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[net.pat]

I have set the IR-Cut filter to Automatic and the IR Light control to Sync with ICR, but during nights the IR goes off and on all the time. Sometimes it stays for hours dark and then it goes on again. There are no light sources; when the IR light is off the recordings are completely dark.

Any hint what could be wrong?

Thanks
Pat

[RYAT3]

I have set the IR-Cut filter to Automatic and the IR Light control to Sync with ICR, but during nights the IR goes off and on all the time. Sometimes it stays for hours dark and then it goes on again. There are no light sources; when the IR light is off the recordings are completely dark.

Any hint what could be wrong?

Thanks
Pat

Someone else had a similar issue in a dark room at night.

[net.pat]

Is this an error which only can be fixed with an exchange / repair?

[JavaLawyer]

Try performing a factory reset and see if that resolves the issue. You may want to save a Configuration Settings file first so you can easily restore your settings after the factory reset.

See the following sticky post for instructions: Network Cameras - Important Posts & Information

[net.pat]

Thank you for your advise. I performed a factory reset and reconfigured the camera from scratch (no export / import configuration), but unfortunately the result is the same. Do you know an other possibility to fix that problem?

By the way; I have recognized, that I have posted my question in the wrong section. I have DCS-942L cameras as well, but the described problem I have with the DCS-2332L camera. Would it be possible to move it to the right section? Thank you.

[JavaLawyer]

By the way; I have recognized, that I have posted my question in the wrong section. I have DCS-942L cameras as well, but the described problem I have with the DCS-2332L camera. Would it be possible to move it to the right section? Thank you.

Done.... 

[GaryNY]

I see this too, in cold weather (my camera is outdoors). This seems to be caused by a heater in the camera that cycles on and off in cold weather, causing the camera to switch between day and night mode, and detect motion.

If I use a video motion trigger, I get this in the camera's log:
2014-03-25 02:12:51 SYSTEM SET HEATER HOLD
2014-03-25 02:15:29 SYSTEM SET IR LIGHT ON
2014-03-25 02:15:29 IP CAMERA Received MOTION Trigger
2014-03-25 02:15:33 MOTION STOPPED
2014-03-25 02:15:34 SYSTEM SET HEATER OFF
2014-03-25 02:16:47 SYSTEM SET IR LIGHT OFF
2014-03-25 02:16:47 SYSTEM SET IR LIGHT ON
2014-03-25 02:16:47 SYSTEM SET IR LIGHT OFF
2014-03-25 02:16:47 IP CAMERA Received MOTION Trigger
2014-03-25 02:16:50 MOTION STOPPED
2014-03-25 02:18:54 SYSTEM SET HEATER HOLD
2014-03-25 02:21:35 SYSTEM SET HEATER OFF
2014-03-25 02:24:30 SYSTEM SET HEATER HOLD
2014-03-25 02:27:03 SYSTEM SET IR LIGHT ON
2014-03-25 02:27:03 IP CAMERA Received MOTION Trigger
2014-03-25 02:27:06 MOTION STOPPED
2014-03-25 02:27:11 SYSTEM SET HEATER OFF
2014-03-25 02:28:26 SYSTEM SET IR LIGHT OFF
2014-03-25 02:28:26 SYSTEM SET IR LIGHT ON
2014-03-25 02:28:26 SYSTEM SET IR LIGHT OFF
2014-03-25 02:28:26 IP CAMERA Received MOTION Trigger
2014-03-25 02:28:29 MOTION STOPPED
2014-03-25 02:30:42 SYSTEM SET HEATER HOLD
2014-03-25 02:33:29 SYSTEM SET HEATER OFF
2014-03-25 02:36:16 SYSTEM SET HEATER HOLD
2014-03-25 02:37:47 SYSTEM SET IR LIGHT ON
2014-03-25 02:37:47 IP CAMERA Received MOTION Trigger
2014-03-25 02:37:50 MOTION STOPPED
2014-03-25 02:38:28 SYSTEM SET HEATER OFF
2014-03-25 02:42:53 SYSTEM SET IR LIGHT OFF
2014-03-25 02:42:53 SYSTEM SET IR LIGHT ON
2014-03-25 02:42:53 SYSTEM SET IR LIGHT OFF
2014-03-25 02:42:53 IP CAMERA Received MOTION Trigger
2014-03-25 02:42:56 MOTION STOPPED

If I use the PIR sensor, it does the same thing, the heater triggers the infrared motion detection:

2014-03-26 21:38:12 SYSTEM SET HEATER HOLD
2014-03-26 21:38:17 IP CAMERA Received PASSIVE-INFRARED-SENSOR Trigger
2014-03-26 21:40:46 SYSTEM SET HEATER OFF
2014-03-26 21:40:51 IP CAMERA Received PASSIVE-INFRARED-SENSOR Trigger
2014-03-26 21:43:50 SYSTEM SET HEATER HOLD
2014-03-26 21:43:55 IP CAMERA Received PASSIVE-INFRARED-SENSOR Trigger
2014-03-26 21:46:24 SYSTEM SET HEATER OFF
2014-03-26 21:50:01 SYSTEM SET HEATER HOLD
2014-03-26 21:50:06 IP CAMERA Received PASSIVE-INFRARED-SENSOR Trigger
2014-03-26 21:52:24 SYSTEM SET HEATER OFF
2014-03-26 21:52:29 IP CAMERA Received PASSIVE-INFRARED-SENSOR Trigger
2014-03-26 21:56:06 SYSTEM SET HEATER HOLD
2014-03-26 21:56:10 IP CAMERA Received PASSIVE-INFRARED-SENSOR Trigger
2014-03-26 21:58:45 SYSTEM SET HEATER OFF

"Heater Hold" seems to mean heater on.  I only get this day/night switching when it's below freezing at night.

Due to this problem, I have the camera storing these motion events to SD only during the night, not sending them by email.

These cameras sort of do what I want, but it's a pain to get them set to do outdoor motion detection very well, and to deal with all the false alarms due to sun, wind, and shadows.  Because of this, I've installed large memory cards in them, recording all day long, for review in case the motion detection misses things (even when it works, I find it useful to review more video in the minutes around the motion event).

My other solution for night is to disable the IR light entirely. I found with it on, the motion detection would go crazy in snow storms.  As it doesn't illuminate very far anyway, but is great for lighting up snowflakes and insects right in front of the camera, I decided to simply leave it off on the one camera I'm keeping enabled for motion at night.  I have a separate yard light with motion detection in that area, and that illuminates the scene much better when there's motion than the camera's IR light does anyway.

[JavaLawyer]

I see this too, in cold weather (my camera is outdoors). This seems to be caused by a heater in the camera that cycles on and off in cold weather, causing the camera to switch between day and night mode, and detect motion.
. . .

"Heater Hold" seems to mean heater on.  I only get this day/night switching when it's below freezing at night.

Due to this problem, I have the camera storing these motion events to SD only during the night, not sending them by email.

These cameras sort of do what I want, but it's a pain to get them set to do outdoor motion detection very well, and to deal with all the false alarms due to sun, wind, and shadows.  Because of this, I've installed large memory cards in them, recording all day long, for review in case the motion detection misses things (even when it works, I find it useful to review more video in the minutes around the motion event).

My other solution for night is to disable the IR light entirely. I found with it on, the motion detection would go crazy in snow storms.  As it doesn't illuminate very far anyway, but is great for lighting up snowflakes and insects right in front of the camera, I decided to simply leave it off on the one camera I'm keeping enabled for motion at night.  I have a separate yard light with motion detection in that area, and that illuminates the scene much better when there's motion than the camera's IR light does anyway.

Did your DCS-2332L always exhibit this behavior in cold weather or is this something that started recently? Over what period of time have you observed this behavior?

[JavaLawyer]

Thank you for your advise. I performed a factory reset and reconfigured the camera from scratch (no export / import configuration), but unfortunately the result is the same. Do you know an other possibility to fix that problem?

By the way; I have recognized, that I have posted my question in the wrong section. I have DCS-942L cameras as well, but the described problem I have with the DCS-2332L camera. Would it be possible to move it to the right section? Thank you.

Is your camera outside? Does the day/night transitioning only occur in cold weather as described by GaryNY in the prior post?

[GaryNY]

Did your DCS-2332L always exhibit this behavior in cold weather or is this something that started recently? Over what period of time have you observed this behavior?

I began noticing this last fall when the weather turned cold, and I think it's been doing it all winter (or at least the nights when it's been cold, which has been most of them). It seems to be stopping now that the weather's warming up.  But since I've kept the motion detection off at night since this started happening, or kept the IR light turned off, I haven't kept close track. 

[JavaLawyer]

I escalated this issue to D-Link and will post back if I hear anything new.

If other DCS-2332L owners are experiencing the same issue, please post your observations here.

[cmontyburns]

I live in a milder climate but the heater does come on periodically.  I looked back through the last couple of months of log entries and I don't see any cases where the heater and the IR light go on/off in relation to each other.