I need to know what the best battery is for these radios. As in best i mean longest lasting, what do you guys think? Who has used what? I want to know what kind of beating these batteries can take. When i'm doing 24 or 36 hour shifts i want the best battery possible.
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TK-2180/3180 Battery
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kayn1n32008
ØÆSØ
The highest capacity...
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Longest lasting as in run time between charges, or total life span?
Consider this regarding run time:
Often, radio users will want the highest capacity batteries by default. This can be useful for those that use their radios a lot, or are required to work long shifts without the ability to recharge. For "normal" use (5-5-90) during an 8 hour shift, highest capacity batteries are rarely needed. The large capacity will never get fully used, and the additional costs will not be recovered.
Probably a pointless statement if you are a hobby user, but consider it anyway. If you are a casual user, there is nothing wrong with going with the big battery if you don't mind spending the money. If you don't ever drain it down fully, you really are not getting the full value of the battery.
Finding a battery that fits your expected needs will probably save you some money.
I've got about 300 NX-410's at work. They will use the same battery pack as the TK-x180 radios, the KNB-33L. Our PD also uses the NX-210 as their VHF portables. Of those 350+ radios, every one of them uses the KNB-33L. Since anyone who relies on their radio will almost always make sure the battery is charged between shifts, those batteries work just fine, even for our PD officers. In reality, I've been able to get two full shifts out of my KNB-33L batteries. My radio is on 8+ hours, however I don't transmit much.
For kicks, I've got the KNB-32n and the KNB-43L. Both good batteries, but larger than what I need. The 32 is noticeably heavier. The other drawback to these is that they are physically thicker than the 33L, and thus can require a different carry case depending on the radio you are using.
As for battery overall lifespan?
I've been running the same Kenwood batteries for over 3 years now without issue.
It's important to note that Kenwood does not make the Kenwood branded batteries. I believe they are currently using Power Products, but I could be wrong.
As for Power Products brand, we do have a bunch of those in use, and haven't had any issues. I think last time I looked, they were $15 cheaper than the Kenwood brand for the 33L equivalent.
Consider this regarding run time:
Often, radio users will want the highest capacity batteries by default. This can be useful for those that use their radios a lot, or are required to work long shifts without the ability to recharge. For "normal" use (5-5-90) during an 8 hour shift, highest capacity batteries are rarely needed. The large capacity will never get fully used, and the additional costs will not be recovered.
Probably a pointless statement if you are a hobby user, but consider it anyway. If you are a casual user, there is nothing wrong with going with the big battery if you don't mind spending the money. If you don't ever drain it down fully, you really are not getting the full value of the battery.
Finding a battery that fits your expected needs will probably save you some money.
I've got about 300 NX-410's at work. They will use the same battery pack as the TK-x180 radios, the KNB-33L. Our PD also uses the NX-210 as their VHF portables. Of those 350+ radios, every one of them uses the KNB-33L. Since anyone who relies on their radio will almost always make sure the battery is charged between shifts, those batteries work just fine, even for our PD officers. In reality, I've been able to get two full shifts out of my KNB-33L batteries. My radio is on 8+ hours, however I don't transmit much.
For kicks, I've got the KNB-32n and the KNB-43L. Both good batteries, but larger than what I need. The 32 is noticeably heavier. The other drawback to these is that they are physically thicker than the 33L, and thus can require a different carry case depending on the radio you are using.
As for battery overall lifespan?
I've been running the same Kenwood batteries for over 3 years now without issue.
It's important to note that Kenwood does not make the Kenwood branded batteries. I believe they are currently using Power Products, but I could be wrong.
As for Power Products brand, we do have a bunch of those in use, and haven't had any issues. I think last time I looked, they were $15 cheaper than the Kenwood brand for the 33L equivalent.
rapidcharger
Member
mmckenna says power products makes the kenwood batteries now. That might be true. I used to get better service out of the OEM batteries than I do now. Still got the original '07 that still holds a decent charge.
I have tried power products batteries in the past, and they aren't bad but don't match up to the OEM batteries, at least not the OEM batteries of yore.
I've been using x180's since 2007 and I've tried a lot of aftermarket batteries. Nearly all of the aftermarket batteries I've tried were complete garbage and a total waste of money. The latest two batteries I've bought for mine, one is a Kenwood and the other is a Rayovac (from Batteries plus) that I got last April, I seem to actually get better performance as the batteries near their intended maximum charge cycle from the Rayovac. The problem is, the rayovac was $5 more than I paid for the OEM battery from a Kenwood dealer and probably doesn't have the same warranty.
I'd still stick with the OEM if this was something important. Not thrilled to hear powerproducts is making those Kenwood batteries now.
And I use the high capacity nimh batteries btw. The ones that bulge out from the back.
rapidcharger
Member
Yes but the actual service hours in a day you get out of it will depend on the duty cycle and how much receiving and transmitting there is. If you talk on it all day like I do, even at the 1 watt setting, all of the jibber jabber wears it down over the course of a day.
kayn1n32008
ØÆSØ
Yes it will, but you lose 6-ish db of power... in a body worn setting this is really significant reduction in power. I have an IS rated battery(can not remeber model) and I can scan for days with my NX-200. Buy a battery of the same capacity and keep it charged for those long shifts... change it when it dies, and throw the dead one in the charger... repeat as needed on those long shifts
MTS2000des
5B2_BEE00 Czar
+++++10 for this advice.
You'll always have a charged battery, and your batteries will yield more charge/discharge cycles=better return on investment.
I always tried to tell customers this who relied on portables back when I worked in my old shop, they would complain about battery life being so short (back in the 90s, Nicads were still king, and NiMH had just started to make into the LMR market).
It was all from "cooked" batteries by them constantly returning the portable to the rapid charger and never allowing it to fully discharge, thus only yielding 6 months or so of useful life.
A second battery is the way to go!
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