The Ring doorbell is a smart, well-built device that gives homeowners peace of mind about who is at their door, whether at home or at work. But when the unit starts to malfunction, how safe is your home?
Many users have had problems with their Ring doorbell not charging properly. So what’s the problem here? How can you fix it and be sure your home is safe? Also, what are the reasons why the battery drains so fast? We’ll get to these questions in a moment.
Check battery life
You recently noticed the low battery indicator on your Ring doorbell. Naturally, you realize it’s time to load it up. After hours of charging, it still says low battery, making you think your Ring doorbell is not charging properly.
The first step is to check the battery life. How do you do this? Looking for the battery life indicator on the unit itself? Not really, you can check it directly from the app. Let’s see what you should do:
- Open the Ring app on your phone.
- Then go to “Devices”.
- Click on your drive.
- Then, tap “Device Status.”
- Check the ‘Power Status’.
If the ‘Power Status’ shows ‘Good’ or ‘Very Good’, then it is good news. But there are some other things you can try.
Get the transformer
In some cases, the battery tends to drain quickly because there is no transformer. The transformer you currently have may not be powerful enough to support all of your devices, including the Ring unit. For that, it is a good idea to get a new transformer that will connect to the electrical panel board.
However, choosing the right transformer is not easy. You need to know about electricity to be able to select a suitable unit. If you’re not sure what’s best for your home, call an electrician. They will help you make a smart decision.
Check the electrical panel board
Go to your electrical panel and open it. You will see different switches. There will probably be a transformer connected to the panel. The first thing you should do is check if the circuit breakers are turned on.
Check if the transformer wires look good. But be careful, don’t touch them until you turn off the switches! This can put you in danger, so make sure you follow this step. Alternatively, you can call an electrician to check the wiring and make sure everything is running smoothly.
If everything is fine here, then it’s time to contact Ring support.
Contact Ring Support
In some cases, the problem is with the Ring doorbell itself. To confirm your suspicion, contact customer service. Keep in mind that the phone call may take a while, so don’t make it when you’re in a hurry.
Ring customer service will help you determine when the battery stopped charging. They will help you reset your device, which could help you restore your battery to its full potential. If the doorbell does not respond, you will move to the next step.
Sometimes the problem may be the firmware. The firmware is a software update, which may not be compatible with some Ring units. The technician might recommend reverting to the previous firmware. A firmware incompatibility can cause battery charging problems.
By following these various steps with you, they will be able to determine if the device is defective. If all else fails, customer service will send you a replacement for your Ring doorbell.
The new drive should have no problems loading.
Why does the battery drain quickly on a Ring Doorbell?
As many users are having problems with their Ring doorbell battery, the question arises: why does it drain so quickly? There are a couple of possible reasons. Let’s take a look at them.
Cold weather
One of the problems with Ring doorbells is that they do not withstand extremely cold weather. When the temperature drops below 36 F, the battery will not charge efficiently. Slightly colder weather affects it even more and the battery does not charge at all. Finally, if the temperature is below -5 F, the unit will stop working completely.
The reason for this is that cold weather negatively affects the lithium-ion batteries that Ring doorbells contain.
One of the solutions to this problem is to bring the unit indoors when the temperature drops significantly and charge it with a USB. Doing so will also ensure that the device heats up a bit.
High number of events
Events include all activities that activate your Ring doorbell. If you press it, it will be an event. Detecting motion is another event. The battery in Ring doorbells is supposed to last for 750-1000 events. As for the period, that means about 6 to 12 months.
A large number of events drains the battery much faster. However, sometimes ringing can even imply “false events.” For example, a bicycle passing by your house is not a threat, but the device will recognize it as an event. If the device alarms you about an unusual number of events, check the settings and configure motion zones.
Maintain battery
As you can see, there are several reasons why a Ring doorbell battery may not charge. To maintain its lifespan and ensure your home is safe, familiarize yourself with the factors that drain your battery. Sometimes the reason can be as simple as cold weather. Other times, the problem is wiring or even a faulty device.
