Your best source for battery info (imo):
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/for ... ay.php?f=9

The best deal (currently) on the highest quality NiMh cells available for the past 4 or 5 years running (again, imo):
http://www.eneloop.info/home/the-new-im ... eloop.html
http://i.imgur.com/po0zV.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/N7MKi.jpg
(Costco)

I have a Maha C-9000 charger (AA/AAA) http://www.thomasdistributing.com/shop/ ... it8gi3gna7 and Powerex's 8 bay (AA/AAA/C/D) cell version http://www.thomasdistributing.com/shop/ ... it8gi3gna7 for the Accupower LSD cells that will reside in the TCX's when they arrive.

Friendly warning:
Do not frequent the above website if you are the least bit interested in the latest HIDs/LEDs or any lighting tools/fixtures in general. You'll spend a lot of time on there...and maybe even end up with items you never knew that you needed!
(My latest weakness and possibly new favorite headlamp next to the 18650 size Li-ion powered Zebralight H60: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/sho ... p?t=283934 ).

I just wanted to point out that the D cells mentioned above are (evidently) longer than standard alkalines and I have no idea if they fit in the Primos or not (will advise).

See picture on Amazon comparing the two (from Sundance Solar): http://www.amazon.com/AccuEvolution-Sel ... B00124BN4U

_________________
(2) Primos TCX
(1) Bushnell '09 TC (119425)

A couple of things I discovered recently:
1) I was dead-set against ever again using Rayovac alkaline after buying a bulk pack of AAs and having one of them be dead right out of the box. This past Thursday, I changed out the six cells in a device (not a cam) that had been hanging outside for I don't know how many months. It was still working, but its performance was really down from what it had been.
Whaddya know, the dang thang had some of those Rayovacs in it. One of them was starting to show some discoloration of the label near its positive end, as though it was starting to leak. That one still showed 1.11 volts; I haven't checked the rest.
I might still never buy Rayovacs again, because there are other brands I like better, but I thought that was some pretty good performance.

2) Just found an online vendor I hadn't seen before, Battery Space. Something I found interesting on their site was a suggestion to use chargers other than the Vanson V-1199 for NiMh 'C' and 'D' cells. The V-1199 was the first charger I bought when I started acquiring rechargeable batteries for my two Reconyx RapidFires and other cams.
The reason they give is that the V-1199 is timer-controlled, and not a "smart" charger. They say it can take up to 24 hours to properly charge a 9500 mAh NiMh 'D' cell, and the V-1199 will run for around 8 hours before the timer shuts it off. It's okay for Nicads, but not so much for NiMhs. To get a full charge, you have to unplug the charger to reset the timer, then charge the 'D' cell(s) two more times. Their page says a 4500 mAh 'C' NiMh can take 11½ hours to fully charge, so it would have to be "run through" twice on the V-1199.
Who knew?

I think it depends on even the 'smart charger' as to how much charge is being applied to begin with. You'll discover that on some of the (exhaustive) threads on this subject that some suggest even leaving your cells on the charger after they are 'done' to maximize the cell's capacity and charge a bit more...yet I believe this often depends on the smart charger used and even the date it was manufactured due to upgrades in the circuitry itself. Although I have sent a few of them back...the massive online scrutiny of chargers like the Maha C-9000 has been beneficial to me (and worth the hassle); as one can pretty much be assured that your expensive cells are being charged or conditioned properly over time.

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(2) Primos TCX
(1) Bushnell '09 TC (119425)

I tried Roy o vac this last time in my 2010 XLT. They lasted 6443 pics. I get over 11k on Duracells. Guess I will stick with them.

_________________
(1) 2010 XLT 119435
(1) 2010 XLT 119455
(2) 2011 XLT 119466c 720 HD
Retired cams, (2) 2009 XLT (1) Moultrie M40, (2) Moultrie I40, (1) Spypoint FLA

I recently opened the battery compartment of my D-40 and it was swimming in Battery Juice..
And it was the Ray O Vac's that leaked all over the place...
I will only be buying Duracell from now on..
Kind Regards,
Jason

Just a side note on this discussion. I bought a jumbo back of 'AA' batteries from Sam's Club. They are "Member's Mark" brand which is to say they are a Sams Club generic brand. Having zero issues with other "Member's Mark" items I didn't anticipate issues. Boy was I wrong. I had been getting a 2-3 months of pictures out my SG550 with Energizer batteries. These Sams Club batteries lasted less than 2 weeks. STAY AWAY!!!

Dang you! I just ordered a $64 flashlight!

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2 Covert Black 60 MMS
2 Reconyx HC600
3 S600 Homebrew
4 P41 Homebrew
2 S40 Homebrew
1 P32 Homebrew
2 Bushnell Trophy Cams
1 Cuddeback Attack Flash
1 DLC TLV

Agree. I consider that site to be as devastatingly alluring to my checkbook as the Sirens were in Ulysses's day.

_________________
That which does not kill me, has made a grave tactical error.

After a year working with two scout guard, I can assure that in my case, the rechargeable batteries have given me much better than the alkaline (not rechargeable). Especially when the temperature is very low, the alkaline die in less than a week and the rechargeable NIMH endure without problem. The duracell Rechargeable 2450mAh have given me good result but I advise the eneloop by SANYO because they are not discharged over time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VO8JoScRU4

Most of the complaints I hear in forums regarding trail-cams are about the short battery life. If you are taking any amount of pictures or videos, alkaline batteries are not going to last regardless of brand. If you live in a colder northern climate like me, an external battery is a must. On any trail camera you can hookup wires from your battery terminals in your camera to an ext. battery one way or another. If you are unsure where to hook them up, take your camera to an electronic specialist you know and they can test it for you. Then it's just a matter of drilling a small hole through your case and running the wire through to your battery of choice. Of course you want to seal up the hole around your wire, and anywhere towards the bottom of your camera in a convenient spot is good. I prefer the larger 6 volt or 12 volt batteries over the smaller SLA type batteries because you can use a regular 6/12V automotive charger that you probably have in your garage to charge them. On 12 volt batteries I like the riding lawn mower size. You can get them for around $30. For a 6 volt battery I have always used tractor batteries which are slightly smaller than a car battery. In the cold weather they will not let you down and you can take thousands of pics or videos before you even have to think of recharging them. I usually charge mine 2 or 3 times a year. Looking at $5 to $8 a battery change, I think a $30-$40 external battery is a great investment that will last you years and save you a lot of frustration. The important thing is you do it after your warranty is done on your camera and most important, hook the pos and neg. up right!

+1

same here

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Best Game Camera
http://www.bestgamecamera.com
800-257-9532



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Choosing a battery is almost as hard as choosing a camera!!
Bill

_________________
One Moultrie M80XT
One Moultrie D55
Four WGI W6XAC
Homebrews:
Samsung A503 IR/Vivitar 3700 Slave
Sony P41 IR/Vivitar 2800 Slave Flash
Sony P32 IR/External Vivitar 2800 Slave Flash

Eneloop Users Guide:
http://www.eneloop.info/fileadmin/EDITO ... ndbook.pdf

Also found this:
I found this guide:
First drain your NiMH batteries completely, a very easy way to do the same, if you have a LED based flashlight is to load the NiMH batteries and switch on the flashlight and wait until it it dies, after it dies wait for about 30 minutes and then load these batteries into the charger and charge them fully, repeat this process 3-4 times and your NiMH batteries should be conditioned good as new.

Do note that you should not use a regular flashlight incandescent bulb type to discharge the NiMH batteries as it may over discharge the battery below .9V threshold which is bad for NiMH batteries, you can also use a high drain device to discharge the battery.

Also it is a bad idea to condition brand new NiMH cells, brand new NiMH will not give you the rated capacity but after 3-4 cycles of regular usage, they should give you the rated capacity.

Bill

Bill

_________________
One Moultrie M80XT
One Moultrie D55
Four WGI W6XAC
Homebrews:
Samsung A503 IR/Vivitar 3700 Slave
Sony P41 IR/Vivitar 2800 Slave Flash
Sony P32 IR/External Vivitar 2800 Slave Flash

I bought a 24 pack of RayOVac AAs a couple of years ago, and they "felt" like they lasted about 70% as long as the Duracell/Energizers that I usually buy... nothing scientific, but since they cost about 25 cents per AA, as opposed to about 42 cents for a Duracell, it got chalked up in my mind as a "fact" - RayOVac=cheaper and shorter life. Of course, one 24 pack proves almost nothing.

Any extensive testing might produce results like stock price history charts: past results are no guarantee of future performance.