# Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Aggressor - using an external battery & power cable?



## 2Rsquared (Nov 4, 2008)

Santa gave me my first trailcam for Christmas last year. It is a 2016 Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Aggressor, the "low-glow" version. I like the camera a lot and it seems to be working well for me, but I am going through those (very expensive) Energizer lithium batteries (8) and replacing them every 2-3 weeks or so. 

I average about 350-400 pictures/videos (hybrid mode) a day. I set it up to take 1 picture and a 5 second video, when triggered, in 30 second intervals. Most of the pics/vids are at night, so I am pretty sure that the IR LEDs are eating up the lithium batteries. I looked into the solar power panel that Bushnell sells, but it is expensive and my cam doesn't get much sunlight. I want to set it up to use an external battery. Unfortunately, this particular model has a somewhat unique 2-pin external DC "in" power socket (see pic). Bushnell does not sell the external power cable with the unique 2-pin connector by itself, but I was able to find a company on the interwebz that sells an aftermarket cable kit for $35. I am thinking of making my own "kit". Has anyone done this before?

In doing some research, I found that the Aggressor needs an external power source of 8.5-9 volts (> 1 amp). When the external power source voltage falls below a certain number, the internal AA batteries kick in. I have a 12 volt 7 Ah rechargeable battery that I can step down to 9 volts using step-down module like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A71E52...olid=2AOJZ55CQE92X&coliid=IDXOKX3JCJE1X&psc=1. The hard part is finding the cable with the unique 2-pin connector. I think this is what I need https://www.amazon.com/LEDJump-Fema...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GXRF0E7CE8YJXDVDNA0S. If all of this is compatible, I think that I can make my own "kit" for around $10.

I have posted some pics below to help illustrate what I am talking about and trying to accomplish. I do not want to "fry" my new trailcam, but I can't keep feeding this thing AA lithium batteries at this pace. Please let me know if any of you ATer's have been successful with this type of mod/"hack" or if I am on the right track or not.

Thanks.


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## Maxtor (Jan 7, 2007)

Weird that looking at the manual for this camera it doesn't even mention using an external power supply other than that solar panel they have.....


"You can also connect an optional Solar Panel accessory 
(model# 119756C) please visit www.bushnell.com for more information) to the “DC In” jack at the bottom of the Trophy Cam HD Aggressor 
(other external power supplies should not be used, as the camera and/or display may not function correctly)"


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## 2Rsquared (Nov 4, 2008)

Yes, I read that in the manual as well. 

My intent is to replicate the cable and the tiny internal rechargeable battery that resides within the Solar Panel accessory. I would like to use a larger Ah battery, but with the same voltage as the Solar Panel internal battery, since my camera is set up in an area that does not receive much sunlight.

I was hoping that there was someone out there that was somewhat of a "rebel" and ignored the legal disclaimer. Any out-of-the-box thinkers out there?


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## chiefsfan (Dec 29, 2016)

I have an older Mountrie camera that uses the 6 V lantern Batteries. Like you, was eating a battery about ever 2 weeks. Battery connection was two alligator clips. Use a 6 volt wet cell battery for a ATV or ? in a coffee can with a pair of jumper wires up to the camera and clip the ends together and insulate the + side. Has been in operation for over 3 weeks and still shows 99% power left. Main thing on your set up is to be sure you get the polarity right.


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## 2Rsquared (Nov 4, 2008)

Thanks Chief. 

I'm worried about getting the + and - connections correct also. 

I don't want to see my camera go up in a puff of smoke. 

I will do some more "homework" and try to get it figured out. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## felix.sn (Jul 3, 2018)

*Conection Trophy Cam HD Aggressor*

Good afternoon. I have been following you to be able to connect an external battery to the camera Trophy Cam HD Aggressor. But I need to know what is the + and - dc in pole of the Trophy Cam HD Aggressor. Do you know which pin is the positive and which is the negative in the connector?
Thanks you


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## 2Rsquared (Nov 4, 2008)

felix.sn said:


> Good afternoon. I have been following you to be able to connect an external battery to the camera Trophy Cam HD Aggressor. But I need to know what is the + and - dc in pole of the Trophy Cam HD Aggressor. Do you know which pin is the positive and which is the negative in the connector?
> Thanks you


Hi Felix,

I started a different thread on my DIY external battery pack. Please check out my other thread here .... https://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5346749. I tried to explain everything in as much detail as I could. My other thread is rather pic heavy...a pic is a 1,000 words kind of thing.

...But to answer your question, I posted a couple pics below.









Note the polarity on the cable. With the little notch facing down, Left is + (positive) and Right is - (negative). 



The standard for barrel connectors is the middle post is + (positive) and the outside is the - (negative).










Hope this helps. Let us know how your external battery pack turns out. Always interested in how other people do things.


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## felix.sn (Jul 3, 2018)

It's true! Thanks, I hope I do not burn the camera.
Sorry, if you had all this posted.


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## Gemsteal (Oct 9, 2019)

Hi there
Been reading your treads with interest . I've been tinkering with the idea of making a an adapter from a 240V power supply (I am in the UK) and was googling around and came across your two treads. Very interesting and hope that your kits and cameras are still working.

I have a couple of Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Aggressor 2017 models that I have been using for a few years out in the backyard (so near various power sockets I have in the yard that I can use rather than a battery pack though I may well have a crack at it for the more remote parts!)

I hope you don't mind but I just thought I would ask you I was just going to get one of the two pin connectors (your link is very helpful - all I get from Bushnell is 'you can get a cable for about $10' but won't say where from yet!. Amazon UK don't list the connector but your link to the US Amazon site says they deliver to the UK) and connect it to a Power Adapter.

I was a bit dubious about frying the camera .

I was pondering on a variable adapter , set to 7.5 V,

but was a bit dubious if this would end up with sending in a too amperage (it says it gives upto 2 Amps) through the camera. ( My knowledge is not that great and don't know if the camera pulls the current it needs as long as the voltage is in the right range,or if the adapter just chucks out the current and if its too much something will fry  )

OR I can get a 8.4V power adapter:


At least this says its 1Amp output.

I was going to post the links to the products , but my post count is not high enough 

Hope you don't mind me asking your thoughts


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## 2Rsquared (Nov 4, 2008)

Hi Gemsteal,

Thanks for asking. Did you happen to check out my other thread on my actual "build"? Here it is https://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5346749 It provides a bit more detail on the parts list.

It provides the part# for the Bushnell cable (see the pic of the invoice). The part# = TC. You should be able to buy it directly from Bushnell. I ended up buying 3 from them for $8 each plus shipping. If not, I provided the measurements of the plug so that you can get the correct size plug off of eBay, Amazon, etc. This is probably the cheaper way to go but for convenience, I just bought from Bushnell.



I also rigged up a camera to run off no batteries at all. I have it plugged into an outdoor AC outlet on the back porch of my house. I think this is the way to go in your situation as you had eluded to. I have done it two different ways. At first I used an AC to DC converter plugged into the outlet that had an output of 12 volts and then hooked that up to my buck converter setup. Now, I skip the buck converter all together and I am using an AC/DC converter that puts out 8.4 volts @ 1.7 amps. It is from an old Sony handycam that I laying around and I simply spliced the wires to the Bushnell cable. I did a quick search on Amazon and a Sony handycam power supply can be purchased from around $15 to $20. I am not sure how to search the Amazon.UK website, but I am sure that you can find one (or something similar) that has the correct AC plug for the UK and converts 240 volts (I think that is what you all have) to 8.4 volts DC.

Hope this helps.

Let me know how your project turns out.


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## Gemsteal (Oct 9, 2019)

Thanks for getting back to me .
I did look at your other tread, was going to try it with a rechargable battery over as a project over the winter , I'll let you know how that gets on
I think my plugs are arriving to day, I'm hoping they fit .
I did try contacting Bushnell direct for the cable but all they did was refer me to a site for midwayusa.com but couldn't find it there so ordered it elsewhere.
I am hedging my bets on 8.4 V adapter - I will let you know 
happy hunting


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## Gemsteal (Oct 9, 2019)

Hi 2Rsquared
Just to let you know my cables arrived.
I was sorting through a box of old adapters and came across two old ones I had. One was a 9V 600ma and the other a 8.4V. They through me a bit when i checked the voltage output with a multi meter- they showed 14-15V . I had a quick google and found that you can get that with unloaded voltages.

Took a gamble and hooked it up (cut the plug off and put the ends in a block with the new connector cables on the other side of the block)to one of my cameras using your diagram above as a guide to which was the positive (it through me as the connector I had had the red cable as the other one!) and it worked! Tried the second adapter and that works also . At least both gave me videos. It also actually makes the cameras quite light. Surprising how much weight the batteries added.

Will let you know if it causes any issues.

I'm a happy camper at the moment!


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## 2Rsquared (Nov 4, 2008)

Good to hear that it worked! Should save you a ton of money on batteries.


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## near_miss (9 d ago)

Just stumbled across this after getting a Bushnell and wondering about powering it externally, the mystery connector is an M12 2-pin connector, that and the M16 which has room for more pins are fairly standard tough-environment power connectors so not hard to source from any electronics supply place, just make sure you get the screw rather than bayonet coupling.


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