I have a bunch of Wyze cameras, various models. One in particular - a Cam Pan, we keep turned off and only turn on under certain circumstances. It is always connected to a power source.
Once a week or so, usually in the evening, it turns on, pans around a couple times, then shuts back off. Honestly this could happen more often but we may not be around/in the right room to see it.
Is this normal - if so why?
It doesn’t sound normal to me at all.
I have a PanCam inside and I keep it off when I am home. Only on when I am away. I have never experienced mine doing that.
Is it shared with anyone? Do you have any rules that instruct the cam to turn on when another sensor or cam motion triggers it? Do you have a scan sequence programmed or just stationary? Is the object tracking on?
You said it turns on and pans around. Is it the same motion as when it does an initial power up, spinning the full limits of the motor? Or does it just look around a bit?
One way to determine how often it is doing this is to place an SD card in it set to record continuous. Then, after some time or after it has one of its fits, look at the playback to see if it recorded during the fit or previously when it was supposed to be off.
If you are concerned about privacy, you can also plug the cam into a smart plug and cut the power off on the plug from your phone to turn it off.
You said it turns on and pans around. Is it the same motion as when it does an initial power up, spinning the full limits of the motor?
Yes, it’s the start-up rotation. It turns on, does the start-up sequence, then shuts off. A couple times a week for no apparent reason.
Is it shared with anyone? Do you have any rules that instruct the cam to turn on when another sensor or cam motion triggers it? Do you have a scan sequence programmed or just stationary? Is the object tracking on?
No sharing, no rules, no sensors or other triggers, no sequence programmed, no detection zone, no motion tagging or motion tracking.
One way to determine how often it is doing this is to place an SD card in it set to record continuous.
I do have an SD card installed and set to record continuously - I’ll take a look at this thanks for the suggestion.
Ok. It does a power cycle. That tells me that it’s loosing power and restarting when the power comes back.
When the cam on\off button is pressed in the app to turn it off, the cam is not really “off”, it is actually just 
sleeping, waiting for you to wake it up to record again. This is why it does not do the startup dance when you press the “on” in the app but it only clicks.
Every power grid in the nation is subject to power fluctuations due to high usage. You might see the lights dim a bit. If you get a fluctuation too severe, the cam could possibly reset itself from the event.
I have my main house system on a USB backup power supply. I often have events when the power dips so low that my hardware switches to battery backup but I never fully loose power.
It’s a plausible theory and I’ll keep an eye on it, however nothing else on that circuit has power issues (lamp doesn’t flicker, no issues with the TV, etc., even when the Cam Pan is going through this gyration). Also the other Cam Pans I have in my house don’t exhibit this behavior.
Had some more time to think about this once I got some 
coffee in me this morning. The PanCam power cycling may also be a product of your local wiring\power configuration in your house\appt.
I have very old 1950’s wiring. I am on 200 amp city service. Some houses\appts are only on 100 amp service.
When I run my washing machine and dishwasher at the same time, my lights dim and flicker. This is because my three stage on demand water heater is pulling 120 of those 200 amps leaving only 60 amps for everything else. I can force my battery backup to kick in if I then turn the oven on, which is on a 60 amp.
This model would also apply to local plug circuits. They are usually 15 or 20 amps. If the plug circuit that you have the PanCam plugged into has other high amp draw appliances plugged into it… Say a microwave or toaster oven, when these fire up it will produce a power drop on that circuit… Exceed the 15 or 20 amps and the breaker will pop off.
Most newer high end electronics have power monitoring logic in them. If the power drops or raises to an unsafe level, it will disconnect itself to keep it safe and prevent power fluctuation damage. I haven’t done the deep dive to research this yet for the Wyze cams, but it would be beneficial if they did and also explain the power cycling.
Hope this helps! Be safe and well!
Might try switching the power supply with a known good one. The one for the pan could be failing.
I really appreciate your thoughtful responses to this issue. You are correct that it does present as a power issue, in that it’s going through the power-up sequence and not just “clicking” on.
As I said in a previous reply, I don’t notice power issues with anything else on this circuit or in my house in general, including with other Cam Pans. There’s very little on this circuit (lamp, TV), and nothing that should have a big draw.
However I’m going to see if I can find something to monitor the circuit, and possibly try swapping out the power supply for this cam.
Yes - good suggestion @WildBill
Agreed @WildBill. Might also be just a loose connection in the socket, micro USB into the adapter, or into the cam that breaks power when jostled. Good suggestion.
Not a loose connection. Not a brownout. Not something we should have to put up with. When you turn it off it should turn off. I shouldn’t walk upstairs to get a drink in the middle of the night and hear the thing clicking because the night vision turned on. Canceling my wyze. Shady as all hell.
OP here - still happening to me. I kept my Pan Cam around but I haven’t used it in a while until recently. We moved to a different state, decided to give it another shot with a new cord and charger - same problem. When shut off, this thing still turns on randomly. I’m not sharing it with anyone and have performed multiple factory resets.
I’m no longer using Wyze products except for a couple bulbs but wanted to update this thread.
Hello @rsg22 and I am sorry this is still happening. Did you upgrade the firmware when you tried it again this time. If not would you like to update and try it again and if you notice it randomly rebooting submit a log and let us know what time it happened. Then post the log number here and I will send it to the developers to see if they can see what is triggering the reboot.
Yes I updated it @WyzeJasonJ and factory reset it and tried new cords and USB plugs and prayed to the heavens - it’s nothing on my side - thanks for asking though.
I have the same issue with my pan cam and it freaks me out because it’s always in the evening or late at night and as a person who reads alot of thrillers, it definitely creeps me out. I’ve resorted to having to unplug it entirely until I leave my house. It’s become a pain in the ass.
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