Hairball98498
Newbie
Hello, fellow scanner enthusiasts! This is my first post in the forums here since joining in 2017, but of course I still and always use Radio Reference for my frequency look-ups and to get opinions and advice!
I just picked up my second Bearcat BCD436HD handheld scanner because the one I bought in 2016 was starting to lose volume. It worked fine all those years, and the clock was always there. But the volume was getting to where I could barely hear it in my car, and would often have to put it up to my ear to hear a local call. Not fun when you're driving. I also noticed it wasn't picking up more and more local frequencies I've listened to here for years. Guess it was just overworked and wearing out, so I picked up a second one. The new (used, but like new) one came with all the original cords, clip, antenna, manual, even the box. It looks and feels like brand new! Even the knob is harder to turn because it's been turned so very little. BUT...
Now for the reason for this post: Within days after I bought it for $250 from a guy off craigslist, I noticed it wouldn't power on in the mornings unless it was plugged in. I only had it plugged in a few nights when I was sleeping, but normally turn it off and unplug it when I go to bed. No special reason other than it's hard to sleep when you hear calls on a scanner all night. Anyway, when I wake up in the morning, it won't power on. I put brand new Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries in it, and even checked them with my multimeter, then the next day, ONE BATTERY was dead! Strange!
I can understand that if something is being left on, like in a car, it can cause a draw on the battery enough to need a jump in the morning. But this is a scanner, with no moving parts, and nothing to cause a draw when it's powered off. I don't listen to it on battery power, I always plug it in to either the wall outlet or the cigarette lighter socket in my car, so the batteries SHOULD last for a LONG time! My last BCD436HD got a broken pin in the charge cord socket caused by using a cheap cord off eBay, so I was forced to listen to it for the last 5+ years on only battery power, and it would still last several days using lithium batteries! Not this one! Brand new batteries one day, plug it in all day to scan, then unplug and turn it off for the night... ONE DEAD BATTERY by morning!!!
Wondering if anyone else has had this problem and found out what was causing it. It's very frustrating, and can get very expensive since a 4-pack of these batteries has more than double in price since the covid thing started. I'm already looking for a THIRD replacement for this scanner! But I'm scared that I'll get another defective one! I didn't even get into the second issue with this scanner: the clock! I was trying to stay on one topic. But yeah, I have to reset the clock EVERY TIME it gets powered up. I've read a ton of threads here about the issue. I'm stuck with a lemon this time. But the killing batteries is something nobody in the forum has mentioned.
Any opinions would be appreciated (but not about my super long mini-novel, LOL). Thanks much!
I just picked up my second Bearcat BCD436HD handheld scanner because the one I bought in 2016 was starting to lose volume. It worked fine all those years, and the clock was always there. But the volume was getting to where I could barely hear it in my car, and would often have to put it up to my ear to hear a local call. Not fun when you're driving. I also noticed it wasn't picking up more and more local frequencies I've listened to here for years. Guess it was just overworked and wearing out, so I picked up a second one. The new (used, but like new) one came with all the original cords, clip, antenna, manual, even the box. It looks and feels like brand new! Even the knob is harder to turn because it's been turned so very little. BUT...
Now for the reason for this post: Within days after I bought it for $250 from a guy off craigslist, I noticed it wouldn't power on in the mornings unless it was plugged in. I only had it plugged in a few nights when I was sleeping, but normally turn it off and unplug it when I go to bed. No special reason other than it's hard to sleep when you hear calls on a scanner all night. Anyway, when I wake up in the morning, it won't power on. I put brand new Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries in it, and even checked them with my multimeter, then the next day, ONE BATTERY was dead! Strange!
I can understand that if something is being left on, like in a car, it can cause a draw on the battery enough to need a jump in the morning. But this is a scanner, with no moving parts, and nothing to cause a draw when it's powered off. I don't listen to it on battery power, I always plug it in to either the wall outlet or the cigarette lighter socket in my car, so the batteries SHOULD last for a LONG time! My last BCD436HD got a broken pin in the charge cord socket caused by using a cheap cord off eBay, so I was forced to listen to it for the last 5+ years on only battery power, and it would still last several days using lithium batteries! Not this one! Brand new batteries one day, plug it in all day to scan, then unplug and turn it off for the night... ONE DEAD BATTERY by morning!!!
Wondering if anyone else has had this problem and found out what was causing it. It's very frustrating, and can get very expensive since a 4-pack of these batteries has more than double in price since the covid thing started. I'm already looking for a THIRD replacement for this scanner! But I'm scared that I'll get another defective one! I didn't even get into the second issue with this scanner: the clock! I was trying to stay on one topic. But yeah, I have to reset the clock EVERY TIME it gets powered up. I've read a ton of threads here about the issue. I'm stuck with a lemon this time. But the killing batteries is something nobody in the forum has mentioned.
Any opinions would be appreciated (but not about my super long mini-novel, LOL). Thanks much!
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