Homemade battery pack-What did I do wrong?

[freqhopping]

A while back I attempted to use some Rayovac Ni-MH batteries to make a battery pack for my BC250D. I wired it exactly as the original. But I seem to have burned up something in the scanner. It started smoking so I turned it off immediately. It would still work with the original battery (until it ran out of juice), but the AC adapter input will not work and I can not charge the original pack using the scanner. The Rayovacs are rated at 1300mAh, but I wouldn't think that would be a problem. I've been running the scanner on the DC 12v 10Ah power from my motorcycle just fine. I've made some adapters to plug into the battery pack port so I can still use AC and DC sources.

What are my battery packs options other than a new original? It doesn't seem that there are any 4.8v/1500mAh options from Radioshack. Or what is the proper technique for a DIY battery pack. I need to find something during the time I send the scanner off for repairs.

Thanks

 

[Voyager]

A while back I attempted to use some Rayovac Ni-MH batteries to make a battery pack for my BC250D. I wired it exactly as the original. But I seem to have burned up something in the scanner. It started smoking so I turned it off immediately. It would still work with the original battery (until it ran out of juice), but the AC adapter input will not work and I can not charge the original pack using the scanner. The Rayovacs are rated at 1300mAh, but I wouldn't think that would be a problem. I've been running the scanner on the DC 12v 10Ah power from my motorcycle just fine. I've made some adapters to plug into the battery pack port so I can still use AC and DC sources.

What are my battery packs options other than a new original? It doesn't seem that there are any 4.8v/1500mAh options from Radioshack. Or what is the proper technique for a DIY battery pack. I need to find something during the time I send the scanner off for repairs.

Thanks

Your options include aftermarket packs made for the Uniden models. As for what happened, you most likely blew out the charging circuit, although unless you were trying to charge the homebrew pack, I don't know why.

If you were using FOUR NiMH cells, you were using a 4.8V 'pack'.

Maybe you got the + and - leads reversed? That would do it.

Joe M.

 

[AutoGunner]

Probably burned out a diode near the charge jack.
If so, not a big deal or expensive if you are qualified to repair it yourself.

Good luck