Is The Ring Spotlight Cam Weatherproof?
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So, it’s time to install some smart cameras outside and we have to make sure they can withstand the bad weather. Ring Cams are great, but which ones are waterproof?
In this article we’ll be discussing similarities and differences of the Ring Spotlight Cam and the Floodlight Cam, the their weatherproofing, and other details such as mounting specifics and power sources.
Is The Ring Spotlight Cam Weatherproof?
The Ring Spotlight Cam is advertised as weather resistant and able to function in both below-freezing and desert conditions (-5°F to 120°F) (-20.5°C to 48.5°C)(1).
There is no IP (Ingress Protection Rating, sometimes also interpreted as International Protection Rating)(4) for the Ring Spotlight Cam listed on Ring’s website, but after personally chatting with customer support through support.ring.com I was told that the Ring Spotlight Cam has an IP55 rating.
This means that the Ring Spotlight Cam is waterproof as long as it is not exposed to pressurized or high velocity water. It is also mostly rust-resistant but not 100 percent rustproof.
Is The Ring Floodlight Cam Waterproof?
The Ring Floodlight Cam is marketed as being weatherproof and able to operate in below-freezing and desert conditions (-5°F to 120°F) (-20.5°C to 48.5°C)(1).
Like the Ring Spotlight Cam, the IP rating is not listed on the shop.ring.com website. After a conversation with a Ring support specialist I was informed that the IP rating for the Ring Floodlight Cam is IP 56, making it slightly more weatherproof than the Ring Spotlight Cam and able to withstand stronger jets of water.
Ring Spotlight Cam vs Floodlight Cam: What’s The Difference?
There are a few differences between the Ring Spotlight Cam vs. the Floodlight Cam, the major difference being, of course, the floodlights.
The Ring Floodlight Cam is a bigger camera flanked by two ultra-bright floodlights that are motion-activated, while the Spotlight Cam is a camera bordered by two smaller sidelights. The Floodlight has to be hardwired, while you have the option to run the Spotlight Cam on a rechargeable battery.
Both the Ring Spotlight and the Ring Floodlight cameras have an HD Video live view, remotely activated sirens, two-way talk functions, and motion-activated alerts with advanced motion detection.
Except for the IP ratings, the spec information is available on the product pages for the Ring Spotlight Cam and the Ring Floodlight Cam.
| IP Rating | Power Source | Brightness(Lumens) | Dimensions | |
| Spotlight Cam | 55 | Hardwired or Battery | 300 for battery, 375 for wired | 4.9″ x 2.7″ x 2.9″ |
| Floodlight Cam | 56 | Hardwired | 1,800 | 11″ x 8.2″ x 7″ |
Outdoor Ring Cam FAQ’s
Can Ring Floodlight Cam Be Mounted Horizontally On A Ceiling?
According to the user manual, the motion detector is designed to detect human-sized objects up to 30 ft away when mounted nine feet off the ground (with the motion detector parallel to the ground).
The Ring Floodlight Cam is built to be mounted on the wall, however, the Ring website does claim it can be mounted horizontally on the ceiling(6), but the camera would not have the ideal field of view for the motion detection to work as designed(5).
There is a workaround here in this video to fix that with a slight modification. I’ve included the video below, but if you want to mount your camera horizontally I recommend the Ring Spotlight Cam.
Can The Ring Spotlight Cam Be Mounted Horizontally?
Unlike the Ring Floodlight Cam, the Ring Spotlight Cam is better optimized to be mounted horizontally.
Like the Ring Floodlight Cam, the user manual states that the motion detector is designed to detect human-sized objects up to 30 ft away when mounted nine feet off the ground (with the motion detector parallel to the ground).
Is the Ring Spotlight Cam Battery-Powered or Wired?
The Ring Spotlight Cam comes in two options: battery-powered or wired through a standard power outlet. The battery-powered option can either be powered with the included rechargeable battery-pack or an optional solar panel, it just depends on how much money you want to spend.
The battery life lasts about 1,000 notification events (2) and will notify you when the battery is getting low through the Ring app.
To recharge the battery, just plug into a USB power source using a micro-USB cable (one is included with your purchase) and it will take about five to 10 hours to fully charge depending on the power source.
If you decide to buy the solar panel to charge your Ring Spotlight Cam vs. a battery pack, it’s important you consider the environment you will be installing your camera in. There are two options for a solar panel: the Ring Solar Panel and the Ring Super Solar Panel. The more motion events per day that are recorded, the more power you are going to need.
If your Ring Spotlight Cam is in an area that records a lot of action (10+ events per day)(5), then you will need more power.
If your Ring Spotlight Cam is in an area that gets a lot of sunlight, you will need less power. Ring provides a usage chart that will help you decide what solar panel would work best for your environment.
Ring Doorbell Package
If you want to combine your Ring with an Alexa Show, then you should check out this Ring Doorbell Package:
- This bundle contains Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus and Echo Show 5.
- 1080p HD video doorbell with enhanced features that let you see, hear, and speak to anyone from your phone, tablet, or PC.
- An upgrade from the original Ring Video Doorbell 2, enjoy improved motion detection, privacy zones and audio privacy, and dual-band (2.4 or 5.0 GHz) wifi connectivity.
- Receive mobile notifications when anyone presses your doorbell or triggers your built-in motion sensors.
- Easily setup by connecting your Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus to wifi through the Ring app and mounting with the included tools.
- With a Ring Protect Plan, record all your videos, review what you missed for up to 60 days, and share videos and photos.
- Alexa Show allows you to view your front door and use two-way talk for convenient in-home monitoring.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Whatever combination of Ring products you decide to purchase, any of them will either work independently or device link with each other to provide a “ring” of security around your home.
The Ring Doorbell and security cams are all motion detected and work with Alexa.
What about the Ring Video Doorbell? Is it even worth it? Here’s what I think…
Conclusion
Overall, the Ring Spotlight and Ring Floodlight Cameras are great options for anyone looking for a smart-home enabled security camera that can work either independently or device link with the ring doorbell or other Ring products.
The Ring apps are available on both Android and iOS systems. Both the Ring Spotlight and the Ring Floodlight Security Cameras are weatherproof enough for most environments and can be mounted either vertically or horizontally (although the Ring Spotlight Cam is a better option if you want a horizontally mounted security camera).
Either camera will give you peace of mind against any unwanted porch bandits this holiday season and beyond.
Sources:
- https://au-en.ring.com/products/spotlight-cam-battery
- https://support.ring.com/hc/en-us/articles/115003325043-Charging-Your-Ring-Spotlight-Cam-Battery
- https://support.ring.com/hc/en-us/articles/360027286272-Picking-the-Correct-Solar-Panel-for-Your-Environment
- https://www.brenclosures.com.au/wp-content/uploads/BR-Enclosures_IP-Ratings-Chart.pdf
- https://community.ring.com/t5/Security-Cams/Floodlight-Cam-Mounting/td-p/2945
- https://support.ring.com/hc/en-us/articles/115001522906-Floodlight-Cam-Information#Can_I_install_Floodlight_Cam_upside-down_or_horizontally
