Low battery signal with fresh batteries

[Otto]

I have two Cuddeback trail cameras and both of them show "low battery" even thought they both have fresh batteries in them.  I even tested the batteries on a voltmeter.   They shut down after 20 seconds or so.  One is 2 years old, the other over 5 years.

Does anyone have any suggestions on preparing this or as to why it is happening?

Thanks!

 

 

 

[turkeyfeathers]

I'll piggy back with mine too.  Just put if fresh D batteries in my Triuth cam 60. It crapped out in one night after about 20 pics.  Is she shot.  I've owned it for a number of years but only second time I've used it.  

[philoshop]

I can't say for certain, but I would suspect bad batteries. Even testing them on a voltmeter doesn't really tell the story, because they have to be tested under load to get a true assessment. This comes from years of experience with power tools and model airplanes. Just because the batteries check out at xx.x voltage doesn't mean that they will hold to that voltage when subjected to a working load. Wish I could offer more, guys.

[wdswtr]

http://cuddeback.com/Updates/files/TechNote-Batteries.pdf

[Otto]

Thank you, I'll go buy a new package of batteries at the store and see if that helps.

[Otto]

Yep, that did it!  Surprised that the batteries I had on hand were not strong enough to run the camera.  They were fine in a flashlight?

Thanks for the pointers.

[fasteddie]

Most of the cameras recommend Alkaline Batteries . Heavy duty batteries don't last long . 

[phade]

Batteries and cards are more often the problem than most people realize. More than the actual cams having issues.
 You'd be surprised at how many people see a battery meter at 50% and wonder why night images are not being taken or why the cam missed someone walking by. Just because you can squeak out 6 mos or a year on a set of batteries, doesn't mean that the cam is performing at 100% of its ability in months 5 or 6, or 10, etc.

[Otto]

Thanks Phade, I was hoping you would reply.   The fresh batteries did the trick.  I put a bunch of new ones in my pack too, next time I go pull cards, I plan to freshen the batteries too.  I will probably use a sharpie to write the date on them too so I can keep track of when I put them in.

On a related subject......can I use SD and SDHC cards interchangeably?  I seem to remember my Wildgame cameras instructions said to use SD only, but the are hard to find.  Everything is well is SDHC.

[phade]

Layman terms is SD is 2gb or less and Sdhc is over 2gb and up to a much larger size. Older cams use 2gb or less cards.


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[Otto]

Got it, thanks!

[wooly]

On ‎8‎/‎27‎/‎2016 at 3:44 PM, phade said:

Batteries and cards are more often the problem than most people realize.

This comment brought one of my old Stealth Cams back to life today JUST as I was ready to toss it in the trash. No joke...

It's been in the non-functioning clunker bin for 2 years now and no matter what I tried I couldn't get it to take more than one pic.

For some reason it locks up with PNY cards, but when I popped a new San Disk in it today I got a pulse again and she's strapped to a tree as I speak! Those PNY's have always worked in all my other cams and even my current handheld cameras.

Makes me wonder how many cams I may have junked over the years that may have been fixed by this simple solution.

 

[phade]

I once brought a Moultrie back to life four or five years after I thought it was junk. An internal coin battery went dead and I replaced it and WA la!


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[turkeyfeathers]

On ‎08‎/‎24‎/‎2016 at 10:06 PM, turkeyfeathers said:

I'll piggy back with mine too.  Just put if fresh D batteries in my Triuth cam 60. It crapped out in one night after about 20 pics.  Is she shot.  I've owned it for a number of years but only second time I've used it.  

So I installed a fresh set of batteries in this cam yesterday. Now, it won't even turn on. Wondering if an external power source that plugs in may work. Or perhaps I have a fun target to shoot at the range. I emailed Primos and they offered me another cam at 30-50% off. Reviews on their new cams aren't so great and with problems with this one I think I may have to write it off as a loss at this point.

[Rockspek]

So I have been having problems with my new browning i got a few months ago that has been taking awesome videos.  The motion detection stopped working.  Battery level says 100%.  Tried to restore default and re set up but still the motion test failed.  Decided to change batteries because of this thread.  Instead of changing them I just pulled the battery tray out and put it back in with the same batteries.  Motion test work now.  I wonder if it is like when your tv remote battery is low you take the cover off and spin the batteries and they work a little longer.  

 

So my question is should I replace the batteries even though the screen says 100%

[phade]

Sometimes the tray can make intermittent contact with the camera. That's probably what happened.