Can Ring Spotlight Be Hardwired (Or Should You Get the Wireless)?

Wired ring spotlight camera installed on the outside of a house.Wired ring spotlight camera installed on the outside of a house.

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The Ring Spotlight Cam is just one of many outdoor home security cameras from Ring, so it’s natural to wonder if it’s worth hardwiring or going with the wireless option. Here’s what you need to know before deciding which way to go.

The Ring Spotlight Cam has a hardwired option called the Ring Spotlight Cam Mount. However, for most consumers, going wireless may likely be a better option due to the added versatility of placement.

Since there are four different powering options for the Ring Spotlight Cam, it will be worth looking at the hardwired option first before considering all the other options that smart home owners might choose from.

Can the Ring Spotlight Cam Be Hardwired?

The Ring Spotlight Cam Mount is the only version of Ring’s smart cameras that can be hardwired.

For those seeking the hardwired option, it can be connected to any outdoor electrical box delivering 100-240V for consistent power (Source: Ring). You can ask Ring to install the camera for you (for an extra charge), a qualified electrician in your area, or you can try to hardwire it yourself!

If you have a Ring Spotlight Cam Wired, you could also purchase the hardwired kit to convert the device to being powered directly. You will need to do a bit of extra electrical work, but it should be fairly straightforward. All that needs to happen is that a few power wires need to be connected between the original Ring Spotlight Cam and the hardwired kit, and you’ll be on your way to powering it by hardwiring it.

How is the Ring Spotlight Cam Powered?

People interested in installing a Ring Spotlight Cam at their homes may be wondering how it’s powered. After all, as mentioned earlier, there are quite a few versions of the Ring Spotlight Cam. Currently, there are four powering options for those looking to purchase a Ring Spotlight Cam: battery, wired (using an AC adapter), hardwired, and solar.

The battery option works with a rechargeable battery, and both the battery-powered and the AC-adapter wired option are the least expensive of the four Ring Spotlight Cams.

The hardwired version takes power directly from the outdoor electrical box, while the Ring Spotlight Cam Wired takes power from an outlet. The battery and the solar-powered versions of the Ring Spotlight Cam are the only two completely wireless options. They are powered by a rechargeable battery and a solar panel, respectively.

Benefits of Going Wireless with Ring Spotlight Cam

Even though a hardwired connection provides reliable, consistent power, there are some advantages to going wireless.

  • Since the Ring Spotlight Cam is meant to be placed outdoors, some houses may simply not have the option to hardwire the device in a helpful location.
  • With the rechargeable battery or the solar option (for those areas that get enough sunlight), you’ll be able to have access to a wider variety of placement locations. As long as you pay attention to the Ring app and the alerts sent regarding battery life, you should be good to go.

Reliability During Power Outages

There is an important drawback to hardwiring the Ring Spotlight Cam that might be considered another point in favor of going wireless: power outages.

In the case of power outages, the Ring Spotlight Cam will lose connection to both power and Wi-Fi. Now, if the Wi-Fi gets disconnected, Ring has a feature called Amazon Sidewalk that uses some bandwidth from your neighbors if the connection to your camera goes out. However, the power issue will remain unsolved. Should you encounter a power outage at home, the Ring Spotlight Cam Mount will go offline.

This isn’t an issue for the wireless versions of the Ring Spotlight Cam. With the rechargeable battery version, you just need to replace the rechargeable battery pack. With the solar-powered version of the Ring Spotlight Cam, you’ll just need to live in an area that gets constant sunshine.

Power outages are not predictable, and tying your Ring Spotlight Cam down to being hardwired to your home will definitely put you at a disadvantage.

Final Thoughts

Hardwiring the Ring Spotlight Cam into your house may be a good option for smart home owners who: 1) don’t want to deal with rechargeable batteries, 2) don’t have an outlet to plug the AC adapter in close to where they plan to put the camera, or 3) don’t get that much sunshine where they live.

It offers consistent power to the device, and it is kind of a one-and-done deal. However, in the event of a power outage, it may be better to opt for the Ring Spotlight Cam Battery or the Ring Spotlight Cam Solar.

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