What Type of AA Battery Is Best For Use In Trail Cameras?
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Which battery is best? Well, the most accurate answer is there isn't one single battery that reigns supreme in all situations. All the different types of battery chemistry excel in some situations, but offer challenges in others.
So, let's talk about the four main types of batteries, their characteristics, and why you might want to use one type over another.
Alkaline batteries are certainly the most widely available and least expensive but have many drawbacks. Alkaline batteries are shipped with a power level of about 1.5 volts but begin to decrease in power the instant they are inserted.
As time goes on, the voltage level continues to decrease proportionally to the time left in the field/number of photos taken. This proportional decrease is especially evident when you examine night photos taken by inexpensive infrared cameras. Photos taken early in the life cycle of an alkaline battery are bright and well illuminated. These early photos also represent the maximum flash range potential of the camera. However, with every passing day, each subsequent night photo is less illuminated. The process continues up until the point where night photos are pitch black and/or the camera shuts off due to low voltage. Our #1 customer service inquiry is:
99.9% of the time failing alkaline batteries are to blame.
Cold temperatures adversely affect alkaline batteries as well.
Battery life is diminished and alkaline batteries lose up to half their capacity in sub-freezing weather. This is why so many trail camera users discover large periods of time where their camera didn't capture any photographs, but then find it mysteriously started working again once the temperature rose.
Alkaline batteries are also prone to leaking acid which has claimed the life of many a device. Additionally, they are good for only 1 use and then find their way to the landfill. Most environmentally conscious people avoid the use of alkaline batteries whenever possible.
One redeeming quality of alkaline batteries is they can operate in higher temperatures with no performance loss. This offers many researchers an inexpensive alternative to rechargeable batteries that suffer reduced capacity in hot climates.
To summarize, alkaline batteries are cheap and available everywhere, but provide inconsistent power and don&#;t work well in the cold, not to mention they are extremely unreliable. They are the #1 source of "trail camera problems."
If you must use alkaline batteries, we recommend only using Energizer or Duracell. In our experience, most off-brand alkaline batteries have substantially less capacity and are very unreliable.
Lithium batteries offer some very interesting benefits. To start, lithium batteries produce 1.6 volts/cell, or as we like to say &#;They run hot&#;. Just as decreasing voltage produces weaker flash characteristics, increased voltage can produce a stronger flash with brighter pictures and increased flash range in some cameras.
Due to their chemical makeup, lithium batteries are not affected by any change in temperature, hot or cold. Their increased capacity gives them a roughly 20% longer run time than the best rechargeable cells and twice the run time of the best alkaline batteries. Additionally, single use lithium cells weigh substantially less than alkaline or NIMH cells. This can be a huge advantage for backpacking into remote areas to manage cameras.
Until recently, we have been huge fans of single-use lithium batteries. Even though they were expensive, they were the most consistent power source we could find. Unfortunately, they have not only doubled in price, but we have also documented an increasing number of bad cells. It is common to find one of our recently deployed cameras with new batteries dead. Further inspection reveals one bad cell has completely shut down the entire power supply after just a few days in the field. This is not isolated to our testing. Several of the manufacturers we represent as well as research institutions we supply have noticed the same occurrence. Although disappointing, this has caused us to focus on renewable alternatives that offer cost savings and benefits to the environment.
Pros:
Cons:
Fully charged, NiMH batteries produce about 1.4 volts. However, they quickly decrease to a working level of 1.2 volts, which they are consistently able to deliver for the rest of the usage cycle. However, the 1.2 working voltage does present a problem for use in some cameras. Most cameras are designed around a 1.5 volt/cell scenario. It is very common for a camera to use 4 batteries, or essentially a 6-volt system (4 X 1.5volts).
Many of these 6-volt systems constantly monitor the voltage and automatically shut the camera off when the voltage dips to around the 5-volt level. With NiMH batteries providing just 1.2 volts/cell, they produce an aggregate voltage of only 4.8 volts. This makes Nimh batteries incompatible with some trail camera models.
What we've learned about Nimh Batteries over the last decade:
All Nimh Batteries are not created equal
Many people have had bad experiences with rechargeable batteries. Often times we talk to someone who has unknowingly purchased older/low capacity batteries and found the battery life to be extremely poor. Most widely available rechargeable batteries (think discount store) have small milliamp-hour (mah) capacities ( - ). These discount store batteries seldom perform as well as alkaline batteries and usually convince the user they aren't worth the trouble. Conversely, quality NiMH batteries produce mah of capacity (sometimes more) and outperform the best alkaline batteries by up to 50%. Please make sure to check the Mah capacity of a rechargeable battery before you purchase.
Charging is Critical
We have learned
What
you use to charge your batteries has now become just as important, if not more important, than how and when you charge your batteries. Most inexpensive chargers (think discount store again) charge batteries with a constant level of charge (200 ma) for a set amount of time (8 hours)regardless of how much capacity is remaining in the battery
. This would be fine if all of your batteries were fully drained every time you placed them in the charger, but this isn't reality. Typically, when I run cameras I come back to the office with a box full of batteries and no idea how much capacity is left in each cell. Luckily, we use a smart charger with a microprocessor which individually monitors the charging of each cell based on the cell's remaining capacity. The smart charger brings each cell up to a full charge (independent of the other cells) and then switches it over to a trickle charge for storage until it's pulled from the charger. Conversely, cheap chargers apply the same amount of charge to all cells and often overcharge batteries. Batteries exposed to a greater level of charge overheat and lose a portion of their future capacity - some even fail immediately. If you want to fully enjoy the benefits and efficiencies of Nimh batteries, please use a smart charger.even if they aren't being used
. Each cell loses about 1/2% of its capacity each day until it is completely drained. In order to maximize battery life, plan trips to your scouting area and charge accordingly. When put into the field immediately, we get 2 - 2 1/2 months of battery life from our NiMH batteries.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of 3.6 v battery packs. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
Lithium-ion (Li-ion) rechargeable batteries have become an option for a wide range of electronic devices including trail cameras. They offer several advantages over other battery technologies, but also come with a few drawbacks.
Advantages of AA Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries
High Energy Density: Li-ion batteries can store a significant amount of energy in a relatively small volume, making them ideal for devices where space and weight are concerns.
Long Cycle Life: Under optimal conditions, Li-ion batteries can be charged and discharged for hundreds to thousands of cycles before their capacity significantly diminishes.
Low Self-Discharge: Unlike some other rechargeable batteries, Li-ion batteries lose their charge relatively slowly when not in use.
No Memory Effect: Li-ion batteries do not require full discharge cycles to maintain their capacity, a problem faced by older nickel-cadmium batteries.
Consistent Voltage: The native voltage of a Li-ion cell is 3.7 volts. Left unmodified, these cells would not be compatible with devices that use standard AA batteries. However, Amptorrent Li-ion rechargeable AA cells have a microprocessor on the tip of the battery which reduces and regulates the voltage to exactly 1.5 volts throughout the entire lifecycle of the battery.
Disadvantages of Lithium-Ion Batteries
Hard to calculate remaining capacity: AA rechargeable Li-ion batteries produce exactly 1.5 volts throughout their entire life cycle and then abruptly die. As a result, devices are not able to calculate remaining battery life. Trail camera users must keep track of the number of photos taken and swap out batteries accordingly.
Cost: Advanced manufacturing processes make rechargeable Li-ion batteries more expensive than some other types of batteries. However, the additional expense is usually recaptured in just 2-3 charges making subsequent use nearly free.
Conclusion Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries require a little more attention, but provide consistent, reliable power. Although expensive at first, the batteries pay for themselves after just a few charges.
Of all the tests we complete, Battery life is without a doubt the most complicated. With so many variables contributing to the ultimate outcome, it can become very confusing. The best way to start the discussion is to identify each variable we test, and then explain how that variable relates to other variables and ultimately determines the overall battery life of a particular scouting camera.
Current Draw (resting power consumption)
Every trail camera requires a certain amount of energy to keep it alive and alert waiting for the next animal to walk by. Resting power consumption values range from as little as just .17 milliamps (170 micro amps) up to a whopping 11 milliamps or more. At Trailcampro we measure the resting current draw of every game camera we test and then compare it to the milliamp hour (Mah) capacity of the camera&#;s power supply (batteries). Simply defined milliamp hour capacity is the maximum load (expressed in milliamps) which a battery can sustain for one hour. A great analogy to Mah capacity would be the volume of gasoline which a particular car&#;s gas tank is capable of holding. And just as we can calculate the range of any vehicle based on the size of its gas tank and corresponding mpg, we can also extrapolate the maximum number of days a camera can last in the field by dividing a trail camera&#;s resting current draw into the Mah capacity of its power supply. Please note I said &#;maximum&#; number of days because this calculation doesn&#;t consider other variables such as number of pictures taken, ratio of night vs. day photos, self-discharge rate of batteries, net power consumption used per each photo, etc, etc. However, for simplicity&#;s sake, we can calculate the total number of days a camera can last in the field without taking any pictures as follows:
(MAH capacity/resting current draw)/24 = number of days in field before running out of battery power
A real life illustration of this is demonstrated by comparing the two models below:
Reconyx HC500
Battery Type 12 AA&#;s producing Mah @ 9 volts
.22 milliamp resting current draw
(/.22)/24= 947 maximum number of days in the field
Stealth Cam Archer&#;s Choice
Battery Type 8 AA&#;s producing Mah @ 6 volts
3.97 milliamp resting current draw
(/3.97)/24= 52 maximum number of days in the field
As you can see, the differences can be quite dramatic. In the above example, the HC500 has the potential to last in the field for nearly 2 1/2 years while the Archer&#;s choice can&#;t make it 2 months. Now, there is quite a difference in price between these two units with the Reconyx costing nearly 3 times as much as the Stealth. However, when you factor in the cost of batteries over the course of the camera&#;s useful life, the discrepancy in price might become negligible. Energy efficiency should clearly play a significant role in your choice of a trail camera.
Photo Power Consumption
From the instant a scouting camera first detects motion a whole series of events take place while the system completes the process of capturing and storing a photo. This series of events varies in duration, scope and intensity depending on the brand and model of game camera. Some of the more common activities include, but are not limited to:
&#; Sampling available light & adjusting exposure settings for optimum photo quality
&#; Taking a sample photo or two
&#; Charging the capacitor which powers the incandescent flash
&#; Diverting power to the infrared flash
&#; Accessing the storage device to prepare it for writing the photo to memory
&#; Capturing the photo
&#; Storing the photo to memory
&#; Accessing instructions from the firmware to determine how and when the next photo should be taken
All of the above functions require time and consume power. While some manufacturers complete these tasks with great efficiency, others struggle. Photo power consumption values range from just 140 milliamps for 1/2 second up to surges of over milliamps with increased power lasting well over 60 seconds. By meticulously measuring this data we can quantify the power required to process a photo in every camera we test. We can then calculate the maximum number of photos a scouting camera is capable of capturing on a single set of batteries. In addition, further computation provides us a quantifiable loss of time in the field each photo robs from the camera&#;s standby time in the field. An example using the Moultrie M100 would be as follows:
&#; The Moultrie M100 has a resting (standby) current of.17 milliamps
&#; When the M100 takes a photo it draws an average of 170 milliamps for a duration of 18 seconds
&#; If we calculate the total amount of power used to capture the photo, we come up with milliamp seconds (170 milliamps X 18 seconds)
&#; To determine the amount of standby time lost from the power consumption required by a single photo we simply divide the resting current draw into the total power consumed by a photo and then convert from seconds to minutes to hours(((/.17)/60)/60)=5
&#; By calculation, each photo taken decreases the amount of time a M100 can last in the field by 5 hours
This may or may not seem relevant or important, but for practical purposes, every 5 photos taken by a M100 costs you a day of standby time in the field. For comparison&#;s sake, a Reconyx HC500 placed in this same scenario could take 266 daytime photos before it used up a day&#;s worth of standby time.
You&#;ll find values for power consumption and time lost in the field for every camera we test.
Shut off voltage (minimum level of voltage required to power camera)
Another item we test is &#;Shut Off&#; voltage. Simply put, a scouting camera&#;s shut off voltage is the minimum level of volts required to power the camera for normal operation. Anything less and the camera will shut off due to insufficient power. While rarely mentioned, this particular attribute becomes relevant in many ways. To fully understand, we must first explain how batteries perform throughout their lifecycle. The graph below illustrates how the voltage in different types of batteries decreases over their lifecycle.
You&#;ll notice alkaline batteries start at 1.6 volts and then immediately begin a gradual decline throughout their life until they are &#;dead&#;. However, Lithium & Nimh batteries maintain a steady level of voltage (albeit different levels) throughout most their life and then completely die all at once at the end of their life. When combined with the shut off value of a particular scouting camera, the usage curve of each type of battery becomes important in two (2) key areas:
1. Some game cameras are incompatible with certain types of batteries due to their shut off values (minimum power requirement). Most camera manufacturers design their cameras using a 6 volt camera battery power supply (4 batteries at 1.5 volts each = 6 volts). Many of these same manufacturers also program in a shut off voltage of about 5 volts. It is this 5 volt shut off threshold which creates a problem for anyone wanting to use Nickel metal hydride (Nimh) rechargeable batteries. Nimh cells provide consistent power and aren&#;t affected by cold temperatures like alkaline batteries which can easily lose up to half of their capacity during sub freezing weather. They are also very economical given they can be used for hundreds of charging cycles. However, Nimh batteries have a working voltage of just 1.2 volts/cell or 4.8 volts aggregate when used in the typical trail camera. Unfortunately, anyone who owns a scouting camera with a shut off value above 4.8 volts can&#;t benefit from the advantages of Nimh batteries.
2. Some Trail Cameras are incapable of utilizing the full mah capacity each battery offers. Using the graph above from the previous example, you&#;ll notice the voltage in alkaline batteries dips to about 1.2 volts one fifth of the way through its usage cycle. At this point the aggregate voltage in many game cameras has dropped below the shut off threshold forcing the unit to shut off leaving the camera&#;s batteries with 80% of their capacity unused. Getting back to our automobile gas tank analogy, this would be equivalent to providing a 20 gallon tank with a fuel line which only reached down far enough to access the top 4 gallons. This issue only applies to the use of alkaline batteries. Lithium cells provide adequate voltage throughout their entire life cycle and Nimh batteries shouldn&#;t be used in any camera with a high shut off voltage.
Conclusion
As you can see, the variables involved with battery life (many of which are not constant) make its calculation anything but an exact science. However, what we can determine with great accuracy is the power consumption associated with each model. We can then plug those figures into a formula and produce battery life estimates. While these estimates may not be exact for each model, the relationship or ranking of one model relative to another is. So, while we cannot say the battery life of a Reconyx HC500 is exactly 234 days, we can say that a Reconyx HC500 will last about 10 times as long as a Stealth Cam Archer&#;s Choice model on a single set of batteries.
Nickel-based batteries are more complex to charge than Li-ion and lead acid. Lithium- and lead-based systems are charged with a regulated current to bring the voltage to a set limit after which the battery saturates until fully charged. This method is called constant current constant voltage (CCCV). Nickel-based batteries also charge with constant current but the voltage is allowed to rise freely. Full charge detection occurs by observing a slight voltage drop after a steady rise. This may be connected with plateau timing and temperature rise over time (more below).
Battery manufacturers recommend that new batteries be slow-charged for 16&#;24 hours before use. A slow charge brings all cells in a battery pack to an equal charge level. This is important because each cell within the nickel-cadmium battery may have self-discharged at its own rate. Furthermore, during long storage the electrolyte tends to gravitate to the bottom of the cell and the initial slow charge helps in the redistribution to eliminate dry spots on the separator. (See also BU-803a: Loss of Electrolyte)
Battery manufacturers do not fully format nickel- and lead-based batteries before shipment. The cells reach optimal performance after priming that involves several charge/discharge cycles. This is part of normal use; it can also be done with a battery analyzer. Quality cells are known to perform to full specifications after only 5&#;7 cycles; others may take 50&#;100 cycles. Peak capacity occurs between 100&#;300 cycles, after which the performance starts to drop gradually.
Most rechargeable cells include a safety vent that releases excess pressure if incorrectly charged. The vent on a NiCd cell opens at 1,000&#;1,400kPa (150&#;200psi). Pressure released through a re-sealable vent causes no damage; however, with each venting event some electrolyte escapes and the seal may begin to leak. The formation of a white powder at the vent opening makes this visible. Multiple venting eventually results in a dry-out condition. A battery should never be stressed to the point of venting.
Full-charge detection of sealed nickel-based batteries is more complex than that of lead acid and lithium-ion. Low-cost chargers often use temperature sensing to end the fast charge, but this can be inaccurate. The core of a cell is several degrees warmer than the skin where the temperature is measured, and the delay that occurs causes over-charge. Charger manufacturers use 50°C (122°F) as temperature cut-off. Although any prolonged temperature above 45°C (113°F) is harmful to the battery, a brief overshoot is acceptable as long as the battery temperature drops quickly when the &#;ready&#; light appears.
Advanced chargers no longer rely on a fixed temperature threshold but sense the rate of temperature increase over time, also known as delta temperature over delta time, or dT/dt. Rather than waiting for an absolute temperature to occur, dT/dt uses the rapid temperature increase towards the end of charge to trigger the &#;ready&#; light. The delta temperature method keeps the battery cooler than a fixed temperature cut-off, but the cells need to charge reasonably fast to trigger the temperature rise. Charge termination occurs when the temperature rises 1°C (1.8°F) per minute. If the battery cannot achieve the needed temperature rise, an absolute temperature cut-off set to 60°C (140°F) terminates the charge.
Chargers relying on temperature inflict harmful overcharges when a fully charged battery is repeatedly removed and reinserted. This is the case with chargers in vehicles and desktop stations where a two-way radio is being detached with each use. Reconnection initiates a new charge cycle that requires reheating of the battery.
Li ion systems have an advantage in that voltage governs state-of-charge. Reinserting a fully charged Li-ion battery immediately pushes the voltage to the full-charge threshold, the current drops and the charger turns off shortly without needing to create a temperature signature.
Advanced chargers terminate charge when a defined voltage signature occurs. This provides a more precise full-charge detection of nickel-based batteries than temperature-based methods. The charger looks for a voltage drop that occurs when the battery has reached full charge. This method is called negative delta V (NDV).
NDV is the recommended full-charge detection method for chargers applying a charge rate of 0.3C and higher. It offers a quick response time and works well with a partially or fully charged battery. When inserting a fully charged battery, the terminal voltage rises quickly and then drops sharply to trigger the ready state. The charge lasts only a few minutes and the cells remain cool. NiCd chargers with NDV detection typically respond to a voltage drop of 5mV per cell.
To achieve a reliable voltage signature, the charge rate must be 0.5C and higher. Slower charging produces a less defined voltage drop, especially if the cells are mismatched in which case each cell reaches full charge at a different time point. To assure reliable full-charge detection, most NDV chargers also use a voltage plateau detector that terminates the charge when the voltage remains in a steady state for a given time. These chargers also include delta temperature, absolute temperature and a time-out timer.
Fast charging improves the charge efficiency. At 1C charge rate, the efficiency of a standard NiCd is 91 percent and the charge time is about an hour (66 minutes at 91 percent). On a slow charger, the efficiency drops to 71 percent, prolonging the charge time to about 14 hours at 0.1C.
During the first 70 percent of charge, the efficiency of a NiCd is close to 100 percent. The battery absorbs almost all energy and the pack remains cool. NiCd batteries designed for fast charging can be charged with currents that are several times the C-rating without extensive heat buildup. In fact, NiCd is the only battery that can be ultra-fast charged with minimal stress. Cells made for ultra-fast charging can be charged to 70 percent in minutes.
Figure 1 shows the relationship of cell voltage, pressure and temperature of a charging NiCd. Everything goes well up to about 70 percent charge, when charge efficiency drops. The cells begin to generate gases, the pressure rises and the temperature increases rapidly. To reduce battery stress, some chargers lower the charge rate past the 70 percent mark.
Charge efficiency is high up to 70% SoC* and then charge acceptances drops. NiMH is similar to NiCd. Charge efficiency measures the battery&#;s ability to accept charge and has similarities with coulombic efficiency.
* SoC refers to relative state-of-charge (RSoC) reflecting the actual energy a battery can store. Full charge will show 100% even if the capacity has faded. (See BU-105: Battery Definition and what they mean)
Ultra-high-capacity NiCd batteries tend to heat up more than standard NiCds when charging at 1C and higher and this is partly due to increased internal resistance. Applying a high current at the initial charge and then tapering off to a lower rate as the charge acceptance decreases is a recommended fast charge method for these more fragile batteries. (See BU-208: Cycle Performance)
Interspersing discharge pulses between charge pulses is known to improve charge acceptance of nickel-based batteries. Commonly referred to as a &#;burp&#; or &#;reverse load&#; charge, this method assists in the recombination of gases generated during charge. The result is a cooler and more effective charge than with conventional DC chargers. The method is also said to reduce the &#;memory&#; effect as the battery is being exercised with pulses. (See BU-807: How to Restore Nickel-based Batteries) While pulse charging may be valuable for NiCd and NiMH batteries, this method does not apply to lead- and lithium-based systems. These batteries work best with a pure DC voltage.
After full charge, the NiCd battery receives a trickle charge of 0.05&#;0.1C to compensate for self-discharge. To reduce possible overcharge, charger designers aim for the lowest possible trickle charge current. In spite of this, it is best not to leave nickel-based batteries in a charger for more than a few days. Remove them and recharge before use.
Flooded NiCd is charged with a constant current to about 1.55V/cell. The current is then reduced to 0.1C and the charge continues until 1.55V/cell is reached again. At this point, a trickle charge is applied and the voltage is allowed to float freely. Higher charge voltages are possible but this generates excess gas and causes rapid water depletion. NDV is not applicable as the flooded NiCd does not absorb gases because it is not under pressure.
[1] Source: Cadex
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