BCD396T Problems

[ayaresr]

I just got a new BCD396T today. When I put the batteries in, the one on the very bottom heated up very quickly and very noticeably. I did not have the unit plugged into ac, the switch matched the batteries (alkaline), and polarity was rechecked multiple times. Thinking maybe the batteries were bad, I tried another brand new set, with the same issue. For testing, I then put a battery in just the bottom without the other two. That single battery still heated up, being the only one in the scanner. We are going to send it back defective (I work at RadioShack), but I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem, or if there is something I may have missed. I also thought maybe it was the battery select (alkaline /ni-mh) switch, so I set it to NI-MH and tried rechargable batteries, with the same result. To me, very wierd.
Thanks in advance,
Ryan

 

[n4voxgill]

sounds like return time

 

[Viper43]

Sounds like it's got a short, possibly solder where it doesn't belong.

V

 

[rvawatch]

radioshack sells the 396?

 

[mlconnell]

I just got a new BCD396T today. When I put the batteries in, the one on the very bottom heated up very quickly and very noticeably. I did not have the unit plugged into ac, the switch matched the batteries (alkaline), and polarity was rechecked multiple times. Thinking maybe the batteries were bad, I tried another brand new set, with the same issue. For testing, I then put a battery in just the bottom without the other two. That single battery still heated up, being the only one in the scanner. We are going to send it back defective (I work at RadioShack), but I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem, or if there is something I may have missed. I also thought maybe it was the battery select (alkaline /ni-mh) switch, so I set it to NI-MH and tried rechargable batteries, with the same result. To me, very wierd.
Thanks in advance,
Ryan

Ryan,

I seem to remember have reading all kinds of ISSUES with the 396 Battery packs and the switch etc.... not sure about the hot battery but batteries depleating really quick. Thats why I opted for the BCD996T. I was not too confident with the RS units. I was planning on getting a GRE for my handheld.

 

[ayaresr]

Radioshack had the 396 and 996 as web only items, just released them to us in the stores about 3 weeks ago. Catalog number 200-0141 is the 396, and if I remember off hand 200-0142 is the 996, but the 996 didn't come up on the web with that when we got the info on them, only the 396. Thanks for all the replys to my questions. For the price of this unit I was going to send it back anyway...I don't wanna risk that much money on something that may not function properly.

 

[rhutch]

Ryan,

I seem to remember have reading all kinds of ISSUES with the 396 Battery packs and the switch etc.... not sure about the hot battery but batteries depleating really quick. Thats why I opted for the BCD996T. I was not too confident with the RS units. I was planning on getting a GRE for my handheld.

Well the 396 doesn't use "battery packs" it uses standard AA's. As for them depleteing quickly with either Energizer or Duracell NiMH batteries I get a full day of constant scanning of trunked systems, so they seem to last fine. You maybe thinking of the old 296 which did use a battery pack, which I get about 6-8 hours out of.

If your not confident in the "RS units" why would you buy a GRE? That's the company that manufactures the RS units.

You might like to correct your sig line too it's "another" not "aother".

 

[Viper43]

The 396 works fine, just do not charge the batteries in them! Buy a RS 23-1503 or similar to charge the batteries. I have a 396 but never charge in the scanner. I use the RS charger. Almost all batteries get warm when charging, but the charge circuit in ythe 396 is really badly designed and tends to fail. Return it for another, get the other charger and you should be good to go.

V

 

[UPMan]

but the charge circuit in ythe 396 is really badly designed and tends to fail.

This statement is not true.

There is what borders on urban legend status a feeling that charging batteries in the unit will cause dire catastrophe. To-date, I have not seen any examples of anything like this happening with any current-generation scanner (from any manufacturer). There are "outrigger anomolies" like the one that prompted this thread, but this is due to a single-unit defect, not a design flaw.

 

[floydpink999999]

There is what borders on urban legend status a feeling that charging batteries in the unit will cause dire catastrophe.

This is so true. Thanks Paul!

 

[ocn29rsc]

I have had my 396 since march of this year and I haven't had any trouble with my radio except for the batteries.

I have read the same over and over about not charging the batteries in the 396, but I can say that I found a major difference in charging the batteries externally vs. in the unit.

On top of that the money I have spent on recargable batteries and chargers trying to find something that works would really ad up.

I finally found a charger and batteries made by kodak and am now getting about 15 hours off one charge were I was getting between 4 - 8 hours. 8 was a really rare day and depended on whether I charged them in the radio or externally.

I never found any hot batteries or damage.

I see the response from up man above and haven't seen a post or reply from him in a while.

J. Cody

 

[mancow]

I have one of the first 396s to be released. It was pre-ordered when we were all waiting for the first batch to arrive.

I charge the batteries in the radio only and have since I owned it. I have never had a problem. If you unplug the power port and reinsert it half way through the charge cycle or more then yes you are extending the charge cycle and the batteries can get hot. However, if you take care to use it normally and plug it in for the recommended time then there should be no problems.

 

[dougjgray]

I think the not charging battaries in scanners got started with nicad batteries and may not be an issues with nimh batteries. my experience was with a RS Pro-92 not a uniden but I woke one morning with a totally deformed pro92 because a cell went bad and shorted out and got extremely hot but not the scanners fault probably just the battery went bad. It could be that Nimh technology wont do that and I have been charging in my pro97 for quit a while with nimh with no issue. if you work for uniden or GRe you probably wont see it because I doubt scanner companies warranties will cover battery failure, I believe the would refer you to the maunfacture of the battery but what if you are outside the battery warraunty. So I am a MYTHBUSTER hehe although my pro-92 worked for 2 more years it just didnt look like a radio any more, just a clump of plastic with a display and speaker, I had to heat it up to melt the battery pack out.

 

[ocn29rsc]

I have owned all kinds of RS scanners, regency, uniden and I have always had trouble with RS scanners. That pro 92 that was mentioned I bought one back in 99 and the trunking stuff just didn't work well, the vhf was that great either. I finally went out and bought a motorola MTX8000 B-7 portable and gave up on the scanner trying to do the trunking until I bought the 785.

Oh well.

J. Cody

 

[ve2vfd]

As far as charging batteries in the unit, I prefer not to do it, though sometimes it happens that I have no choice...

When I do charge the batteries in the unit, I always open the battery compartment door to allow the heat to escape.

Charging nimh batteries always produces heat and it's best to allow that heat to dissipate. Heck even good quality chargers like the Maha C204F (which is one of the chargers I use) reccomends that you open the cover when charging nimh cells.

Only seems like common sense to me...

Pat

 

[scannersnstuff]

yup,just my 2 cent's also.i never liked charging the batteries in the scanner.i always charge mine in a battery charger.no matter how safe it may be to do it in the scanner.i would rather have a dead battery charger than a fried expensive scanner.

 

[Viper43]

This statement is not true.

There is what borders on urban legend status a feeling that charging batteries in the unit will cause dire catastrophe. To-date, I have not seen any examples of anything like this happening with any current-generation scanner (from any manufacturer). There are "outrigger anomolies" like the one that prompted this thread, but this is due to a single-unit defect, not a design flaw.

According to someone who does nothing but design charging circuits for a living it's poorly designed, but with modifications can be made very suitable.

V

 

[floydpink999999]

According to someone who does nothing but design charging circuits for a living it's poorly designed

So, please tell us who this "someone" is, and where he/she got his/her hands on the design of the Uniden BCD396T charging circuit.

Very interested in having a look.

Thanks.

 

[800crazy1]

iv charged them numerous times in the radio with no problems , i have the energizer 15 min NIMH charger and prefer to use that for the speed of charging...however i find the batteries dont last nearly as long as what energizer says of there rechargable batteries . just purchased another 8 pack of rechargables tonight at walmart as a matter of fact as the last 8 pack i bought about 6-8 months ago wont charge anymore. iv read on the forums here that rapid chargers tend to kill the batteries quicker than a slower charge rate...wether thats true or not i dont know , but it appears to be in my case

 

[pyeman99]

This statement is not true.

There is what borders on urban legend status a feeling that charging batteries in the unit will cause dire catastrophe. To-date, I have not seen any examples of anything like this happening with any current-generation scanner (from any manufacturer). There are "outrigger anomolies" like the one that prompted this thread, but this is due to a single-unit defect, not a design flaw.

I think it's more of a warm/hot battery makes "you" feel bad so "you" tend to err on the safe side & buy an external charger.
Batteries/packs are charged in mobile radio equipment without fires etc,there you go.
Keith.