Lithium camera batteries AA. Ouch!!

[WhiteoakJoe]

I bought for my camera batteries a few months ago at Costco their 48 pack Kirkland AA's were on sale for $9.50, so I bought 4 packs. They are not great batteries about the same a Duracell but affordable to switch them out. I gave up on Lithium also.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Based on some beta-tests last year, I switched all my setups to external 12V 10Ah lithium batteries, placed in Remington ammunition boxes. These batteries can be found on Amazon for as little as $35. With the boxes ~$12 and power cords ~$8, you end up with a rig that you never have to purchase batteries for, which runs for months and can be recharged more times than you will ever need. Plus it's lithium, so you get that sweet profile at colder temperatures and full power up until they're discharged - making for better night pics. Win, win IMHO. Buy once, cry once. You can save some $ by going lead acid, but the weigh gets to be cumbersome if you have to go far to hang them, and they're not as good in the cold.

FYI, Tactacam takes a different plug diameter than most (5.5 x 2.1 on Browning, Moultrie, Spypoint, etc; whereas Reveals are 4.0 x 1.7), also lithium batteries use a different charger.

Do you have links to the batteries and cords you used? @ $36 per set of Lithiums in a cell cam, that is appealing!

 

[Knehrke]

I simply search Amazon for the best deal on batteries with decent reviews. I'm seeing 12V 10 Ah Nermak for $49 apiece; I bought a couple recently for $80 as a two-fer, and I've seen them lower. You can also get 7 or 8 Ah lithium batteries for less. No need for anything special on cords - easiest route is to make them yourself using parts. Or you can look for "DC Power Pigtails Cable,3FT DC 5.5MM x 2.1MM Male Plug to Bare Wire Open End" on Amazon and add your own terminal connectors for less than $5 apiece. I'd say that I probably spend $50 on each set, and some of them have been running uninterrupted since July. The batteries are still showing 100%, too, but that's lithium. When they go, they go fast. But up until then, you get full power.

​

 

[Wind Gypsy]

In theory, a 12v 10 Ah battery should have double the total capacity of the typical 12 AA lithiums that I use in a cell cam. Some of those cams damn near make it a year before using the batteries so that would be money.

 

[bueller]

Based on some beta-tests last year, I switched all my setups to external 12V 10Ah lithium batteries, placed in Remington ammunition boxes. These batteries can be found on Amazon for as little as $35. With the boxes ~$12 and power cords ~$8, you end up with a rig that you never have to purchase batteries for, which runs for months and can be recharged more times than you will ever need. Plus it's lithium, so you get that sweet profile at colder temperatures and full power up until they're discharged - making for better night pics. Win, win IMHO. Buy once, cry once. You can save some $ by going lead acid, but the weigh gets to be cumbersome if you have to go far to hang them, and they're not as good in the cold.

FYI, Tactacam takes a different plug diameter than most (5.5 x 2.1 on Browning, Moultrie, Spypoint, etc; whereas Reveals are 4.0 x 1.7), also lithium batteries use a different charger.

I tried running a 12v battery once but the mice quickly destroyed the small wires. Hope you have better luck.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I tried running a 12v battery once but the mice quickly destroyed the small wires. Hope you have better luck.

Think I might give er a test run on a cam or 2 this fall with these “chew proof” cables. That’s not what you were using by chance is it?

Trail Camera Battery Power Cord Chew Proof for Ridgetec and Reconyx

Our exclusive 360 ARMOR Power Cord keeps rodents from chewing on your external battery power cords. Dealing with broken and shorted powercords created by squirrels chewing on the cord forced me to develop the only Armor cable on the market. This is the same cord featured on all new

www.herd360.com

 

[bueller]

Think I might give er a test run on a cam or 2 this fall with these “chew proof” cables. That’s not what you were using by chance is it?

Trail Camera Battery Power Cord Chew Proof for Ridgetec and Reconyx

Our exclusive 360 ARMOR Power Cord keeps rodents from chewing on your external battery power cords. Dealing with broken and shorted powercords created by squirrels chewing on the cord forced me to develop the only Armor cable on the market. This is the same cord featured on all new

www.herd360.com

Nope, I was using spypoint's harness.

 

[Knehrke]

I tried running a 12v battery once but the mice quickly destroyed the small wires. Hope you have better luck.

There's a simple fix - flexible conduit from your local hardware store. I run it between the box and the cameral, then loop the wiring over the camera once to keep it from being pulled out by pesky squirrels or racoons. Never once have I had an issue with chewing. And now I've jinxed myself lol

 

[BuckSutherland]

Go get yourself a cell cam or two. Set them early and never touch them until after the season is over. Don't need a bunch and don't need lithium batteries. Gives you just enough of a glimpse of what's happening out there to get the excitement up.

I live 200+ miles from my land. My two businesses (farming and exterior remodeling) will keep me absolutely SWAMPPED until the first or second week of the MN rifle season. That is the next time I expect to see my land. Havent been there since Labor Day. Don't expect to walk around and check things out until after rifle season closes around Nov 20. I miss my woods and trees on a daily basis. I love my tactacam sending me pictures. Its like a little Christmas present for a grown man every time I get a notification. I see the woods is really starting to change color. Also got smart and planted a few trees in my path so now I can monitor them all year round. Couple of red splendor crabapples are gonna look pretty cool blooming there in a few years in those tubes.

 

[williams111]

I just ordered the stuff to build 2 of these;

He uses stainless steel sleeve to protect his wires. It would be cheaper per amp hour I believe to go with the 12v 10 ah batteries Knehrke mentioned above. I also just opened a laptop battery I had laying around and found some more LifePoe batteries so I may build another one. I think it should only take about 2 charges to get my return on investment.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I just ordered the stuff to build 2 of these;

He uses stainless steel sleeve to protect his wires. It would be cheaper per amp hour I believe to go with the 12v 10 ah batteries Knehrke mentioned above. I also just opened a laptop battery I had laying around and found some more LifePoe batteries so I may build another one. I think it should only take about 2 charges to get my return on investment.

I watched a vid or two from that guy last night, he does a good job with them. This stuff seems pretty simple with lots of options that seem promising but we'll see what downsides come to fruition in practice.

Turns out there are lots of plug conversions out there to make things work so I got a $1 part to convert the tacticam solar/battery/cable combo camera end plug to work with a Ridgetec cam.

Also ordered a couple of these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09P7X7231/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 This is rated at 153 watt hr energy compared to 12 lithium AAs being around 60 Whr. In theory that should get me a full year's worth of operation.

Ordered a couple of these for storage https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002WCUIC4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and a couple of the Herd360 chew proof 8' 12v cables to go from battery to cam. I like the idea of having battery/box resting on the ground at the back side of tree and covering with ghillie fabric vs hanging another foreign object at deer eye height. Only downside I can see is maybe exposing the cable to more damage from critters by running it up the tree?

One thing i wonder if a guy shouldn't do is add protection (fuse) to make sure a short doesn't damage a camera?

 

[bueller]

I live 200+ miles from my land. My two businesses (farming and exterior remodeling) will keep me absolutely SWAMPPED until the first or second week of the MN rifle season. That is the next time I expect to see my land. Havent been there since Labor Day. Don't expect to walk around and check things out until after rifle season closes around Nov 20. I miss my woods and trees on a daily basis. I love my tactacam sending me pictures. Its like a little Christmas present for a grown man every time I get a notification. I see the woods is really starting to change color. Also got smart and planted a few trees in my path so now I can monitor them all year round. Couple of red splendor crabapples are gonna look pretty cool blooming there in a few years in those tubes.


View attachment 46189

I planted a month ago and while I can't way to see my plots in person the daily photos are keeping my anxiety in check.

 

[williams111]

I watched a vid or two from that guy last night, he does a good job with them. This stuff seems pretty simple with lots of options that seem promising but we'll see what downsides come to fruition in practice.

Turns out there are lots of plug conversions out there to make things work so I got a $1 part to convert the tacticam solar/battery/cable combo camera end plug to work with a Ridgetec cam.

Also ordered a couple of these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09P7X7231/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 This is rated at 153 watt hr energy compared to 12 lithium AAs being around 60 Whr. In theory that should get me a full year's worth of operation.

Ordered a couple of these for storage https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002WCUIC4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and a couple of the Herd360 chew proof 8' 12v cables to go from battery to cam. I like the idea of having battery/box resting on the ground at the back side of tree and covering with ghillie fabric vs hanging another foreign object at deer eye height. Only downside I can see is maybe exposing the cable to more damage from critters by running it up the tree?

One thing i wonder if a guy shouldn't do is add protection (fuse) to make sure a short doesn't damage a camera?

That should be a solid setup, adding an inline fuse wouldn't be hard. Are you worried about bugs or potentially water condensation inside the battery box? I ordered a sealed waterproof box with cable glands that are supposed to be watertight.

What are you going to use to charge your battery? I didn't realize the lithium batteries required a special charger so I ordered one of those as well.

I have the herd360 "chewproof" cable on a solar/lead acid battery setup that I just made and haven't got out yet. I ordered the stuff to make one a couple years ago and never got around to doing it. I have access to quite a few 12v 7.2ah lead acid batteries. We will see how it performs compared to the lithium options.

 

[cedar ridge]

Batteries are killing me. 3 of my 4 cell cams eat a set every two weeks it seems. That is $17/ camera every two weeks. $100/month in batteries
I have to get solar

This is far from normal.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

That should be a solid setup, adding an inline fuse wouldn't be hard. Are you worried about bugs or potentially water condensation inside the battery box? I ordered a sealed waterproof box with cable glands that are supposed to be watertight.

Wasn’t planning on doing anything special but maybe I should be? Figured a lot of the applications for these things are on outdoor equipment that isn’t sealed tight so I didn’t give it much thought.

What are you going to use to charge your battery? I didn't realize the lithium batteries required a special charger so I ordered one of those as well.

Just bought a 10A charger off Amazon for around $37 and can be set for various different types of batteries.

I have the herd360 "chewproof" cable on a solar/lead acid battery setup that I just made and haven't got out yet. I ordered the stuff to make one a couple years ago and never got around to doing it. I have access to quite a few 12v 7.2ah lead acid batteries. We will see how it performs compared to the lithium options.

I’ll be interested to hear of any comparisons of winter performance between SLA and lithium.

 

[williams111]

Wasn’t planning on doing anything special but maybe I should be? Figured a lot of the applications for these things are on outdoor equipment that isn’t sealed tight so I didn’t give it much thought.



Just bought a 10A charger off Amazon for around $37 and can be set for various different types of batteries.



I’ll be interested to hear of any comparisons of winter performance between SLA and lithium.

I suppose with a sealed battery it might not really matter if the box is weather tight or not.

I am betting I bought the same charger.

I will update here after some time and let you know how the SLA/solar combination is working.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I suppose with a sealed battery it might not really matter if the box is weather tight or not.

I am betting I bought the same charger.

I will update here after some time and let you know how the SLA/solar combination is working.

All the goodies got delivered and I'm not liking the box i chose. The gaps in the lid are big enough that a mouse could probably crawl up in there. My main concern would be a mouse chewing on the wire insulation in there where they don't have the "chew proof" casing.

What waterproof boxes did you buy?

 

[williams111]

I ended up with these;

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089JZKD57?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

Im not sure your battery would fit and it wouldn't be convenient changing batteries. You may be better off with something like;

https://www.amazon.com/MTM-Survivor-Ring-Orange-Large/dp/B001QDNACU/ref=sr_1_10?crid=3QHG9579IEQ0X&keywords=waterproof%2Bbox&qid=1664319620&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI2LjM3IiwicXNhIjoiNS43NiIsInFzcCI6IjUuNDIifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=waterproof%2Bb%2Caps%2C440&sr=8-10&th=1&psc=1

With a cable gland like this;

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071P2H56X?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

and some;

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XCWHY1B/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

to connect/disconnect your batteries when you swap them out? I also found;

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LTYVY79?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

It seems to fit the power cable quite well. I am planning on throwing a shrink tube on each end to keep it in place and spray painting it.

All my materials showed up to get my batteries made. Ill post up some pics when it is complete.

Here is my Solar & SLA battery setup.

 

[Brinktown]

Last summer I paid a little over $1 per battery on Amazon. Now, they are almost $4 per battery. Looks like I will be just using cameras that are in the good spots, and only prior to season. No more year around.

Stock up fellas:

$27 for 24 and can apply coupons

Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA Batteries | OfficeSupply.com

Shop for Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA Batteries and many other discounted office supplies. Free shipping on orders over $45.

www.officesupply.com

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[williams111]

That’s a good price, it says, “We're sorry but this item is not currently available for this location.”