So I have my cameras plugged into outlet 24/7 and in power management there is option for battery or solar panel.
I put it on solar panel because I figured it will draw less energy and be better for the internal battery than leaving them connected and on battery mode. Can anyone confirm this is the case?
Also if I disconnect them from power outlet the solar icon does not go away so it does not tell me they aren’t charging anymore. If disconnected how does this affect their power source if I have them on solar panel?
And lastly could anything bad happen by having them connected 24/7 to power?
Hooking the cameras up to power 24/7 without controlling the charge is a really quick way of ruining your batteries. Trying to push current into already topped off batteries will reduce the life cycle of the cells and their capacity.
The best way to handle that is use a smart plug and charge them between about 50-80%. Charging the batteries beyond 80% is where most of the damage is done.
The solar option doesn’t do anything unless you have a Eufy panel hooked up and even then depends on the load (activations and recording length).
I don’t have any recommendations for smart plugs. I have gone with a different solution of running Cat 6 wire to all my camera locations. I have POE to 5 volt adapters that charge the cameras from a POE switch. I still have to monitor the camera’s state of charge manually, but most of my cameras only need a partial charge every 6 months or so, so not a huge problem.
The smart plugs are an easy solution for a few cameras, but you will still have to watch the app or set a timer once you know how long charging takes. There aren’t any smart plus that will monitor your camera charge cycles and shut off at 80% that I know of.
I have 14 cameras at the moment and wanted a solution that would let me convert to powered IP cameras later on if I decided to abandon my wireless gear. I didn’t want to buy 14 smart plugs.