BCD396XT NiMh batteries get hot while charging

[mesocyclone]

Hi,
I just put new NiMh batteries into my old BCD396XT and put it on the charger. After awhile, it got pretty warm. The displayed battery voltage, after removing the charger, was 4.2V. The nominal battery voltage is 1.2V per cell which would be 3.6V for all three.

Is this normal? Is it safe to charge the batteries in the 396?

 

[doctordialtone]

Is this normal? Is it safe to charge the batteries in the 396?

No.

You should never charge batteries IN the scanner.

You run the risk of melting the scanner beyond repaiir.

Which would you rather buy? A battery charger or a brand new scanner?

 

[Ronaldski]

Go into 'Settings' and lower the' Charge Time' to say 2-4 hours, you'll be fine. Been charging em in the scanner for many years.
Its a dumb charger just charges base on time and it doesnt look what the voltage-current is when charging, just time.

So many threads along this same line and I mean many. It normally is always as above people advise dont charge in scanner, then others on what kind of batteries, to it's ok as I do charge in scanner. Just be sure to have good quality batteries.

 

[tvengr]

The displayed battery voltage, after removing the charger, was 4.2V.

That is a normal reading for fully charged batteries hot off the charger.

 

[a29zuk]

Is there a selector switch in the battery compartment on the XT like the 396T to select alkaline/nimh? If there is make sure it is in the right position.

Jim

 

[hiegtx]

Is there a selector switch in the battery compartment on the XT like the 396T to select alkaline/nimh? If there is make sure it is in the right position.

Jim

Yes for the 396XT.

There is not a selector switch in the 325P2 nor the 436HP.
If the scanner detects a battery that cannot be charged, you'll get a 'Battery Error' message.

 

[KevinC]

Go into 'Settings' and lower the' Charge Time' to say 2-4 hours, you'll be fine. Been charging em in the scanner for many years.
Its a dumb charger just charges base on time and it doesnt look what the voltage-current is when charging, just time.

So many threads along this same line and I mean many. It normally is always as above people advise dont charge in scanner, then others on what kind of batteries, to it's ok as I do charge in scanner. Just be sure to have good quality batteries.

Setting the timer to 2-4 hours would never completely charge the batteries as the charge current is somewhere around 250 mA.

 

[mesocyclone]

Is there a selector switch in the battery compartment on the XT like the 396T to select alkaline/nimh? If there is make sure it is in the right position.

Jim

Yes, and mine was set to NiMh.

It's surprising that Uniden would put in such a dumb charger. I suspect my batteries got hot because they were being overcharged.

I think I'll follow the advice of setting the charge time to a couple of hours. If I end up with low batteries, I'll reconsider. My desired approach is to leave the scanner configured to charge when I'm not using it - which is most of the time. But with a dumb charger, that may not work.

 

[ka3aaa]

there is no charge timer to set in the 396, it will charge the batteries as long as it is plugged into the wall wart.

 

[KevinC]

there is no charge timer to set in the 396, it will charge the batteries as long as it is plugged into the wall wart.

The subject line and first post state "BCD396XT", which does have a timer setting.

 

[tvengr]

there is no charge timer to set in the 396, it will charge the batteries as long as it is plugged into the wall wart.

Go to Settings > Battery Option > Set Charge Time.

 

[hiegtx]

The only "battery" setting in the menu choices for the 396T is to turn "Battery Save" on or off. Battery save reduces poer consumption when the scanner is scanning, but not currently receiving any transmissions.

Both the 396XT and 325P2 allow you to specify charge time. That's also the case for the 436HP.

For the HP-1 & HP-2, you don't directly set the charge time. Instead, you enter the batteries' capacity. The scanners then set charge time for that size battery.

 

[wtp]

having a 396T, and from a manual (marks)

Set Battery Save this setting turns the battery saver on or off. The scanner turns off power for 1 second and turns it on for 300 ms when you monitor a channel/frequency that has no activity for more than a minute.

it is ONLY for a conventional system AND holding on a frequency.

as for charging, when it charges, it is a time thing only 14 hours
and if it gets to 13 3/4 hours and there is a power "flick" it starts all over again, so yep, 14 more hours of charging.