Doorbell cameras, video doorbells, or smart doorbells are the basic equipment of every safe home. As they are connected to your smartphone, they allow you to answer the doorbell through the app even if you are on the other side of the world. In addition, they enable you to monitor what is going on in front of your door and thus act as surveillance cameras. Indeed, if you wish to secure your home, purchasing a doorbell camera is the first thing to do.
However, as there are many different manufacturers and video doorbell models out there, it is important to choose the best one. As Ring is one of the most reliable doorbell companies, opting for one of their products is a safe bet. Some of their doorbells are hardwired – connected to your doorbell wiring and powered by it and others are battery-powered. Ring’s battery-powered models are particularly popular, therefore it is of utmost importance to know how long the battery can last on a single charge. Do you have to charge it daily, weekly, monthly?
Overall, Ring doorbells are all known for having a long-lasting battery life. How long does Ring doorbell battery last? It depends. According to Ring, the battery should last anywhere between six and twelve months between charges, depending on the activity. Users, on the other hand, report it lasting for three to four months, or even less. More precisely, the battery is promised to last for 1000 activations or events, as such it depends greatly on the usage. This goes for the average model, now, let’s dive into the important details.
What Factors Impact The Ring Doorbell Battery Life
Ring Doorbell battery life is mostly impacted by two factors – the weather and the activity usage.
Weather impact on battery life
Ring uses lithium-ion batteries, which are negatively impacted by cold weather. Cold weather will cause the battery to drain faster and it will prevent it from charging fully. If the temperatures get extremely cold, the battery may even stop working entirely.
At 36 degrees Fahrenheit, the battery will start struggling to stay charged. It will drain faster and will have to be charged more frequently.
At 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the battery may stop charging until it warms up.
At -5 degrees Fahrenheit, you are facing the risk of the battery dying completely. The battery and camera will probably not work until it has warmed up.
Temperatures above 120 degrees Fahrenheit can also have a negative impact on the device’s battery life.
In case you live somewhere, where the temperatures can drop below 36 degrees Fahrenheit, you should consider choosing a video doorbell that isn’t battery-powered, such as the Ring Pro model.
Activity usage impact on battery life
In addition to weather, activity usage also has a major impact on the device’s battery life. Activity usage is actually the number of motion events or activations. If your home and thus camera is located in a high traffic area, where lots of people, vehicles, and even stray animals can activate it frequently, the battery will drain quickly. Some people have even reported that their batteries have drained in just a few days due to high usage.
In this case, the company recommends that you place the camera at a place where it won’t be frequently activated and adjust the motion settings.
Other factors
Ring video doorbells’ battery life also depends on some other factors. For example, the Wi-Fi. If it has a strong Wi-Fi connection and doesn’t have to struggle to find or keep it, the battery will last longer. Long periods of live streaming also tend to drain the battery much faster.
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How Long Does A Ring Video Doorbells Battery Last
Now that we have determined how long the average Ring video doorbell battery lasts, let’s take a closer look at all Ring doorbell models and their battery life.
Ring Video Doorbell (2020 release)
This basic model has two power options – it can be hardwired to an existing doorbell or battery-powered. If you decide to use the rechargeable lithium battery, it should last for 1 to 12 months, depending on the usage. If you live in a high-traffic area with cold weather, the battery will drain much faster. The battery can also be charged with the help of the Solar Charger for Ring Video Doorbell (2020 release). If your solar panel has regular sun exposure, the battery will remain full at all times.
Ring Video Doorbell 3
This model can be hardwired or battery-powered. Its rechargeable lithium battery will last between 6 to 12 months with normal use. If you live in a high-traffic area with cold weather, the battery will drain much faster. The battery can also be charged with the help of the Solar Charger for Ring Video Doorbell 3, Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus, and Ring Video Doorbell 4.
Ring Video Doorbell Elite
This model is powered over Ethernet and it’s hardwired only, therefore you won’t have to worry about its battery life at all.
Ring Video Doorbell Pro
Just like the previously listed model, Ring Video Doorbell Pro is also hardwired to existing doorbell wiring, therefore you won’t ever have to charge it.
Video Doorbell Pro 2
This model is also hardwired to existing doorbell wiring and as such it doesn’t need charging like the battery-powered models.
Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus
This video doorbell model is powered by a rechargeable battery or it can be hardwired to an existing doorbell. The rechargeable battery is designed to last at least 6 months with regular use. To prolong its battery life, you can buy an additional battery for $29. The battery can also be charged with the help of the Solar Charger for Ring Video Doorbell 3, Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus, and Ring Video Doorbell 4.
Ring Video Doorbell Wired
As its name indicates, this model is hardwired to an existing doorbell, which allows you not to worry about charging. However, it requires Ring Chime or Chime Pro for internal doorbell sound.
Ring Video Doorbell 4
The last model on our list has two power options. It can be hardwired to an existing doorbell or battery-powered. The rechargeable battery is promised to last for 6 to 12 months with normal use. The battery can also be charged with the help of the Solar Charger for Ring Video Doorbell 3, Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus, and Ring Video Doorbell 4.
To see the full product comparison, which includes the products’ motion detection, network compatibility, dimensions, field of view, finishes, live view availability, motion detection angle, operating temperatures, video resolution, and more, visit support.ring.com/hc/en-us/articles.
How To Check The Battery Level On Video Ring Doorbell
Once you install your Ring video doorbell, you will be required to install the corresponding Ring app. The app is designed to work on your smartphone, PC, and tablet (on both Android and iOS). You simply download the app, create an account, set up a device, and connect the app to your Ring device.
Once you do so, you will be able to monitor your battery level on the Ring app on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. To check the battery level, simply open the app, and in the top right corner, you will be able to see the battery icon, which is programmed to show the battery level at all times. If you have multiple Ring devices, you must first select your specific doorbell from the ‘My Devices’ menu, and then the battery level will be displayed in the top right corner. The battery level is depicted by an image of a battery that is filled to the extent that it shows the actual status. If you wish to see the exact percentage of the remaining battery life, you can press the gear image located right above the battery.
In addition, the Ring app will send multiple alerts as push notifications to your phone, tablet, or computer as soon as the battery level will become low.
Why Does Ring Video Doorbell Battery Drain So Fast?
As you have seen, Ring claims that most of their battery-powered video doorbells should work up to 12 months on a single charge. As such, it is all the more frustrating if your battery dies a lot sooner. Unfortunately, some users have reported that the battery has drained out in only three months or even less.
The main reasons why your Ring doorbell battery is draining so fast include:
- Cold weather
- Lots of motion events and usage
- Weak Wi-Fi connection
- Live streaming for long periods
For details, check out the chapter ‘What factors impact the Ring doorbell battery life’.
How Can I Improve The Ring Doorbell Battery Life?
The average Ring video doorbell takes around 5 to 10 hours to fully charge. As such, it may cause significant gaps in your video surveillance and it’s also inconvenient to remove the battery very often. Therefore, it is important to maximize the battery life as much as possible. In this chapter, we will explore all the ways that can improve your Ring doorbell battery life.
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Use the Ring doorbell battery less
One of the most straightforward ways to improve your Ring video doorbell’s battery life is to simply use it less. Anytime you access the live stream to check on a motion activity or use the two-way audio to talk to a visitor, you are using up significant amounts of battery life. As such, you should consider making your two-way audio conversations as short as possible and refrain from constantly checking your live stream. Do your best to only access live stream when necessary, otherwise, you can watch recorded videos, which are stored in a cloud, and don’t use any battery power whatsoever. Also, set the auto-shutoff time to the lowest setting.
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Decrease your doorbell’s motion sensitivity
Decreasing the camera’s motion sensitivity will cause the device to record fewer motion events and send fewer notifications, which will in turn save a lot of battery power.
You can change the motion settings in your Ring app. Open the app, select the device you wish to adjust, select ‘Motion Settings’, press ‘Motion Zones’, and then, slide the motion sensitivity button to the left to lower the motion sensitivity.
You can also turn off specific motion zones by using the ‘Customize Motion Zones’ option. This feature will enable you to resize a zone or tap on a particular zone to disable it fully.
In addition, consider changing the number of motion alerts you receive. To do so, go to ‘Motion Settings’, then ‘Smart Alert’, and select ‘Light’ in order to receive fewer alerts.
Some models even allow you to adjust motion frequency and utilize motion scheduling.
It is also important to adjust the location of the device. Make sure random pedestrians, stray cats, and tree branches don’t accidentally activate the device.
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Protect your Ring doorbell from cold weather
Another effective way to protect your lithium batteries from losing too much power is by protecting them from cold weather. As we have mentioned before, temperatures below 36 degrees Fahrenheit (and above 120 degrees Fahrenheit) can negatively impact the device’s battery life. If you live in a colder climate, your doorbell battery will probably last less than 6 months.
You can protect the doorbell from cold weather by bringing it inside on cold nights or by moving it to a more sheltered location, such as a porch.
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Improve your Wi-Fi connection
If the Wi-Fi connection is weak, the doorbell will struggle to stay connected. Moreover, anytime the connection gets lost, the device will have to search for the network and reconnect. These events can significantly drain your doorbell’s battery life.
You can improve your Wi-Fi connection by buying a stronger plan or a stronger Wi-Fi router, by moving the router closer to the doorbell, and by making sure there are no major obstacles between the router and the doorbell.
If none of the above is an option, you should consider buying the Ring Chime Pro, which extends your existing Wi-Fi network up to 2000 square feet.
To check your Wi-Fi connection, you can monitor the Received Signal Strength Indicator of the device in the app. A reading of -40 or better indicates that there is no interference and that the signal is strong.
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Turn off nightlight
As nightlife is a feature that tends to drain the battery, make sure to switch it off during the daytime when you won’t be needing it anyway.
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Mind the charging process
Make sure to only recharge your battery when it’s low, as charging it when it’s full decreases its battery life in general. In addition, avoid high currents and high charges while charging. Discharges below 2 or 2.5 volts should also be prevented, therefore it’s best to use the charger that comes with the device. Moreover, make sure to only use original Ring batteries.
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Hardwire the doorbell
The charging issue can be bypassed completely by simply hardwiring the device into an electrical circuit (your existing doorbell).
How Can You Keep Your Ring Video Doorbell Always Charged?
There are several ways to keep your Ring video doorbell charged at all times and thus not expose your home to unnecessary risk while charging the battery.
One way is to purchase the Ring Rechargeable Battery Pack, a device that will keep your doorbell working even when the battery drains out. At the moment, the device is only compatible with Ring Doorbell 2 and the Spotlight Cam. The battery pack comes with a 6-month backup and a USB charging cable. It will make sure that your Ring doorbell will keep working for many months without any interruptions.
Keeping one or more spare batteries charged and ready to use at all times will only leave your home exposed for a couple of seconds – just so you can swap the empty battery for the fully charged one.
In addition, you can also install a solar mount or panel to your Ring doorbell. Having a Ring solar panel is especially useful for those who live in sunny places and can make sure that the panel will receive regular sun exposure. This will dramatically prolong your Ring doorbell’s battery life and even eliminate the need to ever remove the battery for charging, as the battery will remain full at all times.
How To Charge The Ring Doorbell Battery
Regardless of the type of battery you have, you charge it with a micro-USB charger. These chargers are typically marked as either 2.1A or 1.0A, suggesting the amperage of the charger. The 2.1A charger provides 2.1 Amps of power and will take approximately 5 hours to charge the battery fully. The 1.0A charger, on the other hand, provides 1.0 Amps of power and takes around 10 hours to charge.
The exact process of charging the Ring doorbell battery depends on the type of battery you have – replaceable or non-replaceable batteries.
For non-replaceable batteries:
To charge a non-replaceable battery, follow the steps below.
- Notice the two security screws at the base of the unit. Remove them.
- To remove the unit from the baseplate, pull it up and towards you.
- Connect the unit to a USB charger using the provided micro-USB cable. It can be plugged into any USB power source, including a computer.
- While the device is charging, the front lights will spin.
- Once the device is fully charged, the front light will be solid blue.
For replaceable batteries:
To charge a replaceable battery, follow the process below.
- Notice the security screw at the base of the faceplate. Remove it.
- To release the faceplate, pully it gently towards you.
- To release the battery, push the black tab.
- Charge the battery with the provided micro-USB cable. It can be plugged into any USB power source, including a computer.
- While the battery is charging, both the green and red LED lights will shine.
- Once the battery is fully charged, only the green LED will shine.
- When the battery is charged, slide it back into the doorbell unit until you hear a click. Wait for 30 seconds before putting back the faceplate. Tighten back the security screw.
How Do I Recharge My Ring Video Doorbell?
Depending on how fast your battery drains, it will need to be recharged every few months. The recharging process is exactly the same as the charging process described in the previous chapter. As such, it depends on whether you are using a Ring doorbell with a non-replaceable battery or one with a replaceable battery. To successfully recharge a Ring video doorbell, follow the simple steps in the previous chapter.
FAQ
What to do when a Ring Doorbell battery is low?
Ring video doorbells are either hardwired, in which case the battery will never go low, or battery-powered. Their batteries are rechargeable and can be recharged with a micro-USB cable. The app will notify you when the battery is low and before it dies completely, make sure to charge it with the provided micro-USB charger. To charge the battery follow the steps in the chapter ‘How to charge the Ring Doorbell battery’.
How long does it take to charge the Ring Doorbell battery?
Depending on the battery and the charger, it typically takes 5 to 10 hours to fully charge a Ring doorbell battery. If you wish to avoid this waiting time, you can always keep a fully charged spare battery or use a solar panel.
If I hardwire my Ring Doorbell to my existing doorbell, do I still have to charge the battery?
If you have a Ring doorbell that can be hardwired to your existing doorbell, the device will receive a trickle charge from the doorbell wiring, therefore you won’t have to charge the battery yourself. Ring smart doorbells require an 8-24V AC transformer and can’t be wired to a DC transformer.
Can Ring Doorbell work without batteries?
Some Ring video doorbells can be hardwired to your existing doorbell. Those doorbells don’t need a battery to work, but are powered by the existing doorbell. Check out the current Ring doorbell models listed above and to avoid charging choose a model that can be hardwired.
Does the Ring doorbell charge itself?
Those Ring doorbell models that are hardwired won’t need manual charging as the batteries will continuously be recharged and receive power. So, yes – in a way these models will charge themselves, as long as you hardwire them. In case you don’t hardwire them, you will need to charge them manually every 6 (or less) to 12 months.
What do I do if my Ring Doorbell battery dies?
In case your Ring doorbell battery dies, contact Ring’s responsive customer support. They should be able to help you. If it turns out that they can’t help you, you can buy a replacement battery, but make sure it is an original Ring battery.
How long does it take to charge my Ring 2 Doorbell?
It depends on the charger, however, it generally takes between 5 to 10 hours to fully charge it.
Does Ring Doorbell 2 need to be recharged?
The old Ring doorbell 2 uses a slide to open the battery case and can be recharged, however, it can also be hardwired. In this case, the battery will be charged automatically and no further charging will be required. If not, you will be required to charge it manually.
Can you replace the Ring doorbell battery?
If your Ring doorbell battery dies out completely, you will need a spare battery to replace it. You can do so safely in a few short steps. The steps below are applicable for the Ring doorbell 1, however, the other battery-powered Ring models follow the same principle.
Step 1: Undo and remove any security screws.
Step 2: Remove the doorbell from the wall by sliding it off.
Step 3: Replace the battery at home, where you won’t be bothered by the rain or the wind. Unscrew the batter. On this model, it is located in the back of the device. You will need a screwdriver to do so. Take the casing off.
Step 4: Once you unscrew everything, you will see an aluminum cover. Remove this cover carefully.
Step 5: You will see a plastic box with an empty battery inside of it. Open it with a plastic tool, take the old battery out, and replace it with a new one.
Step 6: Put the screws back into their places, remount the device on the wall and start using it again.