Symptoms
- Battery drops from full to empty in days instead of weeks or months
- Battery percentage drops fastest during high-traffic times
- Cold weather noticeably speeds up battery drain
- Battery drains fast even when nobody visits
Likely causes
- CommonMotion zones set too wide, capturing street traffic or treesEvery recorded motion event uses power to wake, record, and upload video.
- CommonCold outdoor temperatures reducing battery capacityLithium batteries lose effective capacity and drain faster in cold weather.
- PossibleWeak Wi-Fi signal forcing higher radio power useA doorbell working hard to maintain a weak connection uses more battery to transmit.
- PossibleLive view or two-way talk used frequentlyChecking the live feed often draws significantly more power than idle monitoring.
- Less commonAging battery holding less charge than when newRechargeable batteries gradually lose capacity after many charge cycles.
What to do
- Open the app and narrow the motion detection zones to exclude the street, sidewalk, and moving trees.
- Lower the motion sensitivity setting if it's currently on high.
- Check the Wi-Fi signal strength shown in the app and improve it with an extender if weak.
- Reduce how often you open live view unless there's an actual reason to check.
- If it's winter, expect shorter battery life as normal and plan for more frequent charging.
- Fully charge the battery and track how many days it lasts to establish a new baseline.
- Replace the battery if it's several years old and no longer holds a reasonable charge.
Tools and parts
Replacement doorbell battery packSearch: “video doorbell replacement battery”
When to call a pro
If the battery is swollen or won't hold any charge after a full charge cycle, stop using it and contact the manufacturer for a replacement rather than continuing to charge it.
Safety
Generally low risk
Generally low risk for a careful person. Stop if anything looks different from what this guide describes.