RS A/C Adapter (Mini USB) #2302393

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CycleSycho

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;) Silly question time again. A preview comment first, then the question(s) and/or discussion. Got the above mentioned A/C adapter/charger for my 668. I was told and believe that when the USB (to computer) cord included with the 668 was used to run/charge the scanner, that you could plug it in 'hot' but not unplug it while hot (hot meaning the computer turned on, or as in the newer motherboards that have a hot USB even with the computer turned off). My question is, with the A/C adapter being used, are pins 2 & 3 (the data pins) on the mini USB plug not connected, AND does this mean the charger can be plugged and unplugged while the 668 is turned on and receiving? I know the SD card can get corrupted if it is plugged into the computer (with the computer on, pins 2 & 3 tx'ing data), and you disconnect the mini cord while the scanner is on BUT can or does this same thing happen when using the 5v A/C adapter only. I tried to find a 'pinout' of the adapter, to see if it has anything on the 2 & 3 pins, but failed. Finally, will the 668 be able to 'switch' to A/C and batteries when hot plugging the adapter? In closing, the local RS salesman recommended this adapter BUT we know he would not cough up $ if the adapter fries the radio while using it. ;)
 
D

darunimal

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Plug it hot or not to almost any AC or DC power source except a computer, even a TV's USB port(think Hotels) or a Blu-Ray/DVD player, all most all USB power supplies should provide at least 5v at 500ma, with the display, contrast and brightness at full and volume maxed with ADC DAC +3, I would recommend something with at least 750ma. The device will run on external power as long as powers going across the USB Mini-B port, no need to worry about the datat pins/line on a none computer, some new motherboards allow power across USB port with Computer shut down. Batteries will deplete like they normally will, just at a nominal slower rate ie if it takes a 2500mAh battery to drain to 1800 in a month with constant power it might deplete to closer to 1825.
 

gewecke

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Cyclesycho, I remember a previous post by another 668 owner cautioning other owners, to shut OFF their 668 before disconnecting the Usb cable from power Or corruption of the SD card can occur. Not sure If this is true or not but I can see where it might happen. Also charging NiMh batteries in an external charger might be safer. Your AC adapter is "hot" all the time as long as its connected to the outlet. :). 73, n9zas
 

CycleSycho

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Plug it hot or not to almost any AC or DC power source except a computer, even a TV's USB port(think Hotels) or a Blu-Ray/DVD player, all most all USB power supplies should provide at least 5v at 500ma, with the display, contrast and brightness at full and volume maxed with ADC DAC +3, I would recommend something with at least 750ma.

:) Yeah this A/C adapter is rated at 1.2amp (1200ma). It was recommended by the 'salesperson' at a RS down the road (a few) from me. :)

Cyclesycho, I remember a previous post by another 668 owner cautioning other owners, to shut OFF their 668 before disconnecting the Usb cable from power Or corruption of the SD card can occur. Not sure If this is true or not but I can see where it might happen. Also charging NiMh batteries in an external charger might be safer. Your AC adapter is "hot" all the time as long as its connected to the outlet. :). 73, n9zas

:) I remember seeing something about if the computer is ON, the SD card is seen by the OS as a drive, and 'pulling the plug' may corrupt the card data. I do have one of the computers with a 'HOT' always USB system even when the computer is OFF, and think the same thing about the question about pins 2 and 3 having something on it that 'might' corrupt the card if unplugged while scanning (with computer OFF). I like the idea of the A/C adapter strictly for pins 1 and 4, but do not know if there is anything on pins 2 and 3. As a separate question, I have seen nothing about if the A/C adapter can be used WITHOUT any batteries in the radio. Must you have a set of batteries in the scanner, even when an A/C adapter is used? I like asking the harder questions too. :)

:) I sure do not like the idea of turning the radio off when using the mini jack (USB or A/C), but dislike frying the scanner more than the extra steps to move from one source to another with the radio. Seems to me this is quite the flaw that should have been thought out a lot more before production. The omission of any instructional guidance (to me) is troubling as well. :)
 

Blackswan73

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It is the same with any SD card scanner, or any other device that writes to a SD card. You need to turn off the device before removing power.
 

CycleSycho

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It is the same with any SD card scanner, or any other device that writes to a SD card. You need to turn off the device before removing power.

:confused: In all cases? If you read the posts and understand them, individually, it asks a number of Q's under different circumstances/conditions. I cannot see an A/C adapter reading/writing to any SD card. If it does, please help me understand how and more importantly, why? Are you just throwing out a general statement as a 100% blanket statement? :confused:


:confused: Maybe you wanted to clarify your prior? Only you know. :confused:

:) I have no problem with using a general 100% fallback comment as advice. In this world of non-information from equipment manufacturers who want you to just operate it and send it in if you screw it up (with a hefty fee of course), I believe forums like these are to help owners/users. Am I wrong? :)
 

gewecke

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Cyclescycho, What muskrat39 was telling you is correct in the sense that these newer scanners with SD cards Are a different beast over those we remember which have Eproms to retain the memorry. The older scanners had non volatile memories, meaning Yes you could disconnect power to them even when powered up and suffer no issues. Another example is, IF you have a Smartphone then you might know that removing the SD card without first turning off the phone will likely corrupt the card. Even your laptop will Tell you when its SAFE to remove the sd card, because your laptop will stop exchanging data. Sd cards are somewhat of a wrinkle in scanners, compared to those we Used to use previously. Hopefully I made some sense here. :). 73, n9zas
 

gewecke

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Cyclesycho, I forgot to mention you're Correct, the AC adapter doesn't read/ write to the SD card, But the device using it DOES. When you remove power to that device, you Also interupt the exchange to the SDcard. 73, n9zas
 

CycleSycho

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Cyclescycho, What muskrat39 was telling you is correct in the sense that these newer scanners with SD cards Are a different beast over those we remember which have Eproms to retain the memorry. The older scanners had non volatile memories, meaning Yes you could disconnect power to them even when powered up and suffer no issues. Another example is, IF you have a Smartphone then you might know that removing the SD card without first turning off the phone will likely corrupt the card. Even your laptop will Tell you when its SAFE to remove the sd card, because your laptop will stop exchanging data. Sd cards are somewhat of a wrinkle in scanners, compared to those we Used to use previously. Hopefully I made some sense here. :). 73, n9zas

:) Thanks for clarifying. BTW no, I'm too stupid for a smartphone (sarcasm, it is). Way back in my military days (late 70's) we were all issued Motorola 'beepers'. We always called them 'Strap-on hemorrhoids' because every time they went off it was a pain in the a$$. We have and use a landline, Mrs and I just aren't that wrapped up in ourselves to think we need to be 'in touch' 24/7 (another leftover from my military days). I suppose I'll just keep making backups of the SD card data when an update is posted to the scanner (to computer HD, when scanner is off connected to computer, where 'seeing' the SD card is evident). This way if ever a corruption occurs I'll be able to reformat it (using the proper format/program) and reload the card data. I am guessing the A/C adapter 5v is powering the SD card (?) as well regardless of any pwr on pins 2 & 3? I can see if this is the case, it is better to power down on both connection to, & disconnection of, pwr to the mini connector at the scanner. :)

Cyclesycho, I forgot to mention you're Correct, the AC adapter doesn't read/ write to the SD card, But the device using it DOES. When you remove power to that device, you Also interupt the exchange to the SDcard. 73, n9zas

;) This is why I added the last two sentences to the above reply. Thanks for your detailed replies! ;)



:) Does anyone know if the radio will work without damaging it 'plugged in' on USB OR A/C power, WITHOUT batteries in it? NOTE: I use a UPS on my computers, there is NO risk of pwr dropping off both the A/C adapter OR the USB connector mini plugs to the scanner. Will it cause problems with the unit, seeing as there is a charging circuit integral to its internal circuitry? I ask because leaving the radio plugged in constantly, it shows when OFF that the batteries are continually 'charging'. I do believe the manual could have been a lot more in-depth, but that's the road RS has been taking for many years now... :)

.
 
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CycleSycho

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:) Thanks for clarifying. BTW no, I'm too stupid for a smartphone (sarcasm, it is). Way back in my military days (late 70's) we were all issued Motorola 'beepers'. We always called them 'Strap-on hemorrhoids' because every time they went off it was a pain in the a$$. We have and use a landline, Mrs and I just aren't that wrapped up in ourselves to think we need to be 'in touch' 24/7 (another leftover from my military days). I suppose I'll just keep making backups of the SD card data when an update is posted to the scanner (to computer HD, when scanner is off connected to computer, where 'seeing' the SD card is evident). This way if ever a corruption occurs I'll be able to reformat it (using the proper format/program) and reload the card data. I am guessing the A/C adapter 5v is powering the SD card (?) as well regardless of any pwr on pins 2 & 3? I can see if this is the case, it is better to power down on both connection to, & disconnection of, pwr to the mini connector at the scanner. :)



;) This is why I added the last two sentences to the above reply. Thanks for your detailed replies! ;)



:) Does anyone know if the radio will work without damaging it 'plugged in' on USB OR A/C power, WITHOUT batteries in it? NOTE: I use a UPS on my computers, there is NO risk of pwr dropping off both the A/C adapter OR the USB connector mini plugs to the scanner. Will it cause problems with the unit, seeing as there is a charging circuit integral to its internal circuitry? I ask because leaving the radio plugged in constantly, it shows when OFF that the batteries are continually 'charging'. I do believe the manual could have been a lot more in-depth, but that's the road RS has been taking for many years now... :)

.

:confused: Have to add/ask (EDITED), the radio feels HOT at the Bottom rear with Ni-Mh 2000mah rechargeable batteries after a number of hours. I am concerned using ANY rechargeable batteries (while connected to either A/C or USB), are the batteries being 'overcharged'?. :confused:

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Blackswan73

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Most of us who have been in this game very long use external chargers to charge the batteries. Just set the battery switch to alkaline and never charge batteries in the radio. You can also run the radio on a charger without batteries in the radio. There are a couple of threads on here were radios were ruined by charging the batteries in the radio.
 

CycleSycho

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:wink: Have taken the rechargables out, selected 'alkaline', and plugged in the scanner to a UPS backed-up A/C or 'always hot' USB cable (two locations, two sources of power). No more hot radio, and I am pretty sure selecting the 'alkaline' switch position disables the built-in charger circuitry. As a final Q (dealing with radio 'operation'), will the rechargables 'trigger' a low battery alert if the 'switch' is left in that position, as a result of the lower 'terminal' voltage of the rechargables? :wink:

;) Maybe someone else has tried their rechargables (with switch in alkaline position), and found an undervoltage condition (or no operation at all). Don't want to 'stress' the electronics... ;)
 

CycleSycho

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:wink: Have taken the rechargables out, selected 'alkaline', and plugged in the scanner to a UPS backed-up A/C or 'always hot' USB cable (two locations, two sources of power). No more hot radio, and I am pretty sure selecting the 'alkaline' switch position disables the built-in charger circuitry. As a final Q (dealing with radio 'operation'), will the rechargables 'trigger' a low battery alert if the 'switch' is left in that position, as a result of the lower 'terminal' voltage of the rechargables? :wink:

;) Maybe someone else has tried their rechargables (with switch in alkaline position), and found an undervoltage condition (or no operation at all). Don't want to 'stress' the electronics... ;)

;) Since no one else wanted to chirp in, I decided to try the rechargables in the radio with the switch in the 'alkaline' position. Did not notice anything different in the radio operation. Did not notice any difference in the radio battery meter. I think I'll leave the switch in the 'alk' position, run the radio on USB or A/C from the home, and use externally charged Ni-Mh AA's when out and about. This way I do not have to worry about overcharging if the batteries are left in the radio at any time. Can always add freshly recharged batteries, cannot replace the potentially damaged radio from an overcharge condition. ;)

.
 

gewecke

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I suggest NOT EVER charging your NiMh batteries in your 668 EVER! There are numerous threads here on RR discussing this so I won't go into a lot of detail, but I Strongly suggest charging them in a External charger, for your safety and the radios! 73, n9zas
 

CycleSycho

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;) Since no one else wanted to chirp in, I decided to try the rechargables in the radio with the switch in the 'alkaline' position. Did not notice anything different in the radio operation. Did not notice any difference in the radio battery meter. I think I'll leave the switch in the 'alk' position, run the radio on USB or A/C from the home, and use externally charged Ni-Mh AA's when out and about. This way I do not have to worry about overcharging if the batteries are left in the radio at any time. Can always add freshly recharged batteries, cannot replace the potentially damaged radio from an overcharge condition. ;)

.

I suggest NOT EVER charging your NiMh batteries in your 668 EVER! There are numerous threads here on RR discussing this so I won't go into a lot of detail, but I Strongly suggest charging them in a External charger, for your safety and the radios! 73, n9zas


:) Please re-read, have solved the 'hot battery' condition. Switch in alkaline position disables the internal charger. Note @ external charger, onward. :)

.
 

gewecke

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:) Please re-read, have solved the 'hot battery' condition. Switch in alkaline position disables the internal charger. Note @ external charger, onward. :)

.
Gotcha! That's what I get for reading with my glasses off... 73, n9zas
 
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