How to Troubleshoot and Fix Rapid Battery Drain on Your Avigilon Camera
Battery-powered Avigilon cameras offer incredible flexibility for installation, but this convenience depends on reliable battery performance. If you find yourself having to recharge your camera far more frequently than expected, it is a sign that something is causing the battery to drain too quickly.
This guide will walk you through the most common causes of rapid battery drain and provide effective solutions to maximise the time between charges.
Common Causes for Poor Battery Life
Understanding what consumes power is the first step to fixing the problem. The biggest power consumers in a wireless security camera are:
- Wi-Fi Radio: The camera needs power to stay connected to your network. A weak signal forces the camera to boost its radio power, draining the battery much faster.
- Video Streaming & Recording: Every time the camera detects motion and records a clip, or whenever you activate the live view, it uses a significant amount of power.
- Environmental Factors: Extreme temperatures (both hot and cold) can negatively affect a battery's performance and capacity.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide
Work through these steps to diagnose and resolve the battery drain issue with your Avigilon camera.
1. Check Wi-Fi Signal Strength
This is often the primary culprit. A weak or unstable Wi-Fi connection is a major power drain.
- How to Check: In the Avigilon mobile app, find the device settings for the camera in question. There should be a section for network status or Wi-Fi signal strength. Look for a strong signal indicator (often shown in dBm, where a number closer to 0 is better, e.g., -55 dBm is better than -85 dBm).
- The Solution: If the signal is weak, try moving the camera closer to your Wi-Fi router. If moving the camera is not an option, consider installing a Wi-Fi mesh system or a dedicated Wi-Fi extender to provide a stronger, more reliable signal to the camera's location.
2. Optimise Motion Detection Settings
If your camera is in a high-traffic area, it might be recording constantly, which will naturally drain the battery very quickly.
- How to Adjust: Go into the camera's motion settings in the app.
- Reduce Sensitivity: Lower the motion sensitivity to prevent triggers from things like swaying trees, shadows, or small animals.
- Use Activity Zones: Create specific motion zones that focus on key areas (like a doorway or pathway) and ignore areas with constant movement (like a busy street).
- The Goal: The aim is to have the camera record only meaningful events, not constant, irrelevant motion.
3. Adjust Video Quality and Recording Length
Higher video quality and longer recording clips require more power.
- How to Adjust: In the video or power management settings, you may have options to change the video resolution (e.g., from 1080p to 720p) or shorten the duration of recorded clips.
- The Trade-off: While this will extend battery life, it will also reduce the detail in your recordings. Find a balance that works for your security needs.
4. Consider the Environmental Impact
Is your camera exposed to extreme weather?
- The Problem: Lithium-ion batteries, which are used in most wireless cameras, perform best in moderate temperatures (around 10°C to 35°C). In freezing conditions, their capacity is significantly reduced. In extreme heat, they will drain faster and can even be permanently damaged.
- The Solution: If possible, install the camera in a more sheltered location, away from direct sunlight in hot climates or biting winds in cold climates.
5. Check the Battery's Health
If your camera is older and has been through many recharge cycles, the battery itself may be nearing the end of its life and no longer able to hold a full charge.
- Diagnosis: If you have tried all the steps above and see no improvement, a degraded battery is the likely cause.
- The Solution: Contact Avigilon support or your certified installer. They can provide information on battery replacement programmes or service options for your camera model. Do not attempt to replace the battery with an unofficial third-party product, as this can be a fire hazard and will void your warranty.