After Market Batteries for Icom Radios

[Agentblack]

Has anyone had any good luck with after market batteries for Icom V82/U82 radios? I've always been a little shy with buying non-OEM equipment due to the risk of overcharging/fire/etc.

If you do use aftermarket, which brands do you suggest? I am mainly looking to get 1 or 2 more BP-210's non LI-Ion's (as much as id like to have the Li-Ion's i dont have the chargers let alone afford it!)

Thanks Folks!

 

[key2_altfire]

I bought one for my VX-7R - terrible. Didn't fit the radio right, much lower capacity than stock, and questionable build quality. Tossed it before it got me into trouble. The OE battery was only $15 extra ($50 vs. $35.)

 

[AK9R]

I've always had good luck with aftermarket battery packs from Batteries America, aka Mr. Nicad. Their web site is little clunky, but they have good products at fair prices.

 

[lbfd09]

Maha makes many of the Icom compatible batteries. Most of the time they are available form HRO. I am not familiar with your radio model so I am uncertain is HRO would have yours in stock.

I have also used Battery Universe. This company was recommended by an Icom tech. While I have only purchased Motorola batteries from here they have seemed bot very good and reliable. Very helpful over the phone to get you the right battery.

 

[N4KVE]

I have had great luck with Batteries America [Yost} I have a W32 battery that's going on 11 years now. 2 of it's brothers died last year. However in my experience I have to get them in person. The W32 batteries look so much like the originals, I sometimes wonder if they were made by the same company. However a few years ago at the Miami Hamfest I needed a Yaesu battery. I went to Batteries America, found what I needed, but the fit was real bad & I tried 3 batteries. I went an aisle over & got a much better fitting one from a local vendor in Miami called Prostar. So just because a vendor sells a battery that fits radio I real good, doesn't mean their battery will fit radio Y, or K at all. You must try them in person. I also have a MAHA battery on a W2 that's about 8 years old. Fits great, & looks like the original. What ever you do, stay away from W&W battery. They sell junk. Do a search on Batlabs for stories about the crap they sell. Remember, buy them in person. GARY N4KVE

 

[62Truck]

You can also try W&W batteries they sell pretty decent stuff.

 

[hill]

Use aftermarket batteries on my TK-290/390 radios all the time with no problems. I don’t remember what brand I have purchased, since have a few different ones and all work fine with no overcharging, overheating or not lasting a long time.

Battery technologies are getting better all the time, so many new aftermarket ones can outlast ones made just a few years ago.

 

[dgamage]

You can also try W&W batteries they sell pretty decent stuff.

I bought a battery for my V82 from them and I am very happy with it. I have bought from them several times and never had any problems with them or the products.

 

[Agentblack]

I have had great luck with Batteries America [Yost} I have a W32 battery that's going on 11 years now. 2 of it's brothers died last year. However in my experience I have to get them in person. The W32 batteries look so much like the originals, I sometimes wonder if they were made by the same company. However a few years ago at the Miami Hamfest I needed a Yaesu battery. I went to Batteries America, found what I needed, but the fit was real bad & I tried 3 batteries. I went an aisle over & got a much better fitting one from a local vendor in Miami called Prostar. So just because a vendor sells a battery that fits radio I real good, doesn't mean their battery will fit radio Y, or K at all. You must try them in person. I also have a MAHA battery on a W2 that's about 8 years old. Fits great, & looks like the original. What ever you do, stay away from W&W battery. They sell junk. Do a search on Batlabs for stories about the crap they sell. Remember, buy them in person. GARY N4KVE

the last battery i bought was the BP-210n from R and L but it was an actual Icom battery. The 65-70$ price tag is whats a killer especially since i want to replace my fleet of batteries with the 210's.. I dont normally have a problem with buying from R and L or Universal Radio, but ive always bought actual batteries not aftermarket's :-/

 

[N4KVE]

Bought 2 STX batteries from W&W 5 years ago. The radio would rx all day long, but if I needed to tx, the radio would chirp meaning the battery was weak. This was after running for 1/2 an hour. Called them up & got a RMA # & sent them back. A few phone calls later & weeks, 2 replacement batteries arrived. While these were 2 new batteries, they did exactly the same thing. I was using a factory charger that worked perfectly on factory M batteries, but these batteries were junk. A year later I sold the radio to a friend, & guess what. The idiot goes to W&W at the hamfest, & buys 2 more batteries, & yes, the same crap. We tried them on other radios, & same problem, so it wasn't the radio. Their chargers melt batteries. Maybe they get their batteries from a different supplier now, but the batteries they sold for my STX were JUNK.

 

[Agentblack]

hmm well W&W are definately off my list then!!

 

[RodStrong]

I've bought dozens of batteries from Imax without any issues, although I've never bought a battery for that particular model.

BP-209N BP-210N Battery for ICOM IC-A6 IC-A24 IC-V82 - eBay (item 110579017990 end time Apr-24-11 15:59:40 PDT)

Good luck.

 

[methusaleh]

I bought a ProStar brand NiMH, not sure of the OEM item number that it replaces. It worked well, but the construction was terrible. It lasted about two weeks of light use before the plastic just shattered into 100 pieces when trying to remove it from the radio one day. Could have been a bad batch of plastic, I am not sure, but that will be the last ProStar brand I purchase.

 

[N4KVE]

I bought a ProStar brand NiMH, not sure of the OEM item number that it replaces. It worked well, but the construction was terrible. It lasted about two weeks of light use before the plastic just shattered into 100 pieces when trying to remove it from the radio one day. Could have been a bad batch of plastic, I am not sure, but that will be the last ProStar brand I purchase.

I know the owner. They have an excellent warranty. I hope you exchanged the defective battery for a free replacement. GARY N4KVE