A:Answer The Essential series of cameras are sealed with a non-removable rechargeable battery. The solar panel has an 8' cable and you plug it directly into the camera. In my experience, having purchased and installed this, you need DIRECT sunlight for the solar panel to provide enough energy to charge the battery (which is what they say on the Arlo website). If you only have a place to mount the solar panel with INDIRECT sunlight then it will not charge up in battery percentage. Maybe helps a little to not go down so fast ... will keep going down, not up. Sold to my neighbor and works great in direct sunlight. Going to get an Essential XL (that has bigger battery) to put in that spot to avoid having to take down and charge so often.
