Icom repair

PabloPicasso

PabloPicasso

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I've successfully repaired icom handheld vhf radio battery. One recharging contact corroded to nothing preventing charging. The battery itself was good, so I drilled through the plastic, threaded and soldered a new wire onto the contact and made a little O which I soldered and glued into the position of the corroded contact

All works and charges in the cradle perfectly.
 
Drilling through the casing. I then poked a wire through and soldered it
 

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that’s very interesting. My Icom handheld’s battery wouldn’t charge recently. I assumed that it had just got to the end of its life. I tried, unsuccessfully, to break into the battery casing to replace the cells. It was more difficult than I anticipated, so as a last ditch effort I cleaned both the battery’s and charger’s contacts with abrasive paper and lo and behold it stared charging again! Perhaps I had disturbed some internal wiring that had become corroded. Before your post I didn’t realise that those batteries could suffer corrosion problems. I’ll go and have a closer look now.
Mike
 
mikegunn said:
that’s very interesting. My Icom handheld’s battery wouldn’t charge recently. I assumed that it had just got to the end of its life. I tried, unsuccessfully, to break into the battery casing to replace the cells. It was more difficult than I anticipated, so as a last ditch effort I cleaned both the battery’s and charger’s contacts with abrasive paper and lo and behold it stared charging again! Perhaps I had disturbed some internal wiring that had become corroded. Before your post I didn’t realise that those batteries could suffer corrosion problems. I’ll go and have a closer look now.
Mike
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Yes it seems a very poor choice of material for the contacts to corrode so easily on a waterproof floating marine radio. Icom should have done better. Thin foil contacts were never going to last. 316 Stainless steel might have been a better choice, perhaps a bit thicker too.

I wonder if the version on sale now is any better? Is this problem unique to this model or brand, or is it a common weakness?
 
Whatever the reason might be, I consider the cost of a replacement battery for the Icom handheld to be exhorbitant! When the time comes, I will put just a few quid more to the cost of a battery and buy a brand new, warranted handheld from one of several rival companies.
Mike
 
My old Icom lasted 10 years before the battery died. I now carry it as a backup using a tray of AA batteries.
Any of these radios, also HH GPS etc, it's important to wash the salt water off before putting them away.

Our sailing club has tried most makes of HH over the years. Icom come out as good as any.
 
Icom have a built in self discharging function. I did buy a replacement battery a few years ago but recent invested in a new standard horizon which is a far better bit of kit than the icom equivalents . That said much personal satisfaction in repairing if time permits . If you want a really poor design for corrosion just look at the pins on a windlass control by Quick.
 
Ironically for Icoms supposedly being waterproof, it's best not to get the battery contacts wet, especially with salt water. Keep them coated in petroleum jelly or similar, and if they do get a little corroded, clean them up with Brasso or very fine abrasive. Very poor design in that respect.
 
Indeed, especially for a safety bit of kit

I charge mine and keep it in a lifejacket pocket It rarely gets actual use but is there just in case
 
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