Update: Eufy security cameras + Winter - Can Eufy Survive Winter with DIY Solar/External Power

This is our 1st winter update for our wire-free battery power security cameras that we installed last year. Have our 4 Eufy security cameras with solar and external power survived their first winter? It’s time for an update video!
Find out how the security cameras held up and if we encountered any problems with the batteries or with charging when we hit temperatures as low as -32°C and low sunlight conditions during autumn and winter. I’ll also provide updates on how the Eufy solar panel and Eufy power DIY external power solutions held up to the winter conditions plus MORE!
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If you haven’t already watched our DIY videos for External Power or Solar Power for wire-free battery powered security cameras then check them out below (Great info and tips that might work for other wireless security cameras too):
Eufy Power solution → • DIY external power for...
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#eufyofficial #eufycam #eufysecurity #eufy #eufysecuritycam #eufycamaus #homesecurity #security #cctv #smarthome #surveillance #securitysystem #securitycamera #homeautomation
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If you find our videos useful you can support our channel by using our affiliate links to purchase the products in our video, similar or better. As Associates of Amazon, eBay and others we may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.
EufyCam 3 1TB HD security camera system → eufy.sjv.io/1r0D2x
Eufy dual cam doorbell E340 → eufy.sjv.io/JzGLj7
Eufy Solar Wall light → eufy.sjv.io/Kj1q9A
Eufy video smart lock E330 → eufy.sjv.io/m5AXbq
Eufy water & freeze sensor → eufy.sjv.io/xkW2bd
Eufy floodlight cam S330 → eufy.sjv.io/DKPb1o
EufyCam 2C Wireless Security Camera System → amzn.to/39glkJa
Eufy Security Floodlight Camera → amzn.to/2zHTj1G
Eufy add-on Motion sensor → eufy.sjv.io/jrkn2v
USB Solar Panel 5W (Shown in video)
→ s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_Dkv...
(Select “USB regulator box” option and ePacket for faster shipping)
USB Solar Panel 10W
→ s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DDg...
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Eufy certified Solar Panel (2.6W which may be too low for some)
→ amzn.to/3ee5p3j
128 GB Lexar MicroSD card
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Alternative camera mounts:
→ amzn.to/3ANRwl6 (Gutter mount)
→ amzn.to/3FO1Wom (Wall mount)
→ amzn.to/3DSttmG (Pole mount)
→ amzn.to/3yEb4Hr (Vinyl siding hanger/clips)
(Hang things on vinyl siding EASY → • How to hang things on ... )
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Disclaimer:
Any information available at this channel or on its videos are intended for general guidance only and must never be considered a substitute for advice provided by an appropriate or qualified professional.
Due to many factors beyond the control of Frakking Creations, no information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Frakking Creations assumes no liability for property damage, injury or loss incurred as a result of improper use of tools, equipment or from any of the information contained in this video. Frakking Creations recommends safe practices when working with tools seen or implied in this video.
Use this information at your own risk.
EN08240712

[@twospirits411]

Very good update. For a brief moment I thought that cat (which cross the walkway in the beginning of the video) was the one pointing to the camera at time index 0:23. But it was your finger in a glove. lol Anyway, your videos are really helping me decide to upgrade my current Arlo system to Eufy. Good Job.

[@FrakkingCreations]

Thank you so much for the comment. It really makes us happy when our videos are helping our viewers! Ever since we got the eufy installed we realized our front steps was a hangout for at least 4 cats and countless jack rabbits. It would have been cool if it was the cat pointing in the video though, lol. Subscribe and stay tuned for more videos on eufy that we're planning in the new year.

[@quangtruong4828]

very useful video with detailed review.

[@FrakkingCreations]

Thank you again!

[@hudo4043]

Great video. I live in Canada. I just bought the eufy solar panel. Waiting to receive it

[@FrakkingCreations]

You decided to go with the eufy branded solar panel? Let us know how it goes. I remember checking the specs on it and it looks like it's only about a 500 mAh panel. It will charge slower than the panel I showed in the video and linked to in the video description.

[@smartbunny6680]

Have installed same Eufy Solar Panels and it works all year round. Winter, Fall, Summer and Spring.

[@hudo4043]

@@smartbunny6680 me too. Very reliable product

[@jjakkad]

Excellent info - subbed. I bought the 2c pro and wondering if it can handle winter weathers

[@FrakkingCreations]

Thanks for commenting and subbing. I can't say for sure that the 2C Pro will handle winter weather since i don't have one. Some points you will want to consider is that since the 2C Pro only has 180 days of battery life (half that of the eufycam E) you will want to make sure you don't install in a place that causes too many motion detections as this will drain the batteries faster. And if you are going to install one of our external power solutions (power outlet or solar) then you will need the winter temperature to go up to 0°C or higher a few days during winter to be able to charge it. That said, the eufycam 2c Pro does have an IP67 rating which is better than the eufycam E (IP65). IP67 can be immersed in 1m of water for at least 30 mins. Hope that helps.

[@marypettit5523]

I have been going through videos to learn more about the eufy cameras and watched this again. I got to the point of seeing the bird attacking your camera and started laughing. We just went through figuring out why an Oregon junco was attacking two of our cameras. It's the red Led light. It's trying to steal that light. We had to move one to stop it, the other had a tiny stub the bird was sitting on beating the camera front. I tried turning off the led but once it had that cameras position it was relentless. Too funny to find another bird with this persistently attraction. These two cameras are both in trees.

[@FrakkingCreations]

I really wonder what's going on in the birds mind. Since then we have had more magpies visiting and trying to hang onto the vinyl siding like the cameras. Then a different bird also tried to do the same. I wonder if they think the camera are some sort of bird. Thanks for sharing.

[@marypettit5523]

@@FrakkingCreations it's the red light. Some birds really like shinny things. Our pesty bird just discovered we put up our ninth camera and he is actively trying to figure out how to reach it. At least it's entertaining. I get to watch raccoons, possums, a couple of birds, a few cats, and a very strange dog wandering every night. I do look forward to the mornings watching.

[@FrakkingCreations]

Strange because our LED lights have been off since we installed. Definitely agree on interesting animals getting caught on camera. We see lots of cats at the front steps at different times in the day. Plus we have a skunk, coyotes and jackrabbits. :)

[@michaelgeiger9058]

I’ve been having issues with battery operated eufy not working after snow. Anyone else have that issue? I have two outdoor cameras one is mostly out of the snow and rain but the other is exposed . The one that does not get wet is functioning as normal the other that gets snowed on loses connection when it snows.

[@FrakkingCreations]

Is this a weather proofing issue, a wireless connectivity issue or a defective camera issue? Have you tried switching the two cameras around to see if the same thing happens or not?

[@kellym4007]

Don't rely on the newer cameras to disable charging below freezing temperatures. I contacted Eufy directly about this and here's part of their response: "To maintain your security, it is recommended to unplug your solar panel in the winter. I'm sorry to say that the eufyCam 2C Pro does not have a temperature sensor that prevents charging below 0C currently. Rest assured that we have delivered it to our engineer team and let them see how to explore the possibility in the future. Your continuous feedback and your joint effort to shape a better product are highly appreciated."

[@FrakkingCreations]

Thanks for asking Eufy and sharing that info here. Though, I do find that info puzzling. Usually, Lithium-ion batteries cannot be charged when outside a specific temperature range. Doing so could damage the batteries or cause a fire. Even though you charge the camera indoors, high speed charging could cause overheating which could cause a fire. I always thought Litium-ion batteries are required to have temperature sensors to prevent this.

[@FrakkingCreations]

I hope someone with the Eufy 2c Pro that has tried this can chime in.

[@waterzzura]

Planning to buy the 2c but im from winnipeg, what happens to it on winter? Will it die faster??

[@FrakkingCreations]

The 2C only has half the battery capacity of the E so yes, it will have a shorter up time per charge even when not used in the winter. Note that how long your battery lasts is dependant a lot on how busy the area you are monitoring is. If it has a lot of traffic and is setting off the motion sensor a lot then don't expect half a year battery life (as per Eufy specs). Hope that helps.

[@waterzzura]

@@FrakkingCreations thanks im thinking of a wired instead because of weather then, camera might die too fast 🤣

[@ahoneyb76]

We're looking for a solar power option for the wired cameras rather than the battery-operated ones. Not having any luck finding info!

[@FrakkingCreations]

Unfortunately, because solar panels are not that efficient in generating electricity and also because wired security cameras are power hungry, you will need a larger battery and solar panel in order for it to be self sufficient. That's probably why you don't see many implementations but it's not impossible.

[@michaeldejesus7812]

hello, how I can do to have the camera on my phone or tablet all the time on 24/7? like like see the camera all the time

[@FrakkingCreations]

I don't believe these types of smart cameras are made to have a live view 24x7. Wire free ones will run out of power and even with a solar panel it may not be enough to power/charge when the camera is run 24x7.

[@marypettit5523]

I open the app then click on the camera I want to view and it is a live view but not a permanent one. I can make it record, UT usually only quickly view and shut it down.. It doesn't record 24/7 but I am able to view it when I want. It will use battery power but limited depending on how long you keep it running. I have other cameras for 24/7 recording that has an app to view when not home.

[@marypettit5523]

Oh my eufy cameras are on solar.

[@rick3439]

so if I live where it will be -35 at night and never go above 0 during the day for at least 2 months will the battery charge or not at all? (That’s Chicoutimi, Canada weather.. )

[@FrakkingCreations]

No. The batteries will not charge when the temperature is below 0 degrees Celsius.

[@rick3439]

Frakking Creations do you know if the pro version has the same limitation? Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge, I was going to buy these and get screwed as I would only find out in the middle of January that there is a problem.

[@FrakkingCreations]

Np. I am not 100% sure if the pro version is the same but I am quite sure it would be. All Lithium-ion batteries cannot be charged when temperatures are too low or too high. It would damage the cells. So the circuitry prevents this on purpose.

[@rick3439]

Frakking Creations I can’t wait for a good HomeKit security camera. I tough the Rudy would fit the bill but I guess it would not survive the winter where I live. Can’t wait for someone to release something that would fit the requirements of living in the cold.

[@FrakkingCreations]

Yeah. They could get a lot of new customers. So many people live up north where temps get below 0.

[@xdjnoclux]

So basically in order to keep the battery from draining in the winter, put the solar panel near a light source and turn it on at night time? Is that what you're implying?

[@FrakkingCreations]

No. That's not what I mean. We have 2 solutions for externally powering the security cameras. One uses household outlet power in a lamp fixture and the other uses solar power. The one that uses the outlet power has an adapter that allows you to plug a USB power adapter into your outside light fixture. A USB power cable is plugged into the USB adapter then plugged into the camera. A flip of the switch for the light fixture now allows you to charge your camera. The solar panel solution has a solar panel that plugs into the camera. Sunlight will charge the camera there. Checkout the videos for the 2 solutions to see what I'm explaining.

[@FrakkingCreations]

Here are the 2 solutions: External Power solution → kzbin.info/www/bejne/mGK0mnuNbL9maNU Solar Power solution → kzbin.info/www/bejne/gn7QiKKmq9OXl7s

[@xdjnoclux]

@@FrakkingCreations ok thank you, I was thinking it was to prevent from battery getting bad. another question would you prefer the Cam E or 2C Cam?

[@FrakkingCreations]

In terms of preventing the batteries from going bad, it's never good to let a lithium battery go down lower than 20%. So if these DIY external power solutions do that then it could help prolong the lifetime of the batteries. For our preference, We don't have the EufyCam 2C so we don't have first hand experience. Though, the main differences that we see are: - 2C only has half the battery life of 180 days instead of 365. - 2C is IP67 rated - 2C has 135° field of view while the E has 140° - 2C has human detection technology while the E doesn't - 2C has built-in spotlight (though limited range) - E has anti-theft - 2C seems to come with only one type of mount - E comes with 2 types of mounts (including magnetic) - Both are easy to install In the end, the right camera would be one that fits more of your needs. I hope that helps!

[@FrakkingCreations]

Our latest video is out now. It's a DIY hack for 150 ft long USB Power cable for smart security cameras.

[@BlazeBacon]

Did you ever run into snow covering the lens

[@FrakkingCreations]

That's a good question. We did not run into any issues with snow covering the lens. This is In part due to where we installed the cameras. As per the videos you can note that we installed them under cover of the roof. Also, the cameras don't run warm and so if snow hits it, it doesn't tend to melt and stick. Could be a different story if it was wet snow that hit. So far after 2 winters, no issues with snow. Hope that helps.

[@danielrice5474]

Just to let you know, the Eufy Doorbell link no longer works.

[@FrakkingCreations]

Thanks so much for letting us know!

[@Gianncarlo0216]

Biggest crap ever, when is little be cold around 12°c the camera is wortless, I can't see absolutly nothing, big waste of my money....

[@FrakkingCreations]

I'm not sure why my experience and video is biggest crap ever when it actually is my experience. There may be scenarios where it doesn't work, which is valid too. If that is your experience then it would be great to have your experience mentioned here so others can benefit from it too. Some other info that might be good to have, for example are: How long have you had your eufy? Which model eufy do you have? When you say that you can't see anything when it's below 12°C what is it that you see? Blurry image? foggy? Other? How many time has your system been run below 12°C? Did you contact eufy about this since it could be a defective camera? I believe eufy does rate these cameras to work below 0°C. And any other questions others might ask.

[@Gianncarlo0216]

@@FrakkingCreations image is 100% foggy, Yes I contacted eufy, I got eufy c model, lot of more people got same poblem, just go to eufy forums, this camera is not good for cold weather, for summer was great. Battery last max 1 month also. Not 1 year.

[@FrakkingCreations]

I see. Thanks for getting back. Maybe that's a problem for the C model. Did you go with a different system after that experience? So far our Eufycam E has been good. We've lived through one winter and heading into the 2nd with 4 cameras. First winter the camera was fine down to -32°C. The image is no different in winter or summer. With the solar solution from our other video we haven't had to charge the camera since the solar panel was installed last October. That camera is currently at 88% charge. Our other 2 cameras with the external power mod from another video are both at 100% since installing the mod around July last year.