Trail Camera Solar Batt Pack-DIY

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This trail camera solar battery pack will power your cellular game camera or regular trail cameras 24/7 with renewable energy! Many hunters are looking for better powering options to power their fleet of trail cameras and now the more popular cellular trail cameras.
Having long term renewable battery life for your cameras means that you don't have to visit your hunting spots as often to change out game camera batteries, etc. With the newer cellular game cameras like Spartan trail cameras and Spypoint cameras, which transmit wildlife images by cell signal, the need for backup extended battery life is even more important. With these new cellular trail cameras a hunter can run their cell camera 24/7 using this solar pack and manage the SD card from their phone so in theory one would never have to visit that hunting spot after setting up the cellular game camera! Amazing how times have changed!
The newer game and trail cameras have become more efficient regarding battery consumption but the price point of good cameras has dropped to a point where hunters are now buying more cameras. More trail cameras means more battery management. Managing the batteries across a fleet of trail cameras, and keeping up with which ones needs replacing, can be a lot of work. Having each camera hooked up to an extended battery source or a 24/7 renewable energy solar trail camera pack will reduce the workload of managing a fleet of game cameras.
This extended battery pack includes a very small 12 volt battery that is charged by a 2 watt solar panel. This trail camera solar panel charges the battery through the day so that it can power the game camera, wireless game camera, or cellular game camera throughout the night.
The solar panel in this video is an amorphous style panel which generates energy in low light conditions making it perfect for the shaded wood areas where hunters hide their cameras. Solar panels ranging from 1.5 watts to 2 watts should be fine for this type of application.
Good luck in getting your trail cameras, wireless game cameras, and cellular trail cameras switched over to renewable solar energy. Spend more time hunting and less time managing all the small stuff!
Contact me:
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[@TexasBowHunter]

Never a disappointment with these DIY videos. This is an awesome idea. Thank you for sharing.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Thanks brother! Appreciate you watching! When you going fishing again? Keep in touch!

[@anitafagina180]

I’d definitely buy a couple of those for my cell cams!

[@nickblanton1127]

As always great info. I will be up gradeing a few of mine this weekend.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Thanks brother! Good luck getting all set for hunting season!

[@rob4263]

Just found your channel. Subbed. Easy to see your passionate about your creations. Bravo. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Awesome, thank you! Welcome aboard!

[@adandavilamusic]

Ingenious. Great work as always.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Thank you brother! Appreciate you watching!

[@bbikermama]

Awesome!! Can’t wait to try this tomorrow!!!!

[@TheHandyHunter]

Good luck!

[@joeyoung3518]

These work great on my Brownings. Thanks for all your videos. Wanted to send you a pic but don't know how on here.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Awesome! Send it to my email. [e-mail]. Thx!

[@douglasrenaud6459]

Awesome set up!

[@TheHandyHunter]

Thank You!

[@yvesf5355]

great idea ,and love the camo, thanks

[@TheHandyHunter]

Thanks for watching!

[@richardsmith7131]

Love the videos. Did this setup last yr had zero problems but putting them back out now my batteries wont keep a charge or something is going on. I charged them up outside for a few days and set them out,now dead just got them back home and will diagnose in spare time!

[@TheHandyHunter]

Let me know what you find. I have a couple that are two years out and still running. I’m sure they are about due for a new battery but I will let them run for now. Good luck with diagnosing.

[@richardsmith7131]

Only thing I can figure is that I left the battery connected to the solar panel and and put up in a container and it killed the battery. I also had 2 more that I disconnected from the panels and they are fine!

[@TheHandyHunter]

richard smith I think you are right. These batteries don’t like to be connected while being stored. Best to disconnect. Thanks for sharing.

[@johnfarlow294]

I would like to get sone of the tree spikes you mount your solar panels to. Also, I would like to see if you could make some of the solar panel mounts. Happy to discuss offline.

[@patrickbarrett217]

Man this awesome thank you for the video I will definitely be making some of these can't wait to start on this

[@TheHandyHunter]

Good luck! You will love them!!

[@patrickbarrett217]

@@TheHandyHunter thanks a bunch and I'll use your links to buy everything I need

[@SoloCamXTOutdoors]

Pretty cool stuff.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Thank you!

[@bauml1619]

Awesome project. You still having good luck with these? Would a 2.5 watt panel be to much? Also if I was to use a charge controller would I need the regulator?

[@brentwiley3330]

Made one tonight and added a second battery pack and two 12 volt plugs to power Moultrie Mobile and a trailcam. Both plugs put out 11.98 volts. Great video, thanks!

[@TheHandyHunter]

Perfect!!! Nice work and great idea. One of my setups runs two Brownings and it works great! Let me know how it works out. Thanks!

[@richardsmith7131]

I'm also using this setup on Moultrie mobile camera combo but I'm using his original setup with the Moultrie y splitter! My output was 11.87. tonight my batteries are down to 85% per Moultrie read out! Looking forward to seeing how this performs this week. On average I get 1000 pictures a day!

[@mauroalvarezsi]

I’m having trouble but I used the same setup with spypoint cameras and the squirrels and raccoons and foxes definitely have the camera take few hundred of photos. Built the setup with the same things and it’s not keeping up.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Cell cams definitely draw more than regular trail cams but this setup runs my Bigfoots perfectly. A couple things...how much sun are you getting? If it’s too shaded you may want to consider going to a larger panel to recharge quicker. Also, you could consider running two battery packs to help keep up. I had two Spypoints but never ran them on this setup because I couldn’t get them to work right on their internal batteries. I finally gave up. They may have a lot more draw than other cameras but I dont know for sure. Let me know how it works out. Good luck!

[@TheHandyHunter]

How is this working out for you? Is it maintaining your camera 100%. 1000 pics is a lot!!!

[@mikek1187]

A useful tip when using the 7812 voltage regulator: Get a heatsink, and also solder on a 16v 470uF capacitor to the output side. That way it will help dampen any sudden voltage changes to the battery pack/trail camera if the solar panel gets covered or other issues occur.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Great suggestion…thank you!

[@jameshall3865]

Had a stealth cam go bad (3 actually) and have an external 12v battery and a solar charger that i figured would be trash since it wont fit my cuddebacks. But after seeing your videos i see that it can be converted to fit the cudde. Thanks so much and great videos and also paont jobs. Have you ever considered doing a how to build on a wireless trigger for a hog trap? Ive built a drop gate but have never understood folks explanations on building the wireless trigger because their descriptuon aint detailed enough for how little most know about the components.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Stealth cam do stink...i wasted my fair share trying...lol. Funny you bring up the hog trap. I’m building a gate that triggers by shooting a steel target. We plan on using the Bigfoot cam to alert when they are there and then move in a shoot the target from a distance. The cell trigger seems expensive and can be unreliable but I may still try it one day. I’m gonna try the poor man’s version first...lol. Good luck! Get all them hogs!

[@morganmaeger3436]

Where did you find the T bar that you connected everything to and how did you screw that into the tree? Also how does the solar panel connect to the T bar? I know you showed it but does it take a specific solar panel that will accept those bolts that you threaded through the T bar?

[@MySliceOfHeavenoutdoors]

Very nice, i like it.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Thanks for watching!

[@SouthWestIron]

Clean and well thought out! Man I'm super impressed with all of this. Really appreciate your camo and clean design. What is the shade/rain cover for the cameras?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Thank you! I have a video coming soon on that stand with the rain/sun covers. They are made by cutting a 2.5 quart paint pale in half and then painting. Works great to keep the sun from drying out your plastics on the front cameras. Also takes better pictures in the rain and early in the morning when everything is covered in dew. It’s just a good protector. Thanks for watching!

[@SouthWestIron]

Looking forward to that video. Really good stuff you are producing. Keep on keeping on!

[@jerrodrn]

Hi! Great Video, Thank you for posting! Quick question should a diode be included in this setup like your other trail cam video?

[@TheHandyHunter]

You don’t need one if you are using a newer solar panel. They all have them now so you should be good.

[@briannash9122]

Great video, thank you for recommendations. I have a Covert Wireless camera, and they offer an adapter which includes a 6V regulator, will this work with this setup?

[@TheHandyHunter]

It should work fine if your camera runs on 6 volts. Let me know if you need any help. Good luck!

[@kenoakee]

Hey I love the vids!! I have a couple questions about batteries. I'm up in Canada and was wondering if nickel cadmium or lithium ion would be better for our cold winters? Also probably more importantly when selecting a battery and or solar panel what kind of "Ah" or mAh or output should I be looking for. Thanks

[@TheHandyHunter]

We don’t get the cold that you guys get but I’ve always heard of guys up north using Lithium ion in very cold weather with good results. Regarding Ah, to keep it simple the higher the Ah the more energy storage (and usually the larger the battery). Hard to say what size you need without knowing how you are using it. If you are hooking up a 1.5 or 2 watt solar panel then you can get by with a smaller battery because it gets refilled daily. Keep in mind that trail cameras use very little power on a daily basis so you don’t need much to keep them running. Hope that helps and good luck with your build. Sounds like you are on the right track!

[@jwhit3849]

This sounds great, can't wait to try it. But what keeps from overcharging the battery?

[@TheHandyHunter]

I don’t use a solar controller to prevent overcharging because it draws power. You definitely could if you wanted too. I haven’t had a problem so far so it’s a nice to have but not needed for this setup...IMO. Good luck!

[@donandbarbsketoe7553]

@@TheHandyHunter can I order this?

[@TheHandyHunter]

@@donandbarbsketoe7553 sorry for the delay. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to build anymore. I know some are making them out of pvc. Sorry and Good luck!

[@pamelagoforth608]

how big this battery your using in this box ? Is there welded holder on back that you could use a steal cable lock or python on this item so it kept from being stolen our of the tree ? Thanks Pamela

[@davidfreeman7883]

I've been watching your videos and I really like the ideas you have. I'm in the process of getting the items I need to make this off your amazon store, but I'm not sure about the 12V regulator. I think I understand that the regulator reduces the voltage from 12V (the battery) to 6V (camera) correct? If that is the case, which regulators do I need to buy? When I click on the link it goes to "L7809CV L7809 Positive Voltage Regulator IC TO-220 Output 1.5A 9V" Does this mean it's meant for 9V? Or do I need to get the L7812 for 12V? Or do I need to get the L7806 for 6V? Thanks!

[@TheHandyHunter]

Hi David, what voltage is your camera? You’ll need to match the regulator to the voltage of the camera. The voltage regulator protects from high voltage at full sun from the solar panel. Hope that helps!

[@genesenter9223]

When setting up a camera with external battery and solar panel, do you leave the internal batteries in the camera. It seems that would be ok as long as the voltage from external battery is 12 v going into a 12v camera. Is that right or best to remove batteries. Thanks and love your videos. Simple and easy.

[@johnwedemayer1205]

you can leave the internal batteries in if you so desire. shouldn't hurt it. besides, if you're running external power, the internal batteries wont be used. from some research, all trail cameras have an internal diode built into them to switch power between internal and external sources to protect the camera from being overpowered by 2 different sources.

[@davidbollone3960]

do you think with these new cell-link add on units that one of these would power both the camera and the cell-link if you had 2 dc plugs coming out of it? or would you need one complete unit for each?

[@TheHandyHunter]

I’ve run two trail cams off one with no problem but I don’t know if it will run the cell-links since I heard they are power hungry. You could try putting two battery packs inside with one solar panel and try that for starters. Hope that helps.

[@brianleezer9005]

Hey, thanks for the info. Can you charge 2 battery packs off one solar panel?

[@TheHandyHunter]

I’ve run two cams off one of these units using one battery but you should have no trouble charging two of these small batteries off one solar panel.

[@jeremywilson9479]

I’m definitely going to build a couple of these for the cellist cams I am running How do u keep the leg bolt from turning inside the pipe when screwing into tree? Is it conduit with tack weld or is that pvc pipe? I’ve been trying to figure out how to mount a solar panel and 12v on a tree for a awhile n stubbled onto this video. I’ve been carrying a racket and socket with me to screw in my leg bolts lol silly me Keep up the good work

[@TheHandyHunter]

I weld the Lag bolt to the emt pipe. I use 1/2 metal emt pipe from home depot. I now make these as 1-piece as the two piece is more work. Hope that helps!

[@jeremywilson9479]

Thanks for the quick reply. I thought that’s what you had done, was hard to catch a good look during video while trying to pause it perfectly. LoL I have some 12v Battery packs I’m gonna send you an email about.

[@kroxax8966]

Hi,I wired mine exactly like your diagram & I don't get 12 volts through my plug plus my voltage regulator gets hot what did I do wrong,thanks Keith

[@TheHandyHunter]

Hi Keith, what voltage does it read at the plug? The regulator shouldn’t get hot. Sometimes it can be a bad regulator. Do you have another one to try? One more thing...are you wiring the solar panel wire directly into the battery without a plug? Sometimes guys will use the plug on the solar panel wire so they can disconnect the panel in the future and the wires get crossed after the plug. Let me know how you have it setup.

[@chuckalvey3457]

How much would the deal goes in the tree to put the solar panel on be?

[@georgebrazil1643]

Great idea. I tried doing the exact same way but battery small 12v battery still dies after a couple of days. Not sure why or what I'm doing wrong. Left side of regular on left side og regulator right side to camera.

[@TheHandyHunter]

What kind of camera are you connecting too? If everything checks out…12volts at plug and solar at ~20volts in full sun then it sounds like you might have a bad cell in your battery. It’s happened to me before. NiMH batteries can lose a cell sometimes, not often, that can ruin the whole pack. Unless your camera is a giant power hog then it sounds like you have a bad battery. Let me know what you find.

[@anthonyrook9116]

Just got everything you used in the video. My only question is the regulator keeps the voltage at 12 volts going to the camera so the full voltage output to recharge the battery is over 12 volts if i am understanding the wiring correctly. Have you had problems with sending that many volts from the panel to the battery and not wrecking the battery??

[@TheHandyHunter]

Nope…you are completely safe running 23/24 volts from solar to charge the 12v battery. I’ve been doing it for years and it works great!

[@stephenjones6206]

Do you have to have a 12v regulator for it to work for cameras? Maybe a odd question but my deer feeders don’t use them on their solar panels so was wondering the reason for it. Thanks

[@TheHandyHunter]

You need a regulator to prevent high voltage passing through to the camera during full sun. A 12 volt solar panel can put up to 24 volts directly into your cam if you don’t have a regulator. My deer feeders don’t have regulators either because they only come on early morning and late afternoon when the sun is low and voltage from solar panel is low. Even if a feeder motor came on at 12 noon it probably wouldnt hurt it because the motor only runs a few seconds and not continually. Hope that helps.

[@markpignato8947]

Great video. I have a couple gravity feeders with soybeans and corn (50/50) with Spypoint cell cameras. Installed them about 1 month ago along hog with exclusion fence. I will be making a couple of these. Have you thought about solar charger for your cart? Hope you and your family are doing well.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Hi Mark! Sounds like y’all been busy too! How do you like your spypoint so far? We only have 1 bar to 2 bars in the woods so sometimes the pics are delayed a little. Overall, really cool to get that new pic notification! I don’t need a solar charger for my cart since I leave my cart plugged into a battery maintainer. Do you have power at camp or a generator? Keep in touch...hope your family is doing well also!

[@TheHandyHunter]

Shoot me some pics of your hog fence setup when you are done!

[@markpignato8947]

So far the Spypoint cameras are better than I expected. My phone shows 2 bars but the cameras have 5 out of 5 bars. Battery life is good so far but once I follow your lead it won't be an issue. I hunt 2 separate parcels, one is 2 miles and the other is 8 more from camp. Full power and water at camp, nothing where I hunt. Currently use 4 wheelers but have club car I'd like to build with a solar charger. Couple more of your videos and I'll have it down.

[@TheHandyHunter]

I hear ya! We had a little challenge getting it set up and to connect at first but we finally got it. We just threw a 12 volt battery box on our camera and it’s at 97% after 3 weeks. I’m gonna put the new solar setup on it next time we go up. I’m also going to buy the cell booster antenna. If I ever see a golf cart going down I-75 with solar panels on the roof I’m gonna know it’s you! LOL. It can be done!

[@emmetttyree7772]

I love your videos! I just set up my first solar panel just like yours. I have two questions. One my battery drained down in less than an hour without a load, could the 7812 thing be bad? Two, do I need a Schottky diode(mentioned by matt wheaton in a comment he made to this same video) wired into the circuit?

[@TheHandyHunter]

You don’t need to install a diode since these types of panels now come with one already installed. You could definitely have a bad regulator. Was it plugged into anything when it drained? Also double check your wiring because a lot of guys accidentally switch polarity of the wires by using the solar panel plug they cut off....just trace +\- all the way to the end. Let me know how it goes. Good luck and keep in touch!

[@emmetttyree7772]

Thanks, yep I double checked polarity and found all in order. I changed regulator and it's still draining faster than the solar panel can charge. Think I'll try one of the little buck transformers/voltage regulators.Amazon Valeford LM2596

[@josephramos1451]

What a fantastic build is there a way I could do this for a 5-volt Wi-Fi camera? The camera connects to USB power supply that I have it only last me a day. I would like to know if I could do the same thing with 5 volts Wi-Fi camera. I really like looking at the critters at night live when I am at home. I am a new subscriber Great Channel.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Yes you can! Rig it the same way in the video and use this 5 volt regulator to regulator the power to your camera. This is actually what I'm thinking of doing for my next home security setup. Good luck and let me know how it goes. Welcome to our channel and thanks for tuning in! www.amazon.com/MCIGICM-voltage-regulator-Regulator-Positive/dp/B07BDFMQF6/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1538426688&sr=8-5&keywords=5+volt+regulator

[@michaelgarner2323]

what kind of battery pack. can you send a link to buy them. great video. thanks.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Hi Michael, the link to the battery on Amazon should be listed in the description below the video. Let me know if you need more help. Good luck!

[@ronswanson8247]

What gauge wire are you using for your DIY solar and 12v battery set-ups?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Hi Ron, I typically use somewhere between 18-20. Hope that helps! Good luck!

[@stevesichkaryk9630]

1 more question I've really been wanting to build those lag bolt tree mounts to mount my solar panels wondering if you can give me a materials list to weld those up or even possibly a video of how to build the mounting system

[@TheHandyHunter]

Funny you should ask. I’ll be building some new ones this week so I’ll pull together a video. Does that work?

[@ubuntunewb]

Out of curiosity, how well do these batteries fair in the summer heat? From what I understand with NiMH batteries drain faster when heat is over 80 degrees. What is your experience with this setup, also have you had to replace the batteries yet?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Hi Ryan, so far they’ve held up great in the Georgia heat. I haven’t had one go bad yet so not sure how long they will last. So far I have been very pleased and wouldn’t hesitate to build another. I have a couple of these setups running two cams at once and it works flawlessly. Good luck with your build!

[@kracker1977]

Could I use DC power jack coming in from solar panel and out to camera? Or does it have to be wired directly?

[@TheHandyHunter]

You can definitely use jacks. Just make sure you get the polarity right and you’ll be good! Good luck!

[@lancet3908]

Just a couple questions before I order the parts for this! the input on the new Bushnell core ds-4k cameras appears to be a dc (2 prong) w threaded collar, I found short ones on Amazon I believe. 1) The camera runs on 6 aa batteries, will the 12v battery pack in your Amazon list (and in the video) work for this? 2) is there any updates to which solar panels you have in your list are better than others? It appears you have about 3 of them shown. I see 2 are 1.8w and one is 5w. Is 1.8w sufficient? Thank you for the video. I’m sorry if these questions are dumb, but I’m not electrically inclined at all. I’m excited to try one then outfit my entire fleet of cameras.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Yep, that battery will work just fine. The 1.8w panel is all you need. Good luck!

[@jeffmichael728]

Love the setup....considering this for my moultrie mobiles. I'm only getting about a month out of 12 enegizer lithiums (1,000pics). Do you think this could get me at least several months of use?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Hi Jeff, it depends. Some cellular cams are major power hogs and others not too bad. I run bigfoot cell cams on this setup and it works perfectly. One thing you could try if the cam drains too fast is to run two battery packs in parallel inside the box. I would try one first and see how it works. Good luck and let me know how it goes.

[@jeffmichael728]

@@TheHandyHunter Sorry to bother ...so I set up 2 rigs this weekend. Both are only showing like 11.5 volts coming out of the regulator. The battery itself shows 12.8 volts. Should I be concerned? Does this sound normal?

[@jasonccrane]

Hi, love the how-to videos. Question on the panel in this video. Is the panel in a self made bracket and which model is it? I see several options in the Amazon link. I noticed all of the options in the store are 12 volt but you suggest a 12V regulator. How come? Thank you!

[@TheHandyHunter]

Yep, all panels will come with a frame around them. I don’t suggest the panel I used in the video...it’s very difficult to mount. I use the plastic framed ones with holes in the end for mounting. We have them in our store. You need a 12v regulator even with a 12 volt panel because at full sun a 12 v panel will produce up to 23ish volts which will burn your 12 volt cam. You want the high voltage going to your battery, just not your camera. Hope that helps! Good luck.

[@jasonccrane]

@@TheHandyHunter Thanks so much, and that makes sense. I want to replace the solar panel off of a box that I bought, so I shouldn't need the regulator since it will be connected to the battery and not the camera. Just so I'm clear, can you provide the part number of the one you prefer or suggest? Appreciate it so much.

[@TheHandyHunter]

If you are connecting a solar panel to any battery that simultaneously connecting to a camera you will need a regulator on the cable to the camera. Any of the panels in our store. We use them all and they all work great. Hope that helps.

[@jmcgowanuscg11]

is there any way you can do a video on how to install the voltage regulator? from start to finish with external battery and solar panel? awesome videos!

[@TheHandyHunter]

Let me add that to my list for you. I do get many questions around this. Thanks for the request!

[@jmcgowanuscg11]

@@TheHandyHunter maybe you can just answer here? so basically you hooked the solar panel and took one of the cords from the cigarette or alligator clips into the regulator then spliced the power cord into the stealth cam power cord your using? if so i can do it. lol thanks again for the fast reply.

[@antiquarian1773]

is the solar panel directly hooked up to the battery? How are you protecting the battery from overcharge ? and how are you protecting the solar panel from the battery?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Yep, battery is directly hooked to solar without controller. If you use a 1.5watt solar withis setup you can expect 2 to 3 year life span max. These NiMH batteries don’t use pcbs so not too bad on battery life.

[@brandonthrelkeld3636]

So if I’m using a solar panel like yours with a 12v battery do u gotta have the 12 volt regulator if camera is 12v

[@TheHandyHunter]

Yep because the solar panel voltage will spike to ~23 volts in full sun and if you don’t have a 12volt regulator before the camera that high voltage will go straight to your camera. The regulator just protects your camera from pass through voltage from the solar panel. Hope that helps.

[@stevesichkaryk9630]

Did you add a diode to prevent the battery from backfeeding the panel in low or no light?

[@TheHandyHunter]

No because these panels come with diodes to prevent backflow. Hope that helps!

[@brentmcdaniel3342]

Ive watched both videos on your solar batteries, which route should I go, or which do you prefer, the small build or the ammo box build?

[@TheHandyHunter]

The small build is completely maintenance free

[@ralstonhailey9658]

How much would you charge to have a full set up of your tripod stand and solar panel battery pack?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Hi Ralston, email me at [e-mail] and let me know what you are looking for. Thanks buddy!

[@razorsharptokill]

Question for ya. I am doing the same set up but for a 6 volt feeder. Will that battery take the close to 20 volts from the solar panel or do I need to put a 12 v regulator between the panel and the battery? I have a 6 v regulator between battery and feeder.

[@TheHandyHunter]

I wouldnt use a 12v solar with a 6 volt battery. Can you switch to a 6 volt solar panel? You could install a buck coverter at around 10-11volts between solar and battery. Hope that helps.

[@Isaacmantx]

Handy Hunter, since it has been a couple of years since this was posted, have you redone any of these with 18650 or 2170 cells? I am wondering about the logistics of using a small bms and voltage regulator in a 4s configuration of lithium cells.

[@TheHandyHunter]

So funny you mentioned this! I just started working on this project! I’m trying to decide on which lithium battery and then the proper solar panel for charging. May be able to skip all the bms part if you use protected lithium batteries that will prevent overcharging. Also looking at the 26650 batteries but also trying to keep cost and ease of replacement in mind for DIY’rs. I’m also thinking of changing the battery box the internals more accessible. I want one that’s waterproof with a latched door for easy access. I’m hoping to start testing a couple setups soon. I’ll also be testing a lithium pack without a solar panel to replace some of my old SLA battery setups in the ammo boxes. Let me know if you find a setup you like. Thanks!!

[@warrenmayfield4876]

@@TheHandyHunter I am wondering if you have figured anything out on this setup?

[@JeromeBeeFarm]

I think that would probably be fine without the regulator. Not sure what voltage that solar panel puts out in full sun. Probably not over 14V. Thanks for the video. Update- I just watched another one of your videos and that solar panel isn’t a 12v panel, I think you said it was putting out 18v. so yeah, you would want the regulator. 👍👍

[@TheHandyHunter]

Hi there, all my panels are 12v and put out up to 23volts in full sun. Anything over 14v starts getting risky for 12v cams and can damage them. I personally would never use a solar panel without a voltage regulator to protect the cam. Good luck with your build.

[@AustiN-lk2ju]

Now that you have gotten some usage time on that battery, what is your opinion. I'm far from an electric expert and I am setting up some solar panels on cameras like you have. I was thinking the more Ah in a battery the better, so I was looking at batteries such as the Expert Power 12v 7 Ah (1270). Do you find the need for more Ah on your batteries or is 2 Ah enough like the battery in the video? Thanks for the great videos and the time you take in responding! -Additionally, it looks like you use 1/2" pipe quite a bit. Do you just buy fittings to put together some of your set ups where you have panels sliding on and off or do you buy larger pipe? Thanks!

[@TheHandyHunter]

Hi Austi! Great questions. I love this setup! I just got back from the farm and recorded a short video on the post 1 year update of this setup. It’s been well over a year with no issues whatsoever! Runs 24/7 with no maintenance. Only worry about Ah if you are not running solar. I run those too...big battery in an ammo box will last you many months or a year. The little battery gets my cams through the night and then is recharged the next day. The only thing I would change is not adding a pigtail to check battery level. It’s extra work to rig and my battery is always at 100%. If you build it you won’t regret it and you’ll be building a second, third... Good luck and let me know how it goes! Oh, yes, I use 1/2 emt pipe for all trail cam brackets...plenty strong for that.

[@mattyandow9721]

I have a covert NBF -30 it has a 6v jack if I change the 12v connector to the 6v connector will it still work the same?

[@TheHandyHunter]

You’ll need to install a 6 volt regulator between the battery and the jack plug.

[@danbernskoetter]

And does the shade of a wooded area allow for the solar charging. Most of the time my cameras are in the woods along trails.

[@TheHandyHunter]

These types of panels do generate energy in shade but takes long to fully charge. If it’s really shaded you may have to move up to a bigger panel to collect more light. Start small and then progress upward. Hope that helps!

[@chrishoppers3549]

Trying to figure out what voltage regulator that is you used? Any part numbers on that?

[@TheHandyHunter]

It’s a 7812 12v regulator and we have them in our Amazon store or you can find online. Let me know if you need help.

[@Sgt63PPD]

Where do you get the Solar Battery & Panel. Trying to figure out which one your using? Thank you!

[@Sgt63PPD]

Disregard, I just saw y'alls Amazon Store!

[@BitcoinGods]

Just wandering if the battery is combination of 18650 batteries?! If yes, it takes me 4 hours to charge two of them with a wall charger. How would that 2w solar panel charge 10 or 12 of them in 6 hours?! Thanks

[@TheHandyHunter]

I never cut one open but they are not 18650’s...those would produce too much voltage. Pretty sure these are 1.2v rechargeable AA’s. 1.2 x 10=12 volts. Hope that helps.

[@jwiggs59]

I built this setup exactly like you showed. Once I hooked it up to my camera the voltage regulator got extremely hot. Too hot to touch. Is this normal?

[@TheHandyHunter]

No, it should get hot. What is the voltage coming out of the plug? The voltage is not reversed at the plug is it? Inner part is positive and outer is negative. It could be a bad regulator but usually a wiring issue. Let me know.

[@michaelguidry9227]

Awesome

[@TheHandyHunter]

Thank you!!

[@redneckfarmer6584]

Probably a dumb question but could you use 2 amp inline fuse instead of the voltage regulator?

[@TheHandyHunter]

No because the regulator keeps the voltage to the cam around 12 volts. If you didnt have it your solar panel would push ~23volts directly to your cam and destroy it.

[@prostreet4975]

How do you charge the battery in the off season before you put it out

[@TheHandyHunter]

Just lay it in the sun for a while with the solar and it will recharge.

[@doughawkins2405]

On the camera plug, should inside plug be positive or negative??

[@TheHandyHunter]

Inside is usually positive but double check the plug diagram on your camera. It’s usually very small and sometimes on the rubber plug that covers the hole.

[@aaronjohnson1765]

Good morning! Your videos have been great and very informative thank you. What 12 volt regulator did you use? Also do you think it is necessary? Again thank you for posting these videos. Your build quality and information is perfect! Great ideas!

[@TheHandyHunter]

Thank you! I use a 7812 regulator and yep you need one for safety so you don’t overvoltage your camera and damage it. Hope that helps!!

[@aaronjohnson1765]

Thank you sir. I just looked them up on Amazon. I’ll KZbin how to wire it in thank you.

[@TheHandyHunter]

You are welcome!

[@samdeyoung13]

@@TheHandyHunter Are you able to show how you did the wiring connection to the voltage regulator?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Hi Sam, I’m not good at soldering so I take the barrel end of a small spade connector and cut it off but I remove the plastic sheath first. I then slide it up on the leg of the regulator while the lead wire is inserted. Then slightly crimp the barrel connector to make it all secure. Don’t forget to slide your heat shrink on the lead wire first before you do anything. Hope that helps!

[@frankday9616]

Have you done any kill lights using a dusk till dawn switch

[@TheHandyHunter]

I have not but thought about it. I switched to hunting them by cell cam notification and then moving in with nightvision. With that said you could still hunt by kill lights even if using cell cam notification. Nothing wrong with having some light in the kill zone. Good luck!!!

[@johnwedemayer1205]

how did this set up work for you. I just built one, wont be able to get it out until spring. just curious how this AA pack held up. thanks.

[@TheHandyHunter]

I’ve had 3 of these in the field for 1 year and 3 months now with no issues at all. One of them runs two trail cams at the same time and the others run cell cams. They’ve been totally maintenance free. Will they last 2, 3, 4 or 5 years? We’ll find out. Good luck I think you will love it!

[@johnwedemayer1205]

@@TheHandyHunter thanks for the feedback and the idea on how to build these. I look forward to getting it out in the woods. keep you posted on how mine works. thank you!

[@michaelmuirhead8172]

Do you have to have batteries in the camera or will it run only off the battery pack

[@TheHandyHunter]

Depends what brand of camera you use. My Brownings run without batteries inside but others I have won’t. I still like to run batteries though as a backup plan.

[@LMM42424]

This man is genius! Just found your channel. Super excited. Where are you located?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Not genius for sure...but even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes. LOL Glad it was helpful. Desperation always drives innovation! Our farm is in central Georgia. Welcome to our channel!

[@LMM42424]

I’m in NW Pa just trying to figure out our new property. 65 acres of pure bliss. Learning deer patterns and such. Need a break come visit. True invite. God bless

[@TheHandyHunter]

camptriplec that’s awesome! Good luck with your piece of heaven and growing some deer! It’s a blast! I hear PA has some awesome hunting! May come up your way one day. Keep in touch!

[@zeechrocks8386]

Using a 12v battery does ah have any effect on which to choose

[@TheHandyHunter]

Just keep in mind the higher the Ah the more energy the battery stores

[@steveg9917]

Can I make a set up like this for my Spartan cellcam? They say only use 6 volt battery?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Yep! All you have to do is follow my directions but install a 6 volt regulator instead of a 12v. The 6 volt will down regulate the 12volt output and protect your camera. I think I have links to the 6 volt reg's in the description. If you need help feel free to contact me. Good luck.

[@danbernskoetter]

What size pvc pipe do you use for the mounting?

[@TheHandyHunter]

I make my brackets out of 1/2 in emt metal pipe. I have seen people use 1/2 in pvc as well to make it work. You could use 3/4 for extra strength. Hope that helps!

[@michaelmorgan9536]

How did you terminate the wires to the regulator? Iv tried a couple things and broke a leg off of the regulator. Thanks

[@TheHandyHunter]

I snip the barrel off a small spade connector and then slide it on the leg with the wire in it and then crimp it tight. I then heat shrink it for a nice connection. Hope that helps.

[@michaelmorgan9536]

Thank you. I looked for rings that small be and couldn't find any. Nice Macgyver fix

[@bucmeister7713]

Quick question, as I need help with the nomenclature conversion. In the original battery box you used a 12v/12Ah SLA battery now I believe this is suppose to be done with a 2000MAh NiMH battery. Is 2000MAh equivalent to 2Ah or to 20Ah? Thinking it takes 1000 milli amps to be 1 amp. Have you looked into Lithium for this purpose. What I can't figure out on the 12v regulator is the range of input voltage it can handle. If it can take 4-3.7volt 18650 cells (14.8v) in series and regulate that to 12 volts it should be no problem to cobble together a very robust multiday batter pack with 8 or even 12 18650 cells.

[@TheHandyHunter]

It will handle 14 volts easily cause it regulates 12 volt solar in full sun at 23volts. You will be fine but may need to double the number of 18650’s and run two packs in parallel. Hope that helps

[@bucmeister7713]

@@TheHandyHunter Yes sir, thanks for that information. Actually looking at making up a pack using 32700 LiFePo4 cells because they seems to run in mAh ranges from 6000 to as high as 12000 which should translate to between 6Ah and 12Ah plus that chemistry is rated to have a discharge/charge cycle life in the thousands.

[@colewise9467]

Thanks for the video. I'm running one of the new Cuddeback Cuddelink systems, and my cell home is terrible with batteries. Could I take the HME 12V solar battery box you posted in your links above, and just wire in the 6V regulator on it and be good to go? The Cuddeback Cell Home is 6V obviously. Thanks!

[@TheHandyHunter]

Yes you can! I’ve had other people tell me that they have done that. Just make sure you test the voltage after install before plugging into your camera. Are you having to rewire to the solar panel as well or are you simply inserting reg on the wire from battery? If you mess with the wiring between the battery and solar dont forget to reinstall a diode. If you are just inserting reg between battery and cam no worries.

[@colewise9467]

I had planned on just installing it between the battery and camera. Will it be necessary to regulate it between the panel and battery as well?

[@TheHandyHunter]

You are doing it right by putting it between the camera and battery. You will be fine on everything else. I just wanted to make sure you were not rewiring the whole setup....and if so that you didnt forget the diode. I had that happen to a friend and his battery kept draining because he didnt install a diode. You’ll be set. Good luck!

[@colewise9467]

@@TheHandyHunter Perfect, thanks for the help and quick replies. I was going to go broke buying batteries for this thing.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Cole Wise i hear ya...let me know how that box works out!

[@kenburgess2560]

Hi, I would like to purchase a few of those tree mounting brackets and even the bracket that mounts to the back of the solar panel! Do you have an eBay link? Thanks

[@TheHandyHunter]

Hi Ken, sorry for the delay. Shoot me an email at [e-mail]. Thanks!

[@pizzadave9812]

I have a wyze camera that gets plugged into a 110 outlet will this hook up run that camera?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Not unless it has a DC jack for external battery packs

[@pizzadave9812]

@@TheHandyHunter k thanks

[@reddye2331]

A loaded question for topic @ hand. So wonder where this is at. Is he and his good idea solar battery bank deal,is it in the north where it would be sitting out in -0 degrees temperatures. Or is it out in a place tht is mostly above 34 to 46 degrees for the coldest temperature wise it gets for the coldest nights of winter. Problem we have up north here is the real cold temps seem to drain batteries real quick

[@reddye2331]

Before someone says anything about me not watching and listening. He did say something about the battery being drawn down at night and then solar brang back up. No real mentioning about what temp was out there on such day/night

[@TheHandyHunter]

I’m in central Georgia where winters are not bad. NiMH or LifePo4 batteries claim to work at -20 below and may be your best option. Lithium doesn’t do well below 32 degrees so don’t waste your money. Best thing to do is test one to see how it holds up. Good luck!

[@CTCLures]

Okay I just found your stuff its good. But, can you tell me what is the reason for the pieces of the plant pots on the camera? I have an idea but I would like to hear more about it.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Not sure what you mean by plant pots? Can you give me a little more info? Thx

[@CTCLures]

@@TheHandyHunter The shade thing over your game camera.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Abel Esparza ok, got it! It’s a sun shade and rain guard. It protects the cams from getting sun beat and helps it take better pictures in the rain. It keeps your lense from getting water on it. Hope that helps!

[@CTCLures]

@@TheHandyHunter That's very cool. Personally I have had my game cameras take a ton of pictures because of a slight drizzle.

[@TheHandyHunter]

These will help protect the face of your camera and take better pictures jn the rain. 2.5 quart plastic paint bucket at walmart, Home Depot or lowes. Cost is a couple of bucks...cheap protection!

[@Buckski00buckshot]

Will is 12 voltage battery burn up a cell camera if it doesn’t have a solar panel attached too the battery?

[@TheHandyHunter]

I’m not clear on your question but I think you are asking if you need a voltage reg if you aren’t using solar? The answer would be no as long as you are matching the voltage of the battery with the camera. Hope that helps!

[@brianbaver9681]

yes I would be interested in some of you items )))) Please let me no how I can buy them TY

[@TheHandyHunter]

Hi Brian, email me at [e-mail] and let me know what you are needing. Thanks brother!

[@rossweaver9082]

Could you lease provide a close up of the wiring to the 12v regulator? I assume the “up” means the flat tab of the regulator would be flat on a table in the diagram?

[@TheHandyHunter]

That’s correct, the flat tab would be laying flat on the table. Wish I had a close up for you but you seem to have it right.

[@rossweaver9082]

@@TheHandyHunter thank you sir!

[@TheHandyHunter]

You are welcome!

[@mikeburke7652]

seems to me the regulator needs to go between the solar panel and the battery to prevent overcharging the battery?

[@TheHandyHunter]

No, you need it on the cam cable to protect from high voltage during full sun from the solar panel. This setup doesn’t have a BMS but will still last 2 to 3 years.

[@williamporter9034]

Specifications says the 1.8 watt solar panel is not waterproof...will rainy weather effect it?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Mine all are completely exposed in the weather and I’ve never had a problem. Some people run a bead of silicone around the edge for extra measure but I dont think it’s necessary.

[@mauroalvarezsi]

Verified and they were 100% dead from the one. I added a solar panel with internal batteries like big foot but the one with a 8000mah batteries. I just have a feeling it’s not enough juice to keep both up. I may have to mount it higher on the tree or get the 12v batteries that fit in an Ammo can with a bigger solar panel. See if that works. The camera that said 90% went dead shortly after. Experimenting is getting expensive now

[@mauroalvarezsi]

I may try a 10watt or 20 watt panel to see if it’ll be enough for both battery and spypoint camera

[@urbanbowhunter1]

Where do you purchase your solar panels

[@TheHandyHunter]

Hi Friend, best place is Harbor Freight for $13.00. Hope that helps! Good luck!

[@jimslaughter4540]

Im getting around 12v at the regulator...however, from the regulator/game cord to camera I'm getting no power to unit. All my connections are solid...any ideas? Bottom of my game cam says dc6-12v and camera instruction book says it accepts a 12v external source. Stumped!

[@TheHandyHunter]

Hi Jim, sorry for the delay. Are you not getting any voltage at the plug tip? If not, then must be a bad regulator (which happens). I would try a new one and see what happens. If that doesn’t work it could also be a bad cable. I would do some testing right at the reg to see if power is coming through. Let me know what you find.

[@jimslaughter4540]

@@TheHandyHunter as soon as I posted, I went back and tried a few things...I'll admit, I know a little about electricity but not how to use a volt meter! (Reading instructions helps!!) So I had my settings wrong on the volt meter and the testing tips were plugged into the wrong parts of the volt meter. Once I read up on the correct placement, bingo, I had power to the cable tip! Now that I got a grasp I'm gonna make a few more...but I am gonna try a different regulator, those little ones drive me nuts trying to make em fit and get crimped! Thanks for the help and providing a shopping list...really makes things easier to find! Take care

[@TheHandyHunter]

You bet! Glad you found the problem. Good luck and keep in touch!

[@tonyaceto1169]

You wouldn't happen to know the size of the plugs that fit Cuddeback cameras would you?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Im pretty sure I’ve heard someone say that they were 1.7mmx4mm plugs. Hope that helps.

[@jeepinintexas6215]

Hey I have a Spypoint Micro LTE cellular trail cam which has a 12v power inlet. I bought a 12v 7Ah SLA battery and the camera is draining it quick. Even quicker than just using 8 AA batteries. I thought I had a bad 12v battery so I swapped it out with another new battery and added a 12v solar panel to the setup to keep it charged. Its draining that battery fast too. I don't know if it will make it through one week before its drained. What do you think could be causing these 12v batteries to drain so quickly. The camera itself hasn't been taking many pics at all when it use to take a bunch of them before.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Cell cams draw more but shouldn’t drain that fast. What’s your cell signal like? You may have to try a 5 watt panel or bigger to keep that 7ah charged everyday. It’s a power hog cam.

[@jeepinintexas6215]

@@TheHandyHunter the signal there is decent. I'll be driving out there to investigate this weekend. Tech support said I have to have the camera handy to troubleshoot.

[@greatdaneparis]

Have you put any of these up for sale on ebay lately?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Sorry, I have not. I just haven’t had extra time to build them.

[@sethtnewton]

I'm having a hard time wiring up the regulator. Am I going to have to solder it? I've tried shrink tubing and it won't hold it.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Did you get my email? Did it work out?

[@sethtnewton]

@@TheHandyHunter I got the email. Thanks again. I'm heading to the hardware store today and will report back.

[@TheHandyHunter]

Perfect!

[@sethtnewton]

@@TheHandyHunter Worked perfectly! Thanks again for the extra help!

[@TheHandyHunter]

You bet! Anytime!

[@mikereed9014]

So how well did they work

[@TheHandyHunter]

Great! Running several and all work well a couple years out so far.

[@garybutterworth-ez9uk]

Great video can you send me the part number for the solar panel you used

[@TheHandyHunter]

You can find this style of panel on Amazon. Any 1.5, 2, or 5 watt panel will work. I think the 1.5 or 2 watt panel is all you need. Hope that helps!

[@stonecoldfyu316]

Hay man you are great and I made 1 like in your previous videos with the amo box and has worked great for a couple of months. I went and checked it yesterday and says battery is low shows 9.57 on wild view camera. I don't understand why it now down on charge. The solar panel is the same on my feeder to your specs and about 10 feet from it and it's low. I have also ordered some rechargable AA batteries for the camera and the other battery just as back up but have been running it direct any advise on what could be the problem ?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Hi Tony, are you saying the batteries are low on both your battery box and on your deer feeder? Are you running solar panels on both? Are they in heavy shade? What brand of batteries are you using? Just FYI, some cams won’t run on rechargeable AA’s because they are slightly lower voltage than regular AA’s.

[@stonecoldfyu316]

No the battery on my feeder is staying at full charge and the big battery on my camera is showing low charge. I disconnected it so to see if it charges back up and I will check it again this evening. I will let you know the brand of battery this evening. The solar panel is a wild game innovation sp-12v1 the same as my feeder.

[@stonecoldfyu316]

They get good sun up till about 11 in the morning.

[@stonecoldfyu316]

Also I got the battery from academy .

[@TheHandyHunter]

Ok thanks. I’ve had even new batteries go bad because they wouldnt charge so it could be that. Otherwise, you may have to increase the size of your panel for the lack of sun time. I don’t know the draw of your camera but usually they barely draw any power. I used those wildgame panels in the past but only on 6 volt and they wouldnt keep my feeder battery charged so I built my own solar setup. Let me know what you find.

[@mikeferretti7422]

4 yrs later how are the cameras, did you make any changes?

[@TheHandyHunter]

I now use a small pack of LifePo4 batteries with a PCB but I’ve only been using for about 8 months. The pack in the video is simple and will give you 2-3 years before needing to replace the battery. I wouldnt hesitate to use that battery setup.

[@shannoncausey9805]

Your link for the rechargeable battery isn't correct. It is showing the irontron solar panels

[@TheHandyHunter]

Thanks brother! Really appreciate the heads up. I will fix it a little later tonight when I get back to my laptop. Thanks!

[@shannoncausey9805]

@@TheHandyHunter no problem. Also later if you can, I left a question on one of your other videos. Having issues with the solar panel setup and would like some help

[@TheHandyHunter]

Ok, I will take a look! Thanks!

[@TheHandyHunter]

Ok, I updated the link...thanks again! Now jumping over to your other question. Thanks

[@jimdechert9129]

Handy Hunter, you seem to have lots of experience with batteries and cameras. After seeing your video, I made up some cables with the 12v regulators you recommended. In testing them I found some unexpected results. First, when connecting a solar panel in full sun producing close to 24 volts to a battery, the output of the battery did not change by more than .1v even without a regulator. When connecting the regulator to the output of a battery reading 13.08 the voltage dropped to 11.80. Another battery reading 12.70v dropped to 11.65 through the regulator. So, I have three questions for you. Are you getting less than 12v on your regulated cables? If so, any problems with cameras running on 11.something volts? Is the regulator really necessary since the battery (in my test anyway) appears to regulate the voltage?

[@TheHandyHunter]

Cams run on a variance of voltage and some do fine slightly below and above 12v. How big is the battery you are connecting the panel too?

[@jimdechert9129]

@@TheHandyHunter It is a 12v 7ah SLA battery

[@1982richardl]

How are you attaching wires to the 12v regulator ?

[@TheHandyHunter]

I clip the barrel end off a spade connector and then use it to crimp the wire to the regulator pin. Make sure you slide the shrink wrap on first.

[@1982richardl]

@@TheHandyHunter what gauge connector ? Like the red ones ?