Lithium Batteries in Trail Cams

[peteherbst]

They are really expensive. I run cheap cams ($20-$60), so these batteries end up costing close to what I paid for the cam. BUT, I run all my cameras the entirety of the season so I need to run lithiums. Especially in the Wisconsin cold.

Years past, I would simply run batteries and toss them assuming they were done.

This year, I decided to test them before tossing and found that they are not all bad. Out of 56 or so batteries from last year, 7 were bad. Some zero voltage or some less than 1.5 volts. Each camera that died had at least one bad battery.

That’s not to say the used batteries were perfect. Baseline new, they run 1.8 volts. Used good batteries are considered higher than 1.5. Majority of the batteries I pulled after 4 or more months had 1.65 volts or higher. A majority still carrying more than 1.74 volts.

Take this information for what it’s worth. But I will no longer be blindly throwing these in the trash as I once did. I’ll use them in kids toys and reusing them in trail cams this year. Either way, if you run these expensive batteries, it might be worth buying a multimeter and testing them if you don’t already have one. Hope this info helps someone!

 

[Mschmeiske]

I tried lithium once and I must’ve gotten a bad batch… didn’t seem worth the extra cost to me. I’ll have to make the sacrifice once more.

 

[Jtaylor]

They are really expensive. I run cheap cams ($20-$60), so these batteries end up costing close to what I paid for the cam. BUT, I run all my cameras the entirety of the season so I need to run lithiums. Especially in the Wisconsin cold.

Years past, I would simply run batteries and toss them assuming they were done.

This year, I decided to test them before tossing and found that they are not all bad. Out of 56 or so batteries from last year, 7 were bad. Some zero voltage or some less than 1.5 volts. Each camera that died had at least one bad battery.

That’s not to say the used batteries were perfect. Baseline new, they run 1.8 volts. Used good batteries are considered higher than 1.5. Majority of the batteries I pulled after 4 or more months had 1.65 volts or higher. A majority still carrying more than 1.74 volts.

Take this information for what it’s worth. But I will no longer be blindly throwing these in the trash as I once did. I’ll use them in kids toys and reusing them in trail cams this year. Either way, if you run these expensive batteries, it might be worth buying a multimeter and testing them if you don’t already have one. Hope this info helps someone!

I use cheapo trail cameras too and live in the northern cold temps where alkaline batteries don't seem to cut it. I've had alkaline batteries split and get acid all over in the tray too which makes a mess and corrodes terminals. I'll set the cams up and change cards out as I go into the areas I hunt and @peteherbst you gave me a good idea, I'll start packing a multi-meter too and check while I take the cards out and I'll have a few batteries with me too just in case.

 

[Airy Mtn]

I will never use lithium batteries again. I had five long soak cam setups crap out when one battery failed.

 

[bowhuntr09]

I switched most of mine to 12v external. The extra cost of lithiums is what drove me to it.

 

[peteherbst]

I switched most of mine to 12v external. The extra cost of lithiums is what drove me to it.

Are you running that 12v on public or private? I always struggle with adding anything external to my cam to make it more obvious to other hunters.

 

[bowhuntr09]

Are you running that 12v on public or private? I always struggle with adding anything external to my cam to make it more obvious to other hunters.

It’s private but it’s a hunt club so I still lock everything up and hide it as best as possible. It really wasn’t hard to hide the battery box at the base of the tree. I also covered it with leaves and debris. The camera itself will be spotted before the battery box.

 

[devildog]

After my experience running lithium batteries I will always use them in the future. My three cell cams were out for 7 months last year and still had 50% battery life left. My browning non-cell cameras were at 80% after a full year of use. I just put them out again with the same batteries in them.

 

[bowhuntr09]

After my experience running lithium batteries I will always use them in the future. My three cell cams were out for 7 months last year and still had 50% battery life left. My browning non-cell cameras were at 80% after a full year of use. I just put them out again with the same batteries in them.

I was perfectly content with lithium‘s until the 24 pack that I paid $33 for in may cost $73 now

 

[colin.704]

alkaline batteries don't put out continuous voltage as they discharge, lithium batteries do. so at say 50% discharge an alkaline will quit working (due to the drop) in a camera where lithium will work until fully discharged.

 

[devildog]

I was perfectly content with lithium‘s until the 24 pack that I paid $33 for in may cost $73 now

I search online and find them for about $55 for 24 pack. I usually buy once every year and use them for one or one to two seasons. This year the ones I took out of my cell cams I am still using around the house for remotes and everything else needing AA. I think in the long run I might save money compared to using alkaline.

 

[gcr0003]

Lithium ion batteries are atrocious in even remotely cool to cold weather. There is a reason letting your phone out in the winter will kill it in minutes and degrade your phones battery life. The regular batteries are your friend as the cold does not hurt them.

 

[Jtaylor]

Lithium ion batteries are atrocious in even remotely cool to cold weather. There is a reason letting your phone out in the winter will kill it in minutes and degrade your phones battery life. The regular batteries are your friend as the cold does not hurt them.

I don't think that's the case anymore with all lithium batteries. Energizer advanced lithium claim -40°F temps and I'd attest to at least -20°F. I pulled a card last week from January and had pics from that cold day.

Alkaline Battery Capacity Test (Cold Weather & High Current)

Test your camera's alkaline battery capacity by running these tests from Trailcampro. We specialize in selling camera gear & accessories for all environments.

www.trailcampro.com

 

[gcr0003]

I don't think that's the case anymore with all lithium batteries. Energizer advanced lithium claim -40°F temps and I'd attest to at least -20°F. I pulled a card last week from January and had pics from that cold day.

Alkaline Battery Capacity Test (Cold Weather & High Current)

Test your camera's alkaline battery capacity by running these tests from Trailcampro. We specialize in selling camera gear & accessories for all environments.

www.trailcampro.com

Nice, I’d be interested in what their composition is and how they addressed the issues tied to cold temps.

 

[peteherbst]

Lithium ion batteries are atrocious in even remotely cool to cold weather. There is a reason letting your phone out in the winter will kill it in minutes and degrade your phones battery life. The regular batteries are your friend as the cold does not hurt them.

I’ve had good luck with them in cold. And if the weather does effect then, it isn’t until late December or into January for me. And we’ve had -10 streaks in the past. And let’s say it is just one batter that ends up dying and shuts the camera down in dec/jan, I’m not angry about it. Especially now knowing that the other batteries are good to use again.

 

[Tjraley2]

I’ve used lithium batteries in 100° Deep South LA up to -20 in Wisco and they’ve been fantastic. Alkalines never seemed to like too hot or too cold. I’ll be buying a multimeter asap. Thanks for the tip @peteherbst

 

[neonomad]

I do solar now whenever possible it pays for itself pretty quickly… the tricky thing about lithiums is they’ll show good voltage until they quickly don’t. Any used batteries I put in cams go into easy to access low intrusion spots, and new batteries - usually lithium if I’m in the mood to drop the cash - go into the deeper more critical soaker cams.

 

[peteherbst]

I do solar now whenever possible it pays for itself pretty quickly… the tricky thing about lithiums is they’ll show good voltage until they quickly don’t. Any used batteries I put in cams go into easy to access low intrusion spots, and new batteries - usually lithium if I’m in the mood to drop the cash - go into the deeper more critical soaker cams.

I’ve slowly considered solar. Does that completely replace the need for batteries? Or do you put rechargeables in them? Or how does that work?

 

[neonomad]

I’ve slowly considered solar. Does that completely replace the need for batteries? Or do you put rechargeables in them? Or how does that work?

It depends on what camera you’re using, many solar panels have integrated batteries so then any batteries you put in the cam would just be backup in case the solar failed. And in darker woods it’s just not an option, but as leaves fall that’s less of an issue since the shade goes away. I have a few Cuddelink cameras out that have three year old rechargeables in them, been running continuously on solar.

 

[MEB]

My biggest complaint about lithium batteries isn’t the price or any bad experiences. My gripe is that you can’t measure the battery level. An almost dead battery will give almost the same output as a new battery. This has made me feel like I need to replace batteries if I’m not certain how much they’ve been used