Questions To Ask Potential Solar Panel Companies:
- How long have you been in the business?
- Can you provide me with references?
- How do you charge, and what does that include?
- What do your services include?
- When can this job get done?
- What happens when the cost exceeds the budget? What about changes to materials or labor pricing?
- What will I need to provide?
- Are there any important considerations or concerns you foresee with this project?
- Do you have state certification?
- Will you come to my home for a free onsite consultation?
- Are you able to repair an older system?
- Can you provide me with a layout to see where the panels will go and what they will look like?
- Can you give me any information on Ontario solar rebate programs?
Find solar energy contractors and solar panel installation companies in Richmond Hill, ON on Houzz.Software for Solar Energy Dealers
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Ring Indoor Cloud Storage
In most security camera packages today, you get to choose how you want to store your footage. With Ring, options are simple: insert a micro SD card, or opt for one of Ring Protects subscriptions to store video on the cloud.
Unlike traditional security companies that require annual service agreements, Ring doesnt require you to sign a contract. You can subscribe to a plan in order to save video and record activity, much like the way Arlos cameras worked in our full Arlo camera analysis. This model is becoming the standard in the industry, and we think youll appreciate the convenience and flexibility here.
You are, however, very limited in what you can do without a subscription, so we tend to recommend going with at least the Basic subscription plan if you have one or two cameras, and the Ring Protect Plus plan if you have three or more.
| Ring Subscriptions | |
|---|---|
| $30 per year | $100 per year |
We already had the Ring Protect Plus plan for our four other Ring cameras, and we were able to seamlessly incorporate our Stick Up Cam into our existing plan. This flexibility is a key reason so many people become Ring loyalists.
Ring Protect Plus Plan
Stick Up Cams Main Competition:
Keep in mind that your camera depends on a decent Wi-Fi connection. You might find a great place to install your camera, but if your network doesnât work well in that spot, you might want to look for a new location or consider investing in a Wi-Fi range extender. You can always click on âDevice Healthâ in the Ring app to view the strength of your Wi-Fi network when in doubt.
Once youâve connected your Stick Up Cam, you can immediately view the live feed. Youâll automatically get 30 days of free access to the cloud service so you can see if itâs something you want to invest in later on.
The app layout is mostly intuitive, with your camera and any related motion activity displayed on the main screen. If you click on your camera â I labeled mine âBackyardââ you get access to a lot more features. This is where you can pull up the live feed, opt-in or -out of motion alerts and set custom motion zones and schedules.
Taking a peek inside Ringâs iPhone app.
While I received the motion alerts promptly, I found the live stream to be surprisingly grainy even when the Device Health section of the app told me my Wi-Fi signal was âVery Good.â While that isnât a total dealbreaker, it did make 720-pixel HD look more like a 640Ã480 VGA SD feed. Not ideal.
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Improvements Wed Like To See
If there were any improvements to the camera wed like to see in future models colour night vision like the Arlo Pro 3 would be nice. A stronger speaker would also be good if they can cram it into the small housing and still keep it at least IP 68 water-resistant.
The other small annoyance was its lack of flexibility regarding how it is mounted. If you are using it upright on a table, stand or similar then no problem. Likewise, if you are using it screwed to a wall its ready to go but if you are needing to hang it from the ceiling then you need a special mount which is extra.
This could be solved by allowing the software to reverse the camera view if you slip the camera upsidedown but instead, you can only mount the camera upright, so the special bracket is needed.
Not a big deal but just remember if you are mounting it to the ceiling or want to mount it under a soffit youll need the extra bracket.
Increasing the field of motion zones to include height would be good.
Ring Setup And Installation
The Ring Stick Up Cam starts with the Ring app. Youll need to create an account and get the app up and running before your camera can do anything. The app will guide you through most of the setup process while the included printed instructions show you how to install the cameras battery and mount the security camera to a wall.
Need help with set up? Check out our Ring cameras troubleshooting guide.
While you get the app set up, we recommend plugging in the battery. Ours came with a charge around 40% but lasted only a couple of days. Once the batterys at full charge, it can last up to a month.
We charged ours fully after the first test run. After several days of running continuously, it was still at 97%. But, like any battery, Stickup Cam battery charges depend on how many features and settings you have running at once. Features like motion frequency, live views, and video clip length can drain your battery faster.
In our tests, the Ring Stick Up Cam battery held over 95% for several days. A single charge for the battery will depend on settings and use. We saw reports of Stick Up Cam Battery charges lasting up to 60 days and more, which is consistent with our testing.
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Ring Stick Up Cam Review: Rings Solar
Despite its neat solar panel accessory, Ringâs Stick Up Cam has fewer features than our favorite DIY security cameras.
Megan Wollerton
Senior Writer/Editor
Megan Wollerton has covered technology for CNET since 2013. Before that, she wrote for NBCâs Dvice.com . Megan has a masterâs degree from the University of Louisville and a bachelorâs degree from Connecticut College, both in international relations. She is a board member of the Louisville chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. When Megan isnât writing, sheâs planning far-flung adventures.
Editorâs note : Amazon, which acquired Ring in February 2018, announced a second generation Ring Stick Up Cam that ships to customers on October 14th, 2018.
Protect Your Family With These Ring Alternatives
Why you can trust Android Central Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Best overall
The EufyCam 2 is a one-time purchase, which means you don’t have to subscribe to any cloud storage plans if you don’t want to. This two-camera kit comes with a hub with 16GB of EMMC storage so that you can store all of your recordings locally. It even supports person detection without requiring a subscription. Plus, you can still view your camera’s live feeds and recordings in the Eufy app or via your Amazon Echo Show or Nest Hub device.
Best Ring Floodlight Cam alternative
Arlo is a great brand for replacing the solid Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro â or really any other Ring cam. The Pro 3 Floodlight shoots in a higher-res 2K, wider FOV at 160º, hits about 1,000 lumens brighter when wired but can also be installed wire-free, and even costs slightly less. It will undoubtedly give you the same peace of mind that your yard is protected, especially if you pay for Arlo Smart.
Best Ring Indoor Cam replacement
Wider FOV
Super-affordable indoor alternative
Best high-quality indoor camera
Best Ring Stick Up Cam Battery alternative
A better outdoor alternative
Best Ring Spotlight Cam alternative
Night guard
Best Ring Video Doorbell alternative
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Ring Stick Up Camera Installation
These pictures give you a small insight into my temporary set up. I did it this way to test the camera angle and placement before securely fixing it to the soffit.
If youre thinking that someone can just come, grab it and take it away, youre right but Ring has built-in two security screws which fixes it to its base and secures the battery compartment. These screws are included in the box and are easily fitted. While it might not stop someone ripping it from its spot, it will definitely slow someone down who may try, or simply to try tamper with it to disable it i.e youll have warning itls happening.
I dont like screwing holes in the outside of houses so Ill be mounting mine, at least to start, with double-sided outdoor 3m tape.
This installation is a temporary mash together job Ive done which works fine but I wanted to test it before finally mounting. The wiring looks terrible but Ill make it pretty in the end.
Why Is My Solar Panel Not Charging My Ring
The first thing you need to do if you have a Ring device that isnt charging through a solar panel is detach the wire. There may be obstructions inside the wire plug. Attaching the solar panel with the device was the first thing you should do if there are two issues. If the problem doesnt go away, check it out!
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Stick Up Cam’s Main Competition:
Keep in mind that your camera depends on a decent Wi-Fi connection. You might find a great place to install your camera, but if your network doesn’t work well in that spot, you might want to look for a new location or consider investing in a Wi-Fi range extender. You can always click on “Device Health” in the Ring app to view the strength of your Wi-Fi network when in doubt.
Once you’ve connected your Stick Up Cam, you can immediately view the live feed. You’ll automatically get 30 days of free access to the cloud service so you can see if it’s something you want to invest in later on.
The app layout is mostly intuitive, with your camera and any related motion activity displayed on the main screen. If you click on your camera — I labeled mine “Backyard” — you get access to a lot more features. This is where you can pull up the live feed, opt-in or -out of motion alerts and set custom motion zones and schedules.
Taking a peek inside Ring’s iPhone app.
While I received the motion alerts promptly, I found the live stream to be surprisingly grainy even when the Device Health section of the app told me my Wi-Fi signal was “Very Good.” While that isn’t a total dealbreaker, it did make 720-pixel HD look more like a 640×480 VGA SD feed. Not ideal.
Purchases Refunds And Warranties
Does Ring Solar Panel have a warranty?
Yes, a 1-year parts and labor and lifetime theft protection.
For more information on Ringâs Limited Warranty and Theft Protection Plan.
What is Ringâs refund policy?
You have 30 days from the date you received your device to request a full refund. You are responsible for covering the cost of return shipping.
What if someone steals my Ring Solar Panel?
If stolen, we will replace it for free. Simply send a copy of the police report to [email protected] and well ship you a replacement Panel.
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Ring Stick Up Cam Battery Features
The Stick Up Cam is very slightly bigger than its indoor cousin, measuring 3.82 inches tall and 2.36 inches in diameter without its stand . It can operate on any flat surface, like a tabletop, or you can detach its swivel base and re-attach it to the back so you can mount it on a wall. You will need a $20 accessory to mount the camera on a ceilingthats pricey, even if it does come with all the screws and tools youll need.
Twisting a bayonet-style base provides access to the cameras removable battery, and Ring provides a set screw that will prevent a thief from casually nicking it. A second set screw can be used to make it more difficult to remove the camera from its mount when its attached to a wall. Unlike Rings Video Doorbell 2, however, both screws have a Philips head. The companys doorbell uses a Torx-head screw, requiring a tool that thieves are less likely to have in their pockets.
Michael Brown / IDG
The Ring Stick Up Cam has crude motion detection zones compared to other Ring camera models.
The indoor/outdoor model delivers the same 1080p resolution as the cheaper indoor model, but it has a slightly narrower field of view: 110 degrees horizontal and 57 degrees vertical, compared to 115 and 60 degrees respectively for the Indoor Cam. But its motion-detection zones are more crude: You can toggle three wedge-shaped detection zones on or off, and you can adjust the sensitivity of the active zones as a whole, but you cant adjust the width or depth of the wedges.
Ring Stick Up Cam Solar
The outdoor ring camera with the solar panel also gives an efficient performance. It contains a solar panel and a battery. The solar panel works in the daylight to keep the camera functional and charges the battery. At night time, the stored battery is used for recording. The solar panel outdoor camera is a bit expensive due to double features, i.e., battery and a solar plate. That is why it costs $139.99, which is economical.
You will get infrared night vision, two-way audio, and a noise cancellation feature in this cameralikewise, the resolution, image, and zoom are precise as the above two cameras. Also, you will get the motion zones in a stick-up solar camera.
The above three cameras were primary, i.e., wired or plugged-in security cameras, battery or wireless security cameras, and solar cameras. The cameras is readily available in the market. Of course, these ring elite outdoor security cameras have different viewing angles and color night vision. Moreover, you will get some extra features in the upgraded version.
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Q: How Does The Ring Stick Up Cam Compare To The Nest Cam Battery
If you’re stuck trying to make a choice between Ring and Nest, your decision really comes down to one simple factor: Alexa or Assistant. If you’ve already found yourself deep in the land of Echo speakers and smart displays, you’ll find Ring’s lineup of cameras including the Stick Up Cam fits right into your lifestyle. The same goes for fans of Nest’s connected gadgets both companies have done a great job of building up ecosystems that just so happen to be siloed perfectly from each other. If you aren’t in a specific ecosystem yet, Ring’s Stick Up Cam is the better buy. It’s cheaper, has better video quality, and the required subscription costs are lower.
What Are My Average Peak Sun Hours
Knowing the average peak sun hours where you live is the one of the best ways to determine if you should go the solar route. Depending on your location, youll see a major difference in the average peak sunlight hours. The United States averages between 3 to 5 peak sun hours in most areas.
Select the city closest to you to determine your average peak sunlight hours, or select another city in the solar sun map to compare how peak sun hours vary from state to state:
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Ring Stick Up Cam Not Recognizing Solar Panel: Troubleshooting Steps
Despite the success and reliability of the 3rd generation Ring Stick Up Cam, like any piece of sophisticated equipment, it may give you problems, including recognizing the Ring Solar Panel hookup, which is designed almost exclusively for the Stick Up Cam.
However, no problem is unsolvable, and there are some troubleshooting steps worth trying to get your Ring Stick Up Cam to charge in the sun. Below, well cover a few issues you may encounter with your Ring Stick Up Cam/Solar Panel combo and how to fix them.
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App Support And Setup
The Stick Up Cam uses the same app as all other Ring products, and aside from some clutter, its pretty reliable. The dashboard view lists all of the various cameras you have hooked up to your account, and you can quickly dive into the settings of each by tapping on their respective gear icons. Tapping on the image opens up the camera interface, where you can view live video, cycle through motion events, and filter content by type.
The app makes setting up the camera super simple, thanks to a pairing QR code hidden in the battery compartment. Hold up the QR code to your phone, type in your Wi-Fi password, and Ring does the rest.
As is expected with Ring at this point, the companys cameras are a dream for Alexa users and a nightmare for those who prefer Assistant. The Alexa app on your smartphone pulls double-duty as a way to view your Ring cameras, and the entire ecosystem pairs well with an Echo Show. Unfortunately, Assistant users are stuck using a skill to access information about their device. It gets the job done, but you wont be able to view a motion event through Assistant on Android, or by using a smart display like the Nest Hub.
Of course, keep in mind that Rings security cameras dont have microSD card slots, and they arent recording locally if you dont pony up for the Alarm Pro base station, an accessory that costs 2.5x as much as this particular camera, and while it also doubles as an Eero 6 router, thats still one pretty penny.
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