Trail cam Batteries in the cold

[kokoji04]

I have been running reveal cams specifically XB models. I love the simplicity and versatility of plans.

I recently left one with brand new batteries in my backyard through the winter. I live in Michigan. It was a normal winter, nothing too out of the ordinary. The cam sat from October to July. I pulled the cam and noticed it stopped taking pictures. Maybe a total of 600 or so photos. I know it died because in early January I saw the biggest buck I’ve ever seen in my backyard where my trail cam is and I recovered no photos from the cam. Photos stopped in Jan, but right before the time of the buck maybe by a week or so. Of course. Just wondering if people have had cameras survive winters. I’m thinking it’s the batteries that just couldn’t survive the cold temps.

 

[khart_6882]

I leave cameras out every winter in NE Washington state where we usually have a few cold snaps in negative temps and I’ve had mixed results. I’ve used all different batteries and exclusively stealth cams. I’ve found that if I replace the batteries in the fall then I’ve got pretty good luck with them surviving.
The worst part about them dying is that seems to be when they freeze and come apart and ruin your camera. I’ve never had them freeze if they’re still functioning, just after they’ve died.

 

[kokoji04]

Ok so it is a problem. I was kind of hoping it was just isolated to my one sample size. I want a solution to leaving cameras in the mountains 3 hrs away.

 

[realunlucky]

Ok so it is a problem. I was kind of hoping it was just isolated to my one sample size. I want a solution to leaving cameras in the mountains 3 hrs away.

Use lithium batteries they last much longer in the cold

Sent from my SM-S926U using Tapatalk

 

[SuperDUECE22]

I have been running reveal cams specifically XB models. I love the simplicity and versatility of plans.

I recently left one with brand new batteries in my backyard through the winter. I live in Michigan. It was a normal winter, nothing too out of the ordinary. The cam sat from October to July. I pulled the cam and noticed it stopped taking pictures. Maybe a total of 600 or so photos. I know it died because in early January I saw the biggest buck I’ve ever seen in my backyard where my trail cam is and I recovered no photos from the cam. Photos stopped in Jan, but right before the time of the buck maybe by a week or so. Of course. Just wondering if people have had cameras survive winters. I’m thinking it’s the batteries that just couldn’t survive the cold temps.

Your camera missing photos of that buck could have been from the batteries or just the camera itself. Reveal cameras are known for missing a lot of photos, having slow recovery time, and having poor battery performance, especially in cold weather. I am a lot farther north and my cameras run fine all winter. I have some that I have not visited in almost three years and they are still running strong. The best setup I have found is using an external 12 volt battery with a small solar panel. You can buy a kit or build your own and it is the most reliable long term option I have used.

 

[journeyman713]

Batteries weaken in the cold, in extreme cold, they may stop working as expected, but when warmed up later, they may start working normally again.

Wisconsin is a similar climate, so this should be the same for you.
Don't be surprised if you pull your SD card and find a period of time absent, that aligns with a very cold period.