BCD396 Batteries

[Highpockets]

2900 Mah batteries work for me. That is what I use.I have had excellent results with them. And they can be used in other items like scanners. I do not use any other batteries in my scanners except for the 2900Mah batteries. Try them and you will see. If you want that max life out of using a scanner use the 2900Mah batteries. If you like other batteries rated at 2500 Mah fine. 2500 Mah does not work for me and will not last using a maha charger charging the battieries outside the scanner. I have seen all the guides and studies for battery use. I all depends on how the batteries are charged, what they are charged with and the MAH of the battery. The Higher the MAH of the battery that longer use you will get.

You just won't quit, will you. :roll: OK, they work for you, we understand.

 

[scanningisfun]

2000 Mah batteries work for me. That is what I use.I have had excellent results with them. And they can be used in other items like scanners. I do not use any other batteries in my scanners except for the 2000Mah batteries. Try them and you will see. If you want that max life out of using a scanner use the 2000Mah batteries. If you like other batteries rated at 2900 Mah fine. 2900 Mah does not work for me and will not last using a maha charger charging the battieries outside the scanner. I have seen all the guides and studies for battery use. I all depends on how the batteries are charged, what they are charged with and the MAH of the battery. The Higher the MAH of the battery means that the batteries life span is generally not as long.

Jacob

 

[W9NES]

Jacob, If you use 2000 Mah batteries and you have great luck with them fine. I have had excellent use and have more than doubled my battery life using the 2900 Mah batteries.There are no signs after 5 years of these batteries being in service in the field that they battery life has been effected in any way. I stay away from those types of batteries. like Enveloops. If you use the MAHA battery charger and charge the batteries at 200 you will have excellent results. The lower rate the batteries are charged that longer use you will have. I have has excellent results with my batteries. This is just my excellent track record of the use of the higher MAH battiries after 5 years of service in the field.

 

[scanningisfun]

Jacob, If you use 2000 Mah batteries and you have great luck with them fine. I have had excellent use and have more than doubled my battery life using the 2900 Mah batteries.There are no signs after 5 years of these batteries being in service in the field that they battery life has been effected in any way. I stay away from those types of batteries. If you use the MAHA battery charger and charge the batteries at 200 you will have excellent results. The lower rate the batteries are charged that longer use you will have.

The scanner charges the batteries at ~250 mAh. Why would it be wrong to charge the batteries in the scanner? If you use your batteries regularly, you would notice that the charge of a set of your batteries lasts significantly less after 5 years; any rechargeable battery that has had regular use over 5 years would show the same. Why would you stay away from a highly rated battery?

Jacob

 

[W9NES]

Uniden has a problem with the charging circuit in both the Uniden 396T and the Uniden 396XT. There have been cases of owners having the charging circuit shorting out while the battteries are being charged in the scanner. My set of 2900Mah batteries have had NO problems and I have not noticed any changes as far as holding a voltage. I would rather charge the batteries outside the scanner vs having them short out in the scanner and could do serious damage to the scanner. Where is in in writting where the Envelope battery is a highly rated battery? Before using the 2900Mah batteries I did buy the Enveloope batteries from Costco. I did everything accoring to the manufactures specs and charged them overnight.The batteries did not work. No voltage was seen on the battery with a dc volt meter and the batteries would not charge in the charger that was made for the batteries I took the complete package back to Costco and got a full refund. This is the reason why a lot of people Charge the batteries outside the scanner instead of using the built in charging circuit.My choice, My scanner. My batteries of Choice 2900MAH. Something to think about Jacob.

 

[KevinC]

Just like the AC power cord thread, this is going downhill fast.

But to stay on topic, I agree on using the Eneloops.

 

[scanningisfun]

Uniden has a problem with the charging circuit in both the Uniden 396T and the Uniden 396XT. There have been cases of owners having the charging circuit shorting out while the battteries are being charged in the scanner. My set of 2900Mah batteries have had NO problems and I have not noticed any changes as far as holding a voltage. I would rather charge the batteries outside the scanner vs having them short out in the scanner and could do serious damage to the scanner. Where is in in writting where the Envelope battery is a highly rated battery? Before using the 2900Mah batteries I did buy the Enveloope batteries from Costco. I did everything accoring to the manufactures specs and charged them overnight.The batteries did not work. No voltage was seen on the battery with a dc volt meter and the batteries would not charge in the charger that was made for the batteries I took the complete package back to Costco and got a full refund. This is the reason why a lot of people Charge the batteries outside the scanner instead of using the built in charging circuit.My choice, My scanner. My batteries of Choice 2900MAH. Something to think about Jacob.

Here they are for sale on Amazon. 4.5/5 stars based on 1,239 reviews. If you look through these forums, there are other people like me that use the eneloops that are more than satisfied with them.

http://www.amazon.com/Sanyo-eneloop...TF8&qid=1355616125&sr=8-1&keywords=eneloop+aa

Jacob

 

[Highpockets]

Just like the AC power cord thread, this is going downhill fast.

But to stay on topic, I agree on using the Eneloops.

You have to remember who your dealing with here, he won't quit until Jacob buys 2900 mAh batteries. Or all of us for that matter. :roll:

 

[KevinC]

Before using the 2900Mah batteries I did buy the Enveloope batteries from Costco. I did everything accoring to the manufactures specs and charged them overnight.The batteries did not work. No voltage was seen on the battery with a dc volt meter and the batteries would not charge in the charger that was made for the batteries I took the complete package back to Costco and got a full refund.

Trying not to stray off-topic too much, but following this logic, anytime something doesn't work you should never buy it again. Is it possible the charger was defective? And zero volts is VERY unusual???

 

[davidmc36]

2000 Mah batteries work for me. That is what I use.I have had excellent results with them. And they can be used in other items like scanners. I do not use any other batteries in my scanners except for the 2000Mah batteries. Try them and you will see. If you want that max life out of using a scanner use the 2000Mah batteries. If you like other batteries rated at 2900 Mah fine. 2900 Mah does not work for me and will not last using a maha charger charging the battieries outside the scanner. I have seen all the guides and studies for battery use. I all depends on how the batteries are charged, what they are charged with and the MAH of the battery. The Higher the MAH of the battery means that the batteries life span is generally not as long.

Jacob

BA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

I laughed until I cried reading that!!!!!!!!

The missus came to make sure I hadn't slipped something funny in my drink!

Seriously though. What ever you get make sure it is LSD type. You will be glad you did. I have heard so much good comments on the Eneloops that I will surely try them out when I next need to buy batteries. But since picking up three eight packs of Imedion (some 2100, some 2400) that I use in the 396XT and various other devices I have not needed any more since 3 or 4 years ago for the 2100's and a year or so for the 2400's. I always charge in the MAHA or another small 4 port charger I have that charges each cell individually. The LSD batteries are the only way to go if you sometimes don't use a device for a while. They are not flat when you turn it on.

 

[davidmc36]

...Is it possible the charger was defective? And zero volts is VERY unusual???

Sounds like a bum charger or something to me. They probably sat in there all night and just drained down through a charger that was not supplying any power to them. How else would you get to zero volts, on a whole set of batteries?

 

[W9NES]

Sorry, I

 

[chrislxq]

I always charge any battery set outside my Uniden 396XT, using a tricke charge...so far, I have been able to get good results with each charge. My charger has a switch for either NiMH or NiCd. Always best to let your battery fully discharge before another charge. The NiMd's will not develop memory, and should give better service. I often keep a second set available, and keep them warm or inside the house.
I will have to give the ones you mentioned a try and compare.
Best Wishes with your radio.

 

[W9NES]

Thank You chrislxq for your post.

 

[stormtracker78]

Get Digital brand 2900Mah batteries. I use them in my Uniden 396XT in the field.I carry two fully charged battery carriers with 4 ( 2900Mah batteries) in my pocket. I get longer battery life on the 2900 Mah batteries vs the life on the batteries that come with the Uniden scanner from the factory.

which brand do you have i would like to copy what you have for my own bc396 xt as it only lasts about 4 hrs with the batteries that came with it.what digital brand of batteries do u have and what charger, thanks

 

[rangers38]

OK, I see there are multiple opinions on the correct battery to purchase. I ordered the 2500 Eneloop and hopefully they will perform well. I have a MAHA MH-C9000 charger. What would be the correct charging rate for these batteries? Charge, Discharge, Break-in etc. ??? And just to be clear, I do not charge the batteries from the AC cord in the scanner, only in the MAHA charger.

 

[W9NES]

Stormtracker 78, thank you. I use the brand name Digital 2900 AA Mah batteries that are 1.25 Volts. You can use ANY battery as long as it is 2900Mah. The problem with other batteries is that they will not last and when you need them to power you scanner you cannot depend on the batteries.The current batteries that are available at wal-mart, radio shack vary from 2000 to 2500 MAH. This is not enough power to run your scanner when you depend on your scanner like I do. Charge the 2900 Mah batteries in the MAHA Charger which is the top of the line charger.Stormtracker 78, I will send you a e-mail please advise.Thank You.

 

[davidmc36]

....You can use ANY battery as long as it is 2900Mah...

IT'S A FRIGGIN' MIRACLE!!!!

I run my 396XT on 2400 Imedions at volume 12 squawking all day (12 hour shift on my toolbox at work) but apparently I shouldn't be able to do that because these are not dependable batteries.

You might want to choose based on how you will use them. Sometimes I charge them up and am not back to work for three or four days. The Low Self Discharge type are the ones I like because when I pull them out they have lost very little of their charge.

If you always take them right off the charger and then use them right away until they are dead then LSD would be of little importance.

 

[lep]

My best guess is the batttery performance is a function of using the proper AC cord to power the charger. If you don't use the factory supplied AC cord there is no guarantee that the charger will do it's job and actually a serioius short could develop which would put your whole setup in peril.

Or at least that is possible,n'est ce pas?

 

[davidmc36]

My best guess is the batttery performance is a function of using the proper AC cord to power the charger. If you don't use the factory supplied AC cord there is no guarantee that the charger will do it's job and actually a serioius short could develop which would put your whole setup in peril.

Or at least that is possible,n'est ce pas?

Or if you don't use the exact factory side screw knobs, that will put your set-up in peril also and cause any battery other than Digital 2900 AA Mah 1.25 volt to be rendered useless and undependable.