AC Powered vs Battery Powered Nanny Cameras for Home

FEB 21

As prices of nanny cameras have dropped significantly in the last few years, more and more people are now looking for a nanny cam or hidden camera to monitor their home. With so many choices out there, you might be wondering where to start. One of the first things we always advise our customer to look at first is whether to choose between an AC powered or battery powered device.

AC Powered Nanny Cameras

Many of the nanny cameras on the market can be AC powered, which means they come with a power cord or USB cable that connects to standard AC power. One of the biggest benefits of an AC powered nanny cam is that because it has continuous power, it can run 24/7 with no intervention. This type of nanny camera is best for long-term surveillance or security in both residential and business situations.

Another type of AC powered hidden camera is one like our popular electrical outlet hidden camera, which is a WiFi streaming device. This device is actually built from a regular wall outlet, and is hardwired directly to your AC power, just like a normal power outlet (except this one has a hidden camera built in).

One of the only drawbacks of an AC powered spy camera is that the places you can put one are limited to areas where you have a power outlet nearby. In some situations it might make sense to run an extension cord or power strip to the area you need it. We’ve also had customers who will run wiring through a wall or conduit so that the wires are hidden (for example with a wall clock camera or smoke detector camera).

Battery Powered Nanny Cameras

Don’t want to be constrained by wires? A battery powered hidden camera is just the thing you need. As the name implies, battery powered nanny cams are powered by a rechargeable battery. These aren’t your traditional AA batteries however, they are high capacity lithium ion rechargeable batteries, that allow your camera to be portable so you can place it wherever you need it.

Battery sizes and battery life varies by device - some smaller devices may only operate for 1-2 hours (like a keychain or glasses camera), while some can get 6 months to a full year of standby battery life on a single charge.

The main benefit of these battery powered spy cameras is their portability - you can place them wherever you need them. We even sell battery powered cameras for you to carry with you, like a spy pen camera or notebook camera. Be sure to check the specifications for the camera you are interested in to see how long the battery will last, to make sure it works for your particular needs. For example, a camera with a battery life of 1-2 hours probably isn’t ideal for a full day of monitoring a babysitter or nanny, so you’d want to go with one that gets 8-10 hours of battery life on a charge.

As you can probably imagine, the one drawback of battery powered nanny cameras is that the battery will need recharging, which can mean some downtime. That’s why battery powered devices are generally better suited for short term surveillance needs, not situations where you need 24/7 around the clock monitoring.

Dual Powered Nanny Cameras

When it comes to flexibility, our dual powered nanny cams are the best of the best. These devices have the ability to be either AC powered OR battery powered, giving you the ultimate in flexibility.

All of our dual powered nanny cams have an internal rechargeable battery, and also come with a USB cable and wall adapter that also function as a power cord. This way, you can use the cameras with battery power for short-term video needs, and then plug them into power for 24/7 continuous use.

Almost all of our WiFi nanny cameras feature dual power options, and combined with the ability to live stream video right to your smartphone, provide a complete surveillance solution for almost any situation. Whether you are looking for a nanny cam to keep an eye on your babysitter, a hidden camera to monitor employees or a warehouse, or you just want to watch in on your pets while you’re at work, our dual powered WiFi nanny cameras are a great option.