Thinking about solar powered CCTV in Kent? This post explains how a wire-free system works. Each camera has its own solar charging panel, records to its own memory card and connects to your Wi-Fi, so there are no cables to run back to a recorder and no recorder to install.
What is a solar powered, wire-free CCTV system?
A solar powered CCTV system is made up of self-contained cameras. Each camera runs from a rechargeable battery that a solar panel keeps topped up, and it connects to your home Wi-Fi rather than to a cable. Footage is saved on a memory card inside the camera, and you view it through a companion app on your phone.
Because every camera works on its own, there is no central recorder. You can start with a single camera covering the area you are most concerned about, and add more later.
What is included with each camera?
Each solar powered CCTV camera from SimpliHome Automation comes with three parts.
- Wire-Free Solar Camera — a 2K resolution camera with an IP66 weatherproof rating and a magnetic mount, so it is easy to position and adjust. There is no cabling to the camera at all.
- Solar Charging Panel — keeps the camera’s battery charged from daylight.
- High-Endurance Memory Card — a 256GB card fitted in the camera, giving around 28 days of recording per camera.
What are the key features?
- Full-colour night vision, so footage stays in colour after dark, making people and vehicles easier to identify.
- Smart person, pet and vehicle alerts, so the alerts on your phone tell you whether the camera has picked up a person, a pet or a vehicle.
- Built-in siren and spotlight, an active deterrent that can draw attention to someone approaching the property.
- Two-way talk, so you can speak to a visitor or delivery driver through the camera, from wherever you are.
- Viewing through the companion app, so you can check a camera live or review recordings from your phone.
What does solar powered CCTV cost in Kent?
Solar powered CCTV starts at £135 (ex VAT) per camera, subject to a survey and installation costs specific to your property. Because each camera is priced individually, you only pay for the coverage you need, whether that is one camera on the driveway or several around the property. The final price is confirmed after a survey.
What needs to be right for a solar powered camera to work well?
Two things decide whether a position suits a wire-free camera, and we check both at the survey.
- Sun exposure. The camera position needs regular sun to keep the battery charged. We will look at how the light falls on each position before recommending where cameras and panels go.
- Wi-Fi coverage. The camera position needs sufficient Wi-Fi coverage to stay connected to the companion app.
If a position does not meet both, we will tell you at the survey rather than fit a camera that will not perform.
Is solar powered CCTV right for your home?
Wire-free cameras suit properties where running cable is difficult or not possible, for example a listed building, a garage or outbuilding at the far end of a garden, or a rented home (renters should get their landlord’s agreement before any camera is fitted). Because each camera is independent, they can also be added one at a time.
If you want continuous, whole-property coverage that does not rely on batteries or on Wi-Fi at each camera, a cabled system may suit better. You can read about that option in our guide to a wired CCTV system in Kent.
What are the rules for home CCTV in the UK?
Wherever possible, cameras should be positioned to capture only your own property. If a camera also captures a neighbour’s property, a public area or a shared space, data protection law applies. The Information Commissioner’s Office explains what this means in practice in its guidance on home CCTV systems, and it is worth reading before you decide where cameras go.
Next steps
If you are considering solar powered CCTV for your Kent home, get in touch for a survey. We will look at your property, talk through camera positions, and give you a firm, no-obligation quote.
📧 info@simplihomeautomation.co.uk 📱 WhatsApp: +44 7868 110098