I think the major difference between AA and AAA is the capacity to store energy. Some AAA batteries can store as much or more than AA's. The voltage is the same for both, but the ability to have more energy is why the trail cam people recommend the upper end AA batteries. So, where you may get away with an adaptor that swaps say, 8 AAA batteries to 6 AA batteries, you will lose the longevity of the smaller battery.

I've never really paid attention to the "how" trail cam's are wired. But the batteries are placed in a series. This increases the available power, but the voltage remains at 1.5V. However, if you series the two different rows, then parallel the two rows together, you will get 1.5Vx2=3V of power. But again, it comes down to available power....on my electric cart it's referred to as "amp-hours."

Since you're looking at going from AAA to AA (adaptor) I would just be sure of how the existing trail cam is wired. Are the two banks in a series or parallel? Again, I don't know the answer to that.

FWIW

 

You have a lot of incorrect info on voltages and batteries in series. Batteries in series add together for an overall voltage and the current or ma stays the same. Batteries in parallel the voltage does not increase but stays the same.

 

Thats wayyyy over my head. Basically the adapter allows the smaller aaa to be used in a aa slot. You slide the aaa into the adapter and the adapter acts just like a aa battery.

 

The mAh will differ. If you are ok with that go for it.

 

MHA= Milli Amp Hours. Just like Amp Hours, but smaller.

The other consideration is…what is the battery quality of the batteries you can get? I know I purchased a name brand batteries from Amazon. I returned them as they were junk.

 

The mha are different but the voltage is the same. What does that mean? Just not as much power per battery?

Battery is Energizer Lithium and production origins are not suspect.
The batteries are the real deal.

 

The current (amps) output of AAA is smaller than AA, both are nominal 1.5V. It will provide the correct voltage to the trail camera but for a much shorter time. It is like saying I am going to take a 9v lantern battery and substitute it with a 9v transistor battery.

D batteries have more current capacity than C batteries, C more than AA batteries, AA more than AAA batteries.

Output power (watts) is a function of voltage (volts) times current (amps), equal volts but with less amps equals less power.

You could absolutely take 8 AAA (1.5v x 8 = 12) connected together to make 12v and try to start your car, same 12v. But you know it won't happen, voltage is correct but current capacity is WAY under, simply not going to generate 500 cranking amps to start it.

 

I just saw your spec sheets above, AA is listed as 2.5 amp continuous output and AAA is 1.5 amp continuous. If you compare all the amp curves you can see the AA is running about 3.5 amps (3500 mah) and the AAA is in the 1.2 amp (1200 mah) range.

Maximum sustainable current output for 1 hour is the standard used for measuring the power output of all batteries. With small batteries it is measuring in milliamps (milliamp hour, MaH), in larger like electric boat motors it is measured in amps (amp hours, AH). A milliamp is 1/1000th of an amp. 1.5 amp (A) = 1500 milliamps (ma)

Comparing the Capacity (mah) curves:
The AA is outputting about 3500 mah before the voltage curve crashes, that means the battery is capable of outputting 3.5 amps for 1 hour. The AAA is outputting about 1200 mah before the voltage crashes, that means the battery is capable of outputting 1.2 amps for 1 hour. So a AA battery has about 3 times the power capacity of AAA, 3.5 amps vs 1.2 amps for 1 hour. AA batteries do not cost 3 times the price of AAA and you will replace them 3 times as often.

 

Yeah.....pretty much what tundtagriz has said-----^^^^^^-----

 

Hmm.....aa lithiums running about 1.60 1.70 each and I would get the aaa for about .66 cents each....that just might not be worth to convert?

 

As Tundagriz pointed out, you're going to replace the AAA three times for the life of just one AA. So, if you went with AAA @.66 each, it's 3x.66= $1.98 vs buying one AA at even the higher $1.70.

That....and you have to replace the batteries twice using the AAA.

Your choice.