I didnt refresh my memory by watching your video first before I openned my BTC-8A. very wrong color, or vertical lines, or split screen, Multiple videos with no animal after legitimate trigger, Thermal path between CPU and PIR detector causes self-triggering, Increase delay between triggers; push PIR detector 1 mm up off surface of PCB; tighten CPU heat sink screws, Over time, photos and videos become blurry and out of focus, Failure of lens, which sometime seem to develop an astigmatism (areas that our out of focus) over time, New batteries fail after a few weeks in the field, Corrosion of small internal battery leads to higher than normal current drain while camera is in sleep mode. For models that do not have a built-in viewing screen after pressing the Mode Button you will be in the Setup Menu. Are you sure batteries are good? Now I would like to protect my new and other cameras from this kind of battery corrosion. The pink tone of the lens during day light is picked up by the image sensor and gives you a color similar to a photo filter you would find on Instagram. The firmware tries to write new settings (or new firmware), but the EEPROM device wont take them. Try taking photos and videos after you change batteries. When the camera is checked, there are no images, the SD card is corrupted, and the batteries are dead. MAKING THE CASE AGAINST TRAIL CAMERA BANS. Let us know how you make out! I have good news, bad news, and worse news. The only one i found with such a usefull information. We recently ran across this problem after a long hiatus when retrieving a pandemic camera that had been in the field for over a year. However, the outdoor environment is hard on electronics and some fail. Connection: Simplify your life by finding a microphone with red and black wires already attached. Im asking because Im not sure if Im either going to short something out by soldering to many places, or invite moisture by using or not using glue to surround battery as shown in the picture. One great hack I learned years ago: if the camera is in the shade, looking out into a sunny area, you can be stuck with many and multiple photos of the same thing. The way that Ive found works is to use the logic analyzer to sniff off the first couple of pages of the EEPROM image, and then to use a set of utilities Ive developed to turn a working firmware image into the remaining bits of the EEPROM (the first few pages of the EEPROM are apparently not included in the firmware image). The power of the batteries might not be an issue in this case. What do you think of this Bob? Be sure to use a small, low power soldering iron on the microphone PCB pads. If you make the switch, you will not have to go through the frustrating process of changing the batteries every few days. However, sometimes these trail cameras will lose sound completely, or develop a static or humming noise. Depending on how good your eyes are (mine are not), you will need more or less magnification to carefully inspect the area around the USB connector. the Recon Force Extreme BTC-7FHD-PX, and the newer Recon Force Edge BTC-8E), but I expect it to be endemic to exist in other types of cameras as well. If you order any of these, make sure to find one with the small leads arlready attached to limit the amount of fine soldering you have to do. Note that the PIR lens is highly engineered. No sound at all? I suspect this is because with the cost of shipping, and the time to debug and repair (if a repair is even possible), its almost always less expensive just to get a new camera. To solve this issue, navigate through the LCD screen into the camera settings and check whether the flash is on or not. On reassembly, I sometimes found myself forgetting to re-install the little rubber stoppers into the screw holes in the case. But if you go through this ultimate Browning trail camera troubleshooting guide, you can save yourself from the trip and money you would have to spend. Sure enough, after a couple of minutes, I found sources of leaks. You can try repeating the process. Even if it were not, there should not be any command sequence which breaks the SD card permanently. The result is that one pin (the one connected to ground) is very hard to get hot enough to melt the solder onto the solder wick. This is not surprising, given the number of thermal cycles these cameras often experience, and the low-cost, plastic housing for the lens components. There will be loads of other modes too. Some e-tailers offer an extended warranty. The fresh coin battery was 3.2vdc. This battery or ultracapacitor provides continuous power to an ultra low power real time clock chip.In some cameras, this battery or ultracapacitor is rechargeable, taking a trickle charge from the main battery pack. One can sometimes fix a cold solder joint by mechanical agitation. Since idle power is consumed all the time, even a small amount can drain the batteries over a series of days or weeks. Browning apparently removed them in newer HP4 models. If it fixes the problem, you are in luck. broken PIR lens cover I have a Browning trail cam with a broken PIR lens cover Mod # BTC-5HDE-18. On investigation, I found that the motor mechanism is refreshingly simple and robust. The triggering issue was that I was noticing that animals I saw with my own eyes were not being recorded. Trail Cameras are all we do and what we know! For example, the Browning Trail Cameras Command Ops Pro camera manual will have the compatible SD card list on the first few pages. The table below gives a summary of failures and fixes discussed in detail in the rest of this post. Camera will not turn on: Turning a modern trail camera on results in a whole pile of firmware being run before you see the splash screen. I figure since Im running across these problems anyway, might as well post them for the rest of the world. (69) USB conector is broken -fully out of the camera- and im afraid that the previous owner forced that conector so much that a Resitor is missing -or more!-. After some investigation, I believe this problem is caused by unwanted coupling of heat between the microprocessor (used to process the video and compress it into MPEG files) and the PIR sensor. Ive then been able to load this image into a new EEPROM device, and (quickly) resolder it back to the board. I then waited a varying amount of time before pushing the mode button. Good luck with your camera trapping. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. When the exposure table reads the information from the light meter, and determines that there is not enough light in the area, it activates the IR flash. After downloading photos from an SD card, do a quick format of the card on the computer before placing it in the camera. Hi, I am having apparently unique problems with my trail cam. These screws are tiny smaller than 2 mm. This would have been a mistake, since these stoppers are part of the gasket system which keeps moisture out of the camera. I myself was thinking of using a small brush to put some acid-free petroleum jelly on the small battery. If the camera loses track of date/time even when primary batteries are installed and charged, there is good chance that the RTC battery is not rechargeable. After much head scratching, I came up with a simple experiment that at least isolated the problem. Even with a good battery, the trail camera might not capture photos and videos adequately. I once left a camera in the hands of a friend, and they left the batteries in the battery compartment for too long. SD cards themselves are marginal when installed. Less technical and more physical location, this hack helps get you what you ultimately need. Then I covered the area well with thermal glue, and the camera is now working. Thanks. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. {If youd like to|If you want to|If you wish to} partake {in this|within|inside} {activity|task}, then {pick up|get|grab} these bow {hunting|searching} {supplies|materials}. But, with luck, rewriting the firmware will over-write whatever got corrupted in the current EEPROM, and the camera will start working again. A full format writes and reads all the available storage in the SD card, and is likely to fail if the SD card is marginal. Then the heat from the processor travels through the PCB to the PIR sensor. They will be able to assist you in more trouble shooting, and ultimately will need to replace the mechanism on the IR lens. Heres what I found with the camear set to Lithium batteries: Based on these results, I feel pretty confident rejecting this hypothesis. We have seen this failure develop in cameras over time. See youtube demos for Super Wick (e.g. Im in Spain, i cant send it to technical support, and i like electronics If you dont have any idea, im sure nobody will! Well, a good amount of our trail cameras stopped taking pictures after a while. If you find these, use a cotton-tipped swab and some isopropyl alcohol to gently clean the corrosion from the board. As I said, certain failures may not be (practically) fixable, and I may not be able to figure out what ails it. to the 2nd circuit board that is behind the first circuit board. one can sometime see that only a portion of the image is blurry and out of focus. Yeap the cover for the PIR sensor on all the cameras Im aware of is also the Fresnel lens array a critical element of the PIR sensor system. Alas, I cant really do repairs on a volume basis. Unfortunately, some water damage may to irreparable harm to the circuit board and/or components. After a week I have a 50% charge by setting the battery type to alkaline. The hack here is simple: format it before you get it out in the woods! I dont know how to reattach square to board. Also I have several other cameras that need repairs, various manufactures, also in need of repairs just sitting in a box collecting dust. Initially, the camera takes great, crisp and clear color and night time photos and video. And in that case, instead of trying to diagnose the signal issue from your home, you would need to go to the location you have set the camera. They really really dont make these devices with much support for rework/repair. In response to this confusion, the firmware reverts to the default settings (and date/time). Some manufacturers even go so far as to offer models with two image sensors one with an IR filter, and one without in part to avoid the possibility of IR filter failure. Does anyone have an idea how to solve this problem? For this, you need to ensure that the flash is on. Maybe they all do that? Although I know nothing about those parts inside the camera, your article is so informative I might venture in and try open camera surgery the next time one is dead and out of warranty. Trail camera placement is another common mistake, and I'm not talking about finding good high traffic areas. If you notice any new correlations associated with the problem, feel free to report them here. If that does not work, you would need to opt for a second-party or claim the first-party service. But they can still get damaged when you drop them from a great height. Diameter of micrphone for recent Browning models is 6 mm. This system relays the information to software on the back end of your camera, that is called exposure tables. But some models will run with either of the SD cards. Your aim is to create two smooth, flat surfaces. Fortunately, several manufacturers, including Browning (see References) offer replacments for broken PIR sensor lenses. Trail cameras seem to rely on a unusually compact lenses, and most of the lenses Ive found on line are too long, and wont fit in the camera. Often this is a simple issue with camera placement and can be easily rectified. The newer style looks like this: DSK-3R3E204T614-E at https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/elna-america/DSK-3R3E204T614-E/13693693 Testing the camera is the easiest way to find out if the lens is stuck, or the light meter system is creating a glitch in the camera. Note that idle batteries will often recover a little voltage, so the camera may come on again, and even take more photos/videos operating just above the cutoff threshold. plastic) to remove the adhesive from the metal top of the processor and the bottom of the heat sink without putting any scratches in either surface. On the other hand, the ones that are 32GB or lower are SDHC. Unfortunately, Ive never used these tools on this model camera. I still have these BAD FILE. Browning Canada Sports Ltd./Ltee. Looking at the BTC-7A, I see the markings: This is a 3.3Volt, 0.2 Farad Surface Mount ultracapacitor. However, you can quickly solve this by inserting new batteries. If this fixes the problem, put the old SD card back and see if problem comes back. So I have maybe 10 BTC-7Es (generation before the HP4s and HP5s) in the field, and 3 now have developed the runaway/run-on triggering problem youve described. For models that do have a built-in viewing screen after pressing the . After that, try to capture photos and test out different modes of the trail camera. I desoldered two wires that werent necessary AND lifted off a small conducting square. In all cases of stuck filters I investigated, the IR filter mechanism showed every sign of working correctly, as shown in video below. Browning trail camera card error is probably the most prevalent issue that users face while using the camera. If voltage drops below 9.8 volts, the camera goes into a low battery mode in which it will not operate until a battery with higher voltage is installed, and the camera is switched off, then on. Clean Your Trail Camera. Hey thanks Bob. My analysis still doesnt answer the question of why the SD cards failed in the first place. It is slightly larger than the original cell, but none-the-less fits on the PCB, and has a compatible set of pads. If you're asked to format, beware: it could delete everything you've recorded on that card. This scenario can be an excruciating slap in the face for those who have trail cams in distant locations, or ones we can just check once in a while. The connectivity chip does tend to show some problems over time. I proceeded to bridge the ground, et VOIL! Thank you for clarification as Im new to soldering. Set the battery type to Lithium if you are using Li-Metal; or Alkaline for any of the others. The gasket that seals the the fold-out door. And youll have enough left to help your friends , Pingback:Inside the Browning Recon Force Elite HP4 (BTC-7E) - Winterberry Wildlife, Hi Bob, This code incudes internal checks of the hardware, including the SD card, to make sure theyre working. Its a little tight, but I found that I could get at most of the main PCB without removing any of these by careful manipulation of the board. During the month it worked, it got some great photos, and would have undoubtedly gotten many more had it not failed. Canadian Customers. I have these running in video mode, with the video length usually at 30 seconds but sometimes 60 seconds. Check the settings tab of the camera and see whether you can find such an option or not. The permanent solution is to open the camera and to use a soldering iron to reflow the solder on the offending joints. I used a polyurethane adhesive, silicone RTV adhesives have an affinity for moisture which overtime might damage electrical circuits on the board. Alternatively, if it only loses date/time when primary batteries are removed, it is likely rechargeable. Just getting into trail cams and its fun but find myself flustered a lot! Unfortunately, the melted plastic kept a new PCB from fitting into place, so I ended up turning this unit into a parts camera. The lens mount has a 12 mm hole, tapped with a 0.5 mm pitch set of threads. Very similar to Reset Date/Time and Lost Settings. 12:00 am, Jan-1, 2017) , even after being properly set. I wired the the coin battery holder to the motherboard using #30 wire and glued the holder to the back side of the motherboard making it accessible by simply removing the back of the camera housing. I started noticing that it was always when my dog was barking out the back door at the animal in the yard. Creativity required. Note this is different than what we sometimes see in trail cameras, where the last video (before the batteries die) is unreadable, but the file system on the card is fine, and other videos/photo are still accessible. The bad news is that to fix, in addition to removing the EEPROM chip, you need to replace it with one with the right bits on it. The PIR sensor starts becoming warmer at a rate that exceeds 2 degrees Celsius per minute (the rated maximum spec on the PIR sensor). Unfortunately, measuring a dead battery wont tell you what the charged voltage should be. This allows the camera to cool down a little before waiting on the PIR sensor. Its possible that the other fix to unsolder the PIR sensor, lift it about a mm off the board, and resolder it would help, but this is more involved. Every time you put an SD card into a trail camera, use the trail camera to format or erase all images (different cameras have different names for this) in the camera itself. Pulled it and it sat in my office for a few weeks and was just put back into the field last week. Turns out that the BTC-7A has a series of cutouts in the PCB around the PIR sensor which limit heat flow (see photo above). Its all done in some combination of hardware and firmware in the main processor. Unfortunately, this also means that the camera wont retrigger quickly if the animal is still there. When opened I found it was actually in a used condition and has the exact eeprom fault described on this blog (always resetting back to defaults.) I have used the online O-Ring Store as a source for O-rings of the type found sealing the Fresnel lens. This is with the BTC-8A cameras. Trailcamjunkie.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. They can repair and troubleshoot cameras even after the warranty is over. Internally, the Edge is more like the HP4s and HP5s than the Advantage series I covered in my original post. Often this is a simple issue with. For some cases, the trail cam might show some signs of life, but it will show issues while taking photos and in video mode. 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Trail camera might not be any command sequence which breaks the SD list. While using the camera takes great, crisp and clear color and time! Once left a camera in the Setup Menu every few days this inserting! Permanent solution is to create two smooth, flat surfaces, if it were being! Well post them for the rest of the image is blurry and out of the camera is checked there... Was always when my dog was barking out the back door at the in.