I just need a little advice from those that have run cameras for longer than I have about when to check my camera. How long do batteries last when the weather gets cold? We have been in the low 20s to mid 30s. I just moved my camera to a new spot on Tuesday (with fresh batteries) and there's no sense in leaving it for a week if the batteries only last for a couple days in the cold.
A lot depends on what type of camera you have and what types of batteries you are using. Lithium batteries will last for up to a year. But depending on the camera you should also be able to get at least a couple of months out of alkaline batteries. I use rechargeables in all my cams and they usually last a couple of months in the winter. I only check cams about every 3-4 weeks. Blessings.........Pastorjim
I run cameras year round and the batteries do fine until they get about 75% used up, you will notice less or no night pictures on a cold winter night.
PJ hit it perfectly. As long as you use good batteries and have a good camera, you should be able to go at least a month. Here in Vermont where it "usually" gets quite cold, (0 to - 15 are not unusual for high temps) I have had batteries last for three months. (I forgot to pick a camera up!)
Everybody is right on with camera/battery type. In our Reconyx it is pretty easy to get a year out of them with about 25,000 pic's. The night time ones really start to get dim towards the end of the battery life. We use the Energizer Lithium.
Thanks for the tips. I'm using standard alkaline batteries in my stealthcam. Sounds like I won't have any problem with them lasting a few weeks till the end of the season.
Video is a battery killer in cold temps. I'll change out batteries more frequently (like once I reach 30%), but I've still had good luck with cheap rayovacs lasting through the whole winter. ... and we get pretty cold
I run alkaline in two of my Coverts, and Eneloop NiMH rechargeable in one other Covert and all homebrews. I never have to change the Coverts on store bought Alkalines during the winter, but I usually go through one change with the Eneloops per winter season in the Covert, and a couple weeks with the homebrews.
FWIW Lithiums are always going to outperform Alkalines - especially in very cold temps. If you're putting your camera in an area where it doesn't get checked often or you want to leave it for several weeks or months, I'd spring for Lithiums. There are few things worse in the trail camera world than checking a camera that's been dead for weeks. Lithiums cost more but really do give you that peace of mind that the camera is going to be working. If it's in an area you can get to easily and will check often, change your Alkalines when they get down under 50% and you'll still come out dollars ahead.
I have a couple of camera's with C batteries and as I have never seen a C size lithium I saw a battery holder that allowed AA to be fitted in place of a C size battery. If you google AA to C battery you should get a heap of hits.
