Like others, my outdoor camera completely discharged after only 1 day. Firmware all up to date. Two outdoor cameras (one in front, one in back), but only one with the discharge issue. So I decided to document the problem before calling tech support. I was getting a great number of “false” alarms. Yes, there was some motion, but shadows of tree branches and the like. 13 between midnight and noon with no cause found. I fully charged the camera again and anticipating that tech support would say choose a different location, I decided to put it in a “naughty box”. So the camera, now fully charged is living in an empty box… Day 1-More than 35 false alarms. Day 2-More than 25. Battery about 75-85%. Day 3-1 false alarm, Day 4-4 false alarms, battery at about 50%. Day 5- 5 false alarms. Day 6- 0 false alarms battery at about 35%. Day 7- 0 false alarms battery at 30-35%. Days 8-10 only 1 false alarm. Charge holding between 30-35%. I fully charged camera again 3 days ago and (still in the naughty box) still at 100% charge. I put the camera back on location and on duty. Three days back on duty outside…. Still at 100% charge after 6 days.
Has anybody else tried this? Any comments from Wyze?
I’m not from Wyze (this is a user-to-user forum), but trying to get a handle on your solution nonetheless. Are you saying just let the camera run for a discharge cycle or two, and then all will be well after that?
When I first read your clever test of putting it in a box, I was sure I would have recommended you call Wyze Support for a replacement (you may still end up there). If a lot of people are experiencing the problem, then maybe we need a firmware fix. But interesting how the false alerts dwindled over time, even when you put the camera back outdoors. I can’t explain that one, lol. Let’s see if it stays that way.
I assume you are using a WCO V2?
Using WCO V1 (activation 8/2020… may be too long for a replacement)
All was originally well. Battery usually lasted months as advertised. No settings changed that I am aware of, other than an occasional update, but the drain started after a recharge cycle. All else seemed normal. I originally thought it might have something to do with charging the unit with it still in the on position.
As I wrote, in the box with no movement whatsoever the camera still reported motion. The oddity is that each day in general the frequency of false motion reported went down. I waited until it didn’t report any, that was at around 30% charge and holding then recharged it and put it back in the box to confirm that the leveling off of false alarms and discharge didn’t have anything to do with the charge level. It kept it in the box for few more days at 100% with no false motion (maybe one), then reinstalled to the original outdoor location. As of this writing my actual motion was detected several times but still reports 100% charge. Time will tell if this “densification” will hold up or if it truly is still at 100%. (This happened after only one discharge cycle.) As for now it is performing like it did when it was new.
I have been a Wyze customer for a while. I have found other work arounds for other Wyze products. For example Wyze Home Monitoring I was able to install a second Wyze app on my same phone to be able to monitor two locations. It isn’t perfect, but it works reasonably well until Wyze comes through something they promised along time ago. This belongs in another forum, but let me know if there’s any interest.
I have 2 outdoor cams currently doing this. They did it in the past and I stopped using them. The IR lights would constantly click on for false motion, and the battery drained in 24hrs or less. I was actually tempted to just throw them away. I stopped using them for security. After months of them sitting idle, I decided to use them for fun, bird cams, critter cams, etc. They worked perfectly for months. Suddenly, they started acting up again. I’m on my 3rd charge cycle and they are draining every day again. While charging, pointed straight at the wall, I’ll get motion notifications. In fact, yesterday, I was getting motion alerts when the camera read 0% battery. I’d love to replace them, but they are a couple years old now.
UPDATE
The “time out” in the “naughty box” seems to have worked, at least for the moment. It is back on duty for over a week and holding at 99% charge and correctly reporting motion. In this case it took only one recharge cycle. Did the unit become hypersensitive over time? It was working fine up until a charge was done so did something in the charging procedure itself cause the problem? (Charging was done directly from its hub.) Did charging with its switch on or off make a difference? Did the quiet time depriving it of stimulation reset it? Time will tell. If this pattern continues every couple of years or so, I can live with it until a better fix is offered. Has anyone else tried this?
Quick update 2 months later… problem camera at 72%. Running as expected. Anyone with explanation or comment please do so.
Another quick update… Now Jan 10, Camera at 30% working as expected, at least for this charging cycle. I’ll likely charge it early (before 20% warning) and hope it continues to behave.
Can someone tell me what a naughty box is ? Tried Googling it but what I am finding has noting to do with this lol
I have same exact problem 1 camera works fine charge holds as advertised
problem cam dies fast and motions/alerts also acting up
not picking up all alerts
would like to try this naughty box
Sometimes people put their cam in an empty dark box so the camera can not see any motion. I have never done it and don’t know it it works, it is easier to just turn the power switch on the camera to off.
NEW UPDATE
Just to be clear {eriespringer}, “naughty box” is a nickname I gave to an empty box I used to put the camera in for quiet time. (VERY IMPORTANT: write “N A U G H T Y” on the outside of the empty box…. just kidding… lol) It still sent me motion alerts.
Flash forward to today, 10 months later, the camera is working as expected. I charged it last week (ahead of schedule as I was going away) for the second time since then and it’s still at 100% with no false alerts. The thing that’s different than just turning the power off is that it allowed the camera to false alarm itself out. I read where others have turned their camera off and had no different result when turning it back on.
I have not received any comments from Wyze {or anyone else} so I don’t know if it would work for you. Let me know if it does.
I have been using the same four version one WCO since 4 November 2020 and have had only one camera drain to 0% over night and that was a self inflicted error on my part about two weeks ago. I have always charged my cameras when they get to 40% which is normally about 6 weeks. I do a lot of scheduled event recording to the SD in the cams so that uses a little more battery power. I also have the cams on CP lite and backup to the base on. In December 2020 I made a document that list the date each camera was charged and the starting percent which I update after each charge. I have never turned my cams off while charging, I just turn off the detects motion toggle. Hope my luck continues. 
15 GB on the base SD is a few 12 second videos. 
Damn! This naughty box thing seems to be working for me.