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Power Tips - Master Your FieldNode

Thomas Hunt
Thomas Hunt

No one wants to spook deer by walking in just to swap batteries. Longer battery life means fewer trips into your spot and more time with your camera doing its job. With the right setup, you can stretch your power from early season through the rut.

Want to see how your settings stack up? 

Best Power Life → Balanced → Short Power Life  

Setting 🟩 Long Power Life 🟨 Standard 🟥 Short Power Life
Power Source Solar Panel / PowerMag Plus Lithium AA / 1st-Gen Recharge Pack 16× Standard AA / Low-Cost PowerMag / Edge Solar Included PowerMag
On Demand Off — On
Upload Frequency Every 24 Hours 12 – 6 Hours 3 Hours / Immediate
Detection Delay 5 + Minutes 1 – 5 Minutes / 30 – 60 Seconds 15 Seconds / 0 Seconds
Mode Photo — Video
  • Power Source: Solar Panel or PowerMag Plus → Lithium AA → 1st-Gen Recharge Pack → 16× Standard AA → Low-Cost PowerMag → Edge Solar included PowerMag 
  • On Demand: Off (longest) → On (shortest)
  • Upload Frequency: Every 24 hours (best) → 12 hours → 6 hours → 3 hours → Immediate (shortest)
  • Detection Delay: 5+ minutes (best) → 1–5 minutes → 30–60 seconds → 15 seconds → 0 seconds (shortest)

  • Mode: Photo (best) → Video (shortest)

  1. Power Options (What to use and why)
  • Add a Solar Panel to your Setup
    • A FieldNode Solar Panel can recharge your onboard lithium pack in the field.
    • Great for hard-to-reach setups where you don’t want to swap batteries mid-season for cameras in direct sunlight. 
  • Plus Recharge Pack – Our longest-lasting rechargeable pack. Great if you want lots of pictures per charge.
  • Lithium AA Batteries – Long-lasting per set; a solid choice if you’re not using a recharge pack; Energizer brand are recommended.
  • 1st-Gen Recharge Pack – Good life for most setups (second only to PowerMag Plus among recharge packs).
  • Standard AA Batteries (16) – Can work well if they’re fresh, matching, and name-brand. Results vary by settings and temperature; Energizer & FieldNode brands are recommended.
  • Low-Cost PowerMag Recharge Pack – Budget-friendly, but won’t last as long as 16 AAs or higher-capacity packs.
  • PowerMag (included with Edge Solar) – The smallest of our recharge packs. Convenient, but shortest life among the rechargeable options.  

2. Use a Stable Mount

  • Unstable mounting = false triggers = faster battery drain.
  • If you can shake the tree or post by hand, it’s not stable enough.

3. Check for Strongest Cellular Signal

  • Weak signal = more connection attempts = faster battery drain.
  • Move your camera a few feet to find stronger signal, it often makes a big difference.
  • Once connected, check your device's signal strength in the app. 
  • If you can’t improve signal, adjust capture settings and select delayed uploads (hourly, 6-hour, or daily) to save power. 
  • Make sure your antenna is rotated up.

4. Adjust Your Camera's Capture Settings

Upload Frequency (How often your gallery updates): 3–6 hours for balanced, 24 hours for max battery.

  • Every 24 hours – Biggest battery saver; updates once a day.
  • Every 12 hours – Two updates per day; still very efficient.
  • Every 6 hours – A few updates daily; balanced.
  • Every 3 hours – More frequent updates; uses more power.
  • Immediate – Sends each photo as it’s taken; shortest battery life.

Detection Delay (Time between possible Triggers): 30 seconds–1 minute for balanced, 1-5 minutes for max battery life.

  • 5+ minutes – Best for feeders or areas where animals linger; prevents dozens of near-identical photos.
  • 1–5 minutes – Still reduces repeats and saves power.
  • 30–60 seconds – Helpful balance at busy spots.
  • 15 seconds – Expect more repeat shots.
  • 0 seconds – Captures everything; shortest battery life.

Feeders/Grazing Areas: Use longer delays (1 minute or more; 5+ minutes is best) to avoid hundreds of similar shots.

Trails/Quick Crossings: Short delays (0–15s) catch motion better but use more battery.

On Demand: Turn off On Demand or Smart Capture if you don’t plan to use them.  

  • Off – Best for battery life. The camera fully rests between activity.
  • On – Shorter battery life. Keeps the camera ready for instant requests and quick setting changes.

*For Edge 2, Edge 2 Pro, Edge 3, Edge 3 Pro, & Edge Solar only. 

Power FAQs

“Why is my camera draining batteries so fast?” 

  • Usually it’s a mix of weak signal and too many uploads. Each failed connection eats battery. Switch to delayed uploads (ideally 24 hours) to save power and keep your camera running longer.

“Why doesn’t my cell cam last as long as a traditional camera?” 

  • Cell cams do more, instant uploads, app controls, AI filters, and customization. All of that uses more power. To extend life, add solar and optimize settings for your area.
  • Strong battery life means fewer trips, less scent, and more time with your camera working for you. Keep building on it with bite-sized tips for detection, image quality, connection, and app features.

“Do certain settings make my batteries drain faster?”

  • Yes. Immediate uploads, video mode, and short detection delays all eat more power. For longer life, run photo mode, increase your detection delay, and set uploads to hourly or daily instead of immediate.

“What batteries should I use?”

  • Lithium AAs last longer and perform better in cold weather than Alkaline. If you use Alkalines, stick to high-quality brands. For long seasons, recharge packs paired with solar are the most reliable option.

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