DIY: Build A Battery Box to Minimize Your Time Disturbing Cameras

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Nothing is more frustrating than having to trudge into an area because your camera stopped taking pictures.

A few obvious tips for minimizing impact include:

• Buy the biggest SD Card your camera can handle
• Get A Cellular Cam (I prefer the Covert Blackhawk)
• Extend your battery life by buying Lithium Ion batteries

While the battery suggestion helps, one of the best ways to minimize impact and save on batteries is to build an external battery box. Nearly all modern game cams have an external battery port (and its actually easy to add a port if one isn’t built in).

Here is a quick build that can be easily adapted to any watertight box you have lying around.

Building A Battery Box

Materials Needed

• Male to Male 5.5×2.1mm Power Adapter Cable
• 12v Battery
• 22-16 AWG Butt Connectors
• 16ga Wire
• 16-14ga Spade Connectors
• Kayak Dry Box
• Nylon Cable Gland
• Spray Paint
• 15/32 Step Drill Bit
• Automotive Cargo Net

Step 1: Lay Down a Base Coat to Camouflage the Storage Box

You will need about three colors of paint to get a good camo pattern. Lay down a base coat and then add a few stripes of the other two colors.

Step 2: Add the Camo Pattern

Drape the cargo net over the box and alternate colors to add depth to the camouflage pattern.

Step 3: Prep the Cord

Find the midpoint of the 5.5×2.1mm cord and cut it. Carefully slice the outer covering to reveal the positive and negative wires and strip the ends.

Tip: Make Two
You will only need one half of the cable so use the other half to make another battery box.

Step 4: Add the Access Point for the Cable

Drill an 15/32″ hole in the side of the box using the step bit. Install the cable gland. Loosely thread the cord through the gland with the stripped wires in the interior of the box (don’t tighten the gland just yet).

Step 5: Prep Two Pigtails

Since the internal negative and positive wires in the cord are ~18ga wire we will crimp a pigtail on to each so it can be attached to the battery.

Cut two 4″ lengths of 16ga wire. Strip one end and crimp a female spade connector.

Step 6: Attach the Pigtails

Using a butt connector, attach the pigtail to the power cord. Be sure to mark the positive terminal if you don’t use a different color wire.

Given the camera is low voltage, I choose not to add an inline fuse on the positive side (but you can).

Step 7: Add the Battery

Connect the spade connectors to a 12v battery. Add some foam support so it doesn’t rattle around and close it up.

Step 8: Tighten the Cable Flange

You can now adjust the cord length and tighten the cable flange to make it watertight.

Take It To the Field

With your battery box complete, take it to the field and save some money on batteries.

Be sure to never charge the battery with the battery closed for safety.