Pro-668: AC charger for PRO-668 scanner

[aferrara]

I just got a new Pro-668 scanner and am a little confused about how to charge it via an AC adapter. It looks like I can plug the USB charging cable into an Apple iPhone AC to USB adapter, but I just wanted to confirm that before trying it, so I don't damage the unit.

Has anyone else used this method? If not, any suggestions on how I should charge it, other than plugging into a computer?

Thanks!

 

[AtlasFBG2]

I am using a Motorola cell phone charger to power and charge my pro668. It works fine.

I think the manual or maybe the back on the scanner said it needed 5volts and 500mah.
As long as the IPhone puts out 500 mah or more you will be good.

 

[w3nrl]

battery drain

any body having to noticed that the battery drain is quit fast maybe lasting 5-7 hours as were my GRE same batteries and same set up on both radios the RS scanner pro668 drains much faster my GRE is on day 2 and the RS is back on charging
does anyone have this issue?


thanks

w3nrl
Nick

 

[Blackswan73]

QUOTE=w3nrl;2358712]any body having to noticed that the battery drain is quit fast maybe lasting 5-7 hours as were my GRE same batteries and same set up on both radios the RS scanner pro668 drains much faster my GRE is on day 2 and the RS is back on charging
does anyone have this issue?


thanks

w3nrl
Nick[/QUOTE]
Have you updated the firmware? There was an update that fixes the battery meter calibration for rechargeable. Also, it depends on type and brand of batteries used. I get about 16-18 hours continuous with the RS 2500mh batteries. And finally, don't cahrge your batteries in the scanner. Use an external charger. Reason is, all rechargeables has the potential to leak when charged. You don't want that inside your radio. The following thread might be of interest

[http://forums.radioreference.com/gre-scanners/309776-ws1080-issues.html#post2357803

 

[w3nrl]

drained batteries

thank you for the info i will try this now and keep it posted

thx
w3nrl
Nick

 

[AtlasFBG2]

I have the RS 2500mh batteries also and only get 12-13 hours. When I used a external charger.

 

[Blackswan73]

Probably yours is more typical, since I don't use my backlight, or LED alerts

 

[kdo2milger]

On my RS PRO-668 inside the battery bay in the middle there is a white battery switch for Alkaline and NiMH. My NiMH rechargeable batteries drained faster on the Alkaline setting, Switched it over to NiMH position and my 668 lasts 2 days with a full charge.

 

[garysauctions]

Switched it over to NiMH position and my 668 lasts 2 days with a full charge.

Was it turned on those two days?

I use NiMH batteries ( fresh set ) with the switch in the right position and I'll be damned if I can get one day.

Of course I might scan more freqs than you and do monitor very busy systems.

If I pump the volume down to MUTE and depend on record I get more time.

But with the audio up a bit, and it receiving all the time ...... batteries won't last a day.

 

[kdo2milger]

I tried a Motorola cell pone charger as a member did above and my 668 turns off as soon as I plug it into the wall. I use the supplied USB cable plugged into the charger that has the same specs as the member above uses but it doesn't work for me.

 

[kdo2milger]

Was it turned on those two days?

I use NiMH batteries ( fresh set ) with the switch in the right position and I'll be damned if I can get one day.

Of course I might scan more freqs than you and do monitor very busy systems.

If I pump the volume down to MUTE and depend on record I get more time.

But with the audio up a bit, and it receiving all the time ...... batteries won't last a day.

I didn't know about the switch for about half a day. I got it running then looked at the owners manual. The way the manual reads is that it is ok to use rechargable NiMH batteries in the akaline position but not ok to use Alkaline batteries in the NiMH position

 

[Ed6698]

I tried a Motorola cell pone charger as a member did above and my 668 turns off as soon as I plug it into the wall. I use the supplied USB cable plugged into the charger that has the same specs as the member above uses but it doesn't work for me.

Is the radio off when plugging it in to wall outlet?

 

[kdo2milger]

Is the radio off when plugging it in to wall outlet?

no, and now your going to tell me it is suppose to be off

DOH!

But it also will not turn on when plugged into the wall now will it show the recharging sequense

 

[Ed6698]

I know in the manual for the WS1080 it says to have radio off before hooking up to a USB power source and turn it off before disconnecting it.

 

[kdo2milger]

I know in the manual for the WS1080 it says to have radio off before hooking up to a USB power source and turn it off before disconnecting it.

EDIT: I could not find the RS PDF manual so I have been using the WS1080 Manual.

Odd thing. I just tried the Motorola charger again and it works, so not sure what I did or didn't do the first time.

 

[jnewell]

I didn't know about the switch for about half a day. I got it running then looked at the owners manual. The way the manual reads is that it is ok to use rechargable NiMH batteries in the akaline position but not ok to use Alkaline batteries in the NiMH position

In many radios the battery level indicator will read out differently (it should, because the nominal voltage of the NiMH cells is a good bit lower than an Alkaline cell).

 

[kdo2milger]

Question for the RS scanner gurus;

I left my pro-668 on the wall charger overnight, the scanner was off. This morning I look at the screen and it is still charging.

Will it not show fully charged? or is it not been on the charger long enough?

 

[RDGDigital]

Question for the RS scanner gurus;

I left my pro-668 on the wall charger overnight, the scanner was off. This morning I look at the screen and it is still charging.

Will it not show fully charged? or is it not been on the charger long enough?

Easier to Read Pro 668 - PSR800 Digital Scanner and EZ-Scan/iScan Software Manual

The charger in the PRO-668 (and the WS1080 and the PSR-800) charges at a fixed rate of 150mA for the amount of time set for Charge Time (see link above). If the Charge Time is set to Default then it will charge for 16 hours. The built in charger does not check the batteries condition in any way, it just charges at a fixed rate for a set amount of time. You could take the capacity of your batteries and divide by 150 and that would give you the approximate amount of charge time to reach a full charge.

It is my personal opinion that this an awful way to charge batteries and will quickly burn them out. But that's your decision, not mine, to make. I know there are a lot of members who don't want to fool with external chargers. So you do what you feel is right for you.

 

[Blackswan73]

Easier to Read Pro 668 - PSR800 Digital Scanner and EZ-Scan/iScan Software Manual

The charger in the PRO-668 (and the WS1080 and the PSR-800) charges at a fixed rate of 150mA for the amount of time set for Charge Time (see link above). If the Charge Time is set to Default then it will charge for 16 hours. The built in charger does not check the batteries condition in any way, it just charges at a fixed rate for a set amount of time. You could take the capacity of your batteries and divide by 150 and that would give you the approximate amount of charge time to reach a full charge.

It is my personal opinion that this an awful way to charge batteries and will quickly burn them out. But that's your decision, not mine, to make. I know there are a lot of members who don't want to fool with external chargers. So you do what you feel is right for you.

Also can ruin the radio if the batteries overcharge and leak. But with so many 668 radios sold at fire sale prices, maybe he has several spares

 

[kdo2milger]

Easier to Read Pro 668 - PSR800 Digital Scanner and EZ-Scan/iScan Software Manual

The charger in the PRO-668 (and the WS1080 and the PSR-800) charges at a fixed rate of 150mA for the amount of time set for Charge Time (see link above). If the Charge Time is set to Default then it will charge for 16 hours. The built in charger does not check the batteries condition in any way, it just charges at a fixed rate for a set amount of time. You could take the capacity of your batteries and divide by 150 and that would give you the approximate amount of charge time to reach a full charge.

It is my personal opinion that this an awful way to charge batteries and will quickly burn them out. But that's your decision, not mine, to make. I know there are a lot of members who don't want to fool with external chargers. So you do what you feel is right for you.

I am going to go back to my external 4 battery AA/AAA charger. I was getting a day and a half to two days with it. Charging it with the Motorola wall charger takes to long and I don't get a full charge out of it.

Also my charge time was set at default of 99, I changed it to 16