Is Your Verkada Camera Refusing to Charge?
There's nothing more frustrating than discovering your Verkada security camera, a device you rely on for safety and monitoring, is not charging. A camera that won’t hold a charge is effectively offline, leaving a critical gap in your security coverage. This issue can stem from several sources, ranging from simple power supply problems to more complex hardware or software issues.
Fortunately, you can resolve most charging problems with a systematic approach. In this guide, we'll walk you through the common symptoms, causes, and step-by-step solutions to get your Verkada camera powered up and back online, ensuring your premises remain secure.
Identifying the Symptoms of a Charging Fault
Before diving into solutions, it’s important to confirm the signs that point to a charging issue. Your camera might be exhibiting one or more of the following symptoms:
- Completely Unresponsive: The camera shows no signs of life, and the status LED does not light up when connected to a power source.
- No LED Indicator: When you plug in the power cable, the charging indicator light fails to illuminate.
- Stagnant Battery Level: In the Verkada Command platform, you notice the battery percentage isn't increasing despite being connected to power for an extended period.
- Frequent Disconnections: Your camera drops offline intermittently, which can be a sign of an unstable power supply.
- "Low Battery" Alerts: You continuously receive low battery notifications even though the camera is plugged in.
- Loose Connection: The charging cable feels loose or doesn't click securely into the camera's power port.
- Abnormal Adapter Temperature: The power adapter feels excessively hot or remains completely cold to the touch when it should be working.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting for Verkada Charging Issues
Follow these steps in order to diagnose and fix the root cause of the problem.
1. Inspect the Power Source
The first and most common point of failure is often the power source itself.
- Check the Power Outlet: Plug a different device, like a lamp or a phone charger, into the same mains socket to verify it is supplying power.
- Examine the PoE Switch/Injector: Most Verkada cameras are powered via Power over Ethernet (PoE).
- Port Status: Check the indicator lights on the PoE switch for the port connected to the camera. It should indicate an active connection and that power is being delivered.
- Power Budget: Ensure your PoE switch has a sufficient power budget. If multiple devices are drawing power, the switch may not have enough capacity left for the camera. Try unplugging another PoE device to test this.
- Try a Different Port: Plug the camera's Ethernet cable into a different, known-working port on the switch.
2. Verify All Cable Connections
A damaged or improperly connected cable is another frequent culprit.
- Ethernet Cable: Inspect the entire length of the Ethernet cable for any visible signs of damage, such as cuts, kinks, or frayed ends. Pay close attention to the RJ45 connectors, ensuring the plastic clips aren't broken.
- Reseat the Cable: Unplug the Ethernet cable from both the camera and the PoE switch/injector. Wait for 30 seconds, then plug it back in firmly, ensuring you hear a distinct click, which indicates a secure connection.
- Test with a New Cable: If possible, test the camera with a brand new or a known-working Ethernet cable. This is the most effective way to rule out cable failure.
3. Check the Camera’s Hardware
If the power source and cables are fine, the issue might be with the camera itself.
- Inspect the Charging Port: Use a torch to look inside the camera's Ethernet port. Check for any debris, dirt, or bent pins that could be preventing a proper connection. If you see any debris, use a can of compressed air to carefully clean it out.
- Perform a Hard Reset: A hard reset can sometimes resolve firmware glitches that may affect charging. Locate the reset button on your camera model. Press and hold it for 20-30 seconds until the status light changes, indicating the camera is rebooting to its factory settings. Please note that you will need to re-configure the camera in Verkada Command after a reset.
4. Review Firmware and Software
Software can occasionally interfere with hardware operations, including power management.
- Check Firmware Status: Within the Verkada Command platform, navigate to the specific camera's settings. Check if there are any pending firmware updates. If so, apply them. Keeping your camera's firmware up to date is crucial for performance and bug fixes.
- Review Device Status: Look at the camera's status page in Command. It may provide error messages or logs that give a clue as to why it's not receiving power or charging correctly.
5. Contact Verkada Support
If you have exhausted all the troubleshooting steps above and your camera still isn't charging, it may indicate an internal hardware failure. At this point, the best course of action is to contact Verkada's technical support team. Provide them with the camera's serial number and a detailed summary of the steps you have already taken. Their team can perform remote diagnostics and will be able to advise if a replacement (RMA) is necessary.