BCD436HP Speaker

[hagensieker]

My BCD436HP, less than a year old gave up the audio ghost. I was about to box it and send it in when I read a whole bunch of speaker failure posts. Couldn't resist opening it up and testing the speaker. It was bad, and I was still getting audio in the headphones.

A new SP631 speaker is about $2 more than my estimated shipping costs so I opted to fix it myself.

Easy fix and hope it helps someone. Documented here:

Uniden BCD436HP Speaker Repair - John's Tech Blog

My almost new Uniden BCD436HP scanner stopped producing audio. Let's dig in to why and try to fix it ourselves.

hagensieker.com

 

[N4TX]

I've mentioned before that the KMRB C-17-s execute their turns at the end of their terrain avoidance runs right at our house in Hardy County, WV. We’ve been unable to get a good photo because they are so low and so close to the house that they speed past very quickly before we can react. But the other day my wife just happened to be in the right position with her iPhone already out and got this. The a/c is at about 500 ft AGL and a bit further from the house than usual. He’ll make a left next and drop down into the valley to go home, meaning that our neighbors on the other side of the mountain can look down on him. It’s all a matter of where he makes the turn. Over the house is noisy. This guy extended a bit before turning, which is why my wife could get the shot.

 

[Ubbe]

I was about to box it and send it in when I read a whole bunch of speaker failure posts. Couldn't resist opening it up and testing the speaker.

I've repaired several speakers in radios and they usually break the thin copper wire that goes from their solder point, probably from vibrations. Sometimes the break are right at the solder lug and sometimes its on the speaker cone where it's glued to the cone and needs to be carefully scraped to get to the copper and then solder a wire over where it had broken off.

/Ubbe

 

[wtp]

N4TX
there is a personal message for you, top right of page, (little envelope)

 

[nlenna]

I bought a SP-3205-1 speaker from Digi-Key when my BCD436HP speaker took a crap. It isn't plug and play for replacement. I had to remove the plastic from the OEM speaker leaf springs with my soldering iron and a razor blade. I then used the old leaf springs and soldered them to the Digi-Key speaker. The impedance and voltage was different from the OEM BCD436HP speaker but it actually sounds better. The impedance was greater than the factory but the voltage was the same.

 

[RandyKuff]

Unfortunately, the one that Amazon use to sell has not been in stock for a long time...
It was the exact replacement for the 436...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012E8LP36?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

[dave3825]

They also use that speaker in the 125AT.

 

[RandyKuff]

They also use that speaker in the 125AT.

I checked several other places online.... Including ebay...
Looks like everybodys out of stock...
Even if Uniden repair has them, who wants to pay the repair charge and shipping both ways to have it replaced... Surely not me...
If you can find one (Good Luck) they are simple to replace...

 

[dave3825]

Even if Uniden repair has them, who wants to pay the repair charge and shipping both ways to have it replaced... Surely not me..

And that's one big problem with Uniden. Parts should be available for anyone wishing to do repairs themselves.

 

[RandyKuff]

And that's one big problem with Uniden. Parts should be available for anyone wishing to do repairs themselves.

Couldn't agree with you more...
For a circuit board replacement the fixed repair cost might be worth it...
But for the speaker or the port cover flap, keypads and stuff like that, that repair price is outrages...

 

[nlenna]

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/soberton-inc/SP-3205-1/10638231?s=N4IgTCBcDaIMoAUC0BmMAGArEgjCAugL5A

This speaker worked great for me. Took a little labor on my part but sounds great.