Smart Home Security

Best 4G Solar Security Camera

A 4G solar-powered security camera gives you complete wire-free control over your home security. Install it anywhere or take it along for a camping trip.

Our Top Picks:

Best 4G Solar Powered Security Cameras

Best Dome: Reolink 3G/4G LTE Solar Battery Powered Camera

A clear winner in the cellular security camera category, Reolink have outdone themselves with this device. All of Reolink’s products are top-notch and it includes their 4G solar security camera.

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This 100% wireless security camera packs a heavy punch despite its tiny size. Powered by a solar panel, the 6500mAh battery stays charged 24/7. The solar panel works in most weather conditions including rain and snow. 

All recorded video is stored on a microSD card inside the camera. You can also choose cloud storage albeit for a monthly charge. Cloud storage gives you protection against theft – in case your camera is stolen you will at least have footage of the theft and a clear photo of the thief. 

It has pan, tilt, and zoom functions built in, giving you full control when trying to identify an intruder. With an ultra-wide lens, 355 degree pan and 140 degree tilt, the camera gives you full coverage around your property. 

Since the camera is internet connected you get instant notifications whenever motion is detected. False motion alerts are minimized by PIR heat detection. However, motion detection is limited to 33ft which means if you have it mounted at a height of ay 7 ft, you will only detect motion about 26 ft from your house. 

Pros:

  • Ultra wide angle view
  • Weather resistant solar panel
  • 100% wire-free

Cons:

  • Motion sensors are limited to 33 ft
  • Works only with TMobile in the US
  • Hefty price tag
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Best Bullet: Reolink Bullet Outdoor 4G Solar Security Camera

Similar to its domed cousin, Reolink’s bullet 4G Solar Security Camera provides the same features in a different form factor. One important distinction – this one does not have motorized pan and tilt. If that is something you can live without, this camera is 30% cheaper.

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For this price you get a well-built, 100% wireless security camera that has local SD card storage, two-way audio so you can talk to your visitors, PIR motion sensing because falling tree leaves are not entertaining, and the Reolink Go+ Solar panel because let’s face it, you will forget to charge your camera.

If you choose to supplement the local storage or are afraid the camera might get stolen, you can opt for encrypted cloud storage for an extra cost. This will add to your data costs as the camera will transmit video footage over the cellular network.

The video clarity is excellent and it can read license plates that are less than 10 feet away at an 80 degree angle. The total motion detection length is 33 ft which includes your mounting height. Motion detection is crisp but there is a few second delay before you receive a notification. But this lag is standard for any cellular security camera.

Overall, this is a solid security camera at an excellent price, albeit without wide angle 

Pros:

  • Excellent camera clarity.
  • Reasonable price for value.

Cons:

  • No wide angle pan/tilt.
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Best Heavy-Duty: LS Vision 1080P Solar P;owered Security camera with SIM card

An industrial grade security camera with solar-powered batteries and a micro SIM card slot. The camera operates on 3G/LTE as well as SCDMA protocols. An IR distance of 80 feet means you can identify vehicle and human movement at a long range. 

The camera uses 4W of power during the day and 12W during the night. The additional energy consumption at night is needed to employ advanced night vision capabilities. The integrated multipanel solar panel is more than capable of supplying the required power. 

The camera does not come with a casing but both the camera and the solar panel are IP66 rated so the panel will charge the battery even in less than ideal sunlight conditions. 

There is an optional motorized lens that adds point-to-zoom (PTZ) capabilities in live view. The camera does come with a web client so you can remotely monitor the cameras from any desktop or mobile browser. 

All this heft does come at a hefty price tag. But you get what you pay for with this device. So if you are looking for a 4G solar security camera that will last you for several years, an industrial product like this one might be the right choice.

Pros: 

  • Industrial 4G Module
  • WiFi and cellular capable
  • 1080P Motorized Lens
  • MicroSD card storage

Cons:

  • Premium pricing
  • TF card storage limited to 64GB.

Best for High Traffic: ELI-RSI-PS: 5MP Solar 4G Motion Security Camera

Another industrial grade product that holds surprisingly well in high traffic and busy environments. The camera records at 5MP giving you excellent clarity whether you have set it up for time lapse, motion detection, or live request.

Motion is detected upto 50ft away, giving you plenty of coverage even after accounting for the mounting height. And with PIR thermal motion detection you will not use up the battery, the storage space, or the cellular bandwidth with false and irrelevant alerts like moving leaves.

The camera is paired with a heavy duty solar panel that keeps the Lithium Ion battery charged. There is also a 7 day power back-up so if you live in low sunlight locations, the camera will have enough juice to keep working. 

eLine technology’s Cloud Service lets you control and monitor your cameras remotely. However, you might want to rely on the SD Card for video storage because transmission to the cloud server will consume a lot of data. And unless you have an unlimited data plan, this will add to your monthly home security budget.

An excellent heavy duty solar powered security camera with SIM card. If you live in high traffic areas or just need something more than consumer grade, this eLine device should meet your needs.

Pros:

  • Pre-configured plug and play
  • 3 distinct video recording settings.
  • PIR thermal motion detection.
  • 7-days power back-up

Cons:

  • Monthly charge to use the Cloud Service (Includes data plan).
  • Camera size is large.

(Un) Honourable Mention: Arlo Go – Mobile HD Security Camera with Data Plan

Oh what a lost opportunity. We need to mention the Arlo Go as the camera has a lot of potential that has been squandered by poor execution. It’s a 100% wirefree, beautiful looking device that has 4G connectivity, 2-way audio, and excellent video clarity. The feature set rivals the best in the market but unfortunately the execution has let this product down terribly.

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Let’s start with motion detection – even at the lowest setting, falling leaves will set it off. It will then proceed to record a 10 sec video of this phenomenon because that is the lowest time period you can set to record. At this price, Arlo should have added PIR motion detection or at the very least tuned their motion sensitivity to a more useful setting. All these irrelevant recordings use 3G data which brings us to our next issue.

Data charges – you have to use Arlo’s included data plan. Different models of the camera work with different service providers and the data charges are inexplicably higher than competitive products. At $329 for 225min/per year that gives you 4 hours of recorded video – PER. YEAR.

There are too many things that need improvement and it seems Arlo released the product without any quality control and before it was ready for the market. If Arlo resolves the above issues it’s a solid solar powered cellular security camera.

Pros:

  • Excellent feature set.
  • Great video clarity.
  • Clear night vision.

Cons:

  • Motion detection is too sensitive
  • Data charges are excruciatingly high.
  • Untrained, subpar customer support.
  • Solar panel is not included.

Things to consider:

Energy production, storage, and consumption

When looking at anything powered by solar energy you need to consider how power the panel is able to generate, how much can the battery store, and how much electricity your device will consume. Ideally you want something that will have at least a few days of back-up, especially during those short winter days and if you live in low sunlight locations.

Lithium Ion batteries are a lot more efficient at storing and deploying electricity compared to alkaline batteries. The size of the batteries relative to device size is also important. Security cameras that consume a lot of power will need something that is high capacity.

4G security cameras will never record 24/7 video due to the low storage space and the cost of transmitting that amount of data. And for most household applications, this is overkill anyway. So the camera will use most of the electricity to identify and record motion. PIR thermal cameras will consume considerably more than regular motion detection cameras.

Location of the cameras

For small security cameras you need to consider the viewing angle for maximum coverage around the house. You might want to hide the camera in a small nook to protect it from theft but that will severely limit the viewability as the walls block the lenses.

You also need to consider the motion detection distance of your camera. If the distance is 33ft and you mount it at 10 ft, you will only detect motion that is about 20ft away from your camera. Consider a lower mounting height or a long range security camera.

4G connectivity

If you are relying on a cellular signal for your home security make sure you subscribe to a service provider that has decent coverage in your area. Companies like Signal Checker provide an independent coverage map giving you a good idea on which service providers will work best. If your location is too remote for even 4G connectivity we suggest getting an NVR security camera system that records 24/7 video over a private network and stores this footage locally inside your house.

Final Words

Overall there is no doubt that Reolink has monopolized the 4G Solar Security Camera category by coming up with excellent devices that have stood the test of time. And they back up the quality of their devices with a trained customer service team that is ready to resolve any issues that may come up. 

eLine and LS Vision make excellent products for industrial security like construction sites and sports arenas. But if you need heavy-duty devices that can take a beating, they are two of the best options in the market.

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