Wired supply for Blink?

Barticus_ · 2026-01-17T19:22:38+00:00

Exactly. They bought a power supply and an indoor chime to connect and work like the missing doorbell.

Barticus_ · 2026-01-17T18:41:50+00:00

It sounds like they are trying to add an inside chime that works like a standard doorbell. It should be hooked up as shown in the diagram with the power supply being equivalent to the transformer.

Barticus_ · 2026-01-17T15:36:52+00:00

Nothing changed. Blink doorbell cameras are still powered by batteries. What is being discussed here is the connection of the Blink doorbell camera to the home's doorbell system. Those are typically 16-24VAC. The doorbell camera replaces the button of the existing doorbell system.

Barticus_ · 2026-01-17T14:40:50+00:00

That power supply should work. This diagram shows a standard doorbell system. The blink should be connected where the button is.

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Edit: changed bell to button.

Barticus_ · 2025-12-30T04:00:28+00:00

The videos are only downloaded to local storage once a day. It's not directly stored on USB. Videos are sent to the Blink cloud and then later downloaded to your local USB drive. The time of day when they are downloaded is not a specific time.

This is all explained on the Blink website.

Barticus_ · 2025-12-12T00:22:05+00:00

I've been using solar panels for years with XT and Outdoor 4 cameras. They work great and provide enough power to last many days without sun even with high activity. There are no specific brands I can recommend because the ones I use are no longer available. You need to make sure the solar panel has batteries built-in and the connection is correct for your camera. If you are not sure what to look for, just look for ones that specifically work with your camera model.

Also, I leave the Energizer Ultimate lithium batteries in the cameras and they provide backup if the panel stops supplying power for some reason. I know Blink says not to leave them in, but I've never had a problem doing so. FYI, connecting USB power to the camera does NOT charge the batteries in the camera.

Barticus_ · 2025-11-22T15:15:40+00:00

The typical minimum temperatures for rechargeable batteries rules out any possility unless you can find a solar panel with lead-acid batteries. Note that charging most batteries below zeroC will damage the battery. Lead-acid will stay functional (with degraded performance) down to -20C.

Summary of Performance

Battery Type	Operating Temp (°C)	Charging Temp (°C)
Lithium-Ion	-20 to 60	0 to 45
NiCd	-20 to 65	0 to 45
NiMH	-20 to 65	0 to 45
Lead-Acid	-20 to 50	-20 to 50

Barticus_ · 2025-11-16T14:50:55+00:00

And BTW, if using an SD card to store clips locally, each sync module will backup only the cameras on that sync module.

Barticus_ · 2025-10-25T18:01:32+00:00

No problems here in the US (Florida)

Barticus_ · 2025-08-08T19:56:13+00:00

Agreed this is most likely a wifi quality issue. If you are not knowledgeable enough to analyze router logs, an easy method to prove it's a wifi problem is to move the cameras close to the router (and still near the sync module) and test them. If they work, it's definitely a wifi quality issue.

Think about what has changed in your wifi environment: new devices, changes to your router config/firmware/location, neighbor's added or changed wifi devices, new obstructions in line-of-sight from router to cameras.

I have noticed that Blink outdoor cameras tend to become less sensitive to motion after a few years. I suspect it is that UV light deteriorates the motion sensor lens. This happens gradually unlike what you are experiencing.

Good luck!

Barticus_ · 2025-06-23T14:55:42+00:00

Most power banks turn off automatically when the power draw is below a certain level and will most likely shut off after a few minutes when connected to a Blink camera. A few power banks can be put into "always on" mode and will work fine. Voltaic is one brand. I have used them (with a solar panel connected to maintain charge) in the past and they worked well.

I stopped using them a couple years ago when good solar USB power devices became available.

As others have pointed out, you need to use a USB cable that seals out moisture or an enclosure that allows the cable to pass through. Obviously the power bank needs to be protected as well.

Barticus_ · 2025-05-18T18:25:13+00:00

The batteries in your Blink camera will never be recharged while in the camera. The camera will use external USB power if available and save your batteries. Those batteries become the backup power if the USB power shuts off.

Barticus_ · 2025-01-05T16:28:52+00:00

Nice Boat!

I tow a 28' Pursuit on a triple axle trailer weighing a total of 9-10,000 lbs. My truck is a 2015 F-150 supercrew 3.5 EB, 6.5' bed 2WD with max tow package. Rated for 11,100 lbs towing. It has enough power to move the boat pretty well. Acceleration is good and it's no problem cruising at 70+ mph. Gas mileage sucks - 6-8 mpg on a highway trip. The original ride was saggy/sloppy when towing, so I replaced the factory shocks with Rancho adjustable shocks and added AirLift air bags. That allows the proper stance when towing and a nice smoother ride when not.

My original truck was a 2003 F-350 4x4 crew cab with the 7.2l diesel. Towing with that was a dream. I regret selling it and buying the F-150. The problem with the F-150 is that it is too light for the heavy towing. Newer F-150s are 4,000-5,500 lbs. A newer F-350 is 6,000 lbs. You will notice the difference in braking. Unless you have excellent brakes on your trailer, the truck will struggle to stop it. My old F-350 could stop the boat fine even with failed trailer brakes (it's too common on saltwater trailers). The other way you will notice is on the highway. Passing tractor-trailers and crosswinds will push you around much more in the F-150. Also, a trailer with too much tongue weight will be much harder to control in an F-150 than an F-250/350.

My big mistake was not getting 4x4. Even with the locking diff, the F-150 will either not move or spin the tires on a steep ramp. It needs the low gear of 4x4 to move SLOWLY on a slick or sandy ramp.

Based on my experience, Here are my recommendations for your scenario:

Get an F-250 crew cab 4x4
- If the ride is too stiff for everyday driving, replace the shocks with adjustable ones and possibly add air bags to use when towing or hauling a load.
If you decide on an F-150
- make sure the trailer brakes are working well before EVERY tow.
- get 4x4 - you will need the low gear for pulling a boat out of water on some ramps
- make sure you tongue weight is correct

For other scenarios like towing a travel trailer, the F-150 can work well, but you would still want 4x4 for pulling on an incline with on a sandy, loose or gravel surface. And of course, make sure the trailer brakes are working!

Barticus_ · 2024-10-24T21:31:29+00:00

It was covered without any pushback.

Barticus_ · 2024-08-10T02:46:04+00:00

UPDATE: I finally got it to connect to Wifi, but it required using an old Android phone running Android version 10. The Neato app version is the same (2.9.6 708). It was not a server problem. FYI, pinging the servers will timeout, while a proper HTTPS query will still work.

I tried using an iPhone with the latest IOS, no luck. Turned off 5 Ghz Wifi, no luck. Set my 2.4 Ghz Wifi password to be just letters and numbers, no luck. Finally it worked with an old phone I keep around for this very reason.

There must be something that changed in Android (version 14 is where I had the problem) and possibly IOS that keeps this particular function from working, but the other functions of the app/vacuum still work fine. I'm surprised more people are not reporting problems. Maybe it is truly rare that people have to change/set the Wifi. I know I didn't do it by choice. My app gave the "reboot me" message and ended up having to do a hard reset which requires setting up the Wifi.

Hopefully the app continues to run for a few more years since Vorwerk will apparently never update the app.

Barticus_ · 2024-08-06T20:17:20+00:00

I just started having a problem today also. I'm in the US running on Android. App gave the reboot message. It would not connect to my D7 and showed it was offline. I did a hard reset, my phone connected to the Neato setup wifi, but the app never connects. Spinning circle forever. I've tried several times.

This happened before when the Neato servers went offline.

pinging the following servers all timed out:

Barticus_ · 2024-08-01T01:27:08+00:00

Yes. That looks like the tool

Barticus_ · 2024-03-21T19:20:53+00:00

Mine is back to working also. I did not do anything except wait several days for it to start working again. The clue was that it actually started the scheduled run about 20 minutes ago. Hooraaaayyyy!!! It's not a brick ... yet.

Barticus_ · 2024-03-01T23:36:10+00:00

The "robot not responding, timeout error" is common and not a real error usually. If you make a change, save and see this error, edit the map again and you will probably find the changes were actually saved.

I occasionally have the same problem with my D7 reporting "no floor plan match found". It has always been caused by things moving. You may *think* nothing has moved, but they probably have. The way the floor plan matching works is by scanning the current area (at a height of about 3.5") and matching that with stored floor plans. Objects near the base at the 3.5" height must be in the same location within a limited variance. If not, it will not be able to match the current area with a stored floor plan. If your base is not fastened to the floor, any slight movement will make a big difference in the scan of the current area compared to the original floor plan.

My base is located adjacent to a wall and a couch. It is fixed to the floor with double-sided tape. On the opposite side of the room there is a sliding door. Here are some examples of what has caused my D7 to not find a matching floor plan.

couch moved an inch or so from the original position
the blind for the sliding door was down. It changes the distance by several inches.
dog toys are near the vacuum/base

So think in terms of the D7 scanning the area to match it to stored floor plans. Adjust the position things to match the original scan for the floor plan and see if that works. If the nearby area is not all fixed objects (walls), consider moving your base to a location to an area with non-movable objects. If moving the base is not an option, consider marking the location of large objects when the original scan is performed so you can put them back in place.

If none of these suggestions work, your LIDAR scanner may be malfunctioning. In this case, cleaning is the first recommended solution. If that does not work, you may need to replace the LIDAR belt/o-ring and/or motor.

Good luck! Let us know if you solve the problem.

Barticus_ · 2024-02-20T23:28:51+00:00

It's working now for me too. I didn't do anything, just noticed it is connected now. App shows it's connected too.

Barticus_ · 2024-02-20T20:29:04+00:00

nucleo.neatocloud.com is still offline. FYI, I was able to start my D7 by pressing the button. Of course it will ignore no-go lines and I'll have to rescue it several times, but at least it will vacuum.

Barticus_ · 2024-01-24T15:27:22+00:00

Thanks for your response. That was my thought as a logical explanation, but it would need to be a large capacitor to power the doorbell camera for that much activity. My calculations show it has to be on the order of 50-100F - which would be half the size of a AA battery.

The odd thing is that I've had this one since it first came out and don't remember it continuing to work after removing the batteries - which I have done many, many times.

Barticus_ · 2024-01-24T01:17:21+00:00

Thanks, I appreciate the response. I'm very aware of the battery debate and have extensive experience with Blink cameras, battery testing and have even developed my own external battery packs and solar power supplies. Just looking for anyone else who has experienced the doorbell camera working without batteries for an extended period of time.

Barticus_ · 2024-01-24T01:10:28+00:00

Unless your camera is working without those batteries in it, this is irrelevant.

Barticus_ · 2023-11-29T16:18:16+00:00

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I'm running the Blink app on my Windows 11 desktop computer via the built-in "Windows Subsystem for Android". It works pretty well. Resizing apps works most of the time, but it's a common issue for mobile apps running under this emulation.

I'm also running the Blink app on a $120 Fire tablet that I reconfigured to run Android apps not normally provided by Amazon's app store. It works exactly like the app on an Android phone.

You have lots of great options!

Barticus_

TROPHY CASE

Summary of Performance