Over Charging and Blowing Up The Batteries

[CopyThat]

I am sorry if this has already been asked. But I need to be CLEAR and fully understand so I do not destroy my BCD 396XT.
My Question is this: "If I charge it up fully, then take it in my car plugged in to the cigarette adapter will that overcharge it, and blow up the batteries"?

I want to charge it up fully, then use it in my car plugged in, so it is charged when I want to take it out of my car somewhere.

In a nutshell: Can I use it immediately in my car plugged in with a full charge without damaging the unit?

Will it hold a charge so I can use it mobile if needed

If the charge does drop a little, does having in plugged into the car charge it back up to full.

I just want to make sure if it has a FULL CHARGE that running it in my car plugged in is ok. If someone could ease my mind on this, and explain how it works plugged in, with a full charge.

Thanks!

 

[Dewey]

Yes, you can overcharge your batteries based on how you are describing using your 396XT. The charging circuits in the 396T/XT are nothing more than timed chargers. So... if you fully charge your 396 in the house, then take it into the car and plug it into external power, you will be starting the charging process from the beginning, resulting in overcharging. A couple of options that you have, which will be best determined by you, is to either placing the switch in the battery compartment to alkaline, which will result in the batteries not charging at all inside of the 396 (a lot of us including myself use external chargers), but being power by the external power when plugged in, and thus, not using the batteries. Or, you can set the charge timer to a very low number, like 1 hour. However, this will result in only a 1 hour charge anytime that you charge the batteries in the 396.

Dewey

 

[N9WP]

I'm sure this may have been discussed before. I always use an external charger. But say you were charging the batteries in the scanner, you've charged them for several hours, then there is a brief power outtage, lasts a couple seconds, then your scanner starts over with charging. Not good because you'd be overcharging your batteries in that situation too.

Dewey's suggestions is what I would do. Get an external charger to charge the batteries and flip the switch in the battery compartment of the scanner to alkaline. Or set the scanner to only charge for like an hour or 2.

Like I said before, I use an external battery charger and have several sets of batteries fully charged. I rarely use another power source besided the batteries. I know it's not the best but I use the Energizer 15 minute charger with several sets of Energizer rechargable batteries. The rechargable batteries usually last me 2 years before I have to replace them and they hold a charge for at least a continuous 8 hours of use in my scanner.

 

[XTS3000]

Bought the 396T back in 2005, and used it every day for 4.5 years. I always charged the batteries in the radio and never once had a problem. First using the supplied batteries, then switching to Energizers, then going to Rayovac batteries.

So I charged the batteries daily for 4 years (365 x 4 = 1460). That's 1460 charge cycles put through the 396T scanner with no problems what so ever.

I have yet to see someone post a photo of a melted 396T or 396XT scanner due to internal charging of the batteries.

 

[Dewey]

Bought the 396T back in 2005, and used it every day for 4.5 years. I always charged the batteries in the radio and never once had a problem. First using the supplied batteries, then switching to Energizers, then going to Rayovac batteries.

So I charged the batteries daily for 4 years (365 x 4 = 1460). That's 1460 charge cycles put through the 396T scanner with no problems what so ever.

I have yet to see someone post a photo of a melted 396T or 396XT scanner due to internal charging of the batteries.

The OP is about overcharging the batteries. No matter what is used, the 396 or an external charger, charging the batteries as described in the OP WILL result in overcharging. The external charger was mentioned as part of a solution to avoid overcharging.

Dewey