Rechargeable AA-batteries
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: c5ken
28-Sep-22
I have several trail cameras out & I'm going through a lot of AA batteries. Anyone using rechargeable AA's? If so, how are they working out?
From: Dale06
28-Sep-22
Hi Ken, I’ve not used rechargeable. I’ve gotten pretty decent life out of Energizer Lithium AAs. But they cost a lot more.
From: Beendare
28-Sep-22
I use the rechargeables…the higher cap Amazon and Enloops are pretty good. They will lose a charge faster than reg batts just sitting around sometimes due to the integrated circuit. Some are worse than others.
I wish everything would convert to the 18650 batts, those are awesome.
From: Fields
28-Sep-22
Ive used them... They don't seem to last as long as a regular AA.. then again, I buy cheaper rechargeable ones, not super high end types.. so that could be the difference..
From: c5ken
28-Sep-22
Same club has Energizes (8) including a charger for $30. I have seven cameras up so I'm using a lot of AA's. If the rechargeable last it may be worth tying a few...
From: spike78
28-Sep-22
Hell no tried the rechargeable batteries and they didn’t last long at all like 3 weeks don’t waste your money.
From: c5ken
28-Sep-22
OK Thanks for the info guys...
From: sundowner
28-Sep-22
Rechargeable AA batteries only have a 1.2 volt output per cell. Alkaline and lithium batteries put out 1.5 volts each. So, if your camera uses 8 batteries, you get a full 12 volts with alkalines or lithiums, but only 9.6 volts with rechargeables. While most cameras will operate on a range of DC voltage, they will be far more efficient, faster, and produce better photos with max voltage.....and the battery pack will last much longer. Lithiums in any brand will work best.
From: DanaC
28-Sep-22
Tried eneloops and others in trail cams. Crappy results, disappointed. Went back to Energizer alkalines. Lithiums are better but I only use them in winter.
From: sticksender
29-Sep-22
I see that the price of Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA batteries has skyrocketed in the past few months. From the previous price of about 1.00 each when purchased in bulk, to currently about 2.50-3.00 per battery. When you run a bunch of cams that each take 12 AA's, that's some serious cost. Time to look for alternatives. Maybe there's a higher voltage rechargeable out there? Alkalines can still be bought in bulk for under 40 cents per battery....that's about 1/8th the cost of single-use lithiums.
From: BTM
29-Sep-22
Been using rechargeables in my varmint calls and game cams for at least a decade. Saved me a TON of money!
From: drycreek
29-Sep-22
Regular Energizers have proven to be best for me. I tried lithium, I tried rechargeable, and Intried Duracell. None of them worked as well as the bunny or as cheaply.
From: Buckdeer
29-Sep-22
I have been using the solar chargers on a couple of brownings and haven't changed the batteries in almost 2 years but you can't hardly find the chargers anywhere
From: Tradman and Huntress
29-Sep-22
We have been using the same Eneloop batteries for seven years now in our trail cameras (we have a dozen or more cameras in use year 'round). For the cell cams, we use the black Eneloop Pro batteries. I can't say enough good about these batteries, other than the cost up front. They have saved us a bunch of money in the long run. We have always used a smart charger, like the Opus BT-C2400 as you can also use it to refresh older batteries. If you haven't tried the Eneloop Pro- give them a shot. They are well worth the price!
From: backcountrymuzzy
29-Sep-22
Energizer lithiums are the best hands down but like mentioned the prices are absolutely ridiculous right now. $3 for a single battery is insane, Amazon has some other lithium brand that is $1.75 a battery but I haven't tried them yet. If the energizers ever dip in price again its time to stock up. Damn Teslas
From: Teeton
29-Sep-22
Stay away from Duracell alkaline.. Put them in a bunch of Cameras a few years back, almost all leaked. Never had a problem with energizer alkaline so far. I know this has happen to others using duracell. I know this was not what your asking. But it's a battery thread and just trying to warn others. Ed
From: George D. Stout
29-Sep-22
I've used Energizer rechargable since 2016, and a few of them are from that year and they work great. They pay for themselves easily and most come with a charger. They will last quite a while in my cameras and also on the trail cams.
From: drycreek
29-Sep-22
Teeton, that’s why I stopped using Duracells, they ruined on camera and almost ruined another. I was able to clean up the contacts and it still works.
From: CurveBow
29-Sep-22
I use lithiums now. I tried using rechargeable batteries in older cams that I built years ago. They didn't last a day. I was into photography then and bought the highest MAH (milli amphere hour) batteries from B&H Photo that I could get. I used them in camera flash units during wedding shoots. They didn't last 1/2 as long as alkalines and while the alkaline charge would drop and take longer to charge the flash, the rechargeable just tanked and wouldn't charge. I have a pile of them in a drawer with a high tech charger unit that allowed you to "cycle" each of 10 batteries. Never again. I buy lithiums and they last over a year in Bushnell CelluCore 20 camera taking thousands of photos with 20 second videos...
From: APauls
29-Sep-22
Just went to pull some AAA’s for my headlamp today. Two different packs blown well before expiration. Never buying Duracell again
From: DanaC
30-Sep-22
Duracells are the only batteries that ever leaked and ate one of my flashlights, a 4-cell Maglite that out-lasted 3 trucks. No thanks, no more.
From: greenmountain
30-Sep-22
I use Nimh batteries in some of my trail cameras. I recharge once a month or so but I got less than two months out of the energizer ultimate lithium's in the same camera. I assume I got a bad batch.
From: sundowner
30-Sep-22
Most trail cameras have an external DC power input port, allowing you to use an external 12 volt DC battery of any kind, any size. You could use a deep cycle marine battery with 800 cold cranking amps as your source, hook up a quality solar charger, and never visit your cell camera except to replace the SD card.
From: Jaquomo
30-Sep-22
George D, have trail cams been around long enough that they are now considered "traditional"? I have a hard time keeping track anymore, and quit trying ever since carbon arrows were proclaimed as "acceptable".
From: rickepanton
03-Apr-24
I decided to give rechargeable AAs a shot, and let me tell you, I picked up a set of high-quality rechargeables and a charger, and I haven't looked back since. Now, I just swap them out when they're low, pop them in the charger overnight, and they're good to go for the next adventure. Not only have I saved a bunch of money in the long run, but I also feel like I'm doing my part for the environment by reducing battery waste. Plus, it's so much more convenient not having to constantly buy new batteries. For anyone still on the hunt, LR41 equivalents could be worth checking out, too. They might offer a similar cost-effective and eco-friendly solution.
From: Buckdeer
03-Apr-24
Duracells are by far the best I have tried,Get the solar panels when on sale I have over 10,000 pics on same set of batteries with a panel
From: 70lbDraw
03-Apr-24
“Duracells are the only batteries that ever leaked and ate one of my flashlights, a 4-cell Maglite that out-lasted 3 trucks. No thanks, no more.”
Must have been a common occurrence back in the day. I have that exact same mag-light somewhere. Completely useless now.
From: StickFlicker
03-Apr-24
I guess we should thank the Game and Fish in our state for making trail cams illegal. Think of all the money we're saving!
From: No Mercy
04-Apr-24
No Mercy's Link
I haven't tried this yet, but it looks pretty promising.
From: Beendare
04-Apr-24
Old thread but worth mentioning;
The main reason I use rechargeables is they don’t leak acid that can wreck the whole unit. I forgot to take the batteries out of my coyote call and the battery acid killed it.
From: DanaC
04-Apr-24
^^ just curious, what brand of batteries?
