The solar panel is charging the batteries, the camera is using the DC voltage supplied by the batteries. Check the size of the solar panel, in some cases (heavy usage, many pictures) the solar panels will not recharge the batteries sufficiently. May need to add additional panels and or larger batteries to increase battery storage capacity.

 

The solar panel is the Tactacam solar panel that is built for the Tactacam cameras and the Energizer batteries are standard alkaline batteries,

Are you using rechargeable batteries? If not, one should be.

I am using non rechargeable AA batteries in my trail cameras with the cameras
set to 30 second video with one minute delay. The larger the SD card, the more
power it takes to fire them up and the more megapixels show up for a higher quality
video. When new, these batteries test 1.55 volt using a digital meter. Rechargeable
batteries when put on a charger alone, very seldom come up to a full charge as they
are advertised.

I have used Lithium Ultimate AA batteries which test 1.79 to 1.83 volt when new.
The problem here is when the voltage drops to approximately 1.55 volt, the cameras
shut down where as this is the starting voltage of alkaline batteries. Lithium are
advertised for cold weather.

I am not using solar panels due to them being too easy to spot if some one is looking
for trail cameras etc.

If trail cameras are set up over baits, one can receive a lot of pictures. If trail cameras
pick up movement of waving grass or tree leaves one can get a lot of unwanted pictures
and or videos. I carry a SD card viewer so am able to check that the camera is functioning
and set at the proper angle or direction. All cards are swapped out each time the cameras
are checked.
Trail cameras facing the rising or setting sun or later in the year where the arc of the sun
is lower in the sky, results in poor quality pictures and or videos.

As a trial, one winter I used 12 volt batteries, the same as used in a ride on lawn tractor,
wired externally. Some trail cameras have this option. If squirrels were in the area, one had
to hide the small wires as the squirrels would chew on them.
These batteries were set on a small piece of plywood so they would not freeze to the ground.
The voltage could drop to approximately 6 volt and the cameras would still work.

My cameras usually get checked every two to three weeks but now with the higher cost of fuel,
they do not get checked as often. 45 miles one way to a property and 55 miles one way in the
opposite direction to my other property. Cameras are used to monitor wild life as well as security.


Wishing you all the best.
Take care.

Thank you, i am not using rechargeable AA batteries. Would that be the issue?

 

Welcome to CBN!

 

Are you using rechargeable batteries? If not, one should be.

I am using non rechargeable AA batteries in my trail cameras with the cameras
set to 30 second video with one minute delay. The larger the SD card, the more
power it takes to fire them up and the more megapixels show up for a higher quality
video. When new, these batteries test 1.55 volt using a digital meter. Rechargeable
batteries when put on a charger alone, very seldom come up to a full charge as they
are advertised.

I have used Lithium Ultimate AA batteries which test 1.79 to 1.83 volt when new.
The problem here is when the voltage drops to approximately 1.55 volt, the cameras
shut down where as this is the starting voltage of alkaline batteries. Lithium are
advertised for cold weather.

I am not using solar panels due to them being too easy to spot if some one is looking
for trail cameras etc.

If trail cameras are set up over baits, one can receive a lot of pictures. If trail cameras
pick up movement of waving grass or tree leaves one can get a lot of unwanted pictures
and or videos. I carry a SD card viewer so am able to check that the camera is functioning
and set at the proper angle or direction. All cards are swapped out each time the cameras
are checked.
Trail cameras facing the rising or setting sun or later in the year where the arc of the sun
is lower in the sky, results in poor quality pictures and or videos.

As a trial, one winter I used 12 volt batteries, the same as used in a ride on lawn tractor,
wired externally. Some trail cameras have this option. If squirrels were in the area, one had
to hide the small wires as the squirrels would chew on them.
These batteries were set on a small piece of plywood so they would not freeze to the ground.
The voltage could drop to approximately 6 volt and the cameras would still work.

My cameras usually get checked every two to three weeks but now with the higher cost of fuel,
they do not get checked as often. 45 miles one way to a property and 55 miles one way in the
opposite direction to my other property. Cameras are used to monitor wild life as well as security.


Wishing you all the best.
Take care.

 

I have a Tactacam X out back of the house running off a Wing Home solar panel for over 3 months now with no batteries in the camera. This is in an open area with plenty of direct sunlight on the solar panel. I tried it in the woods first and it couldn't get enough direct sunlight even after the leaves came down to keep it running and it just used the Energizer AAs I had in it up and shut down. It ran a lot less time than it does with only the batteries installed also so it was apparently drawing a lot of power off the batteries while trying to charge with insufficient sunlight. Just the shade from tree limbs on the solar panel knocks the output way down.

 

I'm using the same camera and the Tactacam solar panel with Energizer Lithium batteries. As you may know, the price of lithium batteries has about tripled in the last few months.

 

If you have a good solar panel and good sunlight for 5 or 6 hours a day why bother putting batteries in it? Mine runs fine on my solar panel.

 

The newer models have batteries in the panels. They must have batteries to store the power (kW) the panels produce.

 

The Reveal solar panel has its own built in battery. Charge that battery fully at your house before putting it out in the woods. If it started out essentially discharged, it probably ran on the alkaline batteries nearly the whole time.
Also, the solar panel will not charge whatever batteries are in your cam. The cam will run off the panel until its battery is discharged, then switch over automatically to the AA’s.
if you do this, your AA’s should last much longer. I have one Reveal XB with solar panel that has been going for 6 months, and the AA’s are still showing 100% charge.
Availability and cost of lithium AA’s absolutely sucks these days. We all know why, so I will keep the rant to myself🤬

 

This.

Make sure your solar battery is fully charged off a house outlet before it is connected to your X Pro in the field. Run Ultimate Lithium batteries for backup if you want. Instead of buying the lithium batteries you could also buy the Tactacam Lithium Cartridge which is around $50 and will save you money in the long run.

 

I'm running ... Panasonic "Eneloop Pro" rechargeable batteries in my ReVeal cameras this year. After doing a fair amount of research, apparently IKEA - LADDA 2450 batteries are made by Panasonic in Japan and they're a lot cheaper. (Japan makes much better and safer batteries than China.) I'm running three cameras on the LADDAs and the batteries have been running for months. LADDA Rechargeable battery, HR06 AA 1.2V, 2450mAh - IKEA

 

In the woods I have a 12 V external battery. That will give me about a month depending on the pic count.

i stand in the bed of my sxs when I can. To keep it out of the deers line of sight and a little harder for fat boys to steal it lol. The leaves have probably cleared enough a solar panel would work.

 

In the woods I have a 12 V external battery. That will give me about a month depending on the pic count.
View attachment 237031
i stand in the bed of my sxs when I can. To keep it out of the deers line of sight and a little harder for fat boys to still it lol. The leaves have probably cleared enough a solar panel would work.

I do ... the same thing to get the cameras up high. In the deeper woods I'll take a few tree steps and my lineman's belt to get them up a little way. I don't use straps anymore either. I built a bunch of camera screw in mounts by buying 1" long ¼"-20 threaded eye bolts, ¼"-20 wing nuts, 2-½" long screw in eye bolts, short 3/8" bolts & washers all from McMaster-Carr. Painted them all brown when I was done. I use them all the time now. I can't find a photo. I swore I took some pictures of them.

 

I have used the screw in mounts there nice. I also lag bolt lock boxes to the trees. And like you see the straps. I've been known to tie them on with rope lol. I have had 2 cameras stolen one i was using a screw in mount the other i used a python cable lock both were locked. Pretty sure it was poachers after gobblers youth weekend. They just broke them off the tree. They were there Friday and gone Saturday at noon first day of youth season.

 

Back in the day I made my own 6v solar charger using a 6v 4.5 lead acid standard feeder battery, diode and polycrystaline pannel $10 from eBay. Used these year round at my lease. Total cost was less than $20. Used squirrel proof metal conduit from coil inconel shavings (OTJ) with standard plug in cable running through center of conduit. Did this for about three years on three different cameras. Never replaced the batteries. A little ingenuity goes a long way.
Note if using eneloop batteries.... These are the best AA rechargeable batteries made if you go this route.
Below one of three solar setups with scrounged material for build.

 

It should work fine now. Enough of the leaves have fallen. That solar panel has been keeping a camera going without a hitch since day one back in July or early August. It’s the one that spent that time out of direct sun light earlier when the trees were all haired out lol.