Pro-18: Running off external power

I plan on using this scanner for a few days next week while on the road. It will be used a little in a car but mostly in a hotel. Right now I have (4) regular alkaline batteries in it, but can I run this scanner off a wall wart if I get one with the proper output voltage and with a mini USB output? Or can it ONLY be run off batteries?

It can be run off a wall wart, just be sure the battery selector inside the battery compartment is set to Alkaline so that it doesn't try to charge while plugged in.
I have one set up in my truck and run it all the time on an external power source..

Thanks. Does RS sell wall warts with mini USB output plugs? I've never seen one there...

What I use both at home and in the truck are regular AC or DC to USB converters and then use one of the many USB to Mini-Usb cords I have.

What I use is an adapter similar to this: Enercell 2-Port 1A AC-USB Adapter : Adapters | RadioShack.com

Mine only has one port instead of two and was most likely a few dollars less. Your scanner should have come with a mini-usb cable with a regular size USB connector on the other end. If so, you can just use the regular USB end to plug into the USB adapter.

Running scanner of 120

You need a standard USB charger. The socket in the wall wart will be the same as on your computer, not a mini like the scanner end. When running the radio does not charge as there is not enough current available to charge and run the scanner at the same time. Setting the switch on alkaline is a safety measure for when the scanner is plugged in but turned off to prevent overcharging.

Thanks all. I have a million USB to mini USB cables laying around and some USB wall chargers so I should be all set.

LIScanner101 said:

Thanks all. I have a million USB to mini USB cables laying around and some USB wall chargers so I should be all set.

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FYI, I sometimes use a 120/USB adapter to power my Pro-107 which is the analog version of the Pro-18. With the scanner attached there is a lot of static on radio transmissions plus I believe that it is desensing the radio given that when I pull the USB and go back to batteries only the radio comes alive. May or may not be the adapter I am using but not sure. Doesn't seem to be an issue with a 12V/USB adapter.

oilmillcharlie said:

FYI, I sometimes use a 120/USB adapter to power my Pro-107 which is the analog version of the Pro-18. With the scanner attached there is a lot of static on radio transmissions plus I believe that it is desensing the radio given that when I pull the USB and go back to batteries only the radio comes alive. May or may not be the adapter I am using but not sure. Doesn't seem to be an issue with a 12V/USB adapter.

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I run my Pro-18 far more off external power than batteries, both mobile off the cheap dual-plug lighter adapters and at home or out in the shop or on the porch off 120V. Have used a variety of wall warts (they're cheep so I just put one wherever I think I'll listen and leave it there with a spare cable) and I have not noticed this at all. Maybe you've got a bad wart? In the house where mine is the majority of the time I'm currently using an orphaned Samsung phone charger and the analog freqs come in clean as a whistle; same story wherever I plug it in, other than some alternator noise in my old pickup. Just make sure your charger is able to put out over 500 mA, I recall seeing somewhere that less than that can cause issues (or even overheat the charger, never a good thing!). That's with the battery switch in ALK...I use an external charger when the batteries need freshened up. The Samsung is a 780 mA and doesn't even get warm, the others are 1000 mA.

I hardly ever use the batteries in my PRO-18. They are 2300 mA. Got my switch set to rechargeable. When I turn the scanner off, it takes a considerable amount of time to recharge. I always assumed that it was because they were high volume batteries. But, nevertheless; they work well. Your PRO-18 should have come with an appropriate charger. USB does not recharge well. The voltage from an USB port is not all that high. I used to know what it was exactly; but, age has crept up on me and I can't remember.. All of us that have RS scanners need to remember that they are now orphaned, with GRE gone. We will need to struggle on as best we can. I gave around $150.00 for mine, brand new. It was a steal with RS exiting the scanner business. If yours didn't come with a charger, I would be careful. If something goes amiss, you won't be able to replace it very easily. Considering what they sold for this past year, they were an extremely good buy. Best of luck to you.