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Community => Photo & Video => Topic started by: Lcl 66 Tinner on February 15, 2012, 02:13:42 PM

Title: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: Lcl 66 Tinner on February 15, 2012, 02:13:42 PM: Went to Batteries Plus today to check out rechargable batteries and and external too. The guy was asking me if I knew how many amps it drew when taking pics, I dont know. So my question is ; what kind of external battery do you use? I asked him the difference between a car batt. and this other small deep cycle he was showing me, that he said would last longer than a car batt. and much smaller and lighter. Car batts. are built for cranking and these ones I was looking at were made for constant draw.
Title: Re: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: Skyvalhunter on February 15, 2012, 02:28:58 PM: So are you are asking what amperage to look for?
Title: Re: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: Lcl 66 Tinner on February 15, 2012, 02:37:53 PM: Quote from: Skyvalhunter on February 15, 2012, 02:28:58 PM
So are you are asking what amperage to look for?
Sure, and what kind of battery you use. Im trying to get away from buying C-cells and go to a external, it will be cheaper in the long run and Im hoping I dont need to go back to the cams every 3wks. I could leave them for month and a half to 2mos
Title: Re: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: Lcl 66 Tinner on February 15, 2012, 04:20:34 PM: Really, nobody has any input?
Title: Re: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: mkcj on February 15, 2012, 05:12:47 PM: There are some trail cam web sites out there might want to check there. I use 8ah 12v batt. But I want to look into getting better ext. Batts as I have 6 cameras 2 are 6V the rest are 12V
Title: Re: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: Lcl 66 Tinner on February 15, 2012, 06:21:18 PM: Quote from: mkcj on February 15, 2012, 05:12:47 PM
There are some trail cam web sites out there might want to check there. I use 8ah 12v batt. But I want to look into getting better ext. Batts as I have 6 cameras 2 are 6V the rest are 12V
Im looking at the 9ah-12V. how long does your battery last? They want $42 for the 9ah-12V
Title: Re: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: bobcat on February 17, 2012, 08:53:25 AM: http://www.custom1enterprises.com/custom1enterprises_002.htm

There is a 12 volt external battery on the above site, and it's a 7.5 ah, it's a kit for $65. Just an option to consider. I think $42 is a little high, check Amazon, I saw some good prices there. I have the Stealth Cam kit, one 6 volt and one 12 volt. Cabelas has the 12 volt kit for $55. I got mine for about half that on ebay.
Title: Re: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: Lcl 66 Tinner on February 17, 2012, 09:00:10 AM: Quote from: bobcat on February 17, 2012, 08:53:25 AM
http://www.custom1enterprises.com/custom1enterprises_002.htm

There is a 12 volt external battery on the above site, and it's a 7.5 ah, it's a kit for $65. Just an option to consider. I think $42 is a little high, check Amazon, I saw some good prices there. I have the Stealth Cam kit, one 6 volt and one 12 volt. Cabelas has the 12 volt kit for $55. I got mine for about half that on ebay.

Thanks Bobcat, How long does your battery last (12V)
Title: Re: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: bobcat on February 17, 2012, 10:12:46 AM: Quote from: Lcl 66 Tinner on February 17, 2012, 09:00:10 AM
Quote from: bobcat on February 17, 2012, 08:53:25 AM
http://www.custom1enterprises.com/custom1enterprises_002.htm

There is a 12 volt external battery on the above site, and it's a 7.5 ah, it's a kit for $65. Just an option to consider. I think $42 is a little high, check Amazon, I saw some good prices there. I have the Stealth Cam kit, one 6 volt and one 12 volt. Cabelas has the 12 volt kit for $55. I got mine for about half that on ebay.

Thanks Bobcat, How long does your battery last (12V)

It of course depends on the camera but they last a long time compared to regular alkaline batteries. I'm using it on my Wildview camera right now, and that camera drains the internal C batteries so quickly in the winter it's not even funny. I got a week out of the internals when I tried them back in December. In the summer it does ok, I can get 4 weeks out of them. So I hooked up the external and let it go for a little over a month. I don't know how far down it was but I brought it home and charged it overnight and took it back out there.

I've run my Moultrie D40's for a couple of months in the summer on it as well, and they are also battery hogs.
Title: Re: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: 400out on February 17, 2012, 10:20:41 AM: I think you have to weight the pro/cons. If you are flying thru batteries then maybe its worth it but i don't see the benifit of this kind of money for a battery :twocents: that's a lot of rechargable bats that could work just as good. Maybe lookinto a new cam that has a better bat life :dunno: plpus if it's not on private land then the more stuff you put out is going to draw added attention to your cam site :twocents:
Title: Re: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: bobcat on February 17, 2012, 10:41:57 AM: Yes there are pros and cons. I think the externals are great this time of year. But yes it all depends on the camera. I've had my Tasco out since the first of December, running on 4 D alkaline batteries, and it last for 6 weeks, same as it does in the summer. I use the Rayovacs I get at Wal Mart for $1.00 each, so I figure $4 for 6 weeks isn't bad. The Tasco won't take an external battery anyway, but even if it did I'm not sure I'd use one. Now my Moultrie D40's are terrible in cold temperatures. I think I'd only get about 3 weeks out of the 6 D batteries they take. Which is why I don't have either one of my Moultries out right now. But I do have a plan for one of them. I've got a deep cycle marine battery just sitting in my shop. It's for an electric trolling motor but I never use it. So I'm going to use that with the Moultrie as soon as I get time to do it. I already hooked it up and it runs it just fine. Figure it will run it for a year or more. :o

Oh, and for cameras that take 6 volt external batteries, Primos has a cheap option, I'm probably going to order a couple of them for my Primos Truth Cams, only $22 each at Amazon with free shipping: http://www.amazon.com/Primos-Steroid-Trail-Camera-Battery/dp/B004WIU380
Title: Re: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: Todd_ID on February 18, 2012, 10:28:33 AM: I switched to a smaller sealed lead acid battery (I think 4.5 amp-hour) and a solar charger. I haven't had one run down at all, so I can't give a battery-life length; it won't be infinite, but close enough for me. They are always at full charge when I go check them. A $10 battery and a $25 solar charger should last until the camera breaks down.

Make sure your camera works on 12V and not 6V before you buy stuff, though. I have one camera that only is 6V, but I got a 12v solar charger and had 2 6v SLA batteries. I wired the batteries in series for the 12v charger and only tapped off of one battery to get the 6V the camera needed.
Title: Re: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: Special T on February 20, 2012, 11:35:58 AM: I used a small sealed battery and picked up the plug in for an external for my Wildview camera. works pretty good. I like the idea of the solar charger tho... Very cool. I picked up all i needed at a Radio shack and spend somthing like $20-25 for the whole setup. :twocents:
Title: Re: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: Lcl 66 Tinner on February 20, 2012, 09:07:47 PM: Ihave the wildview cams so I know they are 12V. Ill go to radio shack tomorrow and check it out.
Title: Re: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: Special T on February 20, 2012, 09:13:11 PM: take the camera with you so you can get the right plug in... not all Rat Shacks carry the assortment of plugs... I think the one i found that had them in stock was in the Renton Highlands near the old Renton Tech campus.
Title: Re: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: bobcat on February 20, 2012, 09:30:53 PM: Quote from: Lcl 66 Tinner on February 20, 2012, 09:07:47 PM
Ihave the wildview cams so I know they are 12V. Ill go to radio shack tomorrow and check it out.

You could just order the correct cord that will plug right in to your Wildview cam from here:

http://custom1enterprises.com/custom1enterprises_002.htm

The one you want would be the second one down on the left. It's $13 and I think that includes shipping.

A few weeks ago I ordered a 6 foot long power cable for my Moultrie D40. I just got it set up yesterday, hooked up to a deep cycle marine battery.
Title: Re: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: carpsniperg2 on February 20, 2012, 09:33:11 PM: Heck I really need to get a couple setups for the cams I use. Man they eat the d's so quick! When its cold out and the amount of pic's I get they last like 5-7 days :yike: x 5 cams :yike: Time to upgrade :IBCOOL:
Title: Re: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: bobcat on February 20, 2012, 09:35:27 PM: Quote from: carpsniperg2 on February 20, 2012, 09:33:11 PM
Heck I really need to get a couple setups for the cams I use. Man they eat the d's so quick! When its cold out and the amount of pic's I get they last like 5-7 days :yike: x 5 cams :yike: Time to upgrade :IBCOOL:

Yeah I won't even put out my Moultrie D40's this time of year because I know they won't go for more than 3 weeks with the 6 internal D batteries. And, that's how long they last if no pictures are taken. :yike:

The Wildview is about as bad when temps are cold. So I've got it hooked to a Stealth Cam external battery.
Title: Re: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: carpsniperg2 on February 20, 2012, 09:41:29 PM: Yeah I check my cams like every 2 or 3 days. There has been a few times when I have got there late on day 3 and they were toast! that happens when it's cold out and you get around 1000 pictures :chuckle:
Title: Re: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: bobcat on February 20, 2012, 09:42:25 PM: Quote from: carpsniperg2 on February 20, 2012, 09:41:29 PM
Yeah I check my cams like every 2 or 3 days. There has been a few times when I have got there late on day 3 and they were toast! that happens when it's cold out and you get around 1000 pictures :chuckle:

Will your cameras not take external batteries?
Title: Re: External batteries for trail cams?
Post by: carpsniperg2 on February 20, 2012, 09:44:59 PM: They are not mine :chuckle: they are my cousin's. He uses them for elk I use them for muzzle season. I think 2 will not take the external jacks. Then the other 3 I think will. I am going to look into it for this next year. I cant even tell you how much I spent on battiers last year :yike: