cases, but there are still some outliers. So our engineers continue to investigate.
Both my front door and back door cameras have software version v 1.10.2.368. My front camera records and send notifications for no movement other than my motion light illuminating. My back door camera goes off constantly, at least once every minute. This is addition to the flashing spotlight that once it starts does not stop for several minutes on my back camera. I have been reading many entries from others having the same issues over a long period of time with no resolution. I an having second thoughts about this product, to the point I am about ready to return the system. I have little faith in theses issues being resolved during the 60 day trial.
This thread seems to have been inactive for a while and I'm wondering if there's any update? Both my front and back cameras are plugged into an outlet and both experience flashing white light. I can't tell what sets it off, but this is how I resolve it: In the app I go to Camera Settings and run the Connection Test. When the test finishes, I exit the app and the light stops flashing. Occasionally I have to run the test twice to get the flashing to stop. I have the cameras set to recognize people only. I have also reset them a couple of times to see if that would help. It didn't. I would be really happy if I didn't have to test the connection every night before going to bed.
This thread seems to have been inactive for a while and I'm wondering if there's any update? Both my front and back cameras are plugged into an outlet and both experience flashing white light. I can't tell what sets it off, but this is how I resolve it: In the app I go to Camera Settings and run the Connection Test. When the test finishes, I exit the app and the light stops flashing. Occasionally I have to run the test twice to get the flashing to stop. I have the cameras set to recognize people only. I have also reset them a couple of times to see if that would help. It didn't. I would be really happy if I didn't have to test the connection every night before going to bed.
@copperbeech1112 Our engineers are continuing to investigate this. If possible, could you please send a video of your Outdoor Camera's Spotlight flashing and what's in front of the camera? This can help further our engineer's investigation. You can send it right here in this thread, or directly to me through the Community's direct messaging feature.
Like many of my problems with SimpliSafe I have all but given up on this issue ever getting resolved. At this point I would be OK with the spotlight randomly flashing IF they would actually turn on AND STAY ON when I am pacing in front of it while my dog goes to the bathroom before bed.
SimpliSafe..........stop trying to be slick.....your cameras/systems take too darn to determine motion type and motion end.....just allow the camera to operate in a 'dumbed down fashion'. Dectect motion (ANY motion) - turn on for XX seconds (SET BY THE USER!).
@saab90089 If you could please send me a video of the camera's Spotlight flashing, and what is in its field of view, that would help our engineers investigation on this.
Regarding scheduling motion detection for the Outdoor Camera, we do have an open request for this feature here. If you follow this thread, you'll be notified when there are any updates.
Nearly 2 years later, these cameras still have this problem. Mine began the on-off binges about 8 months after installation. Nothing I have tried has solved this weird, irritating problem.
@drtank Our engineers are looking into this issue to find a solution. If you notice your Outdoor Camera's spotlight flashing again, could you please send a video of the camera and what's in front of it? This video can be sent right here as a comment in this thread, or it can be sent to me directly using the Community's direct messaging feature.
jwallace
1 Message
3 years ago
Mine is doing the exact same thing
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gregter
64 Messages
3 years ago
Mine occasionally does this as well.
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davey_d
Community Admin
•
5.6K Messages
3 years ago
1
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gregter
64 Messages
3 years ago
Hi,
When it happens it's at night and lasts 3-5 minutes. I haven't noticed it during the day.
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fordebdeb
1 Message
2 years ago
Mine is doing the same thing at night, even if no motion set it off initially.
1
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saab90089
20 Messages
2 years ago
I have noticed this behavior on my outdoor camera as well. I must say I find it bothersome after paying a lot of money for this camera to have it do this.
With mine I will commonly see it happen when I take the dog out before going to bed. When I step out the door the spotlight will come on (as expected) but when I am standing there waiting for the dog - the light will often blink.
I would expect the light to stay on until motion is no longer detected. With that in mind - I would understand if the light turned off until movement happened. However, more often then not it will simply turn off-on-off-on-off (etc). Most the time the spotlight is OFF when I walk back to the door (not helpful) and will usually turn back on once i'm back inside (again - not helpful).
I have wondered if perhaps this behavior is due to the battery being low ('low' warning in orange). Under this theory I've expected the unit to power off or display a 'very low' type warning? At this point I'm waiting to see how low the battery gets and the various warning levels before I charge. In the end hoping charging the battery solves the problem (as silly/annoying as that would be).
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0
Digitman15
1 Message
2 years ago
Mine does the same thing. It is annoying especially after paying so much for it. I ordered another one for the front of my house before I noticed this was happening. Hopefully it won’t do it.
2
0
saab90089
20 Messages
2 years ago
Just following up.....
I did charge the battery on the camera (was at ~19%) but this did not change anything - couple days later it did the 'blinking thing' again.
My next working theory is perhaps it is temperature related? I don't have any sort of log or data but I feel like it has done the 'blinking thing' more often when it's cold outside. This will get more difficult to confirm because the weather is warming up.
I am in contact with a SimpliSafe technician working with them to try and figure out a cause to this problem. I will keep everyone posted.
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0
TheseUncertainTimes
6 Messages
2 years ago
I just installed my system and I’m noticing this as well. The blue led and spotlight alternate blinking every few minutes even with no motion trigger. Mine is plugged in to the AC adapter. Could they be the culprit?
0
0
saab90089
20 Messages
2 years ago
I don't think it's the AC adapter because my camera is not using the AC adapter and it is sometimes blink.
Since I have been in contact with the SimpliSafe technician my camera has not really misbehaved.
From what I understand.........if the motion settings are set to 'people only': the spotlight will turn on when motion is detected and if/when the camera determines the motion is NOT a person - the spotlight will turn off. I'm starting to wonder if this might explain the spotlight blinking - motion (from something) is detected and the camera quickly deems it 'not a person' and shuts the spotlight off.
Ian
0
0
TheseUncertainTimes
6 Messages
2 years ago
I tried a power cycle (removing and replacing battery), removing the camera from the system then re-adding, played with sensitivity and brightness settings to no avail. The spot light still blinks and alternates with the blue led even when not detecting motion. For now I’ve disabled the spotlight and the status light. Hopefully there is a fix coming soon.
Also hoping for some added functionality to allow the camera to awake all the time if plugged in to AC power. It takes forever to wake up!
(edited)
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0
rjay
2 Messages
2 years ago
I have two outdoor cameras both powered by an outlet. I am having flashing spotlight issues with only one of them. I have reset it a couple of time with no success. Since they have power all the time I would thing the low battery issue would not cause this issue. Any other suggestions?
I agree with others is the forum, the camera are to slow to wake up to have live viewing. I previously had Nest camera and they were constantly on for immediate viewing. I would thing the software or firmware could be updated to recognize there is a constant power source and be in always on mode or at minimum awaken in a second or two.
I am having another issue with the other camera, but that is for another time.
3
0
copperbeech1112
1 Message
11 months ago
This thread seems to have been inactive for a while and I'm wondering if there's any update? Both my front and back cameras are plugged into an outlet and both experience flashing white light. I can't tell what sets it off, but this is how I resolve it: In the app I go to Camera Settings and run the Connection Test. When the test finishes, I exit the app and the light stops flashing. Occasionally I have to run the test twice to get the flashing to stop. I have the cameras set to recognize people only. I have also reset them a couple of times to see if that would help. It didn't. I would be really happy if I didn't have to test the connection every night before going to bed.
3
0
drtank
9 Messages
8 months ago
Nearly 2 years later, these cameras still have this problem. Mine began the on-off binges about 8 months after installation. Nothing I have tried has solved this weird, irritating problem.
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drtank
9 Messages
8 months ago
Two years later these cameras still have this defect. There is nothing the user can do that will fix it.
1
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