cuda67

I have just recently purchased three trail cams. I am wanting to hook up and external power source. I notice that most trail cams take four C batteries, which should operate on 6v. But when you buy an external power souce from the mfg., they are 12v. I can rig my cameras to operate on either one. Which one would be better 6v or 12v? I read that several guys have use small lawn mower batteries. Question, don't they have too much amps that could damage the cameras?

littlearrow

I am using the 12 volt 300 energizer series batteries on my Wildview EZ Cam and also on my Spy Point IRB. The cameras are wired inside to reduce the incoming voltage to 6 volt.
By using the 12 volt external, gives you a larger storage capacity which some cameras require to operate in colder temperatures. My Wild Wiew have worked down to -30 degree Fahrenheit. The Spy Point as claimed by the maunufacturer should go do to +5 degree Fahrenheit. Mine have been shutting down around +15 to +20 degree Fahrenheit. I have had 14 Wild View EZ Cam and 4 Spy Point IRB. In the colder weather the "C" batteries lose voltage. Bring them back in to warm up, they will regain some but not all. Leave a flashlight in a vehicle over night when cold and try it in the morning. The light will be pretty dim. Putting the flash light in a refridgerater (not the freezer part) will also give you an example if you are in a warmer atmosphere.
Setting out a fully charged good quality 12 volt battery, will last several months providing the camera does not have an internal weakness causing a draw down in voltage. I check my batteries a couple times a week when swapping out SD cards. I use a digital meter.
Bushnell 2009, 2010 will accept either 4 AA or 8 AA batteries. If using 4 batteries, they must either all be placed in the top four slots or the lower four slots. The top four are wired in series. The bottom four are wired in series. Now both set of four are then wired in parallal. This is why the total voltage is only six volt not 12 volt. The external port on the Bushnell is only 6 volt. If using the external port, the centre of the barrel plug is positive so this wire must go to the positive post of the battery. Hooking up in reverse will fry a component inside the camera in the external port wiring circuit.

cuda67

I've got two Wildgame cameras and one EZ Cam. I have only taken the Wildgame camera apart and it would be real easy to pull the connector from the battery source and make one that would connect directly to a 12v garden battery. Did you connect your EZ Cam with the barrel plug? You said that Wildviews are made to reduce the voltage, that could be because they have and exteranl source available. I don't see and external source for the Wildgame. I wonder if it would damage the camera if I hook up 12v to it?

littlearrow

cuda67 Yes I connected the 12 volt battery with a barrel plug on both Wild View EZ Cam and also on my Spy Point IRB. I had some transformers from old computer games such as Attari etc. I just cut off the transformer, bared about an inch of the wires and separated them about six inches. Now take a digital meter, set it for continuity and insert one probe into the center of the barrel plug. Touch the other probe to one end of the bare wire. Which ever wires shows continuity is positive. This goes to the positive post of the battery. I usually mark the wire with white electrical tape or even white adhesive tape. Now mark a "+" on it as a quick reference. Some of the wires may have a grey or white tracer on it. This should be positive, but test with a meter to make sure. If you hook the wires up in reverse, you will fry a component inside the camera in the 12 volt circuit.
I have had no experience with the "Wild Game camera." If they have an external port they may be marked for voltage, or if you have a manual it may show. Also some of the other forum members may be familiar with that make. Hope this helps.

littlearrow

cuda67 There is a review in chasingame.com on the 2009 Wild Game Innovations (WCI) D6/Remington Sure Shot 6MP Red/White Flash $150 Aug. 05, 2009.The review mentions using a 14 Ahr SLA battery hooked up to an external port. Normally it said the camera uses 4 "D" cells. There is also a picture of the camera.

Dollar Trifecta

Im thinking about hooking up external battery sources to my two cameras (Bushnell Trophy and a Scoutguard) Both have the jack for a external power source. Where can I find one of these external jacks? Ive been looking all over. I was going to hook two 6 volt 12 amp hr batteries in parallel for each camera. Good idea or no?

My plan was to keep the batteries on the ground in a old ammo box and run the wire up to the camera.

littlearrow

Dollar Trifecta Try an electronics store. You may have to take your camera in with you to get the proper fit. If you can get the proper fit, then its just a matter of hooking up two wires, marking the positive ( the one that goes to the centre) and putting proper ends on to connect to the battery. An auto parts store might be able to help also. Good luck.

cuda67

I was going to the web site chasinggame.com and I stumbled on this web site nativeoutdoors.com They have the cables and things a person needs to wire their own. I spoke with a tech from wildview about their external source. He said their cameras have a resistor installed to drop the voltage down. With that being said, since the wildgame cameras aren't made for an exteral source. I think I'll just wire in a 6v external source and swap batteries out when I swap SD cards. That way I won't take a chance on damaging my camera in case it isn't equiped with a resister. I'll just put a 6v in with a little higher amperage since thats where it draws it source anyway.

custom1

I have those Cables Here http://www.custom1enterprises.com/cu...prises_002.htm

cuda67

Thanks for the info custom1.