BCD436HP / BCD536HP Repair Campaign

[sadave]

I would like to echo all those who have had a reasonable experience with the repair campaign. From shipment to return was about two weeks and the problem with the clock was fixed. I am completely satisfied with the process and appreciate the effort by all those involved.

I was curious, however, when a couple of days ago I received a noreply email from Uniden seeking the ESN on my device. The text is below.

Dear Valued Uniden Customer,　

Please email escan@uniden.com with your BCD436HP's ESN Number. To get your ESN number: On your scanner press MENU>SETTINGS>SEE SCANNER INFO>FIRMWARE VERSION.

Thank you for contacting Uniden!
Uniden Tech Support

Is this a legitimate request? It seems like the ESN number could have been noted when it was in the shop.

 

[CPerk]

Only send under the repair campaign if your unit exhibits one of the two indicated issues (dimming backlight, clock battery failure). Otherwise, use the link James provided.

So My 436 is out warranty will they still cover this diming light issue?? and do you just ship it to them once they email all stuff to you like the label and such and if something else wrong cant you tell them just backlight issue.. and same with my 536 the diming light issue is messing up gradually. and do they charge to ship back to you if YOU refuse to fix other things wrong. and do they charge if both units backlight issue? 536 still in warranty by a year.

 

[SCPD]

Paul mo RTC issue? watch the video and tell me its not

The unit you sent did not have either the RTC battery or the backlight issue that was subject to the campaign as received (both mods were already applied at the factory). I've asked the tech for the current status.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1Gw4iQ1_Qk&feature=youtu.be
please watch the video this is after it being plugged in since recieving from uniden and turned on for 1 week (the 50 + hours to charge the RTC Battery recommended by uniden)

also note i was charged 89.95 to repair the usb port which i posted an earlier picture showing the usb port with no physical damage

 

[UPMan]

Did you set the clock? Can't tell much of anything from the shaky-cam video.

 

[SCPD]

Did you set the clock? Can't tell much of anything from the shaky-cam video.

Yes Paul I set the clock upon first power on from recieving it from uniden repair.... and if i put it in now it does the same thing when I restart the scanner after inputting the time...

It was at repair for 3 weeks and it still has this clock issue...
And your post clearly states my unit was factory modified before i bought it...


And im nolonger buying Uniden...

I am not sending it in again to be charged another 89.95 for nothing

 

[JamesO]

Interesting how my 436HP retains the clock since the repair.

I have NEVER connected the radio to USB since it was repaired maybe for just 1 database update and I have not used the radio a lot and the clock is still rock solid.

NIGHT and DAY difference from when I originally received the radio.

I am guessing that either the RTC battery slaves off the scanner batteries while off, the RTC battery picks up power when the radio is on with batteries or the RTC battery and or clock circuit is FAR different then originally designed. I would guess that the clock will last almost a month of no use or maybe longer now?? I have not tested it, but I have not had a clock prompt and my scanner has not seen external power since my scanner was returned to me Nov 15th, so over 1 month with very limited use.

 

[kwd57]

Interesting how my 436HP retains the clock since the repair.

I have NEVER connected the radio to USB since it was repaired maybe for just 1 database update and I have not used the radio a lot and the clock is still rock solid.

NIGHT and DAY difference from when I originally received the radio.

I am guessing that either the RTC battery slaves off the scanner batteries while off, the RTC battery picks up power when the radio is on with batteries or the RTC battery and or clock circuit is FAR different then originally designed. I would guess that the clock will last almost a month of no use or maybe longer now?? I have not tested it, but I have not had a clock prompt and my scanner has not seen external power since my scanner was returned to me Nov 15th, so over 1 month with very limited use.

I also see the same thing. I rarely use the 436 so I try to remember to turn it on just to charge the internal battery and I have never lost the time since the repair. Maybe they did make some change in the way the memory works now. I still don't buy that the 536 has to be left on for 50 hours to charge the battery either. That has to be a misprint.

 

[fxdscon]

I still don't buy that the 536 has to be left on for 50 hours to charge the battery either. That has to be a misprint.

Check page 18 of the owner's manual, and here:

http://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-tech-support/294321-bc-536hp-clock.html#post2215460

.

 

[kwd57]

Check page 18 of the owner's manual, and here:

http://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-tech-support/294321-bc-536hp-clock.html#post2215460

.

I know it is in the book, thats why I said it must be a misprint.

 

[buddrousa]

Then when UPMan states on here about the charging time what do you call that.

 

[marksmith]

I know it is in the book, thats why I said it must be a misprint.

I don't know why you would call it a misprint.

Makes perfect sense if you are going to have an inboard battery to maintain the time when you are off or unplugged.

The average user would plug it in once purchased, turn it on, and for the first time the battery is getting a charge. Makes sense you would want to give it a good charge before resuming what your normal usage is.

In my case, its on 24/7 so it is moot, but not everyone is that way.

Sent from my LG-V410 using Tapatalk

 

[JamesO]

I say something is up if the entire Logic board was replaced in the 436HP for the clock problem.

The RTC "battery" is a single 2 pin component that could easily be replaced and likely was on the 536HP.

I have not torn into the 436HP, but I recall seeing pictures. It is costing Uniden a lot of money, unless the labor is higher, to replace the entire Logic board in the 436HP.

My guess is the majority of the 536HP are like mine, on 7x26. The handhelds are turned off much more often and batteries need to be changed and the unit is typically turned off while batteries are changed.

I find it hard to believe the only change was a RTC "battery" replacement.

Also recall there was a Firmware change that ignored the clock setting if the time was lost. To actually do the Firmware change, it was a BIG issue.

Again, night and day difference with the clock retention after the 436HP Logic board replacement.

At least Uniden stepped up, I was getting close to modify the radio so the clock back up would work, should not need to do this and luckily it looks like Uniden did their homework here.

I do not quite buy the bad batch of RTC "batteries", but I could be wrong.

 

[kwd57]

I don't know why you would call it a misprint.

Makes perfect sense if you are going to have an inboard battery to maintain the time when you are off or unplugged.

The average user would plug it in once purchased, turn it on, and for the first time the battery is getting a charge. Makes sense you would want to give it a good charge before resuming what your normal usage is.

In my case, its on 24/7 so it is moot, but not everyone is that way.

Sent from my LG-V410 using Tapatalk

I am not looking for a fight here, but I am giving Uniden the benefit of the doubt, that they would design something with such a small difference in the time to charge as the time until dead if not turned on. I don't use mine enough to maintain the battery charge,yet I never lost the time on either the 436 or the 536 since the repair.

 

[kwd57]

Then when UPMan states on here about the charging time what do you call that.

He is reading the same manual as the rest of us.

I am not the only one who has questioned this.

 

[hiegtx]

He is reading the same manual as the rest of us.

I am not the only one who has questioned this.

My guess, not guaranteed to be correct:

The "fifty hours charge time" was what was required for the x36HP scanners as originally manufactured. As we all know, in a large number of cases that did not work out. Hence, the repair campaign.

I suspect, as James O alludes to, that some sort of change was made to use a different memory/ RTC retention method that may have obviated the fifty hour charge requirement. However, the manual(s) were never updated for that specific item.

 

[buddrousa]

Looking to not pick a fight either but I would think A Uniden Scanner Developer knows more about the scanner than a buyer. Just my own opinion.

 

[marksmith]

My guess, not guaranteed to be correct:

The "fifty hours charge time" was what was required for the x36HP scanners as originally manufactured. As we all know, in a large number of cases that did not work out. Hence, the repair campaign.

I suspect, as James O alludes to, that some sort of change was made to use a different memory/ RTC retention method that may have obviated the fifty hour charge requirement. However, the manual(s) were never updated for that specific item.

No offense, but your comment seems to be based, in your own words, on a "guess" and a "suspicion".

If you know something more than what you are stating, then I think everyone would be interested to know that such a change has taken place, but in the absence of more information, or some confirmation from Uniden to this effect, which I have not seen yet, I will tend to go with the manufacturer.

Again, no offense ... just a comment.

Mark
536/436/HP1/HP2/996XT/996P2/396XT/325P2/PSR800

 

[UPMan]

436 battery is under a sealed shield. No way to simply replace it.

Modification does change the method to using a primary battery that does not require the 50-hour charge.

 

[SCPD]

My 536 is less than a week old .. but it looks like it needs to be repaired.
Is there a way to tell if it needs this repair ?

 

[UPMan]

What problems are you seeing?