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Trail cam Batteries

bigmike23

bigmike23

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2020
Messages
1,685
Location
NE PA
I have reveal x's. I bought 10 packs of lithium AAs a couple of years ago for 7.49 a pack. Target had them on fire sale. So I never used regular batteries in mine.
The price of Lithium AAs today is simply hysterical, so ill be going regular batteries. How long do regular batteries in general last? And do they preform as good as lithiums? I heard as the batteries get lower the cameras don't preform as good, as the flash and range detection gets weaker.
 
Alkaline batteries are a no-go for me, especially for cell cams. They really hinder the performance, especially if it’s real hot (now) or cold (fall). I recommend the rechargeable lithium battery sold by REVEAL if they’ll work in your cam. Great product!
 
For my cameras on public that take aa I’ve been running rayovac batteries. They won’t last an entire year. What I do is change them in July/august and they will last through hunting season. Just get a multimeter and check voltages before putting them in your cameras.
 
I’ve been using the Amazon basics rechargeable AA’s for the last three seasons and they work well.
 
I run rechargeable eneloops in my cams. If set to pictures only I get about 9 months and that’s on a ranch with livestock walking around, I average about 30 livestock pics to every 1 of a deer and about I dunno, 400-500 a month.
 
I have always run lithiums but have noticed the price increase as well. A friend runs rechargables. I don't trust them yet. Seem weak over time. He runs a bunch though so they must work.
 
Is anyone running a Reveal with just the solar panel alone? No batteries.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
kbetts said:
I have always run lithiums but have noticed the price increase as well. A friend runs rechargables. I don't trust them yet. Seem weak over time. He runs a bunch though so they must work.
Click to expand...
The only issue I’ve found with rechargeable batteries is most of them are 1.2-1.3v instead of 1.5v. My cameras will show a low battery indicator but they still run a couple months before I need to recharge them. I typically have mine set to 5 second video with a 30 second interval.
 
Battery Junction and buy rechargeables. Use a set and charge a set. Lithium hopefully will come down with the find in California.
 
roosterstraw said:
For my cameras on public that take aa I’ve been running rayovac batteries. They won’t last an entire year. What I do is change them in July/august and they will last through hunting season. Just get a multimeter and check voltages before putting them in your cameras.
Click to expand...
That's what I was looking for. I don't run cameras year round. As long as Alkalines get me through hunting season. Oct-dec I'd be happy
 
Same boat. I also end up with so many half-used batteries because I don't wanna waste the effort of putting a camera out, that managing those has become a big hassle.

Alkis are fine until you get below freezing. Then they suck.

www.trailcampro.com

AmpTORRENT Rechargeable Lithium AA 4-Pack

Get the reliable power you need with AmpTORRENT Rechargeable Lithium AA Batteries. Don't settle for inferior batteries - try our trusted solution today!
www.trailcampro.com www.trailcampro.com

I'm trying these currently. Early returns are promising but I have to put them through the paces of a couple seasons before I decide to go all in.
 
Big difference in battery life in regular cams vs cell cam battery life. I’ve had a regular cam last over a year on rayovac’s, taking thousands of pics. Same spot with a cell cam might last 12 weeks. I’m going to try a couple lithium battery packs and a couple solar panels ok some cams I’m putting out next weekend.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
bigmike23 said:
I have reveal x's. I bought 10 packs of lithium AAs a couple of years ago for 7.49 a pack. Target had them on fire sale. So I never used regular batteries in mine.
The price of Lithium AAs today is simply hysterical, so ill be going regular batteries. How long do regular batteries in general last? And do they preform as good as lithiums? I heard as the batteries get lower the cameras don't preform as good, as the flash and range detection gets weaker.
Click to expand...
buy the reveal rechargeable packs - I got them for $40 and they seem great to me. The solar panel also works well too.
 
bigmike23 said:
I have reveal x's. I bought 10 packs of lithium AAs a couple of years ago for 7.49 a pack. Target had them on fire sale. So I never used regular batteries in mine.
The price of Lithium AAs today is simply hysterical, so ill be going regular batteries. How long do regular batteries in general last? And do they preform as good as lithiums? I heard as the batteries get lower the cameras don't preform as good, as the flash and range detection gets weaker.
Click to expand...

The reveal works good with alkaline. You can get a few months out of them fairly easily in low deer density areas and I really haven’t seen any performance issues other than not working in extreme cold days but I’ve also had lithiums stop working for a day or two in extreme cold.
 
X2 the reveal battery packs! They last almost a whole season. I have my pics delivered immediately and have usually 20-30 pics a day minimum on my cameras. I will put in a set of lithium batteries while I charge the battery pack over night.
 
I'm using both. camera is reporting 100% battery and been deployed since February. Per Tactacam the battery report is only for the lithium battery pack not the solar panel. if/when it shows <100% that means it is officially on the lithium pack instead of the solar panel battery. I was waiting for it to drop below 100 once full canopy happened, but it hasn't.

In my opinion - the combo has paid for itself already in batteries/time to go out and change

If I had to pick only one, I'd do solar panel and back it up with regular aa's just in case.

The only issue I see, but also haven't had to deal with yet, is what do I do once I see the solar panel isn't powering it. I'll have to take the panel home and fully charge it, then take it back out there and hook it back up again. Unless of course I just buy an extra panel to have juiced up and take out with me.
 
bowhuntr09 said:
I went to external 12v batteries in a box from herd360.com on mine. Get a long life out of a single charge and when its dead just charge it up and put it out again. Its not expensive at all when you consider you can quit buying batteries over and over.

Box I used

battery I use
Click to expand...
I’m surprised more people don’t go this route. It ends up a lot cheaper
 
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