Alkaline batteries in trail cam???

[Quattro]

I'm a newbie when it comes to trail cams. I recently received a trail cam as a gift, and am in the process of setting it up. The manufacturer mentions using AA lithium batteries. I know lithiums are preferred, but are there issues with using alkaline batteries, especially if I'll only be using the camera for photos (no video)?

 

[madgrad02]

No matter what I do, always seemed to get corrosion from alkaline batteries - don't believe that this is a concern with lithium batteries

 

[Quattro]

Good point. I have experienced a few leaking batteries in the past, but they seem to be limited to batteries that were not either Energizer or Duracell. For example, Costco batteries, imo, leak like crazy.

I'm all for using lithiums, it's just that I have a stockpile (like 100+) of unused alkalines.

 

[JohnnyB]

If you will have access to the camera frequently, you can always give it a try and swap them out in a few weeks if you have any problems.

My cameras all work fine with both but I need lithium to keep them operational during the periods they are inaccessible due to snow (Nov-July).

 

[go4thegusto]

They work but just say NO. After years of messing with cameras and experiencing about every issue possible, I just opt for lithium. They work all season, stay working in the cold, don't leak, and eliminate another thing that can go wrong. nothing worse that going in to check a camera during the rut when intel is important and the camera is dead.
I buy EBL in bulk on ebay so price is tolerable.

 

[WoodBow]

I run cheap rayovacs in all of mine. Zero issues. I will get almost a full year out of them in a cell cam on relatively low volume trails. In traditional cameras they can go over a year. YMMV

 

[wesfromky]

The lithium work way better when it gets cold.

 

[87TT]

Had no problems with alkaline for close to a year in snow etc.

 

[Mike D Texas]

I'm a newbie when it comes to trail cams. I recently received a trail cam as a gift, and am in the process of setting it up. The manufacturer mentions using AA lithium batteries. I know lithiums are preferred, but are there issues with using alkaline batteries, especially if I'll only be using the camera for photos (no video)?

No issue until one ruptures and leaks acid all in the camera.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[KineKilla]

Alkaline will work.

I run lithium in mine. However, it is now $5 per AA and each camera takes 8 of them. It's become a very expensive proposition to keep all my cameras going. I can get a season out of one set but still....

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

 

[Gonzoman10]

Just make sure to check the manual. Some cameras (and other electronics) have settings or little switches you need to flip depending on battery type. For example: spypoint has settings in the app to select what type of battery you have installed. Not sure what it affects but something to be aware of.

 

[Lytro]

In my experience it doesn't matter at all with new cameras if they're non-cellular. I use Sam's Club brand alkaline here in SD where it goes from 100+ degrees to -20+ throughout the time they're out. I put them out in August and take them down in March/April when I'm looking for sheds and they're always still working with a few thousand photos on the cards.

 

[journeyman713]

I’ve not seen alkaline battery leakage when in use, during the season. Run em dead - change em out, never an issue.
It’s only been after extended storage with deadish batteries, that the leaking rears its ugly head.

 

[wind gypsy]

Spent $300 on lithiums the last couple weeks.. finally hit my breaking point. Cheap non-cell cams are gonna get rayovacs now with the understanding that cam performance may suffer at lower charges and in the cold and there's a chance of them wrecking the cam. Also ramping up the solar charger and external battery pack inventory. This $3/ea lithium situation sucks.

 

[Silveroddo]

I've run 99% amazon basics alkaline AA's for the last 6-7 years, the last 2 years I've been running 60-70 cameras, no clue how many I've used but easily well over 1000, and I've never had one leak.
Running them in picture mode from 1500-3000 pictures a year a Browning camera will go a year easily on a set.
I have had Duracell's cause a camera to act funky, and I had them leak in a GPS (Still had the package in the case claiming a 10 year shelf life)
You can get a 300 pack of industrial amazon basics AA's for about $60 right now.

 

[Silveroddo]

Spent $300 on lithiums the last couple weeks.. finally hit my breaking point. Cheap non-cell cams are gonna get rayovacs now with the understanding that cam performance may suffer at lower charges and in the cold and there's a chance of them wrecking the cam. Also ramping up the solar charger and external battery pack inventory. This $3/ea lithium situation sucks.

x2 on external batteries and solar for cellular set ups. Its surprising how long a camera will run on even a 5ah battery.

 

[mattflipper]

Used to use energizer lithiums exclusively. We run a lot of cell cameras and each takes 12. Can’t afford to pay for the batteries for 19/20 cameras. Last year I swapped to Duracell Optimum batteries (Office Depot has them cheap) and they work great. If you have them on corn or protein I just set the camera to not take night time pics andno videos and they last a while like that. If it’s on natural food or trails, etc they’ll last along time. They can leak, but thankfully it hasn’t happened to me yet. I put them out in august and take them down in January. I’m in the south where it’s hot so I don’t have to deal with the frigid temps taking a toll on the batteries so you might have to take that into account.

 

[Muleys R Majestic]

All my cameras are several years old and cheap-ish when I bought them. I got way better performance out of lithium so it made it worth the price difference. But none of that may be relevant to newer cameras.

 

[IndianaMatt]

I have used the Members Mark batteries from Sams for a couple years with no issue. They last long enough and price is good. I am using them in SPYPOINT micro LTE cams.

 

[Still Hunter]

Update on Batteries, I was told directly by a trail camera manufacturer that since COVID they are seeing lots of battery leakage on the Duracell batteries and he recommended that I no longer use the Duracell.
For the record. my reason for calling was due to leakage on the battery trays on two of my cameras and the leakage damaged the camera trays. I am purchasing replacement battery trays. Yes, the batteries were Duracell.