Eufy Doorbell Battery Draining Really Fast

Is your Eufy battery-powered video doorbell begging for a recharge after just a few days of use? That rapid battery drain can be annoying and inconvenient when you expect months of operation per charge. But before you throw it out, try these steps first.

I’ve put together a quick guide to troubleshooting your Eufy doorbell’s battery drain, with some pro tips on optimizing the lifetime. From simple fixes to DIY wiring, I’ll help you get back to your work without worrying about the doorbell not greeting your visitors.

How To Fix Eufy Doorbell Battery Draining Fast

You can prevent your Eufy doorbell’s battery from draining quickly by reducing the motion detection alerts, customizing activity zones, using the power-saving mode, lowering video quality and recording length, and disabling any third-party integrations. You should also ensure strong Wi-Fi and keep firmware updated.

I’ll break down the step-by-step process to identify the problems and apply fixes so your Eufy can hold a steady charge again.

A Detailed Breakdown of Battery Drain in Eufy Doorbells

1) Check for Excessive Motion Alerts and Sensitivity Settings

A common reason for rapid battery drain in Eufy doorbells is excessive motion alerts being triggered. Frequent motion alerts can quickly deplete the battery since the camera needs to record video for each one.

• Open the Eufy Security app and go to your doorbell’s settings. Review the motion alert frequency over the past 2 weeks.
• If there are dozens of alerts daily, especially a lot of false ones, the motion sensor is too sensitive.
• Go to Motion Detection and reduce the sensitivity slider. Choose low or medium sensitivity instead of high.
• Customize the motion detection zone if needed so only the areas you want are monitored. Disable any zones that lead to false alerts.
• Enable Human Detection if your doorbell supports it. This makes the camera smarter about detecting people vs other motions, such as cars or pets.
• Set a Motion Detection Schedule if possible, like disabling alerts during the day or when you’re usually home.
• Set the video recording length to 5-10 second clips when motion is detected.

Monitor for a few days and continue to tweak as needed to reduce false alarms while still catching important activity. Getting these dialed in can significantly extend your doorbell’s time between charges.

2) Power Manager Settings and Usage Patterns

The Power Manager section in your Eufy app provides both presets and full customization to manage your doorbell’s battery usage.

Some modes to consider:

• Optimal Battery Life only records when someone rings the doorbell and limits background activity.
• Balanced Surveillance reduces certain functions but maintains core security.
• Customized Recording gives you more control over motion detection parameters and notifications. But it may lead to more motion detection events if not set correctly. 
• You should also reduce notification frequency to the minimum required, as each notification will take up a bit of juice from the doorbell. 
• Also, if your doorbell directly faces a crowded street, consider mounting it on a side wall or using a wedge to angle it more towards your door. This can reduce the number of detection events. 

There’s also an ‘Optimal Surveillance’ mode, but if you’re already having issues with battery life, I wouldn’t recommend it. So, match the mode to your environment and needs.

3) Update the Eufy Firmware and App 

Eufy periodically rolls out firmware updates to address bugs, improve features, and enhance performance. Staying updated is important, as it can enhance the battery life of the doorbell. 

• Make it a habit to regularly check your device settings for firmware updates. At least once or twice a month. Eufy normally notifies you of an update, but that may be delayed since some updates are rolled out in batches. 
• If an update is available, install it and monitor if it helps with battery life. You could also read the release notes to understand what’s changed.

Sometimes updates can introduce new settings and customizability, so be sure to see if there’s anything that can help optimize the power consumption. 

4) Inspect Wi-Fi Signal Strength and Connectivity Issues

Stable internet connectivity ensures efficient data transmission between your Eufy doorbell, your Homebase, and the Eufy servers. Lost connections mean more re-transmitting data and waiting to upload, draining the battery.

• In the Eufy Security app, check the Wi-Fi strength icon beside the live view. If it’s only 1 or 2 bars, then it’s weak. 
• Try moving your Wi-Fi router closer to the doorbell if possible, or install a range extender. 
• If you’re using the 5 GHz band, try the 2.4 GHz band, as it can have a longer range. You can also try manually switching channels in case of Wi-Fi overcrowding in your area. 

A solid internet connection helps your doorbell stay charged for longer and, naturally, makes it easier to view the live stream whenever needed. 

5) Optimizing Video Quality Settings

Recording and streaming video in high resolutions like 2K will consume significantly more power. You can adjust the settings:

• In Video Settings, try reducing the video resolution from 2K to 1080p. You can also reduce the bitrate, which saves both battery and storage space, but not too much, as you don’t want to end up with a blurry video. 
• Shorten the video clip recording length down to 10 or 20 seconds.
• Disable Continuous Video Recording if enabled, and switch to event-based recordings to save battery.
• You can also increase the retrigger interval to avoid the same event being captured multiple times. 
• Two-way audio can also impact the power consumed since it’s transmitting more data back and forth.

You may have to tinker with the settings a bit to find the right balance that works for you, like adjusting the recording time and the event detection settings. 

This way, the doorbell only powers on and records when needed versus staying perpetually vigilant. And remember, a security system doesn’t necessarily need ultra-high-quality video: you just need to be able to make out faces in the video for identification. 

6) Review Third-Party Integrations

While integrating your Eufy doorbell with smart home platforms like Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Apple HomeKit enables some useful features, these connections can also subtly drain battery life over time.

Constant background synchronization, status checks, enabling remote access, etc., consume extra resources that add up.

So, you should check and optimize all the third-party integrations. You can check these under Device Settings. 

Anything that seems unnecessary or infrequently used, you can get rid of. Make sure the app permissions are set properly so that it doesn’t run too often in the background but is able to notify you when needed. 

Eufy has stated that certain third-party scripts and plugins, including Home Assistant, can cause issues with much faster battery drain, so disable these if you’re using any. 

7) Consider Weather Conditions and Their Effects

Chilly winter temperatures and scorching summer heat both negatively impact the doorbell battery and its lifespan. Lithium-ion batteries drain faster in temperature extremes. Now, you can’t change nature’s cycles, but there are some things you can do to minimize the impact:

• Try to avoid mounting your doorbell in direct sunlight. 
• Consider installing it below an overhang or porch ceiling so as to keep it safe from the elements. 
• Change the doorbell’s settings to consume even less power. 

8) Factory Reset as a Last Resort

If you’ve troubleshooted all this way, and there’s still a lot of battery drain, a factory reset might be your only option (apart from battery replacement or buying a new doorbell). A factory reset can help both on new devices as well as old ones, but your results will likely vary. 

• Use a small pin tool to detach the Eufy doorbell. 
• Locate the small pinhole button on the back of the device. 
• Press and hold it with the tool for 15 seconds until the light blinks rapidly
• Wait for the reboot process to complete. 
• Pair the doorbell to the Eufy Security app again. You’ll have to redo all your preferences and settings again. 

This can rule out any system-level software issues, but if the issue persists, it’s more likely a hardware issue with the doorbell. In that case, you should reach out to Eufy support and explain all the steps you’ve just taken. If it’s under warranty, you may be able to get a replacement. 

Important Notes About Eufy Doorbell Battery Usage

Good Charging Habits

Improper charging practices can speed up battery degradation, which will lead to less life on each charge. So here are some good charging habits you should try and stick to:

• Use only official Eufy charging cables and accessories for optimal performance. Avoid cheap third-party hardware. If you’re using any other charger, make sure it’s 5V/1A or 5V/2A, and a good cable with no frayed ends. 
• Don’t overcharge the battery. A Eufy doorbell normally takes 3-6 hours to charge to 100%, so once it reaches that, disconnect the charger. Try not to leave it overnight. 
• Don’t remove the doorbell mid-charge. If you charge it less, that can affect the lithium-ion’s natural cycle. 
• Check for any small debris or dust clogging the charging port. The cable should fit snugly for a secure connection. 

Battery Replacement

Unfortunately, Eufy has mentioned that most of their doorbells do not have replaceable batteries. However, if you’re handy with a screwdriver and fancy DIY repairs, you can check to see if you’re able to find a compatible battery.

Do note that this will void any warranty, so only consider it if your doorbell is old and the battery is clearly degraded. 

Consider Hardwiring For Continuous Power

If you simply want uninterrupted continuous power without worrying about batteries, you can also hardwire your wireless Eufy doorbell. This is easier if you have existing doorbell wires, but still possible without them. 

Eufy has an official guide for hardwiring the 2K Video Doorbell, but it’ll work similarly on other models as well. The voltage requirement is generally 8-24VAC, with 10VA or more. You can also use a power adapter of 24V/500mA or 18V/500mA. 

Add A Solar Panel

Another potential solution you can consider (though a bit expensive) is adding a solar panel charging accessory. However, not all Eufy doorbells are compatible with solar panels, and the wiring can be a bit troublesome in some cases. I’ve also read users complain about the solar panel not being able to keep it charged consistently, so results may vary.

FAQs

Conclusion

I hope this guide helped you fix your Eufy doorbell battery drain issue. Getting to the bottom of unexpectedly fast battery drain in Eufy doorbells requires patience and a systematic approach. Just work through the steps one by one, and you should be back to a smart, secure home in no time. 

Let me know in the comments what kind of battery life you’re getting after this, and any other tips or tricks you know of.