Trail camera batteries didn't even last 12 hours

Waterfowler vmax · #1 10-14-2016, 08:36 PM

So I bought a stealth cam px18 on sale at wholesale, put it out and it only went to -7 that night. Went back hunting the next day and walked by, no red flash, nothing. So I walked up to it and the dam batteries were dead. Took it down and was ready to smash the dam thing. Upon further research, lithium batteries are required for the cold. It only takes AAs, so I bought energizers at 40$ for 8. Drives me nuts cuz back in Ontario I had a moultrie camnout 2 years with the same batteries. Here hoping it last when I put it up tomorrow, or a broadheads might just find its way through the camwra

Nyksta · #2 10-14-2016, 08:45 PM

Wow, give it away at least instead of destroying it

jim summit · #3 10-14-2016, 10:02 PM

I had a px 18, batteries lasted no problem....because it did take any pics. Even set it up on my front yard with kids playing, no pics! But it would take ramdom pics when the conditions where just right.
The more exspensive Stealth cams seem ok.

cschache · #4 10-14-2016, 10:26 PM

could have been one or more of the batteries were low even from new, have had that happen before and it just totally drains the others very quickly.

Sooner · #5 10-14-2016, 10:34 PM

Buy good grade batteries. For my trail cams i got the Pro Duracell( think that's what they were called) from Battery world. Guy said they were better than the Walmart Duracell. Seemed to last quite a while in Oct to Nov.

buckmasterjr · #6 10-14-2016, 11:47 PM

I bought the same camera and it has been fine in warm weather. I haven't checked it since early September though.

KegRiver · #7 10-15-2016, 03:26 AM

I had two Stealth Cam Delta88 cameras. They both burned through batteries in a few days.
I tried everything, Duracells, NiCads, Lithium Ion packs, even a smoke alarm battery, they would drain them all dead in less the a week.

I gave up and bought a couple of Brownings. These new cameras last at minimum six months on a set of batteries, and they hold two less batteries then the Stealth Cam cameras used.

ceedub · #8 10-15-2016, 05:54 AM

I bought Stealth cams a couple of years back. They are terribly hard on batteries. I think when the air is damp or if there's been rainy weather they absorb moisture somehow and there has to be a power draw somewhere. Mine are gathering dust on a shelf somewhere as batteries don't last more than a couple of days, max. I would never be convinced to buy another Stealth cam.

-Craig

paintchips · #9 10-15-2016, 06:05 AM

I have a cheaper stealth cam p12 that was picked up from Canadian tire ($119). when I first started using I thought the batteries were draining rapidly as well. But it does not always show the display screen. it will snap a quick pic and a number of that pic then kill the display screen. The batteries have been lasting awhile. I will be checking when I get home again. On the same hand I don't have much experience with other brands, and I only have it set up to take pics and not video. Hope you get things figured out bud, if anything try to exchange it for another make. cheers

roger · #10 10-15-2016, 06:53 AM

Sounds like that cam is a candidate for a 12 volt car battery.
Real disappointing review. With the technology available these things should be flawless.

JohninAB · #11 10-15-2016, 07:05 AM

I have the Stealth cam P12's. Have set the cameras out beginning of April and taken them down mid to end of October and never, ever had an issue with nor needed to change the batteries and some of those cams have taken a lot of pictures. The display has shown the batteries have lost some charge but still functioned as they should. I usually use Duracell Quantums.

Also have some Browning cams and the batteries last as well.

waterninja · #12 10-15-2016, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nyksta

Wow, give it away at least instead of destroying it

X2 on that. You never know, you might have got a bad batch or outdated set of batteries. Maybe the camera was set wrong and stayed on high usage. Chit happens.
I would give it a little more time before calling it quits. I would stick with energizers. Best batteries out there.

Passthru · #13 10-15-2016, 09:12 AM

I bought the same cam this year. No problems so far but the range of detection, I've noticed, isn't very much. You pretty much have to set up right on the trail

ManitobaSlim · #14 10-15-2016, 09:03 PM

What is you cam set on? Video or picture? did you customize it to take longer videos with shorter wait times in between?

I have 2 P8 and 2 P14 and run them on 4 pic burst every 15 seconds. Had to change one of the P8 batteries a couple months back but its been out for most of this year and last. I run my cams alot and on a grazing lease, they take lots of pictures.

I bought the 20 pack of duracell copper top at home depot.

Epicure · #15 10-16-2016, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waterfowler vmax

So I bought a stealth cam px18 on sale at wholesale, put it out and it only went to -7 that night. Went back hunting the next day and walked by, no red flash, nothing. So I walked up to it and the dam batteries were dead. Took it down and was ready to smash the dam thing. Upon further research, lithium batteries are required for the cold. It only takes AAs, so I bought energizers at 40$ for 8. Drives me nuts cuz back in Ontario I had a moultrie camnout 2 years with the same batteries. Here hoping it last when I put it up tomorrow, or a broadheads might just find its way through the camwra

Sometimes when you buy a brand new pack of batteries there will be dead ones.

Test them first:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-...-using/http://

Jayhad · #16 10-16-2016, 09:59 AM

I've got 2 P18s, put them in the field in February, had 10,000 pics on both cameras since and I haven't changed the batteries and I'm using cheap Ikea blister pack batteries.

fingershooter · #17 10-16-2016, 10:52 AM

This may sound crazy but they can be very picky about the SD card type. I have found if you don't use recommended SD cards, the batteries will drain quickly. Go figure!

kingrat · #18 10-16-2016, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roger

Sounds like that cam is a candidate for a 12 volt car battery.
Real disappointing review. With the technology available these things should be flawless.

X2 buy the cord and hook it to a 12 v battery. Will save money in the end and never go dead.

Reel Time Rut Outdoors · #19 10-16-2016, 11:57 AM

I've had one camera different brand that would do the same thing. What it did was turn on just fine. Leave the area. Then first trigger flash would stay stuck on. Was an issue for warranty. Could go that way.

DJS · #20 10-16-2016, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fingershooter

This may sound crazy but they can be very picky about the SD card type. I have found if you don't use recommended SD cards, the batteries will drain quickly. Go figure!

Lots of truth to this.