VicoHome Battery Camera FAQ

Why can’t the VicoHome camera be charged?

The following factors may cause charge failure. Please check one by one.

The charger is not supported or is defective

Please note that the camera only supports a charger with 5V output voltage.

To check whether the charger is defective, you can use the charger to charge other devices, for example, your phone. If the phone cannot be charged, either, you may need to change a charger.

The Micro USB charging cable is defective

To check whether the charging cable is defective, you can use the charging cable to charge other devices, for example, your phone. If the phone cannot be charged, either, you may need to change a charging cable.

The charger, the Micro USB charging cable, and the camera are not in good contact

Please ensure both the charger’s port and the camera’s charging port are clean. Besides, please put the charger’s port, the Micro USB charging cable, and the camera’s charging port in good contact.

The charging cable is too long

Generally, the length of the charging cable should not be more than 16ft (5m). If your charging cable is too long, please use a suitable one instead.

The charging environment is not suitable

Too high or too low temperature will both lead to failure to charge. Please move the camera to a suitable temperature environment (0°C ~ 45°C) for charging.

If the camera still cannot be charged, please submit feedback for technical assistance.

Why doesn’t the battery last long?

Some users may be bothered by the short battery life. The battery life mainly depends on the total working duration of the camera. The causes of poor battery life and some solutions are listed below. If you have the same issue, please check them one by one.

The camera is frequently triggered to record videos

Please allow us to explain how motion detection works first. When the PIR sensor perceives a change in the environment, the camera will be triggered to record videos. The change in the environment can be a moving object, light change, the alternation of hot and cold air, etc. Particularly common false triggers include trees shaking after being blown by the wind, direct sunlight on the front facade of the camera, the cold air of the air conditioning, etc.

Usually, for a fully charged camera, without regard to other factors, and the video resolution is SD, the camera can continuously capture 

3000~3500 10-second videos with a 5000mAh/5200mAh battery,

4000 10-second videos with a 6700mAh battery,

6000~7000 10-second videos with a 9000mAh battery.

And assume that the camera records 20 10-second videos per day, if only considering video recording and network connection power usage (with good wifi signal), without regard to other factors, it can last

2~5 months (Capacity: 5000mAh/5200mAh)

2~6 months (Capacity: 6700mAh)

3~8 months (Capacity: 9000mAh) 

Of course, actual use is more complicated. So if your camera cannot hold a charge for long, you can try the following methods to reduce motion detection.

1. Change the position of the camera to avoid false triggers like trees or plants triggers.
2. Set motion detection sensitivity to “Low” or “Medium”. After doing that, the distance the PIR sensor can perceive will become shorter.
3. Enable “Cool down time” (most cameras have the feature while some cameras do not) so that no video will be recorded again within the set time interval.
4. Change the recording duration to 10s.
5. Change the recording resolution to SD.
6. Schedule sleep for the camera (most cameras have the feature while few cameras do not). You can schedule the non-working dates and hours for the camera. During the non-working period, namely the sleep period, motion detection (including push notifications, recordings, and camera alarm) will stop working, which will largely save battery life.

The user frequently views the live stream

To make the camera work longer, please avoid opening the live stream for a long time.

The camera’s Wi-Fi connection is poor

If the camera’s Wi-Fi connection is poor or unstable, it will keep actively searching for the network thus the battery will drain fast.

Please try to place your camera as close to the Wi-Fi router as possible. Thick walls, bricks, ceramics, electromagnetic devices, a large amount of liquid, and large metal objects may interfere with Wi-Fi signals. Please try to avoid these objects. If it still does not work, you may need to use a better Wi-Fi router or a Wi-Fi extender.

Extremely cold weather will reduce battery life

The camera’s operation temperature is -10°~45°C. Please do not place the camera in an extremely cold environment.

Night vision will consume more battery power

When you enable “Night Vision”, the camera will enter night mode when the light is darker than the threshold (sensitivity level). And when it’s dark, the shooting performance of the camera will be improved. However, night vision will consume the battery.

To reduce battery consumption, you can tap the camera “setting” icon > tap “Lighting Setting” > tap “Light Sensitivity Level” and set it to “Low” or “Medium”. After doing that, it is not easy for the camera to enter night vision when it is still very bright.

How to connect the Solar Panel to your VicoHome Camera?

If the solar panel fails to charge the Pan & Tilt Camera, please check the connection between the camera and the solar panel.

You can connect the camera to the solar panel by following the instructions below:

① Open the rubber plug on the back of the camera.

② Separate the waterproof silicone port-protector of the solar panel cable.

③ Insert the cable of the solar charger to the Micro USB port of the camera.

④ Cover the waterproof silicone port-protector of the charging port. The silicon surface of the solar charger is flat with the camera surface.

Note:

1. The charging performance of the Solar Panel depends on the local weather. Please make sure the Solar Panel can receive direct sunlight for several hours a day.

2. Please make sure the USB connector is fully plugged into the camera. Please note that there will be no gap if they connect properly, and their surface is flat.

3. Please make sure the waterproof silicone port-protector and other accessories can protect the connectors on your camera.

Can the VicoHome camera be used with a solar panel？

Yes. To ensure the charging voltage is not less than 4.5V, a solar panel with a regulated 5V output can be used. Besides, to ensure there is enough current to charge the device when the solar energy is insufficient, it’s advisable to increase the area of the solar panel. You can install it in the area that gets the most sunlight throughout the day.

How to charge the VicoHome camera?

To charge the camera, a USB charging cable (included in the box) and a charger are needed. Please note that the camera only supports a charger with 5V output voltage. A DC 5V/1.5A charger is recommended.

Next, please follow the below steps.

1. Plug the Micro USB connector of the charging cable into the Micro USB port of the camera.
2. Plug the USB connector of the charging cable into a DC 5V/1.5A charger.
3. Plug the DC 5V/1.5A charger into an electrical outlet.

The camera indicates a yellow light for charging and a green light for a full charge.

How long does it take to fully charge the VicoHome camera?

The time required for fully charging the camera is mainly determined by the battery capacity.

Capacity	Charging Time
5000mAh	8～10 hrs
5200mAh	8～10 hrs
6700mAh	8～10 hrs
9000mAh	15～17 hrs

Besides, we recommend you use a 5V/1.5A charger. If the charging current is lower than 1.5A, it may be slow to charge the camera. The camera indicates a yellow light for charging and a green light for a full charge.

How to extend the battery life of VicoHome camera?

The battery life mainly depends on the total working duration of the camera. Here are tips to extend the battery life.

Reduce motion detection

This is how motion detection works: When the PIR sensor perceives a change in the environment, motion detection will be triggered. The change in the environment can be a moving object, light change, the alternation of hot and cold air, etc. To reduce motion detection, you can

1. Change the position of the camera to avoid false triggers like trees or plants triggers.
2. Set motion detection sensitivity to “Low” or “Medium”. After doing that, the distance the PIR sensor can perceive will become shorter.
3. Enable “Cool down time” (most cameras have the feature while some cameras do not) so that no video will be recorded again within the set time interval.
4. Change the recording duration to 10s.
5. Change the recording resolution to SD.
6. Schedule sleep for the camera (most cameras have the feature while few cameras do not). You can schedule the non-working dates and hours for the camera. During the non-working period, namely the sleep period, motion detection (including push notifications, recordings, and camera alarm) will stop working, which will largely save battery life.

Ensure that the camera’s Wi-Fi connection is good

If the camera’s Wi-Fi connection is poor or unstable, it will keep actively searching for the network thus the battery will drain fast. To ensure a good Wi-Fi connection,

1. Please try to place your camera as close to the Wi-Fi router as possible. Thick walls, bricks, ceramics, electromagnetic devices, a large amount of liquid, and large metal objects may interfere with Wi-Fi signals. Please try to avoid these objects.
2. If the camera keeps offline or its Wi-Fi signal is weak (you can check it in the app) when it is placed next to the Wi-Fi router, you may need to use a better Wi-Fi router or a Wi-Fi extender.

Reduce the number or duration of live stream

To make the camera work longer, please reduce the number of live streams and avoid opening the live stream for a long time.

Do not place the camera in an extremely cold environment

Please note that the camera’s operation temperature is -10°~45°C.

Decrease Night Vision sensitivity

When you enable “Night Vision”, the camera will enter night mode when the light is darker than the threshold (sensitivity level). And when it’s dark, the shooting performance of the camera will be improved. However, night vision will consume the battery.

To reduce battery consumption, you can tap the camera “setting” icon > tap “Lighting Setting” > tap “Light Sensitivity Level” and set it to “Low” or “Medium”. After doing that, it is not easy for the camera to enter night vision when it is still very bright.

Will Wi-Fi environment affect the VicoHome camera battery?

Yes. If the camera’s Wi-Fi connection is poor or unstable, the camera will keep actively searching for the network thus the battery will drain fast. To ensure a good Wi-Fi connection,

1. Please try to place your camera as close to the Wi-Fi router as possible. Thick walls, bricks, ceramics, electromagnetic devices, a large amount of liquid, and large metal objects may interfere with Wi-Fi signals. Please try to avoid these objects.
2. If the camera keeps offline or its Wi-Fi signal is weak (you can check it in the app) when it is placed next to the Wi-Fi router, you may need to use a better Wi-Fi router or a Wi-Fi extender.