Build 12V External Battery Pack for Trail Camera
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- Опубликовано: 11 сен 2024
- Visit Our Amazon Store (for everything you need regarding this build):
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Amazon Section: Battery Box Setups for Trail Cams:
www.amazon.com...
In the video I will show you how to build a rechargeable external 12 volt extended battery box for your trail cameras and game cameras. External trail camera battery boxes are becoming more popular to extend the life of your game cameras up to a year and beyond before recharging. This is a great way for property managers to have assurance of battery power while their away for extended periods of time or for areas of high wildlife activities where your cameras are constantly working. I have personal experience with this external 12 volt battery setup lasting up to a year (although I usually charge it before that).
The advantages of building your own rechargeable 12 volt trail camera battery boxes are many such as:
1. Extends your battery life to a year and beyond before recharging
2. Never worry about low batteries in your game cameras
3. You can build a box that's better and cheaper than what you can
buy on the market
4. This battery box allows small cameras to fit inside making it
perfect for travel and avoiding damage to the trail cameras
5. Spend more time hunting or playing instead of replacing batteries
Building you own DIY 12volt battery box for trail cameras is easy. I will lay out all the parts you need to build this project and extend your battery life on your game cameras.
Any questions please feel free to email me at:
HHSteve@protonmail.com
• Build 12V External Bat...
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** TECH NOTE: To minimize moisture inside ammo box with battery, put a couple silica pouches inside! Work great! *However if you have a leak where rain water gets in, this will not help. Inspect periodically throughout the season.
This is a brilliant idea that I am copying right away. Running with this concept, I intend to convert a few old Uway VH200B and Covert 60 Black trail cameras to derive power from external 6-volt motorcycle batteries, but rather than make my battery connection via the provided socket on the camera housing, I did away with the internal batteries altogether, and spliced into the power wires that originally hooked up the camera to the internal battery bay, before then routing that new power cable extension out the camera to a weatherproof plug for the external battery hookup. The trail camera door closes for a nice watertight seal even with the external power connection in place.
This way power from the external battery will not be interrupted when opening the camera door to retrieve memory cards, allowing all the internal AA batteries to be eliminated completely, while retaining normal functionality of the date stamp. Thank you sir for this fantastic idea. A dozen old trail cameras now have a new lease of life, and the best part is, I won't have to buy one single AA battery. Eliminating the internal AA batteries is a big deal for me because I have lost a couple of trail cameras to battery corrosion in the past, when I left the twelve internal batteries in the camera for too long.
Glad it was helpful! Good luck!
Velcro at the bottom of box and bottom of battery works really well to keep battery secure! Just a little DYI tip ! Love your videos! Thank you so much !
Great tip! Thank you for sharing👍👍👍
This saves $. Using a Delta by Moultrie with 12v Motorcycle battery, but I appreciate the tip on Expert brand. I did have to label wires on my homemade cord + & -. I also poured some insecticide granules inside the box. I lost a cam last year to ants. I have backup AA's in the cam, but not sure they have ever been utilized. I remove two of them to trick the cam into using the aux battery each time I've recharged. Great Video Sir.
Thank you! Glad it was helpful! Good luck👍
Thanks to you and this video, I now have my own battery pack for my Browning :) Loving it! Thank you so much!
You are welcome my friend! Glad it worked out for you! Keep in touch.
I use those small milwaukee 12v lithium very small lasts very long
Great idea! Thanks for sharing!
I would've looked at the battery part number and thought it was the expiration date of Dec1, 2020.LOL
This is awesome and I wish I had done this years ago because I've probably paid for these 20 times by now.
I bought the battery tester and cables from you and bought 3 ammo boxes from Harbor Freight (>$4 each). The batteries I got from a local supplier for $12 each and built 3 of these units (so probably >$26 each). So easy and my cameras would normally eat AA batteries. So far I've had them installed and batteries are still at 100%.
Awesome! So glad they are working out!!
@@TheHandyHunter I put the battery tester in an electrical box and added some external terminals for testing batteries directly along with a test plug. It turned out good.
Awesome! Great idea!
Thank you for this video! I had some spare UPS batteries that I bought from a bulk order, now I know what to do with them!
You are welcome! Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for the information, including the parts list with part numbers. It will be very useful to me.
bhr You are welcome my friend. Great setup! I just pulled most of mine from the field to recharge and after 8 months they still had around 80% battery life on busy cameras. It just takes the worry away of whether you still have battery life out in the woods. Thanks for watching!
I just got done pulling my hair out trying to convert a few old Uway, Covert Black 60, and Bushnell trail cameras to use an external battery pack. All these cameras have a 6-volt external batter jack, so I figured it would be easy to simply cut the internal power line that connects the 12-pack of AA batteries to the camera, and splice in the wire to connect an external 6 volts supply that I obtained by using a small DC voltage converter to step down 12 volts from an external motorcycle battery, to obtain 6 volts.
Not one of the three cameras I tried to convert this way, worked with my DIY conversion, and this got me to wondering if these cameras only use 6 volts at the external jack, but actually require 12 volts from the internal battery pack. I am certain that the 12 AA batteries are not connected in series, because that would add up to 1.5 volts x 12 = 18 volts, so I guess my question to you is whether you might be aware of how those 12 AA batteries are wired up in the camera, and what the voltage might be, from all twelve batteries, from the factory.
I am tempted to wire in a straight 12 volts, but decided to ask here first, before taking that radical step that could fry the camera, if my guess that 12 volts is the required voltage, turns out to be wrong. I had assumed, perhaps wrongly, that if a trail camera has a 6-volt external battery jack, then the internal battery pack also adds up to the same 6 volts, but my failure to get any of these cameras to run off 6 volts, casts doubt on that assumption I made about the internal battery voltage always being the same as the external battery jack voltage rating.
Any thoughts you might care to share, on how many volts those 12 AA batteries add up to in these cameras, would be enormously appreciated sir.
I think you are running on 9 volts internally which is half of 18v. That makes the most sense. Any way you can put AA batteries back in the pack and then test the output of the total pack? Or you can bump up the voltage to 9v at the external jack and see if it comes on. Let us know how it goes?
@@TheHandyHunter This quick reply is much appreciated sir. i just went back and read the packaging on a covert Black 60, and saw a mention that the camera will run off 4, 8 or 12 AA batteries, which suggests that 6 volts is indeed the right supply voltage.
Unfortunately, I had already tried 12 volts, before reading that the camera essentially runs on 1.5 volts x 4 = 6 volts, connected in parallel when 8 or 12 AA batteries are used.
That one camera smoked instantly with 12 volts supplied, and is a write-off, but the good news is that I have a better idea of how to ensure the same thing doesn't occur with any of the other cameras I intend to convert. So, all told, it looks like the supply voltage has got to be 6 volts, meaning I need to check my connections more carefully with a meter next go-round, before powering up.
I'll write back with an update that will hopefully enable others to avoid the mistake I made ha ha.
Sounds good, let me know hiw it goes!
there some videos on you tube where they dont no what there talking about .this guy knows what he talking about be careful to how you wire your cam up guys and gals
Thank you!
I have run my Browning recon force camera off of a battery out of a riding lawn mower with good results. But I am wondering about putting one of those cheap in-line fuse assemblies on one of the connecting wires, the kind that are made of plastic and when you unscrew it, the fuse falls out in your hand. What size fuse would be good, that is to say, what kind of amps does the camera pull? You made an excellent video.
Thanks so much for your comment! The good news is that you don't need an inline fuse because these Browning cameras pull very little power. I run 8 cameras, all Brownings, and I have no fuses installed. Even the Stealth Cam 12v plug wire doesn't come with an inline fuse either...it just has spades on one end and the plug on the other. Now if you are thinking of adding a solar panel to charge your battery then you'll need to install an inline 12v regulator between the battery and the camera to protect the camera.. You can buy these on Amazon for about $1 a piece (12v regulator #7812...cost about $7.50 for #10) or you can buy them at Radio Shack. I have a video coming out on Sunday that deals with adding solar directly to a trail cam without an external battery. In the day it runs on free sun, at night it switches to internal batteries automatically. If you are a subscriber you'll get the notification, if you are not a subscriber remember to check back on Sunday to see the video. I hope it is helpful to you. In the meantime, always glad to help. You can email me at Steve@digitalsouth.com if you want to connect directly. Thanks!
How about a video on using these batteries to make a good general purpose power supply? Maybe something you could charge both through the alternator in a truck and solar? If you don’t have any ideas I’d be happy to check any vids you could refer me to. Something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time.
Just need an inline fuse to make it electrically safe and you're good to go :)
A lot of cameras tend to use a 6V power source vs the 12V. Obviously if you are running 12V without some type of conversion cable you'll likely burn up a 6V camera. My question is..is the cable you are using a conversion type cable and could you describe how you ran the cable out of the box to keep it out of the elements and bugs out of the box. Thanks for the informative videos.
Brandon Greer Hi Brandon, the cable I use has no voltage regulation. If you are trying to power a 6volt camera with a 12volt battery then you will need to install a small 6volt regulator on the cable in this video to protect your camera. Here is a link to a 6 volt regulator on Amazon. STMicroelectronics L7806CV L7806 Positive Voltage Regulator ICs Output 6v TO-220 1 Pack www.amazon.com/dp/B00CRAQQMM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_aEu4Ab63HBMG9. The other option is to stay with a 6 volt battery and then you wont need to install a voltage regulator. To answer your 2nd question, I take a razor knife and trim a little cut in the rim.of the lid so the cord will lay flush when the lid is closed. It works pretty well and I don't really have problems with critters. They are not waterproof and I found that out the hard way when the swamp water rose above the lid and filled it with water. Now I hang them on a tree or a stump just in case of a flood. Let me know if I answered your questions. Glad to help! Good luck!
Brandon, you would need to use a voltage regulator chip. If you want to know how to wire it, let me know.
I put my batteries & cams at least 6’ off the ground. 8’ if possible. Hogs and cows you know. I buy sonic brand 6v, 12Ah batteries and hook 2 up in protected parallel for a total of 24Ah. One can go bad and not hurt the other. Also use a 10 watt solar panel if setup spot gets sufficient sun. I make a box out of 6” cedar fencing and give it a good coat of latex paint. I just took down a Spartan cam that ran for 4 years that way.
Great suggestions Jack! It’s nice once you get these cams in self sustaining mode and not have to worry about maintenance for a while! Thanks for sharing!
Another reason for having 2 batteries is that I once witnessed almost 2 months of no sun. We should see more of that as we enter solar minimum.
I’ve been looking into making a battery pack using LiFePo4 Lithium cells. Right now it is to costly. I can buy 4 SLA batteries for the same price. Plus the charging mechanics for Lithium batteries is pretty complicated. Plus, a low discharge rate is great for SLA, but not so good for Lithium. Lithium is great for high discharge rates.
Great video with the parts reference. Thanks for including that. I don't worry much about my Brownings as I can get nearly a year out of a set of lithiums. BUT, I am looking into one of these externals for the cell cams I am running. Do you have any experience in that area? Even with lithiums I only get about 3 months worth of power on the cell cams. Thanks again for a very imformative video.
Jim Owens Hi Jim, you are so right these Browning do last a very long time! I do not have any experience with the cell cams but may give it a try this year. One thing you might want to consider is a solar setup like in my other video. You would use a solar panel to charge an external 12 volt battery. You would never have to worry about power again. Let me know how you like the cell cam and what you decide on the battery setup. Good luck!
Hey man, thanks for this video. I've been using 3 trail (cheaper knock off brands) cams for B roll on my videos and people love them. Problem is, I'm spending a bunch on AA batteries. I decided to upgrade camera quality and ordered a Browning recon advantage to add to my camera set out in the woods. I was wondering if they all basically use the same jack size and voltage. They all use 8 AA's, so I figure 12V is what they are running. Also, when you run this box on your camera, do you remove the AA batteries? One of my cameras powered up with just 4 batteries in one of the compartments (top/bottom), which tells me that one may be running with 6v. Maybe the two 6V are in parallel to get the life. The electronics in the camera probably run on 5V. There's also an HME brand power pack now for $57 that has a solar panel as well. Thumbs up on the video and thanks again.
Hi there, all Brownings that I know of are 12v and take a 2.1x5.5mm plug. I always run lithium internal batteries so they dont corrode but still give you a backup insurance policy in case something unplugs your cord. Hope that helps! Good luck!
@@TheHandyHunter thanks, I did a lot more research and found that some of my other cams are 6v. I used your links to get the cable, and a battery. I got a smaller AH battery. The one you spec'd out is good, and would last probably 6 months. lol I also ordered some 6V batteries for my other cameras and an assorted plug kit to determine the plugs they use. I'm guessing 2.1 x 4mm. Thanks again for the video - it got me on the right path. My browning is supposed to arrive today. woot.
If the 6volts arent 2.1mmx5.5mm then they are probably 1.7mmx4mm. Good luck!
Great idea why don’t you mount solar panel on battery box?
You definitely could but I tend to use these boxes most where I don’t have good sun. I use a different setup for the sunny areas.
Can this battery pack (Tenergy NiMH Battery Pack) be used on a feeder? Would it take a 2 watt or a 7 watt solar panel on a feeder?? be used on a 12v game feeder.
Which voltage and percent meter do you like. Small easy to read. Thanks
If you look down in the description I have a link to the battery tester on Amazon. It’s a simple little tester that’s easy to read. You’ll need to add alligator clips because I don’t think they come with them. There are some others on Amazon but this one works great and it’s not too expensive. Hope this helps.
Hey Handy Hunter love the external battery pack idea, definitely on my to do list. Could you tell me what you use to charge your packs with and send me a link or pic to the charger you use. Thx a million
Hi Don, I just use a car battery charger that has a low amp turtle mode as you want to charge slow and low amps. Works great. I also have a video on a charging train setup that allows you to charge multiple batteries at once off a car charger. Hope that helps!
Thanks for the Video, Its going to help me with my project
You are welcome my friend! Good luck with your project!!!
But you didn't finish the setup. How does it plug in?
Trying to figure out how to set up my cam with external power. My cam is rated for 6v 2a with 3.5mm x 1.5mm. I'm having a hard time finding a Lithium at that rating. Do you have a suggestion for a set up that will properly power my cam and not fry it?
You can take any 12v LifePo4 battery and reduce down to 6v with a buck converter. Don’t worry about the amp rating. You will only fry it with too high of voltage. Good luck!
Have you experimented with a lithium ion battery? It seems like the consistant power supply of Li would be better.
I haven’t yet but I am about to build one!
Do I have to cut a hole in amo box for the cord to come out and connect to the camera?
I typically cut a little notch in the rim with a razor knife that’s just big enough for a tight fit.
Great video, man! I ordered the parts off Amazon yesterday, they were all delivered today, and I I've got an auxiliary battery pack plugged in and ready to go. Question for you, though. I have fresh batteries in my Browning Dark OPS PRO XD camera. When I plugged in the external battery pack, I expected to see the screen on the camera showing that it was being powered by the external battery. I didn't see that though. Do the onboard batteries have to drop below some level before the external batteries are recognized?
Hi Richard, I’m not familiar with that particular Browning so I cant say for certain how it reacts when plugged in but all my Brownings show ext battery. Try pulling your internal batteries and then plug it in. If it comes on and still doesnt say ext batt then you are probably good to go. Run only lithium batteries internally so they dont corrode after many months. Let me know how it works out. That a great camera!
@@TheHandyHunter , I figured it out. This particular camera doesn't display 'ext battery' when an external power source is plugged in, so that was throwing me off. But when you switch back and forth between internal and exteral power, the display switches too. I can't recall exactly what it says. Not 'ext battery' but definitely something different from what it displays when the power source is the internal batteries. It's working great, and I'm looking forward to months of unattended service. Thanks again for the great video. - Rich
By the way, when using an external pack and internal batteries the cam will use whichever set has the higher voltage. If you use a solar panel on the external pack then the internal batteries won’t be used. My Spartan 3G ran 4 years without using the internals. After 2 years I swapped them out cause I was afraid they might start leaking, but they still showed full voltage. To my knowledge all game cams behave this way. Also the internal batteries are diode protected to prevent back feed.
And Rayovac’s don’t leak!!!
I was patiently waiting for you to build the box. Is it a 12 volt 12 amp battery?
It’s a 12v 12amp hour rated battery which means that it can deliver 1 amp of power for 12 hours. Hope that helps.
Any input on an easy/economical way to add an inline fuse?
You could just splice one in from an auto parts store. I never use them but some people like to have fuses on trail cams.
Thanks for the video! What's the size of the barrel jack, I'd like to build my own and can't find that info anywhere? Also, just to confirm, you can run the external battery and internal batteries at the same time? (even using a lead acid battery like you have outside and alkaline non rechargeable batteries inside).
Hi Pete, most cameras take a 2.1 or 1.7mm barrel jack depending on the brand. You can find them both on Amazon pretty cheap. All of my Brownings are 2.1mm. What brand camera do you have?
@@TheHandyHunter thanks for the reply. I have a few browning Recon cameras. I think they are 2.1mm barrel jacks but if you could confirm that I'd appreciate it. Thanks!
If I use this for the Browning BTC-7 Do you leave the 8 aa lithiums in the camera? Thanks
I have a cheap wildgame camera that is 6v. It runs off of 4c batteries. It takes good pics but is really hard on batteries. Would I be better off using a 12v battery with a 6v regulator or just go with a 6v battery?
The easiest route would be a 6 volt battery.
quick question. Have you ever used the batteries you like but basically just replaced the batteries in the stealth cam box? I would assume the battery Stealth cam provides is not the same quality as mine only last about 2-3 months. So, I am thinking that you could take these batteries and swap the stealth cam battery out. The box has the wires already installed and you can charge the battery through the charging port.
You can swap out as long as it’s the correct voltage…you should be good!
Are u going to make one for Cuddeback cuddelink link camera?
I was waiting for how you hooked the stuff up and had the camera mounted inside the box when it is set to capture! It never came. Putting stuff in an ammo box to carry isn't that complicated to figure out! LOL! Does the camera have a plug-in for that 12 volt plug?
Yep, you can only use this kind of setup if your camera has a 12v external jack. Hope that helps.
Great videos and information. Question: Are you using rechargable 12v battery or rechargable AA batteries as well with the solar panel? Or would a regular 12v battery charge by the solar? I want to make up a few solar panels with regulators and 12 volt battery. Thanks for your videos.
The battery in the bix is rechargeable but the batteries in the camera are not. The solar panel will not charge batteries in the camera through the external jack. Hope that helps.
Where can I find a solar charger attachment in this dimension DC 12V/1A Plug 4.0x1.7mm???
Check out the link to our amazon store and we have those in there. Hope that helps
You mention having the batteries out there for a long time. And you have Browning camera(s).. May I ask how long you've had the 'oldest' camera? I'm just curious as to what kind of life span they have. Sorry about all the silly questions, but this is all very new to me.
My oldest Browning is about 10 years old and stays in the woods year round. I have spent thousands of dollars over the years on various cameras and 90% are total junk. Most end up in the garbage after a few months. I have had the best luck with Brownings. Although I haven’t tried all brands it seems as though Browning makes the best trailcam on the market.
@@TheHandyHunter Thank you. That was also my impression from researching all the videos here on RUclips.
Did I see a recent video wherein you went from the SLA battery to the NiMH setup? Have you looked at doing a Lithium Ion pack with the same voltage regulator as was used in the NiMH version?
Yep, I do have a video on the NiMH setup and it works great. I’m in the process of building a couple setups using different lithium setups...including 2170 tesla batteries. I will be testing them against sla setup for comparison. Thanks brother!!
what battery box could i fix that would fit a 12 v acid battery ah40 that i want to connect to solar 2-panel with the have hook up in the box use solar in winter and steal dead bolt up in my tree. can you put the link to the 7.00 connector wire that you said you no longer have to build your own off amazon that would work with the set up i trying to assemble since it solar panel i think i have to have or put holes in the box that connects the panels to the battery I can locate a battery box like that for the size of battery I wanting to use off grid in Okla and view in PA on my cell phone and computer over the winter.? Any suggestions will be appreciated.
If you go to trail camera section in our amazon store you will find everything we use that may help with your project. Good luck!
Hi, is it safe to use my camera with 6v 12ah bike battery, camera works with 6x AA (9V), or its better to use 12V car battery and mount voltage regulator and set it to around 9V? what is better? The camera writes 9V DC input, also i know that solar panel have 6V output (around 7.2-7.4 when fully charged) and camera work with panel
thanks
Does your camera have an external jack or are you direct wiring into the battery case? If you are using the jack does it have a little inprint next to it that tells you what voltage the ext jack runs on? Sometimes the jack voltage isnt the same as the battery pack voltage. Just need to clarify how you are connecting it.
@@TheHandyHunter Yea, i have two cameras, both have 9V dc input jack, 1. camera work with 6 AA and 2. camera work with 8 AA batteries
I would use a 12v car bartery or 12v small battery like in the video and install a 9 volt regulator on the plug going to the camera. You will be good to go!
@@TheHandyHunter And what you think, will it work with 6V bike battery, with 7.4V output voltage (when fully charged)?
Nope, won’t work. You need a 9volt battery or a 12v that’s regulated down to 9v. Even if it would run at 7.2 volts as soon as your battery losses full charge it would stop working because of low voltage. Hope that helps.
Thank you very good video ......
Thank you…good luck!
I've subscribed. Thanks for making these videos. I'm adding the solar option to one of my cameras this week. Unfortunately the second camera doesn't have an ac option, but I may convert it. If you have any tips on that, I would appreciate it greatly. I don't want to return it because the IR's illuminate the area well enough to grab my attention on CCTV. I may purchase a 3rd cam, and it will be a Browning Strike Force because of your videos. Again, Thank you for the content. :)
You are welcome...thanks for watching! Regarding your cameras with no 12volt plug...if you are a gambling man you could add up the voltage of your batteries and try to wire in an external battery to the + and - of the internal pack. Usually not a lot of room to work with so it makes it difficult. For this reason I only stick with cameras that have external plug options. Let me know how it goes and good luck!
Thanks for the reply. It's either I return this and get a camera with the plug in option, or keep it because of the IR's. The decision is tough haha. I will be setting up the solar power on the Stealthcam tomorrow, hopefully. Then I will try to figure out with to do with the Bushnell.
Jason McKillop I have a couple that don’t have plugs and mainly use them for short term scouting areas. As they get old I just phase them out and buy new ones with plugs. There’s always a use for a working trail camera. It’s the ones that don’t work that I really hate! I’ve owned waaaay too many of those!
Why dont you use a cable Gland to run the power cord through. How do you attache it to camera and battery cord would get pinched in the lid and not seal right.
You definitely could. Several ways to do it. Some use a plug into the box. I find that making a tiny notch in the lid with a razor knife will seal without pinching. You can also lay a spinning drill bit sideways and let it eat a half moon circle in the edge the size of your cable. Hope that helps and good luck.
@@TheHandyHunter cable Gland would make it water tight. Dont like the no hoch.install gland run cable through it tighten it up and would be water tight. I just purchased 10 cable Gland from Amazon 7 bucks.
The problem will be that the box lid is not waterproof. It does a pretty good job but not totally waterproof around the rim. Make sure you keep you box high if in a swampy area because they will fill with water if left on the ground. Good luck with your build!
@@TheHandyHunter mine have a rubber seal around it. Got it from walmart. Going to get this box also very nice box harbor freight.
The link for the battery does not work. Just sends me to another video. Can't find it on Amazon. Thanks for putting this video out!
Hi Daniel, thanks for the heads up! Here's a link to the battery on Amazon. I've also updated it on the video in the description. Thanks brother and good luck! www.amazon.com/ExpertPower-EXP12120-Volt-Rechargeable-battery/dp/B00A82A2ZS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1542816555&sr=8-2&keywords=expertpower+exp12120
Thanks for getting back to all of us@@TheHandyHunter !
I'm new to trail cams (about 2 years). I own 4 Browning cams and one older Pyle. I'm going to build at least 4 of your design boxes. So, now off subject. None of my Strike Force Gen 5's have invisible IR. I get some great video, but most critters stop and stare at the IR (the range cattle stop and sniff, and sometimes knock off tri-pod). They are rather bright when I walk my cams at night. Was wondering if you have any experience with any Browning cameras with invisible IR? Great videos. Keep up the good work! ~Steve
Yes, the dark IR’s seem to be much less visible to animals and still make decent video/pics at night. Can’t go wrong with the Brownings as Ive been really happy with mine. Hope that helps and good luck.
Do the lead acid batteries work in temperatures down to 0 F? I would like to not buy Lithium batteries.
I am pretty sure they do but I can’t say for certain. Doesn’t get that cold where we are. Definitely a betrer choice over lithium in the cold. Good luck!
What method do you use to get the cable out of the box to the camera? Did you just drill a hole then seal the hole?
I just cut a little V out of the lip on the hinge end of the box. When the lid comes down it presses against it making a tight seal. Hope that helps!
Hey there, so are the batteries rechargeable, I'm assuming yes. Also those particular ones in this video, how many volts and amps are in those? Do you have to figure out how many amps the camera can function with and tolerate. In other words can the battery have too many and/or too few amps. The last thing I want to do is fry my camera/s
Hi John, the batteries are rechargeable. The battery in this video is a 12 volt 12 Amp/Hr battery. You don't have to figure anything out with amps...you just need to make sure you use a 12 volt battery with a 12 volt camera. I know guys that use car batteries with trail cameras and they work great. If you cameras are 12 volt then they will work just fine with these 12volt batteries...I've used them for years. Let me know if I can be of further help. Thanks for stopping by!
Will this work on the cell cameras also?
Yes sir!
How do I know where the product bought from?
99.9% chance it’s all from china
You mention in comments that you started hanging the box from a tree. What have you found to be the best way of doing this without affecting the integrity of the box?
Hi Steve, if you hang it just by the handle the weight of the battery will slightly gap open your lid over time. I take two large 10” spike nails (from home depot) and nail them side by side to make a shelf for it to sit on. I also sometimes put a single one through the handle to keep the box steady from critters. It works great and keeps your box off the ground. Hope that helps!
Are there issues with using unsealed (motorcycle) batteries? I have a fairly new one I pulled out of a jetski and would like to wire it to a cam. Would I need to vent the ammo can? Do I need any kind of step-down capacitor to get the power down to 1amp for the cam DC socket?
As long as the voltage is the same as your cam you should be perfectly fine. You might want to crack the lid a bit but that’s it. Good luck!
I have a spypoint link -w so could I use the spypoint rechargeable battery together with this setup .. so if the spypoint battery starts to die your battery setup will kick on and keep the camera going or just use what your setup with no batteries inside the camera ?
And also would I need an inline fuse ?
Im not sure how your system is setup? Are the Spypoint rechargeable batteries inside the cam or external? Typically whatever power you plug in takes precedence over internal batteries. Once the external source dies most will then convert to the internal batteries…basically like unplugging it from power and it switching back to internal batteries. Hopefully, that helps! Good luck!
Oh, I don’t use in-line fuses and never had a problem. Some people like to use them though.
got a e bike battery 13 amp hours 36v with a USB port i think i will use that
If you have a 6 volt camera would you have to install a reducer somewhere along the line? Making a 12 volt down to 6 volt? Or would you just suggest going with a 6 volt camera? Also, are the batteries rechargable? Thanks again
You have options. You can downregulate a 12v battery to 6v using a 6v regulator on the cable to your camera or you can just buy a large 6 volt battery and plug it directly into your 6 v cam. The extended batteries are usually rechargeable if you get the right ones. Hope that helps.
@@TheHandyHunter could you make a video on wiring 2 6 volts in parallel for extra capacity on a cell camera? Thanks!
Great vid, good info!
Thank you brother! Appreciate you watching!
Hi from Northern Portugal. Great video, I use a Browning BTC-5HD but latelt battery life has been rather poor, hence I am planning to attach to a 12v battery as you explained. Question: Do you drill a hole on the side of the ammo box for the cable to go through? Do you seal it again with silicone for example so it doesn't become a handy ants nest? Also, is there a risk that the 12v battery ampage be too high that it will blow the camera electrics? Thanks in advance for the advice.
Example of local visitors: ruclips.net/video/-oa29hh6AAg/видео.html Scared my Mrs alright one night!
Hi friend! I don’t drill a hole I just take a razor blade and notch the lip a little so the wire fits perfectly when closed. I don’t silicone either. I find that the box is not “ant” tight no matter what you do. The best practice is to get it up off the ground. I try to hang mine on a branch or nail a spike into the tree to hang it on. Getting it off the ground also keeps it dry from the rising water sometimes. Great camera you have there! Love those Brownings! Thanks for stopping by.
Oh, don’t worry about the amps...you’ll be fine. It’s the voltage that matters and if you are using a standard 12v you will be fine. I’ve never had a problem at all.
That's really cool! Those pigs have a little different look than ours. Love those Brownings...is that the BTC-5HD? I got the new 1080p and it's awesome...but not cheap!
** Ammo Box ** Harbor Freight Tools LINK: www.harborfreight.com/030-caliber-ammo-box-63135.html ** Price: $6 ea. + TX
So my question is about polarity. I have a stealth cam reactor. I am going to attempt to hook up a 12v external battery to it. If i have a cable that bas a barrwl plug that fits can i just crimp on con ectors to fit thw battery? Doea polarity matter? Thanks in advance. You have some great video's
Yes, polarity matters. The inside of the barrel plug is positive and the outside is negative. Just test it with a voltmeter before you plug it in and you should be good to go.
@@TheHandyHunter thanks for the reply. I appreciate it!
Hey there, curious what your preferred camera is? I've come to find not all of them offer the 12v plug!
I use Browning for trail cams and Bigfoots for cell cams. They both have external plugs which is a must for me. Hope that helps!
Can you recharge the expert battery? How would you do that?
Yep. You can buy 12v wall chargers off Amazon. Just clip to the terminals and plug in.
Will a 6 volt spin feeder battery work in a tight while I change my 12120 Expert Power batteries?
Not if your camera is a 12 v...must match the voltage. Hope that helps. Good luck.
Question: Have you ever had any 'bad effects' from using these external batteries (as opposed to regular batteries)??
I've had 3 cameras die on my in a matter of months, all Browning Recon Force Advantage.
Cam 1: arrived 17th April, kept going blurry and foggy, returned in May, replaced. (with Cam2)
Cam 2: arrived 18th May, went 'pop' on a video (like an LED blew), then stopped working altogether, returned 3 days ago, replacement on the way.
Cam 3: arrived 9th June, suddenly last night it stopped taking night videos, will only take daylight videos. Called it in, will be replaced also.
Replacements are fine and good, but right now I'm without cameras, and I'm pretty ticked off. These cameras aren't cheap, and I'd expect them to last, not die on me in a matter of months.
My batteries are in a protected ammo box, and they are completely dry, nothing going on in there whatsoever.
Videos of these happenings are on my channel if anyone cares to look.
I bought these Brownings because they seemed to have the best night video quality (and I shoot only night videos), but what good does that do if they wont LAST?
I haven’t ever had any problems with any of my Browning cameras but I haven’t used you model either. Did all the problems happen using the same battery? What is the voltage of the battery? I wonder if maybe the battery is bad? This may be a stupid question but did you double check the voltage requirement of the camera? All my Brownings are 12v but again I don’t know about your model. I’m curious to learn what you find out. Keep me updated. Thanks for commenting!
@@TheHandyHunter Thanks for answering. No, they were all on different batteries. Somehow the battery for the last camera was very low, when it shouldn't be, I now have to check if there's a problem with that. With a new battery, the camera runs nights again. I also wasn't aware that there can be power enough for day videos but not for night videos, guess it makes sense with the LEDs having to run.
The very first camera took in water pretty much. And the one that gave up some days ago, I also suspect water problem. They shouldn't really be that susceptible to water (ordinary rain), but another user has mentioned problems by rain as well.
I also suspect that cameras by me run way more than most. In the past 5 months, I've had a total of over 15,000 videos (for two cameras). Interesting though, that the camera with the biggest load (I've had up to 250 videos (20 sec) in one night on that one), is also the one still running.
I had 3 of the 4 Browning recons die after 1 season and they sent me one to make up for it since they were over 12 old. Water in the sd card . Water through out and 1 just quit.
Browning used to be my favorite camera brand since their older models were kind of bulletproof. I’ve had to buy the newer models as my old ones die off and I’m having quirky issues with all of them. I wish they still had the quality of the older cams. I’m not sure where to go from here. Seems like they are all junk these days.
Love your tips! Do you like these or the solar charger ones you make better? Im using the spypoint micro! Thank you
I like both but the solar is completely maintenance free. The battery box will last me a year in the field so that’s pretty maintenance free as well. The battery box is a no brainer and quickest to set up. The solar takes more work up front but worth it in the long haul. Hope that helps and welcome to the channel! Glad to have you aboard!
I ordered 12 batteries last night lol Thank you again for sharing your hard work! I love building things to! Nebraska here! Try to get down by Palenstine hunting hogs Every year
Roger Sears that’s awesome! Sounds like you are getting a big project underway. You’ll love those battery setups. Make sure you watch my video on the battery charging train. It makes charging all your batteries at once a breeze...especially if you have 12! I’d bring all my batteries in at once and charge all together overnight and then put back out next morning. Saves you a lot of time! Keep in touch!
Would I be able to use this setup on a Spartan Gocam. And would I be able to buy this kit already setup ready to plug and play from you.
Hi Paul, I don’t sell them but they are easy to build yourself. You can also buy kits ready to go off Amazon. Look down in the description and you see the list. I’m not sure what size plug the spartan uses but but it’s probably either a 2.1x5.5mm or 1.7x4mm so make sure you research which one it takes. Good luck brother.
Bought the wires that you recommended and they don't fit my wildgame innovations insite cellular trail camera.
Got the boly guard 79in/2M doorbell & camera wire
#X002810YRT
AND I got two DC Power male to female cable
#X001R62LAT
THANKS FOR ANY HELP.
THE CAMERA SAYS 6V. AND HAS A MALE PLUG THE WIRE THAT GOES FROM THE BATTERY TO THE CAMERA WITH HOOK TO THE BATTERY BUT THE FEMALE END LOOKS LIKE IT DOES NOT GO INTO THE CAMERA FAR ENOUGH
are you saying the "plug" doesn't fit? If so, you may have the wrong size plug. Most cams use a 2.1x5.5mm plug but a few do use 1.7x4.0mm. You can find links to both in our Amazon store under solar trail cams once you find out which size your cam takes. You may have to call the manufacturer to find out. Hope that helps.
Yes it does not fit, I think you are correct it is the wrong size. I'll order the other one and see.
Wildgame innovations is no help you can't even get a reply from them.
This new Insite cam has a printed circuit board soldered to the batteries. Worse case I can get my fluke out and solder wires onto the terminals but I wanted to try and keep the plug use because these cameras are awesome (so far) it's really nice to get real-time video (within 150yrds or so) & have the pics sent to my cell.
Thanks I'll let you know how the new plug works out👍
How do you route the cord?
I take a razor knife and cut out a little V-channel in the rim just perfectly sized for the cord. Hope that helps!
Can you use 18v Milwaukee batteries
I don’t see why not if you put a 12 v regulator on the cable to the camera. Good luck!
is it waterproof to keep those batteries out in the open?
It’s not a waterproof box but seals up nicely. I tend to keep them off the ground by putting on a log or hanging on a tree. My swamp areas can flood so I try to keep them above the water.
You didn't mention anything about changing these batteries. A solar charger would be ideal, and with that you wouldn't need as big of a battery. Or, you could purchase an extra battery and exchange the charged battery with the one needing charged when you change the SD card.
Hi there and thanks for your comments! These batteries are rechargeable and last a really long time on these efficient cameras. I usually bring them in for recharging every 8-10 months (and there's still a lot of juice left). You could definitely get by with smaller batteries...I just like to go bigger. I bring them all in (I have about 5 packs) and I charge them all at once using a "charging train" that I created. I don't know if you saw it but I have another video on combining these with solar. Here's the link: ruclips.net/video/U4S4qpXqbQY/видео.html. Thanks for stopping by and happy hunting...let me know if you need anything else!
you will fill up the sd card long before you flatten a battery like that
si Hi Si, you are correct. We check our cards pretty frequently but don't have to worry about the batteries for months...just a convenience thing when you have a lot of cameras. Also prevents downtime on cameras if cameras aren't checked in a while...kind of an insurance policy. They always seem to go dead when you need them the most!
I have Browning camera and I need to supply power for 6months at a time. I have watched your solar panel video and know this one. Which is the easiest form to use?
Richard Compton Hi Richard, great question! Both will get you to 6 months easily. I love both equally but the battery box is plug and play where the solar takes a little mounting and wiring work (with the 12 regulator). If you use the battery box I would recommend running batteries in your camera too for backup and it will keep your time/date stamp info while you take your battery in for charging. Can't beat either but the box is probably the easiest to set up. Let me know if I can help!
Appreciate the response.
Do you know which camera brands the Stealth Cam external power cable will fit? I have several Moulties and Bushnells.
Hard to say but they are most likely a 2.1mm plug like most. An easy backup plan would be to buy the 1.7mm adaptor plug off Amazon in case it’s not. Most trail cams take either a 2.1mmx5.5mm (like the stealth cord) or a 1.7mmx4mm like this... Onite 2pcs DC Plug Tips Female Connectors to Male Jack for PSP 2 3 4(5.5x2.1mm to 4.0x1.7mm) www.amazon.com/dp/B06XPYC55S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_KEeHDb67NB3WN
Thanks!
Browning camera lasting for months at at time? Not really. I just got a brand new Browning Recon Force Advantage (great camera), it was out for 14 nights (close to house, so picking up card each day), filming a total of 630 night 20-sec videos (210 minutes total), add a few daytime videos as well, a total of app. 40 GB (I film 30fps video, with flash on long range). And that was the end of 8 Engergizer Ultimate Lithium batteries. 2 weeks! Hence me looking for some alternative.
I don't understand... In the other video (about solar panels) you said it was important to put a voltage regulator between battery and camera, yet here you have a cable directly from battery to camera?
That’s a great camera brother! Browning’s are workhorses and are usually very good on battery life. You are working it extra hard so you need some external power. An easy solution would be a small 12volt battery in an ammo box. That should get you by for a few months if not longer. Hope that helps and good luck!
@@TheHandyHunter Thank you. Unfortunately none of the items on your list is in Amazon in Germany, but I guess I can find similar items. I'm worried about the direct cable though? Is that safe, won't burn the camera?
Nope, won’t hurt it...just match the voltage of the battery with the camera and that’s all you need. Not sure about Germany but in the states most Brownings are 12volts that I know of. If you decide to add a solar panel you will need a 12v regulator between the battery and the camera. Hope that helps...good luck!
@@TheHandyHunter Thank you very much! Yes my Browning is 12V DC.
You need to be careful what what battery connection cables you get with your setup. Those that he uses would not fit my Tactacam which has a 4.0x1.7mm plug.
Yep, the two most common plug sizes are 2.1x5.5mm and 1.7x4.0mm. You can buy adaptors on Amazon to convert either way if needed. Thanks for commenting!
Great video. Do you have problems with rodents chewing the exposed battery cord?
I’ve only had problems when it was touching the ground. I now use the a metal braided sleeve to protect. If you go to our Amazon store you will find it under battery box builds...it’s good stuff for keeping the chewers away. Hope that helps.
The Handy Hunter
I will check that out, thanks.
Do you put rechargeable batteries in the camera also?
No, I only run lithium batteries internally. It won’t charge internal batteries from the solar but it would be nice if it did!
How do you connect battery with solar panel to camera along with 12v regulator?
Hi Willie, run your solar panel directly to your battery and then put a 12v regulator on the camera cord between the battery and camera. Hope that helps. Let me know if you need help. Thanks!
How do you charge it? And know when it's fully charged?
I charge it with a car battery charger on the lowest setting. You can also buy 12v wall chargers off Amazon for cheap. I then use a digital battery tester to know when it’s charged. Hope that helps.
any body recommend me a good decent quality gsm night vision outdoor camera to be able to receive photos and videos on real time, inexpensive gsm cell provider I need it for my back yard so it will be connected to an electrical outlet that to recharge battery if is possible or i can make one of those extended battery back up! no problem, any suggestions and prices
ironguys com hey brother, wish I could help you here but I don't have any experience with GSM cameras. You may want to check out this link...they aren't cheap I hear! www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0774YPYLB/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523710554&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=gsm+camera+outdoor&dpPl=1&dpID=41EuaX76JRL&ref=plSrch
Maybe others on here can recommend. Good luck!
How do you seal the hole you drill in the dry box to run the cable through?
I don’t drill a hole. I take a razor blade and cut a little v in the rim so the wire can lay in it and the lid can close flush. You can also take a drill bit and lay it sideways while at high rpm’s. Hope that helps.
@@TheHandyHunter Thanks.
What would be a great water/weather gasket for hole in battery box for power cords?
Hi Brandon...dont need one. What i do is take a razor blade or knife and cut a little groove in the lip of the box. Don’t cut it too big and when you close the lid it will press down and seal the cord. That’s what I’ve always done. Works great!
Silicone would work.
Can you recharge the lead-acid batteries and if so where do you purchase the charger?
Yes sir and they last for years! I charge several at once using the low amp mode on at car charger (do not use regular mode!). If you just want to charge one at a time I would suggest the following charger www.amazon.com/Sealed-Lead-Battery-Charger-D1724/dp/B001G8AIMU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1517843706&sr=8-3&keywords=12+volt+battery+charger. This is what you need for these size batteries. Let me know if you need anything else. FYI, I've had these 12 volt batteries in the field now for almost 5 years and they are still going strong. Good luck!
Just wanted to clarify...I've been using these batteries for about 5 years and they are still working fine, however, I tend to charge them at 8 months to 1year in the field. The way I wrote it below made it sound like one charge would last 5 years. I just pulled my batteries for a charge after 8 months and still had about ~80% life left on most of them. Just wanted to clarify. Thanks
Is there any trail camera that can except usb batteries to charge it?
I don’t think so but you might be able to direct wire a pigtail plug to be able to plug it in.
@@TheHandyHunter Okay that might be a solution.
You use a 12V 12AMP. can you use a 12V 7amp battery?
I think you are referring to the AMP hours. You can absolutely use a 7AMP hour battery. They are just smaller batteries overall than the 12AMP hour batteries but these cameras will run a long time on a 7AMP hour battery. They are probably cheaper too! Good luck and let us know how it works out!
It's a good thing you asked this question because I was about to. I accidentally purchased a 2 pack of EXP1270 batteries, and they can't be returned.
Could you use a car battery?
Absolutely!
The Handy Hunter that’s awesome. I was going to buy the 30 ah battery and remembered I have a deep cycle sitting in my garage
What if my camera is 6v?
You have two options. You can go with a 6 volt battery or use a 12v battery with a 6 volt regulator installed between the battery and camera. Hope that helps!
Is there an advantage to going with the 12v & regulator over the 6v battery? Would the 12v & regulator have a longer life? Sorry I’m not battery cynosure.
You can find bigger 6volts with long life so that would be the easiest way to go. Plug and play.