SDS100/SDS200: "Recharge While On" resets to Disabled

[NWI_Scanner_Guy]

So I've had my latest SDS100 for a little over a week now, and as with my previous two 100's, I'm loving it. This one, however, has a small issue.....

Until I have the $$$ to get an extra battery with the external charger, I obviously have to charge the battery while it's in the radio, which I don't mind doing for the time being. What I'm running into is when I have the radio charging the battery while on. It works as it should....however, when I turn the radio off and then turn it on again after a little while, I find that the 'charge while on' option has reset to "disabled," and I have to go into the menu settings to enable it once again.

This isn't a "big" enough issue to warrant its return to the seller or a trip to Uniden for repair (if that would even be a repairable problem). It's just a mild inconvenience that I'm wondering if anyone one else has encountered, or it's just a gremlin in my radio.

 

[licpl8man]

What is it plugged into? I run into this with mine if the USB source doesn’t have enough horsepower to keep up with the power demands of running the radio and charging at the same time. Even more so if I have multiple things plugged into the same power block

 

[NWI_Scanner_Guy]

What is it plugged into? I run into this with mine if the USB source doesn’t have enough horsepower to keep up with the power demands of running the radio and charging at the same time. Even more so if I have multiple things plugged into the same power block

When charging, it's usually plugged into a standard wall outlet with two USB outlets built into it. Only my laptop is plugged into the standard outlet and the scanner is the only USB powered device plugged in. I haven't gotten the 'low voltage' (or however it's worded) alert, so I'm pretty sure it's getting all the juice it needs.

 

[werinshades]

I would ask to have it exchanged if you're within the allotted time. Since you have other SDS100's, you know this isn't normal behavior.

 

[fxdscon]

It's just a mild inconvenience that I'm wondering if anyone one else has encountered, or it's just a gremlin in my radio.

-
It's a common issue (feature?) that when the SDS100 is connected to an adapter that doesn't have enough power to adequately charge the battery while the scanner is running, the "charge while on" menu setting will normally reset to disabled. A USB charger of at least 2 amps will allow the charge setting to remain on. There have been a number of posts on that.

 

[RandyKuff]

When charging, it's usually plugged into a standard wall outlet with two USB outlets built into it. Only my laptop is plugged into the standard outlet and the scanner is the only USB powered device plugged in. I haven't gotten the 'low voltage' (or however it's worded) alert, so I'm pretty sure it's getting all the juice it needs.

I'll almost bet the usb ports built in to the outlet can't deliver the power needed to run and charge the scanner...
So it might be kicking out the charge function on the scanner...

 

[jtwalker]

I’d try using the Uniden supplied usb wall adapter and cable and see what happens. My experience with the USB ports built into a outlet are they don’t provide a lot of current.

 

[NWI_Scanner_Guy]

-
It's a common issue (feature?) that when the SDS100 is connected to an adapter that doesn't have enough power to adequately charge the battery while the scanner is running, the "charge while on" menu setting will normally reset to disabled. A USB charger of at least 2 amps will allow the charge setting to remain on. There have been a number of posts on that.

Hmmmm, the USB outlets are rated at 2.1 amps, so it should be getting the power it needs.

 

[RandyKuff]

Try jtwalkers suggestion...

 

[NWI_Scanner_Guy]

I’d try using the Uniden supplied usb wall adapter and cable and see what happens. My experience with the USB ports built into a outlet are they don’t provide a lot of current.

I've done that while having the scanner with me at work, and I have the issue with the Uniden items as well.

 

[fxdscon]

Hmmmm, the USB outlets are rated at 2.1 amps, so it should be getting the power it needs.

Do you still have one of your other SDS100s? Maybe try swapping batteries to see if the battery is drawing more than it should to charge?.

 

[NWI_Scanner_Guy]

Do you still have one of your other SDS100s? Maybe try swapping batteries to see if the battery is drawing more than it should to charge?.

No I don't. Just this one.

 

[RandyKuff]

Open the battery cover and press down and wiggle the battery around to wipe the contacts and see what it does...

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Usually this happens with my SDS100 while I'm connected to a laptop's USB port, screen will read USB LOW BUS VOLTAGE or something to that effect, after which the "charge while on" setting will become disabled. I've charged it on various USB wall outlets, never noticed the issue there. Definitely something unusual going on with yours if the supplied OEM charger causes the issue

 

[RandyKuff]

I've seen the OP's problem on my 100 and the external charger...
Both the 100 and the external charger have very small pin surface areas for contact compared to the batterys terminals...

By pressing and wiggling the battery around to wipe the cantacts corrected the problem for me... I do it when putting a battery in the external charger and also when swapping the battery on the 100... Have not seen that problem show up since doing that for me anyway...
It's more than likely the charge sense contacts that have the issue with dirt, oxidation or whatever... Not the power contacts...

 

[EricRF]

So I've had my latest SDS100 for a little over a week now, and as with my previous two 100's, I'm loving it. This one, however, has a small issue.....

Until I have the $$$ to get an extra battery with the external charger, I obviously have to charge the battery while it's in the radio, which I don't mind doing for the time being. What I'm running into is when I have the radio charging the battery while on. It works as it should....however, when I turn the radio off and then turn it on again after a little while, I find that the 'charge while on' option has reset to "disabled," and I have to go into the menu settings to enable it once again.

This isn't a "big" enough issue to warrant its return to the seller or a trip to Uniden for repair (if that would even be a repairable problem). It's just a mild inconvenience that I'm wondering if anyone one else has encountered, or it's just a gremlin in my radio.

OK, this is creepy... I've had my SDS100 for a couple of months. I've always charged/used it while plugged into my laptop, and it's always been fine. That is, until I opened this thread, discovered the red charging light was off and the "Charge while on" menu item had reset to "Disabled".

I've noted all the suggestions above, and when I re-enabled "Charge while on", it seems to be charging quite happily. It's just so weird I only noticed the problem when this thread came up. It's close to Halloween, so I guess that has some thing to do with it. 😜🧙

 

[JethrowJohnson]

OK, this is creepy... I've had my SDS100 for a couple of months. I've always charged/used it while plugged into my laptop, and it's always been fine. That is, until I opened this thread, discovered the red charging light was off and the "Charge while on" menu item had reset to "Disabled".

I've noted all the suggestions above, and when I re-enabled "Charge while on", it seems to be charging quite happily. It's just so weird I only noticed the problem when this thread came up. It's close to Halloween, so I guess that has some thing to do with it. 😜🧙

Someone's watching you 😶

 

[nessnet]

Hmmmm, the USB outlets are rated at 2.1 amps, so it should be getting the power it needs.

Each...?
Or, total?

Somewhere, you don't have enough voltage - triggering the disabling of charging while on.

This is a 'feature' - not a bug.
Normal behavior if voltage drops below X VDC

 

[RandyKuff]

Each...?
Or, total?

Somewhere, you don't have enough voltage - triggering the disabling of charging while on.

This is a 'feature' - not a bug.
Normal behavior if voltage drops below X VDC

Acording to him it does it with the Uniden adapter too... Post #10

 

[nessnet]

Acording to him it does it with the Uniden adapter too... Post #10

He didn't specify if the stock USB cable.

OP:
Is this with the STOCK USB cable?
Or, one you pulled out of the parts drawer?

Note:
The cable has to have 24AWG power wires in it.
The stock one does and any other cable needs to...