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Anybody ever taken a trail cam apart?

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    Anybody ever taken a trail cam apart?

    I have a Browning Strike Force camera that is out of warranty and I'm going to try to fix myself. All of the daytime pics have a pink tint to them. I pulled the cam today and brought it home to try and fix it. I noticed that there was a little black object with a pink transparent center partially blocking what I think is the lens. I scientifically banged it a little on all sides and this object disappeared. I turned it on to take some test pics, and they were perfect. Then I looked at the lens again and there were a couple of dead ants in there.

    I believe that to permanently fix this thing I need to open it up and blow those ants out of there. Otherwise, they're going to continue to cause that black and pink object to keep getting hung up, causing problems.

    Anybody have any experience taking these things apart?

    #2
    I have the same camera and noticed a handful of pictures had a pink hue to them. Good info. Let me know how it turns out for you.

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      #3
      I have taken a couple apart for different reasons... You will need very small screw drivers more than likely. Take care not to strip the screw heads. Not sure if they glue some of the screws but some of those tiny things are in there tight...

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        #4
        The pink transparent object is the IR filter. It sounds as if the mechanism to trip the filter into place is toast. If moved out of the way, it will take fine pictures during the day, but night pics will be black. If the filter is unable to retract, all daytime pics will have that pink hue to them. I have never had any luck repairing the trip mechanism.

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          #5
          Originally posted by Pedernal View Post
          I have taken a couple apart for different reasons... You will need very small screw drivers more than likely. Take care not to strip the screw heads. Not sure if they glue some of the screws but some of those tiny things are in there tight...
          It's still working, just not like its supposed to. I don't want to tear it up completely though. There appears to be six screw holes on the back of the camera. I say appears, because there is a rubber material covering what I think are the screws. I'm afraid if I break the seal, it may let rain water in, that will definitely screw it up permanently.

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            #6
            Originally posted by Xrod View Post
            The pink transparent object is the IR filter. It sounds as if the mechanism to trip the filter into place is toast. If moved out of the way, it will take fine pictures during the day, but night pics will be black. If the filter is unable to retract, all daytime pics will have that pink hue to them. I have never had any luck repairing the trip mechanism.
            Could this just be jammed up by the ants???

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              #7
              Originally posted by TheBeaster View Post
              Could this just be jammed up by the ants???
              Yes.....I have had Bushnell tell me to tap the camera because the IR filter was jammed. It went back to being fine.

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                #8
                As Smart said. Your IR filter is stuck

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by TheBeaster View Post
                  Could this just be jammed up by the ants???
                  Try some night time pics and see how it does...also, figure out how the ants are getting in and seal it with some silicon if possible...

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                    #10
                    You could try a can of compressed air (like for cleaning computers) for the ants/debris. Power it up in a dark room, if you listen closely, you can hear the filter pivot into place when it is triggered, and obviously also view your photos immediately to see if it is functioning.

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                      #11
                      Many have taken them apart.......
                      But how many could put them back together ?
                      I worked on some highly classified comm gear in the USMC and most started off with a 3 foot drop test.

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                        #12
                        Mine wouldn't take night pics and it needed a software update. Browning sent me an sd card, I followed the instructions, and it works fine now. That may not be your problem though.

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                          #13
                          Cut filter. Aka IR filter is stuck. Did someone say that already?


                          Skinny

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                            #14
                            Just don't touch any capacitors.


                            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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                              #15
                              There is only so much that can be done to them. There is the main control board, a couple of jumpers, the IR board, and battery tray. If your soldering skills are good, you can repair a failed connection (maybe). Other that that, a good cleaning (including ants) is about all there is. I have managed to swap a bad controller with one from a camera that had a bad IR board, and replaced a bad battery tray with one from a waterlogged camera. Those two cameras remind me of my lawnmower (Craftsman / John Deere hybrid), but they work.
                              Good luck to the OP.

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