Thread: Help - fix Bushnell trailcam - rust from old batteries

Hi - left some batteries in my trail cam for too long. The bottom of the battery case had battery goo and rust in it. Cleaned it all up, but the metal contact plate and springs on 2 of the 4 battery slots are corroded. The top of the battery case is fine, where all the wires go in.

How can I fix that? Can't find any parts available. It looks like the corroded metal plates can slide out and be replaced, but with what? Do I need a tame sparky with soldering iron etc?

Image pasted below.https://photos.app.goo.gl/N1z6aWw3hRqnscsc6

soak it in vinegar or something like that? Failing that, make a new metsl piece, even a piece of thin copper and a couple springs soldered on.

The side that is corroded luckily is only for bridging the batteries if I'm not mistaken, That means you could just pull the terminal assembly and replace it with another without having to solder anything. I imagine those plates are likely standard when the battery size is the same so you could pull some from another device that takes the same batteries and Frankenstein it lol

I've got a soldering iron somewhere.... I'm wary of breaking it due to frankenstein attempts.....

Wonder if I soak in vinegar or citric acid and then solder onto the cleanish metal that might result?

Strip it out, solder the batteries together and connect to rest

Tinfoil is your friend..... If your lazy like I am and can't be bothered finding the soldering iron

OK, just do that each time I need to change batteries? Might be the best and easiest, esp if I break something trying to clean/solder the contacts....
Thanks

Originally Posted by Northkiwi

I've got a soldering iron somewhere.... I'm wary of breaking it due to frankenstein attempts.....

Wonder if I soak in vinegar or citric acid and then solder onto the cleanish metal that might result?

Those bottom two metal plates that are corroded, they just slide into the slot in the plastic. It's as simple as pulling them out and sliding some new ones in from something else like an old remote or anything that takes the same battery type. Worst case situation you just bridge the batteries with a bit of copper wire.

Thanks team - a few great ideas I will have a crack at one or more of them, and report back......

Thanks, I'll do that as well - this camera gets left out for longer than intended out of necessity sometimes, so I need to figure out the best preventatives...