BCD436HP/BCD536HP: Charging on the BCD436HP

[RandyKuff]

Are you sure? I thought that about mine until I needed to charge more than 4 cells, so I took the one out of my 'go bag' and plugged it in. It was a night and day difference (almost literally). Then I remembered how the display used to light up the entire room. Now, the one I use often is very dim.

I would be willing to bet the LED manufacturer and part number is the exact same as the one Uniden IS using.

It is interesting that not all 9000s have the dim issue - just like not all x36s have it. Tells me it's a QC issue.

There is a newer version of the charger... Mine is one of the originals... And yes it will light up the room it being the only light on...

 

[Voyager]

I'm sure mine is one of the originals, too. I've had it many years - maybe close to 10.

 

[RandyKuff]

I'm sure mine is one of the originals, too. I've had it many years - maybe close to 10.

Don't remember exactly when that charger came out... Mine might be older too. But yes... It runs 24/7 and no dim display...
I wish they would come out with an 8 slot version of it...

 

[KE0GXN]

I use both the C9000 and the C401FS... They are both excellent smart chargers and do individual cells.
Both can be powered from a cigarette lighter adapter. The 401 would be smaller and easier to handle and carry for mobile use. Sometimes you can find a deal on them with the carrying case. Be it on amazon or thru Thomas Distributing. The latter sells on amazon too.
Thomas Distributing is a reputable company.
THOMAS-DISTRIBUTING.COM

I got mine through Thomas on Amazon. Great company! Answered my questions quickly and completely. Would recommend TD to anyone.

 

[KE0GXN]

Uniden should find out what LED's that charger is using... I have so many battery's my C9000 runs 24/7.
It's probably at least 5 years old now. The display on it is still super bright.

I like that its bright and stays on all the time while charging.

 

[KE0GXN]

I would be willing to bet the LED manufacturer and part number is the exact same as the one Uniden IS using.

C'mon man....You really want to start that again....

I will say this, Maha customer support puts Uniden's to shame! Not even worth comparing.

I would venture to say if you contacted Maha even though you are 7 years out of warranty, they may just send you a brand new charger.

A guy on the CP forums said they did it for him on an issue (may have been the same thing as you, dim light or something) when he was way out of warranty.

 

[KE0GXN]

Maha C9000 debuted in 2006.

Maha Announces MH-C9000 WizardOne Battery Charger & Analyzer

 

[Voyager]

C'mon man....You really want to start that again....

I will say this, Maha customer support puts Uniden's to shame! Not even worth comparing.

I would venture to say if you contacted Maha even though you are 7 years out of warranty, they may just send you a brand new charger.

A guy on the CP forums said they did it for him on an issue (may have been the same thing as you, dim light or something) when he was way out of warranty.

Same symptom, same color LED, looks like the same implementation. Is it really that far fetched to think they sourced them from the same company?

I think they were newly released when I got them, as they were not out a year before, so it's a few months away from 10 years. That's close.

Still, maybe I will contact them.

After all, Uniden is fixing them out of warranty...

 

[Anderegg]

Maybe it would be helpful if we could generate a charge time amount per voltage displayed.......currently 3.75v, charge for 10 hours, if your at 3.90v, charge for 7 hours, etc. I am sure someone with enough free time and could provide such a chart for the 436 and for the 396.

I charged my 436HP to 4.35v last night, the battery cover was HOT, turned it on at the beginning of my shift at 10PM, it's now 7:30 hours later and it still at 3.58v......stock batteries.

Paul

Paul

 

[RandyKuff]

Maybe it would be helpful if we could generate a charge time amount per voltage displayed.......currently 3.75v, charge for 10 hours, if your at 3.90v, charge for 7 hours, etc. I am sure someone with enough free time and could provide such a chart for the 436 and for the 396.

I charged my 436HP to 4.35v last night, the battery cover was HOT, turned it on at the beginning of my shift at 10PM, it's now 7:30 hours later and it still at 3.58v......stock batteries.

Paul

Paul

Voltage has nothing to do with the charging of a NiMh battery. It is the amount of current (amps) that you use to replenish them.
One big issue with charging them in the scanner itself is the battery's are in series. There is no way to no what the individual battery's are sitting at. An example would be say two of the battery's are charged while the third one isn't yet. You are still ramming charge current through the two that are. They can get extremely HOT. And all you are doing is shortening the life span of the battery. And when they start getting that hot they can swell up and possibly explode.
They need to be charged individually. That's why you use an external charger... Charging in the scanner is fine in a pinch if you monitor it so as they don't get very hot.

 

[Anderegg]

That's all fine and dandy Randy (hehe), but ignoring voltage readings completely, HOW LONG SHOULD I SET THE CHARGE TIME for on my 436HP using the USB jack on the side of the scanner.....again, while not looking at the voltage displayed?

Paul

 

[Jay911]

If I recall correctly, the scanner is said to supply 80mA per hour to the batteries when charging them. So you should find out what the capacity of your batteries are and set the timer to (capacity of batteries) divided by 80.

So if you are using the stock batteries which IIRC are 2300 mAh, you should charge them for no longer than 28.75 hours (let's say 28 hours to be safe).

Don't try to stuff more milliamperes into the cup than it will hold. When these cups runneth over, they damage things around them.

 

[RandyKuff]

That's all fine and dandy Randy (hehe), but ignoring voltage readings completely, HOW LONG SHOULD I SET THE CHARGE TIME for on my 436HP using the USB jack on the side of the scanner.....again, while not looking at the voltage displayed?

Paul

If you want to charge them in the scanner... You can use the voltage as a reference point... The lowest setting on the scanner ( To shutdown) is 3.1 volts... When you reach that point then start your charging...
Note your start time... Set it for the full 12hrs... But watch the battery temperature... When they start to get hot to the touch (The battery's not the back cover) note the time... When your battery's get to that shutdown voltage again... Set it close to the time you noted to do your recharge.

Note how much runtime you get from them when they are charged... You should be able to approximate the amount of charge time needed to top them off by how long you had the scanner on before you charge it again.

 

[RandyKuff]

If I recall correctly, the scanner is said to supply 80mA per hour to the batteries when charging them. So you should find out what the capacity of your batteries are and set the timer to (capacity of batteries) divided by 80.

So if you are using the stock batteries which IIRC are 2300 mAh, you should charge them for no longer than 28.75 hours (let's say 28 hours to be safe).

Don't try to stuff more milliamperes into the cup than it will hold. When these cups runneth over, they damage things around them.

That's one of the missing links... You sure it's 80ma?

 

[Jay911]

That's one of the missing links... You sure it's 80ma?

Not at all. UPMan hopefully will correct me. That time to charge (28 hrs) seems awfully long for 2300 mAh batteries; I seem to recall the recommended charge time is 16 hours with stock batteries, which would indicate that the radio puts out ~140 mA to charge.

 

[RandyKuff]

Not at all. UPMan hopefully will correct me. That time to charge (28 hrs) seems awfully long for 2300 mAh batteries; I seem to recall the recommended charge time is 16 hours with stock batteries, which would indicate that the radio puts out ~140 mA to charge.

That makes more sense...NiMh's don't like to be charged with that low a current.

 

[Voyager]

Easy 'nuff to verify. 14 hours for a full charge on 2300 mAH cells.

2300/14= about 165 mAH. So......

 

[RandyKuff]

Easy 'nuff to verify. 14 hours for a full charge on 2300 mAH cells.

2300/14= about 165 mAH. So......

All that is theoretical though... Battery's in series... You don't know what there doing... Each one will charge slightly differently. That's were the problem comes in.

 

[Voyager]

All in all, this is one reason why I endorse external charging.

 

[RandyKuff]

All in all, this is one reason why I endorse external charging.

I totally agree... I personally... don't care what somebody else does... It's there radio and there battery's...
Ya know...

But people ask why not... They just don't want to hear it...