Checking handheld VHF battery

[pgtips]

I posted a while ago about the charging cradle appearing not to be working on my SH HX280E and got plenty of advice so hoping for the same again please.

I changed the charging lead and the light in the cradle now lights up when the radio is put in to charge, but the battery isn't charging and is now completely flat.

The contacts all look clean and the fact that the cradle light comes on when the radio is put in would tend to suggest good contact is being made but why isn't it charging?

Could it be that the battery has had it? Hope not as the radio is only a couple of years old but is there a way of checking the battery and or/if a charge is actually being out in to it by the cradle?

 

[William_H]

I don't know if you have a NiMh or Li ion battery. In either case with modern electronics it is most likely that battery that limits the life of the device.
You will need a multimeter used on current range like 200ma. If you can open the battery compartment while in the charge cradle then slip a piece of plastic in between one battery end and the terminal such that the charging circuit is open. Then set it up to charge and bridge the leads of the multimeter across the plastic so charge current goes through the milliamp meter and you should get a reading. If you get a decent current 50milliamps upwards then charger is OK.
The other check is to measure the voltage of the battery when on charge. This may be zero or lower than you would hope for.
NiMh batteries have 1.2 volt cells in series typically 6 cells to make 7.2 volts. These cells have a failure mode of going short circuit. This means that the remaining cells will be charged but max voltage will be only 6volts. Or if 2 are dead only 4,8 volts.
If you can get the cells out of the battery you can check each one individually. If they are shorted you can measure on ohms scale near zero resistance.and on volts scale no volts. They can be revived sort of by connecting the single cell very briefly across a 12v car battery. Be careful you might get burnt from sparks and hot wire. A single or brief burst will often get the voltage measured back to 1.2 volts or nearly. Once revived you need to charge just that cell fully at a slow rate.
Typically these AA sized cells might be 1200maH rating so a 10 hr rate for 15hrs of 120ma should fully charge each cell or the whole battery.
Li ion batteries seem to have a failure mode of charging to a high voltage quite quickly when the charger turns off but exhibit very poor capacity. ie the voltage drops quickly under load. These few notes may help you to decide if battery is dud. Almost certainly battery should be replaced good luck olewill

 

[nigelmercier]

Have you checked the contacts between the battery and the radio?

Standard Horizon are very helpful, although possibly closed down for this pointless holiday.

 

[pgtips]

Thanks for the replies. The battery is Li ion of this makes any difference.

I'll see about getting some readings but not sure this will be possible as the battery "opens" from the bottom which sits in the cradle so will be difficult if not impossible to do what Olewill suggests.

The contacts all appear to be clean and shiny and as the charge light comes on when the battery is put in the cradle I'm assuming all is okay here.

Might just have to bite the bullet and get a new battery!

 

[nigelmercier]

... as the charge light comes on when the battery is put in the cradle I'm assuming all is okay here...

But does the charger connect to the battery, or to the body of the radio?

 

[pgtips]

But does the charger connect to the battery, or to the body of the radio?

Charger connects to the battery

 

[ghostlymoron]

I'm lucky - my Cobra takes standard AA batteries, either rechargeable or disposable.

 

[Daydream believer]

although possibly closed down for this pointless holiday.

A bit of Bah Humbug I suspect

 

[Big John]

The LED may be registering the blocking diodes inside the radio/battery circuit.

As every one has suggested talk to Standard before you do anything else.

Useful link on care of your Li ion. https://www.rm.com/Support/TechnicalArticle.asp?cref=TEC2584306

 

[Jabs]

I recently bought a new battery and charger from Icom. I couldn't charge the hand held.

It made no difference. I phoned Icom who suggested that the problem was probably bad contacts.

I was more than cynical since I am somewhat overconfident in the electrics area!!

In a quiet moment at anchor one evening, I took a rubber and some alcohol to every contact in sight.

I now have a pair of functioning batteries with matching chargers.

And more humility.

It is often something simple!

Tony.

 

[Jabs]

Have you checked the contacts between the battery and the radio?

Standard Horizon are very helpful, although possibly closed down for this pointless holiday.

+1!

Worst word in the world, the 'C' word!

Followed closely by the 'F' word.

Free!


Best wishes

Tony

 

[ghostlymoron]

What's wrong with holidays? I'm not a believer but still think a time to show you love and appreciate your family and friends is a good thing as is showing compassion to those less fortunate.
If it means indulging in a little fantasy involving babies, shepherds, reindeer, bearded men in red suits, stars, wise men and robins, so be it.

 

[NickRobinson]

What's wrong with holidays? I'm not a believer but still think a time to show you love and appreciate your family and friends is a good thing as is showing compassion to those less fortunate.
If it means indulging in a little fantasy involving babies, shepherds, reindeer, bearded men in red suits, stars, wise men and robins, so be it.

Lizzie Windsor's speeches, increasingly embarrassing 'Dr Who' Xmas specials... John Lewis rerunning WW1 to sell houmous...

 

[nigelmercier]

What's wrong with holidays? ...

Nothing, so long as they don't mean the whole country shuts down for two weeks.

Imagine if the electricity and gas went off as well.

 

[pgtips]

I'm lucky - my Cobra takes standard AA batteries, either rechargeable or disposable.

I believe you can get a holder for this radio as well that will take standard batteries so that's another option, although I'm not sure how long disposable AAs would last?!

 

[pgtips]

Standard Horizon are very helpful, although possibly closed down for this pointless holiday.

Well spoke to a guy at SH (so no they haven't closed for Christmas yet!) and he seemed confident that it's the battery at fault. He said that the battery dying could have taken out the fuse in the original charging lead as well which is why that went.

Anyway, have taken the plunge and a new battery has been ordered. I guess worse case is that I'll have a spare if it turns out to be something else!?

 

[Seashoreman]

I bought a SH HX280E about 5 years ago from Seamark Nunn. Wouldn't charge so took it back. Faulty charger checked and identified, replaced by SH pronto.

 

[duncan99210]

We've got a SH handheld (no idea which one) that has a battery pack that takes AA batteries. They last us for a few weeks of intermittent use before going flat. In comparison, the rechargeable battery (a replacement one) seems to loose it's charge quite quickly even when not much used. It now sits and sulks in the bits box waiting to be thrown away......

We keep a couple of sets of AAs in the grab bag for the handheld so that if we have time to grab it we have a power source for it.

 

[ghostlymoron]

Rechargeable batteries do lose their capacity after a number of recharge cycles so, if you're having trouble with holding charge, it may be a time to change them. I used to use rechargeable a lot but now that good, cheap single use are readily available, from places like CPC Farnell, my charger is rarely used.