They do, but Arizona is harder on outdoor electronics than most places. Summer sun, dust and monsoon storms are behind a lot of camera and alarm problems between June and September.
Heat
Many outdoor cameras list a maximum operating temperature of about 122°F (50°C). That is the air temperature the camera is rated for, and a camera in direct sun on a west-facing wall can run well above the air temperature on a July afternoon.
What heat does:
- Shutdowns. Cameras protect themselves by turning off, then come back when it cools down. You will see gaps in recording in the late afternoon.
- Battery wear. Batteries in wireless cameras and doorbells lose capacity faster in high heat.
- Faded housings and cracked seals. Years of UV make plastic brittle and let dust and water in.
How to help:
- Check the operating temperature on your camera’s spec sheet before you buy. Ring, Blink, Arlo, Wyze and Nest all list it, and some models are rated higher than others.
- Use an overhang, eave or sun shield where you can. Shade makes a big difference.
- North and east facing walls are easier on cameras than south and west.
- Light-colored housings stay cooler than dark ones.
Dust
Haboobs leave a film on everything, and camera lenses are no exception. A dusty lens makes night video look foggy because the infrared light bounces off the dust.
- Wipe lenses with a soft microfiber cloth after a dust storm.
- Check that spider webs are not across the lens. They light up at night and can set off motion alerts all night long.
Monsoon storms and power outages
Monsoon season brings lightning, power flickers and outages.
- Alarm panels have a backup battery, usually good for many hours. If your panel beeps about a low battery after a storm, the backup may be worn out. They typically need replacing every few years.
- Cameras and recorders usually have no backup at all. A small battery backup (UPS) on the router, modem and recorder keeps recording through short outages.
- Surge protection on the router and recorder helps with lightning-related power spikes.
- After an outage, check that every camera came back online. Some need a manual restart.
Wi-Fi and heat
Routers in hot garages or closets also overheat. If your cameras drop offline on the hottest days and the router is in the garage, move it somewhere cooler. More on that in why Wi-Fi cameras keep going offline.
If your cameras or alarm acted up after a storm, call or text us. We can troubleshoot what you have and replace failed Wi-Fi cameras.
General information only, not legal or professional advice. Rules, fees and products change, so check with your city or the manufacturer. See our terms.