New Trail Camera Idea
Contributors to this thread:Equipment
From: APauls
12-Jul-21
OK all you inventer types - someone needs to bring a trail camera to market that runs on 18650 lithium cells. Have to think like 4 of those cells would outperform 8 lithium AA's, and they are rechargeable. Would be so much better, and perform so much better in the cold.
From: Pat Lefemine
12-Jul-21
I agree 100%.
The problem is the price point the public is settling in on is less than 100.00. I doubt they can make a rechargeable cam for less than 200. Unfortunately, consumers don't understand math and what they likely pay in disposable batteries would offset the extra cost of a rechargeable cam.
From: LINK
12-Jul-21
8 AA batteries usually last me an entire season. If I replace them it’s once. My cams probably average 100 pics a day per cam. The camera would have to last 5+ years before the additional cost paid off and by that point you’d have to replace the rechargeable battery. I have a cam on my driveway thats been taking pictures since January and has plenty of battery left. The activity up and down my drive produces in excess of 30 pics a day.
From: KHNC
12-Jul-21
I can barely get a camera to last over 2 years. The cheap cameras are junk. Unfortunately, im not totally convinced the 300 dollar ones are that much better either.
From: DanaC
12-Jul-21
Tried rechargeable AA's in a camera. They sucked. Not sure this would be an improvement.
From: greg simon
12-Jul-21
KHNC nailed it. If the camera is going to fail after a couple years anyway I'd rather pay $100 for it than $300.
From: MQQSE
12-Jul-21
I just don’t mess around. I use Spartan cell cams wish battery boxes and lithium batteries as well. I don’t want to intrude until necessary.
From: Pat Lefemine
12-Jul-21
Moultrie's new rechargeable battery box with integrated solar panel
Moultrie's new rechargeable battery box with integrated solar panel
Pat Lefemine's Link
MQQSE, x2
Moultrie introduced a battery box that includes a rechargeable battery and a solar panel on top of the battery box. Excellent idea! I have not received a unit yet to test but I'll let you know how it works.
I imagine that will work very well.
From: Dale06
12-Jul-21
Then there is the theft issue, high end camera and high end batteries, gone.
From: APauls
12-Jul-21
18650 batteries are cheap online. I don’t know why a camera using that as it’s power source would be any more expensive to make than one using AA’s. Whatever cheap power regulator is in there grabs the voltage from the batteries and runs the camera. Supplying the power itself is always up to the user.
I could most likely buy 3-4 lithium cells online for equal or less $ than 8 lithium AA’s. The difference is that the lithium cells would last me many years while the AA’s are throw away and fill up the landfill. I’m not a total hippy but I hate seeing that wastage when a better performing more financially viable option is out there.
From: SBH
12-Jul-21
I joke that it would be cheaper to buy new cameras every two years if they came with lithiums installed rather than replace the damn batteries every year. Buying bulk Lithium on Amazon helps but it's still an investment for sure. I don't get 1 year out of my batteries. Cameras have been running for a long time. Had great luck with cuddeback. Cheap ones were just that, got what I paid for. The didn't work all the time, would miss photo opportunities. Threw them away after battling it for a couple years. Nothing worse then leaving a camera out, driving 4 hours to check things out and no pics. Well there are worse things but man that'll downright piss a guy off. I would be thrilled for a battery solution for sure.
From: Wildan2
12-Jul-21
How about a solar charger?My nephew runs his Reveal X on one and likes it.
From: DanaC
13-Jul-21
I tend to put my cameras in deep cover where solar recharging isn't going to be practical. Looking at one of those auxiliary battery packs, meanwhile I just change out alkalines. In winter I'll use lithiums.
From: JL
13-Jul-21
JL's Link
This one is on Camofire right now......
From: sundowner
13-Jul-21
Four 18650 batteries wired in series total 14.8 VDC. Eight non- rechargeable AA's total 12 VDC. Eight rechargeable AA's total 9.6 VDC. If a trail camera is designed to operate on four 18650's, the other two battery types would not produce enough voltage to operate very efficiently, and perhaps not operate at all, depending on the internal voltage regulator circuitry.
From: Knife2sharp
13-Jul-21
I found some 1.5v lithium 3000 mAh AA batteries on Amazon, that come with a charger. Odd that they don't have these in packs alone, but have 2800 mAh ones. I'm seeing how good they work before I get any more.
From: Huntiam
19-Jul-21
Also need a cell cam with a intercom so I can say “hey bear get the f away from my camera “ when I get a 2 am pic of 144 teeth
From: DanaC
19-Jul-21
Knife2sharp, I would'a warned you, rechargeable and trail cams don't work well together.
