Video doorbells make life a lot easier, and the Ring video doorbell camera is one of the most popular on the market. While wireless mounting makes it much more accessible for renters and homeowners, charging time is something often overlooked.
The time it takes to charge a Ring doorbell battery differs depending on the generation you choose. Older Ring cameras can take as long as 10 hours to charge, while newer battery packs reach full capacity in under 8 hours.
Charging time isn’t the only thing to consider when it comes to battery life. In this guide, we explain the difference between the generations and factors that affect your doorbell’s battery health.
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Battery Life of Different Ring Doorbell Generations
The first thing to note is that there are different generations of Ring doorbells that carry different expectations for battery life.
All baseline Ring doorbells are rechargeable, but hardwired systems like the Ring Pro and Ring Elite will stay on as long as they have a stable power source.
Ring 1
The original Ring doorbell claims a battery life of 6 to 12 months, but reviews can’t seem to agree on its actual performance. Ring battery life isn’t a problem if you take advantage of hardwiring the doorbell, but using the rechargeable internal battery seems to have inconsistent results.
The majority of reviewers seem to be able to reach 6 months of battery life, but some only get 1 to 2 months out of the box.
Ring is transparent about faster battery drainage in temperatures below 40°F. Those in colder climates often find themselves recharging the doorbell every week or two.
Later Generations
The second, third, and fourth generations of the Ring doorbell camera offer a more reliable battery life. Users report that these swappable batteries can consistently reach the target of 6 to 12 months (or 1,000 notifications).
Battery life is not as big of a deal with these newer models because you can purchase additional batteries and swap them out as needed instead of removing and recharging the entire unit.
How to Recharg Ring Doorbell Batteries?
All Ring doorbell generations operate in the same way, and their recharging method is a major difference.
On top of a more reliable battery life, the later generations charge faster and can be recharged without taking the unit out of commission.
Ring 1
For the recharge Ring 1 doorbell cameras, you must remove them from wherever you have them installed. The doorbell has two security screws attached to the mounting bracket. Simply unfasten these screws and lift the unit from the base to charge.
Plug the micro-USB cable that comes with your device into the charging port on the back of the doorbell, then connect it to a 2.1 amp wall charger.
Make sure you’re comfortable keeping the camera off the wall for as much as 10 hours. It’s best to recharge while you’re safe and at home.
During this time, the blue ring around the doorbell button will track the battery level. A fully charged battery results in a complete blue ring, and you can return your doorbell to its mounting plate.
Later Generations
Recharging later Ring doorbell camera generations is much easier and safer than removing the whole cam.
Unfasten the single security screw holding the faceplate in place and remove this to access the battery pack. Press down the release tab, then slide the battery pack out of the doorbell.
These cameras come with an orange cable for easy charger identification, but you can use any common micro-USB cable for charging. Plug it into the USB port on the battery, then plug the charger into a wall outlet.
As the battery charges, the red and green lights will stay lit. When charging is complete, only the green light will stay on. Your battery should complete charging within 5 to 8 hours when using the proper charger.
Many choose to keep additional battery packs on hand so they don’t have to go without their doorbell camera while it charges. This is a particularly economical solution if you have other Ring devices, such as Spotlight cams, that use the same batteries.
Factors that Affect Ring Doorbell Battery Life
Minimizing factors that deplete battery life can help you get more from your Ring doorbell camera.
The biggest drains involve:
- Climate
- Usage
- Poor internet connection
These conditions seem to have a greater impact on the original Ring doorbell, but later generations are not immune to shortened battery life.
Climate
The Lithium polymer batteries used by Ring cameras struggle to hold a charge when the temperature drops below 36°F (4°C), and excessive temperatures will shorten battery life overall.
Keep in mind that batteries are unlikely to charge at temperatures below freezing (32°F or 0°C), and the battery may stop working at all once it reaches -5°F (-20°C).
Usage
Usage is a major variable that facilitates different user experiences.
Anytime your doorbell detects an event, it will activate the motion sensor, start recording video and send you an alert. This means that doorbell cameras in high-traffic areas or those without optimized motion zones will use more energy, resulting in shorter battery life.
Taking time to define your motion zones, limiting your live view usage, and changing your smart alerts to the Standard or Light setting can make a big difference in the time you go between charges.
Poor Connection
If your doorbell camera is far from your router or you have an unreliable connection, it will eat up more energy.
When the connection drops, the Ring doorbell automatically attempts to increase its Wi-Fi range. This takes more power, leading to higher consumption.
To fix this, you may need to relocate your router or invest in a Wi-Fi extender.
Conclusion
A Ring doorbell camera should last long enough to monitor your home with minimal interruption, and recharging will only eat up a few hours a few times a year. To get the most out of your doorbell cam, you should have a good idea of how active it will be and which camera is best suited to your lifestyle.
Those in quieter areas who want to save money can get by removing the original Ring to charge, but high-traffic areas and those who want to avoid interrupted security benefit more from later generations.
Let us know if you have any questions about the differences between different Ring doorbell generations, and we will do our best to point you in the right direction.