You're doing it wrong...... 12 Volt Batteries

Smitty010203

Twelve Pointer
Figured I would let you guys in on something I have learned over the past 2 seasons. Basically, if you aren't using 12 volt batteries on your trail cameras you are doing it all wrong. Before I go any further I will say this. I am putting the use of a 12 volt battery for trail cameras on par with Thermacell. Yep. I said it.

In particular, my wife and I run a pile of Stealth Cam Cameras and we use their 12v batteries. Anyway we all know with AA batteries a camera can run a month or two or maybe 3 depending on the camera, settings, and how many photos. (Obviously this varies greatly from camera to camera)

Last year I put out a Stealth Cam and a 12v rechargeable battery in July (2016). I ran that camera until somewhere around March this year and I only pulled it so I could move the camera and I charged it for the hell of it. It was still going strong.

They are $40 bucks, and they are worth every penny. You dont even have to put AA batteries in the camera, it will run solely on the 12v. Long gone are the days of spending $15 on a pile of batteries every month and trashing batteries that still have enough life to run a Tv remote but not enough to run a camera for another week.
 
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LR308

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Combine that with a solar panel and you never have to charge it. That has been my experience. I have had one camera in the field for 2 years with this set up. Only issue has been Turkey's unplugging the cord from camera. Couple zip ties fixed that.
 

badlandbucks

Ten Pointer
I just don't like the idea of something the size of a small car strapped to a tree. I run Ultimate lithium AAs in my cameras and have yet to have to change a set sooner than 9 months.
 

Gilly

Ten Pointer
How do you mount the battery to the tree? Its the same size as the camera and weighs 10X.Raccoons/squirrels don't eat the wire?
 

Smitty010203

Twelve Pointer
You dont have to mount it to the tree??? It just sits on the ground at the base of the tree. THe batteriers come with a cable that probably 10' long and wraps around the handle to the box. So if your camera is 1' off the ground no worries just wrap up all the cord and give it the necessary 1' to the camera on the tree. Then kick some leaves and lay a stick over it.
 

fowlplay'n

Twelve Pointer
I put the lithium energizer AA's in two spypoint cams in August of last year. I ran them on video mode through the season then switched them to camera mode after the season. Started them back on video this August and just had to change the batteries in one camera last week. The other is still going just fine. Some of my cheaper cams suck the batteries down quick but based on my experiences I won't buy anything other than spypoint and lithium batteries moving forward. Can't beat that battery life and much cheaper than $40 each. Plus easier to move.
 

Eggman

Twelve Pointer
Are these 12 volt cameras made this why or can u convert your normal double A cameras to this type of setup?
 
Are these 12 volt cameras made this why or can u convert your normal double A cameras to this type of setup?

You gotta be careful and look at what your camera's input voltage is on the external battery port ..some are 6v and some are 12v ..and not all camera's have the external battery port in my experiences
 

Quackman

Twelve Pointer
Never had a problem with AAs in my trail cams. I run them from July through May without ever changing batteries. Most still have 20%-30% battery life left. I run the Moultree M880s
 
Never had a problem with AAs in my trail cams. I run them from July through May without ever changing batteries. Most still have 20%-30% battery life left. I run the Moultree M880s

I agree if you're running regular camera's, I've found it kinda necessary to run externals on my cell cams though..they eat batteries fairly quickly
 

Wildlifer

Old Mossy Horns
I get the majority of the season on one set of batteries in my cameras. I would have to run the camera for a few years to come out ahead on a 12v battery.
 

30/06

Twelve Pointer
The only time I think this would be useful is with the wireless cams that send pics directly to you, they eat the crap out of batteries especially if the signal is bad. My Browning Strike Forces and Coverts all last a full season on lithium batteries, put out a Browning over a mineral site right after turkey season. Its taken 1000s of pics and is still on 100% battery life. Even if it gets cold it should make it the full year.........and what are the chances it'll actually get cold????
 
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