IkemanTX
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2015
- Messages
- 3,501
-
The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
-
We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules
Permanent Trail Camera Power Project
- Thread starter IkemanTX
- Start date
IkemanTX
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2015
- Messages
- 3,501
I finally deployed my battery only packs in the field with a couple cameras this past week. I never did get around to sponge painting them, so hopefully being over a mile from the parking lot, and being mounted high, will keep them from being found.
The BMS board drained a surprising amount of power in the 6 months since I built the packs, so I will most likely re-design the packs to not include the BMS. I can run a BMS at home while charging and avoid the constant draw. All I would need is to run a balance lead connector in addition to the 12v cord.
One of the solar packs failed on me, but the other is going strong. I found 2 of the cells in the failed one were dead, I don’t know if that is damage from my soldering or what. I will have to order another set of NIMH batteries and assemble that one again. I think I will skip the buck converter on that one, to pull its power draw out of the equation. Im pretty sure the camera can handle the higher voltage from the straight solar panel connection, because some guys run solar panels straight into their cameras anyways. Besides, the panel only pushes 1.5 watts anyways.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The BMS board drained a surprising amount of power in the 6 months since I built the packs, so I will most likely re-design the packs to not include the BMS. I can run a BMS at home while charging and avoid the constant draw. All I would need is to run a balance lead connector in addition to the 12v cord.
One of the solar packs failed on me, but the other is going strong. I found 2 of the cells in the failed one were dead, I don’t know if that is damage from my soldering or what. I will have to order another set of NIMH batteries and assemble that one again. I think I will skip the buck converter on that one, to pull its power draw out of the equation. Im pretty sure the camera can handle the higher voltage from the straight solar panel connection, because some guys run solar panels straight into their cameras anyways. Besides, the panel only pushes 1.5 watts anyways.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2018
- Messages
- 1,981
This thread gave me inspiration to create camera power for longer than a few months too so I loosely followed this video:
But rather than using an external battery pack, I wired an external solar panel https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...MImfXk0e21-gIVAAOzAB1YywWfEAQYAiABEgKs9fD_BwE
And used 4 NiMH batteries in the tray.
I purchased the connectors for the solar panel to the battery pack build in the trail cam here: https://www.amazon.com/Pigtail-Fema...ocphy=1021721&hvtargid=pla-586747653598&psc=1
I hung the cam in January '22, just pulled the card last night with 12,000 pictures (a lot wind triggered) but it seems to still be going strong!
And used 4 NiMH batteries in the tray.
I purchased the connectors for the solar panel to the battery pack build in the trail cam here: https://www.amazon.com/Pigtail-Fema...ocphy=1021721&hvtargid=pla-586747653598&psc=1
I hung the cam in January '22, just pulled the card last night with 12,000 pictures (a lot wind triggered) but it seems to still be going strong!
How exactly was the solar panel wired in. I assume you have to splice the harness and add a wire? I Have several Tascos and have contemplated this for quiet some time.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
How exactly was the solar panel wired in. I assume you have to splice the harness and add a wire? I Have several Tascos and have contemplated this for quiet some time.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Do you have an anti-bleed diode in your setup?I blew out my ankle this year just before my season started and haven’t been able to swap batteries or pull cards on any cameras.
Most cameras will be dead (or memory cards full) by now, as i run video mode on everything and the batteries have been running since may.
Losing a hunting season sucks, but what is really eating me up is losing an entire year worth of intel from not being able to do my early season battery/card swap…. So since i’ve been stuck at home for weeks I decided to work on fixing the problem.
I found a video on YouTube last year from “The Handy Hunter” where he put together a small diy solar battery. The battery he uses for that build is no longer available, so my son and i soldered one up ourselves out of 3,000mah rechargeable AA batteries.
Then, we assembled the solar panel / battery according to his video (soldering and shrink tubing instead of wire nuts).
Most of my brownings will accept EXTREMELY large SD card sizes, so with these panels / batteries supplying permanent power i should be able to get videos for a full year without fail when paired with a 256 gig card. (Assuming the camera isn’t on a high traffic spot like a feeder) in picture mode with a memory card that big, this thing could probably run continuously for a couple of years before filling the card.
The 12v regulators i picked up are running a little lower than 12v, but the camera still runs just fine off of it. But, i wish i had tested that part before soldering and assembling.
I only run 2 cameras on private land, though, and this setup is definitely not something i want to have on public land. Theres too much money and time invested in it, and i think you would be able to spot it from a mile away regardless of how good a sponge paint job is. I originally planned to do some 12v lithium battery packs that i can charge at home and just hang behind the camera for public land,
but i found a much smaller 12v solar panel, that runs 1.5 watts as opposed to this MUCH bigger panel’s 1.8 watts. That got me down a rabbit hole of just how small and ergonomic i could make something like this.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
To clarify my question , I would believe that wiring two positive wires and two negative wires to the contacts connected via the connector in the link would allow for solar trickle charging on the NIMH batteries installed in the internal tray?
Using the internal NIMH batteries would allow for year long use with minimal battery maintenance.
Additionally I apologize for the duplicate post above my phone was having some issues
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Using the internal NIMH batteries would allow for year long use with minimal battery maintenance.
Additionally I apologize for the duplicate post above my phone was having some issues
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2018
- Messages
- 1,981
You got it but I just wired one side of the tray with 4 batteries (pos. solar panel wire to pos tray terminal, neg solar panel wire to neg. tray terminal)
It's been working going on a year soon.
Last edited:
So only one series of wires would be needed to charge all 8 nihm batteries? Was thinking both contact leads would be needed for each positive and each negative. Thanks Again!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2018
- Messages
- 1,981
Those cameras will run on 4AAs. I just wired one side of the tray (the side with the 4AAs.) There's no series, the solar panel is wired directly to the side of the tray with the batteries in it.
IkemanTX
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2015
- Messages
- 3,501
Just saw this post. Yes, I have diodes on any of the packs with solar panels to prevent back bleeding.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk