The image sensor has been working fine and now it has decided it wants to eat batteries. It keep going to low battery every week it seems.
What batteries are you using (lithium or alkaline)?;
and do you have a ADC-IS-100-GC or ADC-IS-200-GC model?
What is the reported voltage as shown on panel?
You cant mix and match the battery types ( e.g., using alkaline if it is set for lithium, or it will trigger low battery quickly as they are typically designed to operate below 3.0v, which with lithium, means they are depleted), default is lithium, but can be changed on the backend.
The 100-GC is first gen, and horrible in regards to battery life (10 months max with lithium on average (I would average approx. 8 months or so), compared to two years on lithium for the second gen 200-GC). Always check the lithium package date, when buying AA lithium’s, make sure the date on package is current (e.g., 2015 or 2016).
On Lithium AA’s, low battery is triggered when the reported voltage hits near nominal 3.05V, new lithium’s will report around 3.40v (1.7v x2). Alkaline will report 3.2v (1.6v x2).
Unlike Alkaline, Lithium hold their voltage steady until nearly depleted (around 4% capacity), at which point the voltage drops. Alkaline will report less than 3.05v (1.5v x 2) when they are actually at 90% capacity still ( which is around 2.6V).
In summary, If you use alkaline, and it thinks they are lithium, the voltage will drop and report low battery even if they have only lost 10% capacity.
Do not use AA nimh rechargeables for same reason (2.6V to 2.4v @1.2v x2)
What batteries are you using (lithium or alkaline)?
This is a very important distinction. Alkaline batteries will report low extremely quickly.
Battery life measurements in manual are stated using Energizer Ultimate Lithium.
Battery life measurements in manual are stated using Energizer Ultimate Lithium.
I can verify that those are not accurate measurements (but the minimum in any event should be at least 6-8 months or so)
I have the second gen IS (measured at 2 yr battery life). New lithium’s installed July 2015 (then at 3.4v), are already at 3.12v. (I 'll be lucky to get 8 months or so, let alone 1 year, no way it’ll make it two years).
Either the measurements are grossly inaccurate, or they do not take into account normal operation with ‘background capture’ rule use.
Either the measurements are grossly inaccurate, or they do not take into account normal operation with ‘background capture’ rule use
The measurements likely did not take background capture into effect. I want to say background capture was added as an option after the release. The original IS rules were different, unless I am going crazy.
Background capture is only a feature of the second gen IS, where the specs boast 2 yr battery life… it was not a feature of the first gen IS because of the battery life issue.
I suspect the 2 yr life is for basic PIR functionality only with minimal capture events. Which is not likely. Under normal operation and disarm/background captures 10 months is a more likely battery life span.
Image-Sensor-FAQs-8-4-2014-1.pdf (424 KB)
Background capture is only a feature of the second gen IS, where the specs boast 2 yr battery life.. it was not a feature of the first gen IS because of the battery life issue.I suspect the 2 yr life is for basic PIR functionality only with minimal capture events. Which is not likely. Under normal operation and disarm/background captures 10 months is a more likely battery life span.
Correct, I suspect you are right on the 2 year span. I do still see closer to 1 year being common when the IS is used more regularly.
Sorry for taking so long to get back. I kept meaning to reply, but kept getting sidetracked. I don’t know which model I’m using, but I got the low battery warning today and either you guys or Alarm.com modified the notification and email to be a lot easier to understand why it’s happening so frequently.
I did not realize what was meant by Alkaline and Lithium batteries in the dispoable battery format (I know Lithium in most technology nowadays like Tablets and phones), but just ordered the Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA batteries mentioned in the email. I never thought of AA batteries being capable of multiple types.
Those are the recommended batteries by the manufacturer. You should notice a definitive difference.
Awesome and hat tip to whoever modified the emails and notifications. Unless I am mistaken, these batteries weren’t mentioned in both until recently. We’ve seen the low battery warnings plenty of times before.