Lets talk batteries

[Crusader]

I don't have cellular cams but for "regular" ones, I've been pleased with Amazon's batteries, great bang for the buck.

 

[magtech]

I buy 7-9ah sla batteries and make a wire that goes to a plug. This plugs into the port on the tactacam 2.0 i have. Seems to work great when i hunt on my own land. If a battery dies i just recharge it and its good again for a long time.

Over the longer run this is the cheapeast option ive found, you just have to wire up to the big battery.

This works for my cell cams and non-cell cams, fyi.

 

[PineBrook413]

I've had good luck with the Amazon batteries in both cell cams and non-cell cams. Not sure if they are as good as energizer or duracell but they seem to be pretty similar.

 

[Meyerske]

I have run ~25 non-cell cheapo cams on the 2-burst picture setting for the last five years, averaging ~1500 pics per season. Used all kinds of different batteries. Most of my leakages have been either late in the season when the weather gets cold (which is ~25 degrees give the South Louisiana climate) but primarily if I forget to take out batteries during storage is when most of the leakages and camera breakages occur. When you remove the cams from the field at the end of the season and put into storage (if you do this at all), you should immediately remove the batteries. I have never, once in all of this time seen a Rayovacs leak, either in the season, or during storage. Duracell will leak almost positively during storage, and Energizer is pretty bad as well. Rayovacs have been 100% perfect for me across all 5 seasons, so moving to exclusively Rayovacs this season. I am also going to try replacing the lithiums in my cell cams with Rayovacs and changing out every two months. I am not claiming Rayovas work well in cell cams as I am trying that this year for the first time, they have just been perfect in my non-cell cams in the Louisiana climate which barely sees more than 2 or 3 freezing days a year. Dont know if this experience would translate in a colder climates. Hope this helps..

I've noticed Rayovacs not leaking also. I've had some for years and no leaks.

 

[Maxam]

The ones from Amazon are very hit MIs. I’ve purchased some that work better than factory and others that lasted 2 days. In short stick with factory tactacam lithium batteries to cut to the chase


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[ColoElkhunter]

Add an external battery. You'll never need change your AA's again.
I run 12 volt 7AH Mighty Max battery ($19.99), 12 volt power cord ($9.99) and a 30mm ammo can ($5.00). Been using this set up for a few years now. The 12 volt batteries hold full charge all season and then I reuse them every year.

 

[ElDiablito]

I run 6-20+ cell and non-cell cams year round. No Tactacams - I buy Browning, SpyPoint and Reconyx.

I use external 12vs on a few but mostly rechargeable Amazon NIMH (standard or high cap). They work great in everything that doesn’t require a lithium (like some Reconyx). I hate using disposable alkaline batteries. Too wasteful, IMO.

 

[go4thegusto]

EBL lithium on ebay in bulk. last a year in my cams even in negative temps.

 

[Axle]

Add an external battery. You'll never need change your AA's again.
I run 12 volt 7AH Mighty Max battery ($19.99), 12 volt power cord ($9.99) and a 30mm ammo can ($5.00). Been using this set up for a few years now. The 12 volt batteries hold full charge all season and then I reuse them every year.

I run this same setup and it has worked great! I have been using some cheap LiFePo4 batteries from amazon and they have worked well so far.

 

[onetreeman]

I have been using the EBL lithium batteries this last year and they have performed the same as energizer IMO and are half the price. All my cameras stay out through the winter in Canada with temps regularly below -20c. with no issues. Cameras are spy point, sending photos once daily, 78% battery life showing since August install.

 

[Sitkaspruce]

Add an external battery. You'll never need change your AA's again.
I run 12 volt 7AH Mighty Max battery ($19.99), 12 volt power cord ($9.99) and a 30mm ammo can ($5.00). Been using this set up for a few years now. The 12 volt batteries hold full charge all season and then I reuse them every year.

This, except I run 12v 10ah Lithiums due to our cold weather. I can't put the batteries out until after mid October as the bears will damage or carry them off. But once out, i can get around 20000 10 sec videos out of the batteries in the winter.

I run whatever batteries are on sale from the spring to October, then I switch to AA lithiums on the cameras that don't have the 12v.





Project Farm did an episode on batteries.

Cheers

SS

 

[The_Dinkmaster]

Im probably going to end up getting some solar panels for mine. I didnt like the idea because I try to hide my cameras as they are mostly on public, but I think I can put it high enough in the tree to hide it. Also will probably try to run some faux ivy down the cable to make it look less obvious.

I go to great lengths to try and keep my stuff from being seen. All that and I only got a picture of 2 guys last year lol

 

[jonesn3]

I’m running Costco AAs for my “local” private priority camera sets, winter time temps aren’t bad, and is supplement with solar panels. Technically the solar have a built in lithium battery that is kept charged with solar, so unless the solar fails, the AAs don’t get discharged. Tactacam cell cams with 12xAA gets expensive with Energizer Lithium batteries. My preferred non-cell cams (Bushnell) only use 6xAA which is nice.

 

[jonesn3]

Im probably going to end up getting some solar panels for mine. I didnt like the idea because I try to hide my cameras as they are mostly on public, but I think I can put it high enough in the tree to hide it. Also will probably try to run some faux ivy down the cable to make it look less obvious.

I go to great lengths to try and keep my stuff from being seen. All that and I only got a picture of 2 guys last year lol

I understand the reasoning behind not wanting to deploy solar on public land. Where legal to do so, and if you can get the solar high enough using climbing pegs or sticks and/or you can fasten to a tree using hardware like lag bolts. I think it helps if you’re worried. A private land spot where I have access has been the worst for stolen cameras and tampering. Hardware to secure the cams has been largely successful for me.

If you run cell cams, I think solar is a good investment. It keeps the camera running and eliminates time/money spent going to check on cameras or replenishing batteries. A buddy had a camera on public, relatively close to a trail, that lasted all summer until the elk raked the tree and knocked the camera down lol. Python locks and a method for security the solar is a must IMO

 

[kuiuaddict]

Sams Club has one of the best deals on Energizer Lithiums I have seen

 

[jonesn3]

Sams Club has one of the best deals on Energizer Lithiums I have seen

It’s a great deal if you already have a membership. I recall looking into the cost of a Sam’s membership and while it wasn’t a ton it did factor into the overall cost/battery for me. I forget how it worked out exactly, but by the time I drove from our rural town to the nearest Sam’s, it didn’t really make sense for me. I ended up biting the bullet and placed a large quantity order on Amazon ended up somewhere around $2.17 per battery, now that’s down to $1.95 which might be more competitive with Sam’s….