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Author Topic: batteries  (Read 1280 times)

Offline HoofsandWings

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batteries
« on: July 02, 2014, 08:50:43 PM »
When I pull my game cameras, many of the cameras have 8 or 12 batteries.
Is there any rule of thumb on reusing the batteries? It is such a waste after a 1 month soak.
Especially with several cameras.
Gathering is easy. Hunting is a challenge.
WSF, WCA, RMEF, Rooster Booster, NWTF, NRA

Offline pd

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Re: batteries
« Reply #1 on: July 02, 2014, 09:23:49 PM »
My Bushnell Trophy Cams take 8 AA cells. I use Costco Kirkland brand. From October to June (9 months), several hundred pictures and no dead batteries.


One month is too early to change your batteries.
Si vis pacem, para bellum

Offline Duffer

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Re: batteries
« Reply #2 on: July 02, 2014, 10:37:03 PM »
Funny, I was just thinking about this too. My cameras tend to sit for about 4 months at a time. Battery life depends a lot on how many night shots were taken. Most will be dead when I fetch them but not always

The lesson I learned tho was, as with chips, don't reuse batteries

I've made the chip mistake a couple of times; not looking to see how much memory was left and then they max out long before the soak is done

afa batteries, I always replace them and bring the old ones home. Then I will check them with my volt meter. Trash the dead ones, feed the low ones into other stuff and save the decent ones for next trip over

What I was thinking was since I end up with lots of 'weak' C-cells that I need to pick up something like a mag-light that uses Cs!

Finishing off weak Ds and AAs is easy

It sucks to set up for a 3-4 month soak and return to find that the camera stopped working a week in!
-Duffer
Camano Island

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Offline Bean Counter

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Re: batteries
« Reply #3 on: July 03, 2014, 12:09:27 PM »
12 batteries??  :yike:

My Primos Truth 35 runs on 4x Ds. So far it has taken 15,000 photos and used 50% of the battery life. It will likely last the rest of the season on the original batteries.  :tup:

My Brownings, OTOH, run on 8x AAs. When I was up there a month ago Imoved one of the cams that had about 60% battery life left on it, thinking that it made it the prior month only using 40% of the batteries, so I should be good going another month with 60% left. Can't argue the math, but in hindsight Iwish I would have changed them. They died with about a week and a half uncaptured before Inext got up there. It would have been nice to see how some of these guys grew.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,156218.0.html

Online vandeman17

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Re: batteries
« Reply #4 on: July 03, 2014, 12:12:32 PM »
I am going on my second year of the same AA batteries in my cam with well over 20k pictures taken on both. They are both still going strong.
" I have hunted almost every day of my life, the rest have been wasted"

Offline jackelope

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Re: batteries
« Reply #5 on: July 03, 2014, 12:19:34 PM »
I put new batteries in mine once a year whether they need it or not. Bushnell Trophy cams, 8 AA's. The last time I checked mine, they'd both been out 2 months. 1 had ~4500 pics on one and the other had ~3900 pics on it and both battery life indicators were still at full bars.
:fire.:

" In today's instant gratification society, more and more pressure revolves around success and the measurement of one's prowess as a hunter by inches on a score chart or field photos produced on social media. Don't fall into the trap. Hunting is-and always will be- about the hunt, the adventure, the views, and time spent with close friends and family. " Ryan Hatfield

My posts, opinions and statements do not represent those of this forum

Offline Bean Counter

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Re: batteries
« Reply #6 on: July 03, 2014, 03:02:13 PM »
Sounds like the Browning Trail Cameras are comparatively battery thirsty.

Online vandeman17

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Re: batteries
« Reply #7 on: July 03, 2014, 03:04:26 PM »
Sounds like the Browning Trail Cameras are comparatively battery thirsty.

My first camera was an older cuddeback and I am pretty sure I had to swap out the D batteries every two months or so. When I bought my trophy cams, they were more expensive then some but I will make up the difference in battery life pretty quickly
" I have hunted almost every day of my life, the rest have been wasted"

Offline billythekidrock

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Re: batteries
« Reply #8 on: July 03, 2014, 04:38:06 PM »
Bobcat turned me on to a great little battery tester.

I primarily use Bushnell cams with 4, 8. or 12 Energizer Lithium batteries and they can be spendy.
Since I have bought it last year I have already saved the cost of the tester in saved batteries.





 


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