I just bought an outdoor “game camera” that will take quick photos or videos if an animal triggers the motion sensor. The device recommends Lithium AA cells although I don’t have any and instead used my NiMHs to power it up for initial setup.
The battery indicator showed the low voltage despite these NiMHs being charged up within the past month. I’m topping them off now but realize their 1.2v levels will look lower than the 1.5v lithium.
Any downside of buying a pack of lithium AAs and starting to use them in other devices like my AA lights? Any good deals out there right now for an 8-pack + charger (only have NiMH / NiCD charger for AA).
Ehh…hmmm. I guess I assumed these were rechargeable batteries. Doesn’t appear so…?
In my head I just figured I’d be using rechargeable batteries as I expect to have to recharge them every month or so, or more often. I don’t like the idea of feeding it a continual supply of consumable batteries.
I use 8x AA alkalines in my trail cams. I’ve been testing NiMH cells (2000mAh Fujitsu), but initially not looking good. Shows 2/3 battery level at full charge, but I have yet to do a full cycle real environment test with NiMH.
NiMHs dont sag much voltage under load, so even though it doesnt say ‘full’ battery, they will likely last just as long as alkalines, especially in colder temperatures.
If it gets near or below zero fahrenheit where you intend to use it, use the lithium disposables. You won’t be let down.
How many does it take? If its three, you could jump 2 of the cell slots and use a 14500, assuming they’re in series.
Energizer Ultimate Lithium (L91) run around $2 each at most retail stores. Online $1.75 or less if you shop around.
They will work much better in the cold compared to NiMH, and take more photos.
Some devices will show low battery with NiMH and shut down. I always have some on hand. In case I am away from charger.
I would suggest you buy just enough to try out in your game cam. Then decide if they are something you want to use.
Yeah, lithium ion with electronics to output a lower voltage. Takes special charger. I don’t think they would be worth is from a $ standpoint.
Maybe someone has experience these. I do not.
The ones I linked above are Primary(throw away). They are the real deal for primary cells.
If an electronic device works on nimh-batteries, it wil keep working until the batteries are almost completely discharged.
It is possible that “low battery” appears on the screen, but that is no problem.
Nimh batteries are only 1,2V, but they will keep that voltage untill they are almost completely discharged.
Alkaline batteries start at 1,6V but that voltage drops during discharging, during discharging the internal resistance becomes higher, that reduces the voltage even more under load.
I am testing Eneloops at work in digital manifolds (Testo), with fresh charged AA nimh batteries the is just one block left on the battery indicator, but the manifolds are working with no problems, even longer than with 4 Duracells.
The low voltage indicator is no problem as long as the device will work with the lower voltage.
But some devices just won’t work with 1,2V batteries.
Nimh low selfdischarge batteries work better than alkalines on high loads, especially at lower temperatures.
Lithium AA batteries are als good at high currents and low temperatures, but they are very expensive.
That is why you should only use these if other types refuse to work because it is too cold, or if the device needs high currents at more than 1,2V per cell.
Very few devices won’t work with Eneloop NiMH rechargeables. Yes, the resting voltage is lower than alkalines as others have said, but the working voltage is often higher than alkalines. If the device works with NiMH, you can safely ignore the low battery warning, since those are calibrated for alkalines.
Eneloops are rated down to –20C temperatures, which is far colder than alkalines will perform. If it gets colder than that, then AA lithium primaries are probably necessary.
Otherwise, save your money, and stick with Eneloops. AA lithiums are just too expensive to constantly replace.
Bad news for NiMH cells in my trail cams. After about 5-6 months I checked on the cams… No voltage reading on 5 of 16 new Fujitsu cells. .80v on two and around 1.05v on the rest.
Mostly my fault I suppose. I probably should have checked every month or so.
I believe they didn’t discharge at the same rate and ended up overdischarging toward the end of the run. They still took a lot of footage (48gb, some 32000 pics total).
One of the cams somehow lost date and time a month in, but kept taking pics for 3 more months. The one that didn’t lasted up until a few weeks ago.
Both cams had some ‘dead’ cells. Not sure if there’s a way to revive them? None of my chargers recognize them as chargeable.
Some of my XTAR-chargers, like the VC2 Plus Master, have a 0-volt Activation function. I own one rather old AAA-light that IMHO is the brightest when loaded with a NiMH battery. I also have a few old NiMH batteries. Not LSD, more like HSD Every month or so I notice that these batteries are completely drained, and I can’t recharge them on any of my chargers, including a dedicated NiMH charger. A minute or so in the XTAR and I can transfer them to my regular charger. I know I should buy some LSD’s, but I am a cheapskate.
If you have a dumb charger (the kind that just puts a constant charge on the cells for 8 hours or whatever), that can often be used to jump-start dead cells so that they are recognized on a smart charger.
Or, yeah, put the dead cell in parallel with a good cell (fully charged), and leave it that way for a couple of hours. That might work too.
But if any of the cells were left in a reverse-charged state for awhile (because unevenly matched cells were used in series), they’re probably unrecoverable.
Every month or so I notice that these batteries are completely drained, and I can’t recharge them on any of my chargers, including a dedicated NiMH charger. A minute or so in the XTAR and I can transfer them to my regular charger. I know I should buy some LSD’s, but I am a cheapskate.