Game Camera Modification

[Ben1022]

Any electrically minded guys in the crowd? I've got the welfare 35MM game camera that takes 8AA batteries. I'm looking to figure out how to wire it to a larger, longer lasting battery. I know it can't exceed 6V and ideally needs to be 5amp/hr battery. That part can be done.

The question is, how can I or can I hook it up w/o using the 8AA batteries? Any and all help is appreciated.

[Powerstroke]

Does your have the option of adding the 6V battery? Several of them can adapt with a small power cord.

[Gus]

I would take small lengths of wire and solder the positve ends of the contacts in the camera in a series as well as the negative and just attach the last lenght to the respective poles of your new battery. Perhaps drill a small hole in the battery cover to let the wires come out of.

If that doesn't work, make dummy batteries out of wooden dowels and use some small metal pieces on each end. Same deal, you will need to connect the positives and negatives together and then connect to a battery with another wire. We had a 12V cordless drill that we used the wooden dowel idea for. Provided positve and negative metal contacts and screwed them to the dowel. It was more like a 2x4 shaved down to an oval dowel size the same size as a batery. We ran the cordless (now on a cord) attached to a 12v deep cycle at our cabin that does not have electricity. Worked great for large projects!

Another possiblity is radio shack. They sell project boxes and battery cases for different kinds of projects and do it yourself things. Might not hurt to check their either. Whatever you do, take some pictures and share with us.

Good luck.

[Ben1022]

That's kind of what I thought. I also went to Radio Shack but the two fellas working at the time, admittedly said I should stop back another time when the real electronicaly minded guys were working.

There is a perfect hole in the bottom of the camera to run a wire thru and silicone it shut and may be make some sort of quick detcach/plug connection.

So I understand you correctly, solder one wire from the 1st positive battery bay to the 2nd one, the 2nd one to the 3rd and so on. Then do the same w/the negative posts but leaving a "tag" end on the 1st post of each the negative and positive posts to attach the battery wires to.

It looks pretty easy but is there any indication on which end is the end the battery should be connected?

Again, thanks for any and all info.

[jeff127]

I went to walmart and bought a cheap power converter and hard wired it to the camara(12 volt to 9volt) $9. It plugs into a 12 volt jumper box---painted camo---- and would probably last a full year if I let it stay out that long. I waterproofed the converter and it works sweet---plenty of power when it gets cold.

I wanted something that would last since I have multiple camaras and good batteries are spendy. I want to get in, swap memory cards, and get out without screwing around with batteries or finding my batteries went dead the day after I set out the camara.

jeff

[Dahitman44]

For how cheap the new digitals are that may be a better way to go. No developing just plug and play.

[DooWap]

Wildview 2.0 MP $99 at gander mtn

[Dahitman44]

There are a lot of good options out there -- dump the old one and stop playing McGyver.

[Dave]

Quote:

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Wildview 2.0 MP $99 at gander mtn

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Search around, I saw an ad for those at $79, just can't remember where.

[Gus]

yup. You have the idea. Depending on how the batteries are placed you might just have to tap into one of the positives and one of the negatives. If you can tell they will still all be wired together internally you can do that otherwise I'd just solder to each one. We converted an older radio to use a 12V cig lighter style plug for power and on that machine we were able to just splice into the battery wiring on the inside of the unit and install a custom plug on the outside. Once on the inside it was easy to see where to take the pos and neg from. With the camera though I don't think you'll be able to easily get that far inside it. I may be wrong though.

Good luck.

[WildBill33]

The Wildview 2.0 is at walmart for 59.99

[chucker34]

Holy freaking sweet mary margaret. Get yourself to Wal-Mart then. Trust me, for $60 you'll have a great camera. Needed add-on. Memory card for $30 bucks or so. Recommended add-on, 2 sets of C rechargeable batteries and charger. Another $60. Granted that's $150 bucks, but in the long run in terms of $$$, time, and patience, it's worth it versus the 35 mm. I had a 35mm cam once and it cost me dearly in all three of the above. The only truly good photos I got on it were of my father-in-law wearing ski mask and holding a beer can. He was trying to trick me into thinking there were trespassers doing weird stuff in the woods. Good times.

[Dave]

The Wildview can only be viewed on a PC, I believe. I don't think it even has an outside power port. Cabelas has their branded cam made by Moultrie for $129.

[Ben1022]

Thought I made this post earlier...anyway, I finally went digital. I went to Walmart a week ago and found the Moultrie 1.3mp cameras for $40 each. I bought four of them and two 32mb SD cards for $8 total. I've got to get some batteries and I should be set. I'm guessing it doesn't have as fast of trigger time as the Cuddeback, but I have a reasonable remedy for that. Considering I've only got $160 into the cameras and $8 into the cards, I thought it was a good move. Anyone have any experince w/this particular camera? It seems to be the same one they make for Cabela's sans the camo and w/fewer mega-pixels.

I'm hoping I can find a good 6V battery at batteries plus that'll outlast the suggested lanter/camping battery and be rechargable. We'll see and any suggestions welcomed.