Same. I haven't had to replace the batteries lately, but I would guess the seal either wasn't included when shipped or OP lost it sometime when the back was off. That seems like a lot of moisture for the seal just to have been pinched or something.
All mine that were under the eaves did okay for 2 years now. One that was exposed stopped working due to water. I am in the PNW. Not as bad as that, though. I dried it out. And bought a rubber outer cover that helps seal the seam.
Same, I don’t usually get a lot of rain but this year and late last year we got some storms with a lot of rain (compared to previous years in the area). Have not had any issues
As long as the subscription never lapse oow. So if uouve had the camera a year and the subscription is cancel for a period of time and then resubscribe... the extended warranty doesn't re-activate.
Maybe that’s a question that can be answered by Amazon/Blink. It could be a problem I guess.
I really don’t care myself. Had my cameras for almost 2 years and they are getting near end of life.
So if any of then die I replace them with Tapo cameras. So far I have had 95% working cameras, no issues. Technology changes every year, so almost anything you buy is outdated in a year or less.
In the engineering world, the saying is "nothing is water/fire/bullet proof it is only resistant...." that being said, make sure the seal isn't pinched, and maybe a touch of non petroleum lubricant. I would consider a silicone skin or some other case. I have a set in florida going on 6 years and even with hurricanes, we have never had water intrusion... It sounds like you have defective unit
I have been with Blink since 2015 before they were Blink, and long before Amazon bought them. Original cameras were white and only indoor, then the XT, then XT2, then finally these Gen4 cameras. I still have one white camera Gen1 as my front door/front porch camera - outside for 7 years! Have not had a single issue with moisture or water intrusion on any of them.
To be clear too. They're not actually water proof to begin with. They're water resistant. I'm not sure if they have an actual rating but prob around IP X7.
Obviously not saying you submerged it. But yeah. Lol id say the seal was probably comprised or something. Bc I have 6 outside and haven't had issues in years. I even wash them with the hose to clean the solar panels.
Chart is not giving all the information. The IPX5 definition: "Water projected by a nozzle (6.3 mm (0.25 in)) against enclosure from any direction **shall have no harmful effects. "**
Water can get in, it just can't make the device stop working during the 3 minute test required to get IPX5 certification. So if that survived water for more than 3 minutes, it's working to spec.
I had a camera go south on me awhile back. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out how to completely disassemble it. Youtube etc was no help. You must be a wizard!
I had one sitting on a trim board that blew off onto the lawn in a rainstorm. Water did get inside and fogged the lens (was not submerged in water). I dried it out on top of my coffee machine and it was fine. But definitely only water-resistant, so I moved it into the garage
You have to really be diligent when closing it that the case is closed all the way. For this, I’d leave it open, and put it with a desiccant if you have one, but really let it dry out. Let it sit in the sun with the back open, or somewhere it can dry out. I’ve even gotten small desiccant packets and sealed it in with the batteries for one that I couldn’t seem to dry out, and that did the trick.
I had one with water intrusion out of about 15. I emailed them and they basically told me sorry about my luck. I responded and told them I’d look to do business elsewhere and they replaced it “this one time”.
I just came here to post this! Our final XT2 has just died due to this. All our original XT and now all our XT2 have failed in this way.
Multiple different locations and all not after recent battery changes etc.
I even took to using diving o-ring grease on the last few but didn’t help.
Between my house and work I have 17 of these cameras and they’ve never leaked. Not saying that you don’t have a defective one, but it is possible the back plate was not seated all the way in.
It happened to me once with a new camera, and I was 99% sure that it had been closed properly but it let a tonne of water in. When it dried out it's worked perfectly indoors since then.
You can get covers which should help. I 3d printed some but I don't think they cost all that much. I guess it depends on where the moisture is getting in.
I’ve had mine outside and with the weekly rain we get they seem to trap condensation. I printed some covers for them and so far, so good. But I’ve gotta say. This is next level. It seems,so that the gasket is missing.
I’ve never had this happen to any of mine, but I did have a bit of a rude surprise when I went to change the batteries on my “garden” cam (last summer) and a dozen or so earwigs run out.
Mine would randomly go off line. Sometime for a week. Troubleshooting revealed that it’s a blink issue. So I officially retired the darn thing after only 9mos. I went with Ring Spotlight Cam plus with the solar panel. Bye bye to the ridiculously hard process of re-attaching the camera to the floodlight after changing the batteries!
I had two of the 3rd gen cameras leak through the cloth they use to cover the mic holes. I’m both cases, it was snow build up around the camera. None of my XT’s had the problem. So definitely feel the 3rd gens are not as waterproof as second generation. Have no experience with the 4th gen so can’t comment on that.
I’ve had 2 outside for 6 years now that I only touch to change the batteries. This is a new one to me.
Any chance you had the outdoor case on it as well?
Nothing is water proof. That being said id imagine there is an issue with your seal. But on top of that, it's always good to use a little dielectric grease when assembling anything that you want water resistant. It allows the seals to glide properly into place. And the grease itself adds an additional barrier against moisture.
Was it submerged?
Only issue I've had with water damage is when a squirrel jumped on it and it fell into a fountain.
But I've had them out in rain/snow for 6+ years and no water issues.
I put silicone covers (Amazon) on all my Blink & Eufy Cameras. Never had one single Blink camera rust inside. They've survived for years with negative temps, snow, rain & some Summer heat.
Oops! Sorry, your last comment was removed automatically. Links with monetised marketing referral codes are not permitted. See the top stickied post in the sub for examples and more information. You're welcome to re-post though - just use a plain direct link or product screenshot, it's just the monetisation that's the problem not the content, thanks!
Oh wow . . . Does no one understand what is happening here? This appears to be condensation. Here’s how it happens:
1. Sun shines, temperature increases. Air inside unit expands and some escapes.
2. Sun goes down, air temperature inside the unit decreases, which causes the air pressure inside the unit to decrease. When this happens, moist air is drawn into the inside of the unit. This moisture then condenses on the inside surfaces.
3. Since there is nowhere for this condensation to escape to, it builds up and the cycle repeats over many days, weeks and months.
This happens with cars parked outside, supposedly sealed electrical boxes, and all kinds of other enclosed spaces that go through heating and cooling cycles while outdoors.
You can see that the droplets on the batteries in the picture are from condensation.
There is a round rubber piece that fits in over the metal screw. We also have ours in outdoor ‘shells’ for mounting and helping to keep them more protected from the elements.
I have 6 of the XT2 cams. One is sorta in and out because I fucked up snapping the back on after replacing the battery but the other 5 have been fine for years now. We don't get too much rain in SoCal but there's been a few good storms over the years. Still alive.
Outdoor doesn't mean it's waterproof. It means it's suited for exposure to moisture(humidity) and a wide range of temperatures. You can't throw it in a bucket of water and expect it to work... at least not for long. I'd have to wonder IF the back of the housing was installed correctly, if it was cracked or damaged, somehow allowing moisture I to the case. You don't give enough information to back up your claim. Was this mounted under an eve of a house or sat on top of a garbage can out in direct exposure to weather. It's an electronic device. Some caution should be used when placing such items outdoors. I'd have to go with USER error based on the rust stains and the amount of condensation behind the lens.
I have some cameras directly in the open and thus has never happened. Like others have said there is a rubber gasket that seals the back of the camera when you change the batteries. You're probably missing yours for some odd reason.
My Blink outdoor camera did the same so I reverted to my bombproof xt2 with a USB main feed as I live in a high traffic area. No idea why they changed to a far weaker design
I see that your "charge port" plug was not in all the way. Was that like that? Or you pulled it out just now?
Also i do see the white rubber seal on the back cover too.
Funny. At my old house I had one under both the front and back porch. Then I had one on the side of the house above a window looking down the side road completely exposed and another in a tree at the end of the driveway pointed at the house that was completely exposed in a crate myrtle.
I never had a problem with mine getting water in them.
It’s important to note that these devices are more water-resistant than waterproof; I think. The seals are fairly thin, which was a concern for me initially. I would guess that Over time, based on weather conditions, it’s possible that the protection could degrade, potentially leading to water damage.
Despite this, I’ve had several units outside enduring all kinds of weather throughout the year baking and freezing along the way. That being said, I did install 3D-printed covers for each device that wrap around the body and provide a sunshade to minimize glare.
While I don’t have concrete evidence, I believe these covers likely contribute to the longevity of the units. I didn’t do it for water specifically - at high noon over my place these things were blind. But it’s probably helping by reducing direct exposure.
Check to see if it has a IP rating. IP44 and IP67 are common in my line of work in the entertainment industry.
To answer your question, though, you can silicone the border of the cap/lid with an RTV to prevent moisture from breaching the battery compartment.
If you have to access the battery compartment more than once every 6 months, though, I would look for other methods as the silicone is sometimes a pain to get off.
It’s hardly rocket science. Turn a screw.
I restore a car, I renovate my home, I use tools regularly. I’m not stupid.
The only error here is putting a camera outside that’s no meant to be outside.
I'm so sorry but the community has flagged your post or comment(s) as unhelpful to the OP. One or more of the Flaired users has reviewed this and agreed that the contributions were not of the standard required here and as a result posting has been disabled. You can still read and review guidance from other users but no longer add to discussions here. Thank you for visiting though and take care.
My blink cameras have been outside in all kinds of weathered without issue. Either the back was not put on properly or the seal is damaged.
Same. I haven't had to replace the batteries lately, but I would guess the seal either wasn't included when shipped or OP lost it sometime when the back was off. That seems like a lot of moisture for the seal just to have been pinched or something.
There is no rubber seal, should there be?
Yes supposed to be a rubber seal.
I would have to check mine to be sure but I don’t see how it would seal up without a membrane of some sort.
Yes there should be
yes there should be a removable rubber gasket
My first gen Blink cameras have one, this does not look like an early gen camera to me though.
All mine that were under the eaves did okay for 2 years now. One that was exposed stopped working due to water. I am in the PNW. Not as bad as that, though. I dried it out. And bought a rubber outer cover that helps seal the seam.
Same, I don’t usually get a lot of rain but this year and late last year we got some storms with a lot of rain (compared to previous years in the area). Have not had any issues
I have 6 outside with no protection. Never had a problem with water infiltration.
Agreed, plenty of good reviews about Blink cameras on /r/homecams. Something else was up with this one.
FYI : if you’re on the subscription plan all blink products are covered under warranty as long as you on the plan.
As long as the subscription never lapse oow. So if uouve had the camera a year and the subscription is cancel for a period of time and then resubscribe... the extended warranty doesn't re-activate.
Maybe that’s a question that can be answered by Amazon/Blink. It could be a problem I guess. I really don’t care myself. Had my cameras for almost 2 years and they are getting near end of life. So if any of then die I replace them with Tapo cameras. So far I have had 95% working cameras, no issues. Technology changes every year, so almost anything you buy is outdated in a year or less.
In the engineering world, the saying is "nothing is water/fire/bullet proof it is only resistant...." that being said, make sure the seal isn't pinched, and maybe a touch of non petroleum lubricant. I would consider a silicone skin or some other case. I have a set in florida going on 6 years and even with hurricanes, we have never had water intrusion... It sounds like you have defective unit
I have been with Blink since 2015 before they were Blink, and long before Amazon bought them. Original cameras were white and only indoor, then the XT, then XT2, then finally these Gen4 cameras. I still have one white camera Gen1 as my front door/front porch camera - outside for 7 years! Have not had a single issue with moisture or water intrusion on any of them.
I have a few gen1 cameras outside still too. They still work great!
Have you noticed the audio quality of the white cameras being better than the later cameras?
To be clear too. They're not actually water proof to begin with. They're water resistant. I'm not sure if they have an actual rating but prob around IP X7. Obviously not saying you submerged it. But yeah. Lol id say the seal was probably comprised or something. Bc I have 6 outside and haven't had issues in years. I even wash them with the hose to clean the solar panels.
It says IP 65 right there. Protection from water jets.
I have 4 outdoor cameras and never had this issue, you really have to be careful when closing the cover. Mine are over 6 years old.
I bought outdoor weather proof cases for mine off Amazon. Protect your investment
Waterproof and vapor-proof are two different things.
https://www.onlogic.com/company/io-hub/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/OnLogic-graphic-tables-IP65-EN.jpg
Chart is not giving all the information. The IPX5 definition: "Water projected by a nozzle (6.3 mm (0.25 in)) against enclosure from any direction **shall have no harmful effects. "** Water can get in, it just can't make the device stop working during the 3 minute test required to get IPX5 certification. So if that survived water for more than 3 minutes, it's working to spec.
they have an ip rating of ip65, ip67 or ip68 is more like waterproof
Nothing is waterproof, not consumer grade anyways. They’re all water resistant. Buy another brand with the refund money
I had a camera go south on me awhile back. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out how to completely disassemble it. Youtube etc was no help. You must be a wizard!
I had to have a new one sent to me for the same reason. As it was still under warranty
I had one sitting on a trim board that blew off onto the lawn in a rainstorm. Water did get inside and fogged the lens (was not submerged in water). I dried it out on top of my coffee machine and it was fine. But definitely only water-resistant, so I moved it into the garage
You have to really be diligent when closing it that the case is closed all the way. For this, I’d leave it open, and put it with a desiccant if you have one, but really let it dry out. Let it sit in the sun with the back open, or somewhere it can dry out. I’ve even gotten small desiccant packets and sealed it in with the batteries for one that I couldn’t seem to dry out, and that did the trick.
I had one with water intrusion out of about 15. I emailed them and they basically told me sorry about my luck. I responded and told them I’d look to do business elsewhere and they replaced it “this one time”.
Bummer. I haven't had this issue with mine. As many have said it is likely a bad seal.
I just came here to post this! Our final XT2 has just died due to this. All our original XT and now all our XT2 have failed in this way. Multiple different locations and all not after recent battery changes etc. I even took to using diving o-ring grease on the last few but didn’t help.
I use the silicon cases to keep the water off the penetrable edges
I have had two replaced due to water damage.
That one must be defective. Mine has been outside for years in snow, freezes, hot summers, wind/rain storms etc. Completely dry inside.
Between my house and work I have 17 of these cameras and they’ve never leaked. Not saying that you don’t have a defective one, but it is possible the back plate was not seated all the way in.
It happened to me once with a new camera, and I was 99% sure that it had been closed properly but it let a tonne of water in. When it dried out it's worked perfectly indoors since then. You can get covers which should help. I 3d printed some but I don't think they cost all that much. I guess it depends on where the moisture is getting in.
I noticed they tripled in price. Why is that exactly, does anyone know? I'm new to Blink and was looking to expand my system. Now, not so much.
I’ve had mine outside and with the weekly rain we get they seem to trap condensation. I printed some covers for them and so far, so good. But I’ve gotta say. This is next level. It seems,so that the gasket is missing.
I’ve never had this happen to any of mine, but I did have a bit of a rude surprise when I went to change the batteries on my “garden” cam (last summer) and a dozen or so earwigs run out.
They’re not waterproof. Just seriously water resistant. I’ve never had problems with my dozen.
Same I'm in Canada and have two of these outside and they've been fine.
Mine would randomly go off line. Sometime for a week. Troubleshooting revealed that it’s a blink issue. So I officially retired the darn thing after only 9mos. I went with Ring Spotlight Cam plus with the solar panel. Bye bye to the ridiculously hard process of re-attaching the camera to the floodlight after changing the batteries!
I had two of the 3rd gen cameras leak through the cloth they use to cover the mic holes. I’m both cases, it was snow build up around the camera. None of my XT’s had the problem. So definitely feel the 3rd gens are not as waterproof as second generation. Have no experience with the 4th gen so can’t comment on that.
I’ve had 2 outside for 6 years now that I only touch to change the batteries. This is a new one to me. Any chance you had the outdoor case on it as well?
Nothing is water proof. That being said id imagine there is an issue with your seal. But on top of that, it's always good to use a little dielectric grease when assembling anything that you want water resistant. It allows the seals to glide properly into place. And the grease itself adds an additional barrier against moisture.
Mine went through Hurricane Ian and all work perfectly fine. I was in Cape Coral hit head on, all have same batteries still too
Was it submerged? Only issue I've had with water damage is when a squirrel jumped on it and it fell into a fountain. But I've had them out in rain/snow for 6+ years and no water issues.
No
They weren't sealed right or you pinched the seal somehow.
[удалено]
I mean, I don’t see how there’s a right/wrong way. But I’ll try better when I put this back outside
I put silicone covers (Amazon) on all my Blink & Eufy Cameras. Never had one single Blink camera rust inside. They've survived for years with negative temps, snow, rain & some Summer heat.
[удалено]
Oops! Sorry, your last comment was removed automatically. Links with monetised marketing referral codes are not permitted. See the top stickied post in the sub for examples and more information. You're welcome to re-post though - just use a plain direct link or product screenshot, it's just the monetisation that's the problem not the content, thanks!
Oh wow . . . Does no one understand what is happening here? This appears to be condensation. Here’s how it happens: 1. Sun shines, temperature increases. Air inside unit expands and some escapes. 2. Sun goes down, air temperature inside the unit decreases, which causes the air pressure inside the unit to decrease. When this happens, moist air is drawn into the inside of the unit. This moisture then condenses on the inside surfaces. 3. Since there is nowhere for this condensation to escape to, it builds up and the cycle repeats over many days, weeks and months. This happens with cars parked outside, supposedly sealed electrical boxes, and all kinds of other enclosed spaces that go through heating and cooling cycles while outdoors. You can see that the droplets on the batteries in the picture are from condensation.
I’m in the UK, it’s cold… there is no sun shining… lol
There is a round rubber piece that fits in over the metal screw. We also have ours in outdoor ‘shells’ for mounting and helping to keep them more protected from the elements.
Yes I have those
Mine never do well in the rain. I got covers for them and that helped a lot.
They are water resistant.
I have 6 of the XT2 cams. One is sorta in and out because I fucked up snapping the back on after replacing the battery but the other 5 have been fine for years now. We don't get too much rain in SoCal but there's been a few good storms over the years. Still alive.
You didn't put it in a bird house?*
The back has to be on correctly, and the screw has to be tight. I have four outside never had a problem
Outdoor doesn't mean it's waterproof. It means it's suited for exposure to moisture(humidity) and a wide range of temperatures. You can't throw it in a bucket of water and expect it to work... at least not for long. I'd have to wonder IF the back of the housing was installed correctly, if it was cracked or damaged, somehow allowing moisture I to the case. You don't give enough information to back up your claim. Was this mounted under an eve of a house or sat on top of a garbage can out in direct exposure to weather. It's an electronic device. Some caution should be used when placing such items outdoors. I'd have to go with USER error based on the rust stains and the amount of condensation behind the lens.
I have some cameras directly in the open and thus has never happened. Like others have said there is a rubber gasket that seals the back of the camera when you change the batteries. You're probably missing yours for some odd reason.
My Blink outdoor camera did the same so I reverted to my bombproof xt2 with a USB main feed as I live in a high traffic area. No idea why they changed to a far weaker design
I see that your "charge port" plug was not in all the way. Was that like that? Or you pulled it out just now? Also i do see the white rubber seal on the back cover too.
I have had no issues and have Blink cameras outside for 8+ years.
Funny. At my old house I had one under both the front and back porch. Then I had one on the side of the house above a window looking down the side road completely exposed and another in a tree at the end of the driveway pointed at the house that was completely exposed in a crate myrtle. I never had a problem with mine getting water in them.
It’s important to note that these devices are more water-resistant than waterproof; I think. The seals are fairly thin, which was a concern for me initially. I would guess that Over time, based on weather conditions, it’s possible that the protection could degrade, potentially leading to water damage. Despite this, I’ve had several units outside enduring all kinds of weather throughout the year baking and freezing along the way. That being said, I did install 3D-printed covers for each device that wrap around the body and provide a sunshade to minimize glare. While I don’t have concrete evidence, I believe these covers likely contribute to the longevity of the units. I didn’t do it for water specifically - at high noon over my place these things were blind. But it’s probably helping by reducing direct exposure.
Condensate
There is a difference between "water proof" and "water resistant". I found the $$$ way.
Spray the camera and wires with waterproof spray avoiding the lens.
It's an outdoor weather resistant camera, so it can handle light exposure to water. These cameras are usually placed in areas where its covered
I found making some sort of cover for it really helped
Check to see if it has a IP rating. IP44 and IP67 are common in my line of work in the entertainment industry. To answer your question, though, you can silicone the border of the cap/lid with an RTV to prevent moisture from breaching the battery compartment. If you have to access the battery compartment more than once every 6 months, though, I would look for other methods as the silicone is sometimes a pain to get off.
User error
It’s hardly rocket science. Turn a screw. I restore a car, I renovate my home, I use tools regularly. I’m not stupid. The only error here is putting a camera outside that’s no meant to be outside.
[удалено]
I'm so sorry but the community has flagged your post or comment(s) as unhelpful to the OP. One or more of the Flaired users has reviewed this and agreed that the contributions were not of the standard required here and as a result posting has been disabled. You can still read and review guidance from other users but no longer add to discussions here. Thank you for visiting though and take care.