A solar camera is tempting in its simplicity: no cables, you put it anywhere and it watches. But there is one catch that shows fully in winter. Let us explain what solar cameras are, when they make sense and what to watch out for.

What a solar camera is

A solar camera is a wireless camera powered by a solar panel and a battery. It needs no power supply or data cable: during the day the panel charges the battery, and the camera communicates over wifi or via a SIM card (4G). It saves the recording to a memory card or the cloud, and you watch it through a mobile app.

Advantages

  • No digging and running cables, so a quick and clean installation.
  • Works anywhere, even where there is no electricity or wired internet.
  • Portable, it can be moved as needed.

Where it suits

A solar camera is made for places without electricity and a cable: remote gates and driveways, plots and fields, building sites, cabins and gardens, or temporary surveillance during an event.

The winter risk

This is the most important and is often left unsaid. A solar camera depends on the sun, and in winter there is little sun. The days are short, the sky is often overcast and snow and frost settle on the panel. So the battery may not charge enough and the camera can run down and switch off just when you need it. Frost also reduces battery capacity. With frequent recording or night illumination, the risk is even greater.

How to reduce the risk

  • A larger panel and a larger battery with a reserve for weaker days.
  • The right orientation of the panel to the south and at a suitable angle, to catch as much light as possible.
  • Clearing snow off the panel during winter.
  • A frugal mode, that is recording only on motion instead of continuous recording.
  • For really important surveillance, rather choose a wired camera.

We install solar ones too

Solar cameras have their place, and where they make sense, we are glad to install them. But first we always assess whether a solar solution suits the given spot, or whether a classic wired camera will be more reliable. We discuss the differences between camera types in the article a comparison of cameras.

Considering cameras for a hard-to-reach spot? Get in touch, we will advise what really suits it and install it correctly.

This article is part of our Camera systems overview.