Ring Doorbell Not Charging?

Hardwired Ring Doorbell Not Charging?

There are many reasons why your Ring Doorbell may not be charging.

This article will walk you through the most common causes of a Ring Doorbell battery not charging and provide troubleshooting steps to try.

The article includes basic troubleshooting steps, doorbell power supply issue diagnosis, and other potential issues that could cause your Ring Doorbell to not charge.

Table Of Contents

1. Hardwired Ring Doorbell Not Charging?
2. Charging – Basic Troubleshooting and Testing
   • Make Sure the Ring App Battery Status is Updated
   • Check Ring Wi-Fi Strength
   • Weather Conditions Causing Charging Issues
   • Ring Doorbell Wiring Issues
     • Check the Screw Tightness of the Contacts
     • Clean the Contacts
     • Switch the Wires
3. Power Related Charging Issues
   • Check Device Health
     • Power Source 
     • Transformer Voltage
   • Ring Doorbell Poor Power Indicator
     • Ring Pro Power Issues
     • Transformer Power Issues
4. Other Ring Doorbell Charging Issues
   • Charge the Battery Fully with External Charger
   • Faulty Ring Doorbell Batteries

Charging – Basic Troubleshooting and Testing

Let’s make sure you actually have a problem before you take your Ring Doorbell apart and start messing with the wires.

Here are the first steps to try before you start dismantling your Ring Doorbell.

Make Sure the Ring App Battery Status is Updated

First, let’s make sure the Ring App is displaying the correct battery level.

The Ring App doesn’t always update the status of the battery quickly. If you recently charged the battery with an external charger, then push the button on your Ring Doorbell a couple of times to force the update. This should give you a true reading on the current status of your battery.

Check Ring Wi-Fi Strength

If you don’t have a strong Wi-Fi signal to your Ring Doorbell then it might cause you to consume the battery too fast. Weak Wi-Fi can also cause the app to update slowly as discussed in the previous point.

To check your Ring Doorbell Wi-Fi strength :

1. From your Ring App, select the device or doorbell that is having problems.
2. Select the Device Health Icon – In this menu there is a Signal Strength indicator that displays the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) value of your Wi-Fi for this device.

Your RSSI number will tell you if you have Wi-Fi strength issues.

This is what the Ring Doorbell Wi-Fi RSSI strength means in the following ranges:

• -40 to 0 – You have a very good Wi-Fi signal. This is the best case scenario and you should not have any issues with Ring Doorbell functionality, battery life, or camera quality in this range.
• -65 to -41 – Usually sufficient, but you are on the fringe of your Wi-Fi’s coverage area which can lead to some connectivity problems. It may cause occasional glitches with video streaming from your Ring Doorbell at ranges worse than -60.
• -66 to -90 – Your signal strength for Wi-Fi is too weak and will most likely provide frustrating experience and failures with your Ring Doorbell.

Solution

In short, if you are getting around -55 or lower then it may be time to add an extender for stronger Wi-Fi coverage or move closer to your router.

Weather Conditions Causing Charging Issues

The current weather could also cause battery charging issues with your Ring Doorbell. In extreme temperatures, your Ring Doorbell will not charge or the battery may take longer to reach a full charge.

The Ring Doorbell works at a variety of temperatures, but several extreme low and high ranges can affect the electric battery and cause charging issues.

Battery-powered Ring Doorbells are designed to work at a temperature range between -5° F and 120° F. These devices aren’t designed for extreme temperatures in either direction of those limits.

When temps drop below -20 degrees Fahrenheit, batteries will start to struggle with maintaining their power levels. Eventually, they will stop functioning altogether if temperatures fall too much.

When it comes to temps above 120 degrees Fahrenheit, your Ring doorbell thermal protection might activate and prevent the battery from charging or the device from working properly.

Solution

If you are in a location that is impacted by extreme temperatures, then you should consider upgrading your doorbell to a Ring Doorbell Pro. The Ring Pro can withstand these extreme temperatures better than the other doorbells.

Ring Doorbell Wiring Issues

Wiring issues are the most common culprit for causing hardwired Ring Doorbell charging problems. It’s now time to open up your Ring Doorbell and check that the wiring is correct.

Check the Screw Tightness of the Contacts

The first thing you should check is the tightness of the screws connecting the power wires to your Ring Doorbell contacts.

The screws should be tight but not overly tightened. Tightening screws too much can cause your mounting plate to flex and weaken the connection to the battery contacts. As a result, you will experience intermittent charging of your Ring Battery.

Try to loosen these screws to see if you get better contact and charging performance.

Clean the Contacts

The second consideration is if the battery charger contacts need to be cleaned. Many people have sticker residue on these contacts that they can’t even see.

Dirty contacts inhibit electrical current flow which can cause charging issues.

To clean your Ring battery charging contacts, try using rubbing alcohol or lemon juice and dip a cotton swab or toothbrush in it. Then scrub the grime away with the swab or toothbrush.

Switch the Wires

If all else fails, trying switching the wires going to your contacts. 

Ring devices are designed to work with the wires going to either contact, but many users find this simple change solves the issues with their Ring Doorbell not charging.

Power Related Charging Issues

If the basic troubleshooting doesn’t solve your Ring Doorbell charging problem, then we need to move on to potential power issues.

We want to make sure your Ring Doorbell is getting enough power to charge the battery. Even when hardwired, your Ring Doorbell operates off of the battery. The battery is just trickle charged by the hardwired connection.

Check Device Health

First, we are going to check the Ring App for two things:

1. Does your Ring Doorbell show that it is hardwired
2. Is your Ring Doorbell getting enough power

Ring provides this information in the Ring App on your phone for each device you own. Follow the steps below to get the battery power information for your device.

• Open Ring App Device Health to Check Power Data
• From your Ring App, select the device or doorbell that is having problems and navigate to the settings menu.
• Select the Device Health icon and check the Power Source and Transformer Voltage information.

Power Source 

The Device Health should show that your power source is “Hardwired”. If the power source is “Battery”, then your Ring Doorbell isn’t receiving power through the wires.

Check that you are getting power to your doorbell wires by using a multimeter. Also, make sure you try the basic wire troubleshooting steps mentioned above.

Transformer Voltage

The Ring App displays whether or not your voltage is good enough to power and charge your Ring Doorbell.

If you tap the Transformer Voltage section in the app it will also display the actual voltage coming into your Ring device (see images below)

If your doorbell is showing that it is hardwired and it is receiving enough volts, then I recommend reaching out to Ring support for further troubleshooting. They will likely encourage you to upgrade to the newest Ring Doorbell.

If you have a low or poor power issue then try the troubleshooting steps below.

Ring Doorbell Poor Power Indicator

If your Ring Doorbell isn’t getting enough power then there are a few troubleshooting steps you can take.

Ring Pro Power Issues

If you have a Ring Doorbell Pro then you need to make sure you have a Ring Pro Power Kit installed with your doorbell.

The Ring Pro Power Kit included with your Video Doorbell Pro is a small device that ensures enough power reaches your doorbell so it functions properly. It’s required for the product to work correctly.

You can follow the Ring Pro Power Kit V2 instructions from the Ring website.

Transformer Power Issues

The Ring Doorbell requires an 8-24 volt AC transformer to operate. I recommend a 16 volt AC transformer to ensure the voltage supplied to your doorbell is enough.

Most homes have doorbell wiring and transformers that are more than sufficient for the Ring Video Doorbell to function properly.

However, if your current doorbell transformer is underpowered then you need to replace it with a transformer that is compatible with Ring.

You can usually locate your doorbell transformer in one of two places: your garage or basement. The transformer looks like a small metal box with about two or three wires coming out of the top.

Once you locate the transformer, you can inspect it to see if it needs to be replaced.

Replacing a doorbell transformer is not a difficult task if you are a DIYer. If you’re not a DIYer, then call in an electrician to install the new transformer for you. Safety first!

Here are the basic steps to installing a new doorbell transformer:

• Disconnect power from the circuit breaker and use a voltage tester to ensure no electricity is running through to the transformer.
• Take a photo of your transformer and write down which wire is connected to which side. There are typically three wires on one side and two on the other that run to your doorbell.
• Disconnect the three wires that connect the transformer to your home’s power and disconnect the doorbell wires.
• Take the transformer out.
• Place the new transformer in the junction box. Make sure you use a transformer that will power your Ring Doorbell (I recommend selecting a transformer with a minimum of 16-volts AC and 30 volt-amps). 
• Connect the three household power wires to the matching colored wires on the transformer using wire nuts and electrical tape.
• Connect the two wires from the doorbell to the two screw terminals. It shouldn’t matter which wire you connect to which terminal.
• Reconnect the power in your breaker box. 

Here are a few transformers that are compatible with Ring Doorbells.

Other Ring Doorbell Charging Issues

Here are a few other solutions to solve for your Ring Doorbell not charging. Unfortunately, if you can’t fix your current doorbell then you might just have to get a replacement.

Charge the Battery Fully with External Charger

Ring recommends that battery powered doorbells are fully charged before installing them permanently in their hardwired location.

You can charge your Ring Video Doorbell using a micro-USB cable and a USB power source. You can charge the battery with an external power supply or by simply connecting it to your computer.

It will take about 5-10 hours to charge the Ring battery, depending on if the USB cable is plugged into the wall or not.

Faulty Ring Doorbell Batteries

If all else fails, your Ring Doorbell battery might need to be replaced. Like all batteries, your Ring Doorbell battery will eventually fail to hold a charge.

If you are using a Ring doorbell with a removable battery then you can simply purchase a new replacement battery. Make sure you check with Ring’s customer service first since your battery might be covered under warranty.

If you are using an integrated battery, like the one in your Ring Pro system, then there is no way to replace it. Unfortunately, you will need a new doorbell altogether if that’s the case.

P.S. Please leave a comment below to ask a question, help someone else or share your experiences. Thanks!