john volkman
5 year old buck +
ti switch back and forth based on battery level, temp can affect this. The report is only based on when it checked in. RF level battery levels change often. reports are set up to send about 430 am.
Cuddeback's Cuddelink
- Thread starter Peplin Creek
- Start date
JLemon
5 year old buck +
So it must have switched back to internals sometime before midnight on the 24th since the report shows it as OK and EXT-1 OK on the same date but on reports sent on 2 different days.
The ONLY sure way to know what’s causing battery depletion would be with new batteries, connect a inline meter and check the amp draw for the following:
1- Resting state
2- Daytime picture
3- Nightime picture
4- Transmitting
Mine were at ~.02a - .06a max.
Batteries are the culprit 99% of the time. I would not rely on the report for true battery status. Check battery voltages before and after. Look in metadata at the BL.
The voltage can and does increase with temperature. The voltage swing will cross the indicator limit and make it go back and forth. Not necessarily switching battery banks back and forth, just your indicator.
Maybe it was just my camera. But I have seen it do it several times.
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So, if the report emailed to me at 4:48AM showed zero image que for all cams and home but I am still getting pics from last night emailed to me (couple here and there all morning long so far) does that mean home is having issues with cell signal? It is possible because the location where it is at is not the best but it's the first time it's done this so wanted to make sure it wasn't something else.
JLemon
5 year old buck +
I was more curious why the report on the 24th was showing it running on the rechargeables but the report sent on the 25th says on the 24th it was running off internals.
Do not put too much faith in report. Review your metadata on a picture for a more accurate battery status.
How do you have the battery banks wired?
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JLemon
5 year old buck +
However the instructions said to. Solar panel in to the dual power bank then out to my K cell. I have Tenergy rechargeable in Bank 1, Alkalines in Bank 2 and Alkalines in the K.
JLemon
5 year old buck +
I noticed Sportsmans Guide has the Dual Power Bank in stock for $39.99 I plan on putting mine along with the batteries and solar panel up on eBay. It's not that the system isn't working because it is. The problem is where I had to move my K to for all day sunshine for the solar panel has spotty cellular coverage. I have my K set to send every 2 hours and it was sending everything timely. Now it still sends every 2 hours but the pictures are mostly 6-8 hours old. I'll get pictures stamped 9:30 from one camera at 10:00 when I should and then I'll get more from the same time hours later and I'm sure that's just the cell coverage. I had it at my house 20 foot up a tree running off 2 large solar panels to a 12v battery stepped down to 9v and it pretty much ran since May without touching it.
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Ok, now I think I understand your question. I have also noticed my report will change some data on the prior day on same email. I can look at email from day before and it will be different. It may be due to the time difference in when the report data is captured and when report is emailed. Why it went straight from rechargeable’s to internals is whole other ball of wax.
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Booner21
5 year old buck +
I have seen other things change on the report for example my battery days backdated the number recently
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
Bpressley
5 year old buck +
Well I think I lost a camera. It's a K cam and I haven't received a report since 10/22 and no pics since 3:56am on 10/23. Here's the exit data from the last pic on 10/23. Jon, I think I read aways back the CS can check if the cam is still on....is that possible? I was going to hunt this area sometime next week so I will see exactly what's happening.
Attachments
7.077v is on the lower end of battery life. That equals 1.18V/cell. Is this Black Flash or Strobe?
Bpressley
5 year old buck +
Yeah I agree. I think it's turned off honestly. It's a K cam set to IR flash, not black flash. I have an external 3358 pack with it. But it always seemed to struggle with consistent reports and hourly pics being sent on time. I'm not sure if it's a signal issue or a camera issue. I was going to do more tests after the season and hopefully find out.
I just switched a Blackflash out with Double Strobe. Man, it has some big capacitors!! I armed it to check out the flash and waited and waited and finally bent over to look how much time was remaining. Yep, big mistake! It's very bright. 
Does anyone know how long between flashes it will take before it will take another picture?
Does anyone know how long between flashes it will take before it will take another picture?
FredG
5 year old buck +
The second strobe can fire immediately (limited by the delay time chosen of course) and the capacitor on the first flash will take 20 to 30 seconds to recharge and be ready to fire again. It's good practice to close your PIR down to narrow on a G camera... unnecessary on a K, to avoid wasting a strobe charge on a premature (out of field) detection.I just switched a Blackflash out with Double Strobe. Man, it has some big capacitors!! I armed it to check out the flash and waited and waited and finally bent over to look how much time was remaining. Yep, big mistake! It's very bright.
john volkman
5 year old buck +
CS can check to see if the cell unit tried to check in or send images
