Icon corrosion

PabloPicasso

PabloPicasso

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I have an icon M31 handheld. Good radio, no complaints about performance, but...

...the battery terminals corrode so it cannot be recharged. Replacement is £56.14 on Amazon

This is the second one that has corroded. Is it possible to put new foil contacts in? What can be done to prevent this happening again? Is this an Icom design fault?
 
image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgI removed the battery pack. No obvious way to attempt a repair but, I peeled the sticker off and underneath was another sticker. Beneath the second sticker was access to the three battery terminals (from up the back of the battery pack) I hooked a wire from this around the outside and wedged it into the corroded end. Put the battery in the charge cradle and, as if by magic, it charges.

What a truly horrid design?

Are current handheld radio battery packs any better?
 
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PabloPicasso said:
I have an icon M31 handheld. Good radio, no complaints about performance, but...

...the battery terminals corrode so it cannot be recharged. Replacement is £56.14 on Amazon

This is the second one that has corroded. Is it possible to put new foil contacts in? What can be done to prevent this happening again? Is this an Icom design fault?
Click to expand...

Try a bit of Vaseline on the contacts?
 
Yes I can try that. Having oily gunk on a handheld isn't really a great idea. It'll leave residue on clothes, and get rubbed off easily.

But making the contacts out of corrosion resistant metal would have been good for a marine radio. Thin foil type contacts just seems poor design and unnecessarily leading to early demise.

Are all marine handhelds this bad?
 
PabloPicasso said:
I have an icon M31 handheld. Good radio, no complaints about performance, but...

...the battery terminals corrode so it cannot be recharged. Replacement is £56.14 on Amazon

This is the second one that has corroded. Is it possible to put new foil contacts in? What can be done to prevent this happening again? Is this an Icom design fault?
Click to expand...

My M31 is over 20 years old and still good with no battery terminal corrosion despite being dunked a few times in seawater. From the labeling on your battery it appears your battery is not a genuine ICOM battery which may be the problem.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
Plum said:
My M31 is over 20 years old and still good with no battery terminal corrosion despite being dunked a few times in seawater. From the labeling on your battery it appears your battery is not a genuine ICOM battery which may be the problem.
Click to expand...

Well spotted! Another eBay "bargain" possibly?
 
As a long term owner of an Icom while mine is still working I wonder if the terminal issue has anything to do with the self discharge function built into the M31 if battery is left inside? That said having replaced the original battery with a new one it still seems to work and cheaper than a new handheld although I was tempted to go for a standard horizon replacement. I cleaned contacts up with proprietory cleaner I had from maplins or such like . The original battery seemed to have poor life expectancy and only redeemed by having facility for standard AA batteries in holder I thought. I doubt I would buy another Icom though as this one runs down so quickly unless you take the battery out .
 
ashtead said:
As a long term owner of an Icom while mine is still working I wonder if the terminal issue has anything to do with the self discharge function built into the M31 if battery is left inside? That said having replaced the original battery with a new one it still seems to work and cheaper than a new handheld although I was tempted to go for a standard horizon replacement. I cleaned contacts up with proprietory cleaner I had from maplins or such like . The original battery seemed to have poor life expectancy and only redeemed by having facility for standard AA batteries in holder I thought. I doubt I would buy another Icom though as this one runs down so quickly unless you take the battery out .
Click to expand...

The Icom M31 was originally designed to have a NiCad rechargeable batteries which needed to be frequently drained and recharged to keep them working so the radio had a small battery drain function when the radio was turned off to force the user to frequently recharge. However, when they changed to Lithium batteries they did not delete the battery drain function so it became usual practice to pull the battery pack out when the radio is not being used. That is what i do, and have been doing for 20 years so even after months if inactivity the battery is still charged and still on the original battery. Other Icom handhelds do not have this problem.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
Thanks Plum for info. Pleased to hear my Lithium battery might survive given the replacement cost. To be fair my usage of the handheld is modest and it's more of a safety feature nowadays as a back up and of course I keep the AA battery tray stocked up.
 
Yes useful info indeed. But this does not excuse the corrosion problem. I feel this design is very poor for a marine radio. Am I alone in this view?
 
Really, I am alone in the opinion that marine radio batteries should be built with corrosion resistant parts.... ....wow
 
AndyL said:
Actually not vaseline - ICOM recommend Silicone Grease to prevent corrosion, which might seem strange as this is not a conductor. . . However the pressure between the contacts is enough to make the connection.
http://www.marinechandlery.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/DAY_TO_DAY_VHF_CARE.pdf
Click to expand...

Lovely, silicone grease will wash off contaminated clothes, LJs and stuff real easy like. Why not make the terminals from a corrosion resistant conductor. I'm sure someone on here who knows his metallurgy could recommend an appropriate substance
 
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