Hi forum,

I was wondering if someone might be able to shed light on my battery problems. My setup gets no more than 24-48 hrs worth of trapping. I usually get a total of about 5 or 6 minutes video (120FPS 1080P) and then nothing is recorded for the 3 or 4 days after that.

Here's my setup (photo attached)

- Sony A7sii
- Camtraptions PIR 3 with wireless receiver
- To power the Sony A7sii: Cygnett 20000mAh USB-C Power Bank plugged into a Tether Tools ONsite Relay A Camera Power System (that plugs into the Sony's battery compartment)
- Deity shotgun mic (which has its own internal rechargeable battery)

Camtraptions PIRv3 with 6 new AA batteries (Energiser or Duracel), Wireless receiver has 2 new AA batteries (Energiser or Duracel) .... I get 24-48 hrs usage and then nothing is recorded. I don't know what I am doing wrong.

I did notice, the last time I opened up the trap box, that when I turned (off and back) on the Sony it was saying the batteries were exhausted. Yet the battery bank was saying 50% full. A couple of days later, I went back to the system and the Sony is now working fine off the same battery bank (which I didn't recharge). And the Sony is now reporting 100% power (off the battery bank).

Ideas I have had about what could be the cause:
- Camtraptions chewing through batteries (probably not)
- Camtraptions receiver not receiving signal through the Pelican case (receiver is about 5m from sensor) ... but then why is it working for first 24 hrs.
- the Cygnett power bank (designed for phones I guess) isn't playing well with the Tether Tools relay ... ? Maybe there's some sort of current draw limitation
- the Sony is overheating (doubt it because it should start working again after cooling down no?)

Would anyone have any other ideas?

Etienne


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