Blink Outdoor (3rd Gen) + Solar Panel Charging Mount – wireless, HD smart security camera, solar-powered, motion detection – Add-on camera (Sync Module required)

Worked good for about a week, then the batteries were dead. Yes I pulled the tab out on the inner battery. Installed new batteries, now the motion is not working. I can get a live view & refresh the thumbnail, but the motion doesn't trigger. I did recheck the camera settings and it still does not work. Not sure what to do. Update: Contacted customer support and after having me try different things, still did not work. They were quick to send me a new solar panel which fixed the problems I was having. Thank you! Great customer service.

I bought this to put above my garage where I have no power. It is a high traffic area and I didn't want to have to replace batteries every couple of weeks. The first unit I received was not charging. I contacted Blink and they sent me a replacement after answering a few questions. I was very happy with the customer service. The second unit has been running with no issues. I have not had to change batteries after several months of use. I like that I can detach the solar panel and place it where I will get the most sunlight. Remember to check the battery in the solar unit not only the camera. You have to remove the tape on this battery so that it can charge. I must have missed this step when I was reading the instructions. Now I can see the camera is running off this battery and only uses the camera batteries when needed. I have 6 blink cameras and have never been disappointed. Great products, easy to use app, and excellent picture.

I purchased 3 of the Blink (3rd Gen) cameras as part of my security system. I liked the fact that I didn't have to run any wiring or have to worry about battery life. I wasn't able to get these solar powered units up for a while due to the c disease and treatment but when I finally did, the installation was easy and quick. Initially I found the cameras to be responsive and provided a relatively clear pic. I had previously owned VAVA cameras that had provided great high resolution and very fast response but that company pulled the plug and left their customers high and dry without notice. Unfortunately the Blink cameras don't seem to have as good a picture and the time to load clips can sometime take a bit or the app will tell me that there are no clips to view at all. This seems to happen most often if I try to connect via a notification instead of direct through the app. Everything seemed to work fine but I kept noticing more and more of a delay with the cameras with most of the time the cameras missing the motion detection activity that triggered the unit or long delays to write to the hub, which if I recall happened after software update. Now out of 3 units, only two are operational after less than two years, a 66% failure rate. The first camera to go out occurred at approximately a year and covered the backyard with very little activity except for the gardener and a neighborhood cat from time to time. I wasn't too worried about that camera and just let it slide due to my ongoing illness. Recently the camera that covers the front door has gone out and wont connect, no error messages, just dead. Both units have been pulled down, inspected and batteries replaced without restored functionality. Unfortunately I cannot recommend these Blink cameras due to the longevity of the units. While the mounting was easy, the cameras clarity wasn't as expected from the start let alone the failure rate. Also I think the overall design of the solar units shortens the life of the camera because it is stuck in a housing, exposed to the elements instead of being able to be mounted under the eaves with only the remote solar panel being exposed. These Blink cameras do not represent a value for the money nor the expected quality from an Amazon owned company and I cannot not recommend. MW

I am writing this review even though this Gen 3 camera has been superseded by the Gen 4 camera, as there is no (genuine) solar unit available for Gen 4 cameras (yet). Since the battery life for both Gen 3 and Gen 4 cameras is about the same (claimed to be 2 years, for me 8 months without the solar mount), I believe the solar/Gen 3 camera combo is still worth considering and is still available on Amazon. I thought I would share my experience with this product. In April 2023, I purchased two solar panel/camera sets to monitor the perimeter of my house. One of them has been working flawlessly—no battery changes needed for the first 16 months and still going. However, I’ve had to replace the battery on the other set twice now. The first time was in January 2024. I contacted customer support because of the discrepancy between the two cameras. They asked me to reset the camera and install fresh batteries, and I even recharged the solar battery (18650) using my charger specifically for 18650 batteries. After 8 months, the camera ran out of battery again, lasting about the same time as before. When I put new batteries in, the camera died again two days later! This happened the first time as well. I contacted support again; they accessed my system and concluded that the solar unit was defective. They sent me a new one. Previously, this camera unit showed a “Battery OK” status under “Details” in the settings, but with the new solar unit, the camera shows “External Power Status Good” instead—perhaps now recognizing the solar panel/battery mount. I took apart the old solar mount - see pics. The solar panel generated about 5.3V under the intense light, with resulting output voltage from the board to the camera oscillating between 0.6V and 1.9V - not sure this is normal. The 18650 battery in the solar mount is healthy with its capacity of ~3000mAh. While Blink customer support has been superb—kindly replacing the solar module 16 months after purchase—my experience with the Blink solar panel has not been entirely pleasant. However, when it works, it works great. (update: I noticed that, when the internet is out, my blink disarm itself until the internet is restored. I am not a subscriber of blink plan. FYI)

Bought this item in Nov of 2022. AA batteries do not last long although it should only be for backup since the solar panel + built in battery should provide primary power. I get the low battery warning in less than a month after I changed them. I used to blame the cloudy weather but with 2 summers already, the performance did not change. I read on some reviews that the cable from the solar module to the camera might be defective. I guess that's the case here. Waste of money! Updated: I was surprised that customer service contacted me after this review to ask details of the issue I was having. As it was almost 2years since I bought the product, I don't expect any sort of warranty anymore. Then I received an email regarding an RMA. If at all, a new cable would suffice but a new set was sent to me. I just installed the new system hoping I won't emcounter the same issue. But just for the customer service, I'm giving this a 5star!

I have been using the Blink Outdoor camera with the solar panel mount for several years and it has stayed dependable through different weather conditions. The setup was straightforward. Once the Sync Module was connected to the WiFi and the camera was added through the Blink app, everything synced quickly. The app is organized and easy to use. I manage all of my cameras remotely from another state and the system responds well as long as the WiFi at the property is stable. Mounting the camera and panel was simple and the unit feels secure once installed. The color and material look good outdoors and the housing has stayed durable. I only wipe it down once in a while because it sits outside. Understanding how the power works helped me get the best performance. The camera uses two AA lithium batteries only. I use the Energizer lithium AA batteries, as recommended, because they last longer and hold up well in outdoor conditions. The solar panel has its own internal rechargeable battery and it collects sunlight during the day to support the camera, which helps extend the life of the AA batteries. In my setup, because of the angle of the sun and the level of activity in the area, I still needed to replace the AA lithium batteries after some time. Placement, sunlight, and recording activity all influence how long the batteries last. The camera produces a clear image during the day and at night and the sound quality is crisp. Motion detection works well and the alerts arrive quickly. This camera records clips rather than continuously streaming. Through the app, you can control the length of each motion clip, how long the system waits before recording again, and when you want alerts to arrive. Live view works when you open the app and you can extend or stop the session as needed, which helps save power. The app makes it simple to adjust settings based on your home, schedule, or energy use. The system has remained weather resistant through rain, heat, and cold, and the camera has stayed steady outdoors without fading or cracking. For the price, it offers strong performance, clear video, easy remote management, and helpful solar support without depending on outlets or complicated installation.

When I first ordered this was so impressed that it would have a solar option and hopefully batteries wouldn’t be such an issue. It was easy to install, looks great installed, connects easily, and the view is exactly what I needed. Three months in I got the low battery warning and soon after that it was completely dead. I replaced the lithium batteries in the camera and found the pull tag in the rechargeable battery and removed that. I thought this would solve the problem, but just a couple months later I get the low battery notice. I’m just waiting to get the notice that the battery is dead and the system is offline. That is disappointing. I was hoping this would be a camera that didn’t need as much maintenance, especially since it’s not the easiest to reach at my home. I wish there was a good solution. I’m not sure if I should buy one of the rechargeable batteries to replace the one in the solar charging panel. We have 10+ blink cameras on our account and this is the only one that has given us any issue. After reading reviews I see this is a problem for others.

Updating my review. I was contacted and given a replacement unit. Great customer service! I've had this mount for about year and it no longer charges my blink cameras. They worked great for a bit but then became sporadic and I have to keep changing the batteries. Disappointing because it was working great for months. I expected it to last longer than that.