Friedland Motion Detection Not Working? A Complete Troubleshooting Guide
A key security feature of your Friedland camera is its ability to detect motion and alert you to potential intruders. When this function fails, your property is left unmonitored. If you've noticed that your camera is no longer sending notifications or recording events even when there is clear activity, it's time to troubleshoot the problem.
This guide will take you through a logical sequence of checks and solutions, from basic settings in the app to hardware considerations, to help you diagnose and fix why your Friedland motion detection is not working.
## Phase 1: Checking the Software Settings
The majority of motion detection issues originate from incorrect settings within the application. Let's verify these first.
### 1. Ensure Motion Detection is Enabled
It sounds simple, but this setting can sometimes be accidentally turned off.
- Open the Friedland security app on your smartphone or tablet.
- Select the specific camera you are having problems with.
- Go to the Settings menu for that camera (often a gear icon).
- Find the "Motion Detection" or "PIR Settings" section.
- Make sure the main toggle switch for motion detection is ON.
### 2. Review Your Schedules and Modes
Many security systems allow you to set schedules or modes (like "Home" and "Away") that can change the camera's behaviour.
- Schedules: Check if you have a schedule activated that disables motion detection or notifications during certain times of the day. You might have set this up and forgotten about it.
- Modes: If your system uses modes, ensure the current mode (e.g., "Home") is configured to have motion detection enabled for the camera in question.
### 3. Adjust the Sensitivity Level
If the motion sensitivity is set too low, the camera won't trigger for anything but very large or close movements.
- Within the "Motion Detection" settings, locate the "Sensitivity" level.
- If it is on the lowest setting, try increasing it to Medium or High.
- Walk in front of the camera to test if the new setting is now able to detect you.
### 4. Check Your Motion Zones
If you have configured Motion Zones (or Activity Zones), the camera will only detect motion inside the specific areas you have drawn.
- Go to the "Motion Zone" settings.
- Ensure that the zones you have created actually cover the area where you expect to see motion.
- If you are unsure, try disabling the motion zones temporarily to see if the camera starts detecting motion everywhere in its field of view. If it does, the problem was with how your zones were configured.
## Phase 2: Physical and Environmental Checks
If all the software settings appear correct, the problem could be related to the camera's physical placement or environment.
### 1. Check for Obstructions
The motion sensor, which is often a small PIR (Passive Infrared) sensor on the camera body, needs a clear line of sight.
- Make sure there are no new obstructions, like a parked car, a large plant, or decorations, blocking the camera's view.
- Clean the camera's housing. Dust, cobwebs, or grime on the sensor can prevent it from working correctly.
- Important: PIR sensors cannot detect motion through glass. If your camera is indoors looking out of a window, it will not detect motion outside. The camera must be mounted outdoors.
### 2. Evaluate Camera Positioning and Range
The way the camera is positioned has a big impact on its detection capabilities.
- Detection Angle: PIR sensors are best at detecting motion that moves across their detection zones, not directly towards or away from the camera. If someone has to walk straight at the camera for a long distance, detection can be unreliable.
- Detection Range: Check the specifications for your Friedland model. Most PIR sensors have an effective range of around 5-10 metres. If the activity is happening further away than this, the camera may not pick it up.
## Phase 3: Connectivity and Hardware Troubleshooting
If the settings and physical environment are fine, let's look at connectivity and the device itself.
### 1. Reboot the Camera
A simple reboot can often fix temporary software glitches that may be affecting the motion sensor.
- Disconnect the camera from its power source (unplug it or remove the battery).
- Wait for at least 60 seconds to ensure it fully powers down.
- Reconnect the power and allow the camera to restart and connect to your network.
- Test motion detection once it's back online.
### 2. Check the Wi-Fi Connection
A very poor or intermittent Wi-Fi signal can sometimes prevent the camera from successfully sending a motion event notification to the cloud and then to your phone, even if it detects it. Check the device health section of the app to ensure the camera has a stable connection.
### 3. Factory Reset the Camera
This is a last resort, as it will erase all your settings and you'll have to set up the camera again from scratch.
- Find the reset button on your camera model.
- Press and hold it for 15-20 seconds until you hear a confirmation sound or see the lights flash.
- After the reset, follow the initial setup process in the Friedland app.
If motion detection still fails to work after a factory reset, this may indicate a hardware failure with the PIR sensor. At this point, you should contact Friedland customer support for further assistance.