Bcd396xt-best aftermarket nimh batteries?

[2WAYMAN]

9-9-10 1543 HOURS EDT
As there are a number of rechargeable NiMH AA cells available today does anyone have any suggestions or actual long term experience with any particular brand(s) for this scanner as far as run time vs MaH ratings, rapid or 8-10 hour chargers, etc. Which brand(s) and what MaH ratings seem to have worked best in the field for you is what is I am searching for. Also which brand of AA NiMH chargers are you using?
Thanks in advance.
73's!

 

[rbm]

I have a LOT of batteries. (More than 80 'AA' NiMH)
I also have a number of very good chargers.

These are my favorites. You can shop around for better prices. I buy only LSD batteries now.

I use Sanyo Eneloop LSD batteries (I've never had even one failure in over 3 years with these)
- SANYO ENELOOP AA 2000 mAh 4 Battery Pack Ultra Low Dischar..

MAHA-C9000 Charger
MAHA MH-C9000 Advanced Battery ChargerFree Deluxe Storage Ca..

By the way, I had over 60 Energizer 'AA' batteries a few years ago. All but 4 of them failed in less than 2 years. That's when I switched to the LSD cells. Even though the rated MAH is less, they work MUCH better and longer.

 

[2WAYMAN]

BCD396XT rechargeable batteries

9-12-10 2:50 PM EDT
Hello RBM and thanks a lot for the reply. I did some research on the Sanyo ENELOOP's and discovered that they now have a second generation available which are good for 1500 charges and keep a ballpark 85% charge for up to 3 years!!
I was wondering if you might have any answers for my other thread regarding an external charger for the BC296D . I remember someone had custom made one or obtained a charger from a source such as Tenergy (All-Battery.com) who make a charger for many low voltage battery packs used for rc race cars, planes, etc. I am trying to find out what the name brand/type of connector Uniden is using on the BP250 battery pack ( it's a 4 cell 4.8v 1500 MaH NiMH pack made in Chine by GPI) and especially the mating connector inside the BC296D. Do you have any leads on this??
Thanks again and 73's!

 

[W6KRU]

I agree with rbm. Maha C9000 and eneloops.

 

[RickLeb]

Although I prefer to charge my batteries inside the scanner, I still couldn't survive without my Maha C9000. I use the Maha to determine when my batteries are coming to the end of their lives. One bad battery in the scanner can not only shorten the usage time, but it can cause the other two batteries to become overcharged, and prematurely die.

I also recommend the eneloops, but I have also discovered that "Duracell Pre Charged" batteries are reportedly the same thing as the Eneloops, and may be easier to locate. These Duracell batteries are identified by the white ring around the positive terminal.

I have purchased many other types/brands of NiMh batteries, some with 2600 mAh (compared to the 2000 mAh of Eneloops) , but none survive as long as the "Duraloops".

Rick

 

[Jakemcgraw]

I do agree with Rick's point alot...I use both the sanyo eneloops 2000 mah and the duracell 2000 mah ni-mh batteries,,,Just cant go wrong with either, and i too have tried the 2500 mah and above batteries from several makers , and none last as long as the sanyo's or duracell's 2000 mah capacity.....I think the bc396xt should be similar, i have a uniden bc346xt...but only scan conventional channels, as we have no digital or trunking here,,But my scanner is on full time, with the backlight on medium brightness and set to auto squelch,,and i get 13 hrs continuous with the duracell 2000 mah's and with the sanyo eneloop's i get 14 1/2 hrs continuous run time.

 

[SCPD]

I have a LOT of batteries. (More than 80 'AA' NiMH)
I also have a number of very good chargers.

These are my favorites. You can shop around for better prices. I buy only LSD batteries now.

I use Sanyo Eneloop LSD batteries (I've never had even one failure in over 3 years with these)
- SANYO ENELOOP AA 2000 mAh 4 Battery Pack Ultra Low Dischar..

MAHA-C9000 Charger
MAHA MH-C9000 Advanced Battery ChargerFree Deluxe Storage Ca..

By the way, I had over 60 Energizer 'AA' batteries a few years ago. All but 4 of them failed in less than 2 years. That's when I switched to the LSD cells. Even though the rated MAH is less, they work MUCH better and longer.

I would totally agree with BOTH of these. The charger and the batteries are both top notch and well worth the money.

 

[mm]

Accupower 2600 MaH from Thomas distributing work great for me, along with lenmar Low discharge 2150MaH ready to go batteries.

I get around 18 to 20 hours from the accupowers on a continuous audio link from my XM radio and over 24 hours when scanning, with the back light off but on during CSQ times. With the Lenmars I am getting about 2 1/2 hours less time than the Accupowers.

I use the Lenmar R2G802U universal input charger, AC/DC/USB inputs.

It lets you put in a combination of 1 to 4 cells of AA or AAA in various combination's of these 2 cell sizes.

It comes with a nice Blue LCD clock with Time and date display along with an alarm clock and built in thermometer.


Here's a link, I hope this is permitted if not then I'm sorry to the mods.

ACCUPOWER CELLS:
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/s...=&osCsid=a98rm8a91donrsllit8gi3gna7]AccuPower 2600mAh AA Rechargeable Batteries4 Battery Pack - ..[/url]


LENMAR CELLS AND CHARGER:
http://www.thomasdistributing.com/s...p-1780.html?osCsid=a98rm8a91donrsllit8gi3gna7

 

[bglatour001]

I use Energizer NiMH 2300 mA and 2500 mA (never combining the two of course) with the Energizer 15 minute charger. With these I get about 12.5 continuous hours of scanning with my BCD396XT with the backlight on max set to auto squelch. I never charge my batteries in the scanner itself due to having a defective battery explode (not Energizer) in one of my other electronic devices. I also have some generic 3000 mA batteries, but have found these to be nothing but junk. Never tried the Eneloop ones... I may consider them for my next battery purchase.

 

[puzzleriddle]

Stay away from Duracells they suck!

 

[kc0net]

I just bought Sanyo Eneloop batteries for my 396XT. Using the factory charger, batteries inside the radio, how long should they be charged to full capacity?
Frank
KAB324 Minneapolis Police Radio

 

[Mr5150]

What rate of charge are you guys using with the Maha and Eneloop? Default 1000 ma, or less?

 

[RickLeb]

I just bought Sanyo Eneloop batteries for my 396XT. Using the factory charger, batteries inside the radio, how long should they be charged to full capacity?
Frank
KAB324 Minneapolis Police Radio

Over a period of weeks, I discharged a set of batteries, and then recharged them inside the scanner for varying lengths of time ( 6-7-8...-16 hours). I then took the batteries out of the scanner and measued their capacities in my Maha charger.

The idea was to determine the least amount of charge time needed to bring the batteries to there ful capacity.

I found that the 8 hour setting on the 396XT was optimum for batteries with a 2000 Mah rating like the Eneloops.

Rick

 

[DesertRatt]

Over a period of weeks, I discharged a set of batteries, and then recharged them inside the scanner for varying lengths of time ( 6-7-8...-16 hours). I then took the batteries out of the scanner and measued their capacities in my Maha charger.

The idea was to determine the least amount of charge time needed to bring the batteries to there ful capacity.

I found that the 8 hour setting on the 396XT was optimum for batteries with a 2000 Mah rating like the Eneloops.

Rick

Good to know info. Thanks for posting.

 

[DesertRatt]

I have a LOT of batteries. (More than 80 'AA' NiMH)
I also have a number of very good chargers.

These are my favorites. You can shop around for better prices. I buy only LSD batteries now.

I use Sanyo Eneloop LSD batteries (I've never had even one failure in over 3 years with these)
- SANYO ENELOOP AA 2000 mAh 4 Battery Pack Ultra Low Dischar..

MAHA-C9000 Charger
MAHA MH-C9000 Advanced Battery ChargerFree Deluxe Storage Ca..

By the way, I had over 60 Energizer 'AA' batteries a few years ago. All but 4 of them failed in less than 2 years. That's when I switched to the LSD cells. Even though the rated MAH is less, they work MUCH better and longer.

I have 12 eneloops that I have numbered in 4 sets of 3 batteries each. I rotate through them. I haven't had any issues with them. I am very happy with run time as well.

I use the La Crosse Technology BC700 alpha power battery charger to occasionally discharge and recharge the batteries to keep them healthy. I charge the batteries in both the charger and the scanner. You can't go wrong with the Eneloops.

 

[Jakemcgraw]

Stay away from Duracells they suck!

Well i must say, they are mixed opinions there,,,By that so far ive heard good things on the duracell pre-charged 2000 mah ni-mh batteries,,,and have had no problems after 2 yrs using them everyday....From what i have heard in reviews numerous times, There are china made ones and japan made ones,,,The china made duracell's have a black ring around the + tip end,,and the Better made Japan ones have the white ring around the + tip end . The japan made duracell's are the ones to buy,

 

[2WAYMAN]

Bcd396xt batteries

9-14-10 2320 HOURS EDT
Hey there guys...thanks for all of the great feedback. I ordered a MAHA MH-C9000 charger and 16- 2000 MAh Sanyo Eneloops so I should be in good shape with my new 396XT.
Has anyone read the lower part of my post from 9-12 regarding making an External charger for the BC296D scanner????? I can obtain an additional BP250 pack from ScannerMaster as well as a few other suppliers and an RC model race car battery pack charger that does from 4.8volts up to about 7 volts but what I really need is one of the connectors that Uniden uses inside that 296 scanner which I can solder to the leads of the charger so as to be able to recharge a spare battery pack for it while not having to put the scanner out of service while waiting for the pack to charge in the scanner itself. I called Paul O from Uniden yesterday and he was trying to see if their parts people could tell us the make/model/etc of that male connector.
I remember someone out there had posted information and had himself made a charger for this scanner a while back but I cannot find the post anywhere. Does anyone out there have the information from that post or have any information as to where to obtain the connector I am referring to??
Any help in this matter will be greatly appreciated!!!
Thanks and 73's!

 

[Farscan]

I agree with the maha chargers, but after buying alot of the expensive batteries.
I am pretty happy with the 4.99$ for a set of 4aa at Harbor freight 2000mah. I have about 100 cycles on them and still getting 9-10hrs out of them. For $15 i have 3 sets for my 396xt. I save the cycles on the best batteries for when i know i'll need more time.

 

[2WAYMAN]

Bcd396xt battery charger settings

9-17-10 8:34 PM EDT
Hi guys........
Received my nice new Maha MH-C9000 charger and 16 Sanyo ENELOOP AA 2000 MaH batteries today from Thomas Distributors. Read the instructions and am slightly confused about the best settings to charge the ENELOOPS. Since you guys have the aforementioned charger and batteries would you please tell me what settings you use to charge your ENELOOPS in the various modes for the charger.
Thanks ahead of time and 73's!

 

[rbm]

The defaults are good for 'AA'

The default 1000 ma for the charge. (50% of the battery capacity)

The default 1000 charge and 500 ma for discharge on 'Refresh & Analyze'

Rich