Reolink Battery Video Doorbell (2nd Gen): problems, parts and running costs

Checked: 2026-10-05

Summary

The Reolink Battery Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) usually draws two complaints: the battery drains far faster than the 300-day headline, and the camera takes several seconds to wake and start recording. There is no subscription needed for local microSD recording or on-device detection, so the recurring cost is close to nothing; the parts that cost money are the card, a chime and the power kit. Around $110 to $130 direct it is a defensible no-subscription, local-storage doorbell for a renter or a low-traffic door.

Common problems and fixes

Battery drains far faster than the 300-day claim — Reolink’s 300 days assumes about 5 minutes of recording per day and its own FAQ gives about 6 months at 10 minutes per day, while owners on busy frontages report recharging every 4-5 weeks or about once a month. Wiring it to 8-24V keeps the battery topped up, and dialling back sensitivity and detection zones slows the drain. [1][2][6][8]
6-12 second wake-up delay in battery mode — a Reolink community moderator puts the PIR delay at 6-12 seconds, against about 2 seconds on a PoE camera, and there is no pre-recording in battery mode to cover the gap. Wired Power Mode adds pre-recording, which is the only documented fix. [2][6]
No chime in the box and older Reolink chimes do not work — the Reolink Chime V1 and V2 are incompatible, so you need Chime Plus or Chime 2.1, and keeping a mechanical chime in Wired Power Mode needs the separately sold RLA-PK1 Power Kit because a jumper cable bypasses the chime. [2]
24/7 recording and pre-recording are gated — both require Wired Power Mode on 16-24V AC/DC and standalone use; add the doorbell to an NVR or Home Hub and it reverts to motion-triggered events only. [2]
Recording is capped at 15 fps — the comparison Google Nest unit recorded at 28 fps and the reviewer named the lack of a higher frame-rate option as the one limitation. [8]
The battery must be removed from its mount to charge — charging is over the rear USB Type-C port, so the unit has to be lifted off the mounting plate, which undercuts the no-drilling convenience. [2][8]
Alexa is listed but not confirmed live — the spec table and press release list Alexa support, but the product page’s smart-home tile still reads “Coming Soon”. [1]

Parts and consumables

microSD card — supported up to 512 GB for local recording with no monthly fee; a one-time purchase, and the reviewer’s card was recognised immediately. [1][2][8]
Reolink Chime Plus or Chime 2.1 — not included; needed for indoor alerts, and the older Chime V1 and V2 do not work with this model. [2][8]
RLA-PK1 Power Kit — sold separately; needed to keep a mechanical chime working in Wired Power Mode. [2]
Reolink Doorbell Solar Charger — compatible; reduces how often the unit must be recharged remotely. [2][8]

Yearly running cost

No recurring subscription is required for microSD recording, playback or on-device person, vehicle, animal and package detection, and Reolink Cloud exists only in selected countries. [1][2] The only mandatory one-time cost is a microSD card; a chime, the RLA-PK1 power kit and a solar charger are optional. The warranty is a 2-year limited term with a 30-day money-back guarantee. No owner-paid card price or electricity figure was captured, so no dollar total is computed.

When it is a good buy

Reolink’s own US store listed the 1-pack at $127.49 (15% off) and the 2-pack at $250.74 at this check, against a $149.99 launch price in July 2026; a September 2026 review quoted $142.49 on sale, and an aggregator lists a $129.99 list price with a $110.49 to $129.99 range. [3][8][9][11] Around $110 to $130 the unit is well supported, while above $150 the case weakens because no professional instrumented test of this model exists. [16] PCMag’s current best-video-doorbell picks are the Arlo Video Doorbell (2nd Generation), Ring Battery Doorbell Pro (2nd Gen), Blink and Eufy units; choose one of those if you want a model with professional test coverage. [16] With existing 16-24V wiring, Wired Power Mode removes the recharge schedule and the wake-up gap, so this doorbell is the stronger buy over a battery-only alternative.