How To: Charge your batteries in the scanner without the yellow holder

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skoobyj

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If you don't have a stand alone battery charger for your extra rechargeable batteries, or you've lost or broken the yellow battery holder, you can modify your radio to recharge your batteries with the black holder. Remember, don't plug your radio in if you're using alkaline batteries in the black case after completing this mod.

1. Open the battery door, and remove the batteries and holder.

2. Remove the four screws located on the back of the case.

3. Carefully pry the back half of the case off.

4. Locate the three metal strips at the bottom of the pc board on the right hand side.

5. Locate the two strips spaced closest to each other, and solder a jumper to these two strips.

6. Reassemble the radio in the reverse order you disassembled it.

You will now be able to recharge batteries using the black holder. Again, use only rechargeable batteries with this mod. If you attempt to recharge non-rechargeable batteries in your radio, you will cause the batteries to leak or explode.
 

Evert

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What about prominently marking the radio so someone else will know this mod has been done? How permanent will that marking be?

In my opinion, bypassing any safety system is a recipe for disaster.
 
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gmclam

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In my opinion, bypassing any safety system is a recipe for disaster.
This mod is definitely a recipe for disaster. I've seen what happens when rechargable batteries fail in the scanner, I can't imagine what it would look like if someone tried to charge non-rechargables.
 

skoobyj

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As far as worrying about marking it, I wouldn't worry about that because it's mine and when I buy something for me it stays mine till it's dead and gone. If I were to decide to sell it or pass it on I could just as easily remove the jumper.

As far as worrying about batteries failing, I wouldn't worry about that. That falls in the same class as worrying about floods and stuff.
Remember a few years ago they used the same battery holders but there was a tiny switch inside? I wonder how many people forgot to flip the switch and had battery accidents?

LOL Just trying to be funny sorry.

Really though this is a handy mod and some people (like me) may find it handy info. A Handy guy could even throw a switch in there with 10 minutes of work and a $1.00 switch from radio shack.

My choices were:
1. pay $8.50 and go without one for 8 weeks
2. Pay $16 for one and still have to wait for it to arrive
3. Mod it

I'm a Man, it's only natural for me to want to mod stuff...

But in closing for Zero money I now have a scanner that will charge the batteries.

But sleep well and worry not, I will mind the condition of the batteries ever so often.
 
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Evert

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I'm a Man, it's only natural for me to want to mod stuff...

Well, I have modified lots of things including radio transmitters, aircraft, equipment for testing nuclear weapons, nuclear power plant equipment and so on but I never associated doing mods as being a “man” thing. :)
 

Thayne

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To each his own, You also could store the propane tanks in the basement, they are easier to find on a cold winter's night when you want to burn a burger and the gas ran out---;)
 

N1BHH

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The Pro-94 actually has a switch in the battery compartment that you could switch to identify which type of battery you used, alkaline, or rechargeable. This switch would allow charging of the rechargeable batteries only, or supply operating voltage only to the radio when using a power adapter. This prevented the inevitable mess you get when trying to charge alkalines.

I always prefer to use rechargeable batteries, charged externally, except when they may die while I'm driving. Then I would plug in my car power cord and let it run for as long as the time needed to get home to a fresh set of charged cells.
 

KC5EIB

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Or you could order the battery holder

12228805 HOLDER ASSY FOR RECHG. BTRY'S $5.99 In Stock

and have it in a week
 

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fredg

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Dumb question time... this will not cause a problem when using regular batteries as long as you do not attempt to charge them, and you can still use the AC adapter with no batteries correct?
 
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fredg

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Thank, God.... FINALLY... the voice of reason.

Well I am considering doing it for my Pro-75 as I doubt the yellow holder is available anymore.

Plus, I guess it's not much different than my Pro-83, if I load it up with regular batteries and forget to throw he switch I will be charging regular batteries.

You could put something in the battery compartment that says: RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES ONLY

Also, it seems like you could modify the black holder instead of the scanner itself..... I may try that...
 
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fredg

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External chargers are NOT that expensive anymore people! Here is a prime inexpensive example:
MAHA / POWEREX MH-C401FS 100 Min Cool Charger with Car Adapter
Get one, save yourself a lot of grief and sleep better at night knowing your charger is not killing your radio.
Havent we killed this topic enough already????? GEEZZZZ....

Manny

LOL, relax dude, if people want to modify their radios that is their business... I for one plan on doing it tonight to my Pro-75.... anyone have an answer to my questions a few posts up?

And I would have to buy 2 of those chargers for the 6 batteries in my Pro-75 PLUS the batteries, that's like $100!!!!! Maybe if I had a $500 radio but for my $25 Pro-75? I don't think so!
 
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N1SQB

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LOL, relax dude, if people want to modify their radios that is their business... I for one plan on doing it tonight to my Pro-75.... anyone have an answer to my questions a few posts up?

And I would have to buy 2 of those chargers for the 6 batteries in my Pro-75 PLUS the batteries, that's like $100!!!!! Maybe if I had a $500 radio but for my $25 Pro-75? I don't think so!

I am relaxed! If anyone wants to fry their radio wether its worth $50 or $500 truly IS their business. I am just tired of reading the same topic over and over being asked every other week it seems. So you cant get a yellow adapter for that radio....HMMMMM.... Maybe its time to upgrade ey????????LOL
Manny
 
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fredg

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Well I just modified my black battery holder by simply soldering on a small strip of metal to the one corner so it touched the other metal strip in the radio. Seems to work and I didn't have to modify the radio itself. I did almost screw it up by using my big a$$ solder gun, the plastic started to melt!!! Luckily when it cooled it ended up in the same shape as before. Had I used my pencil soldering iron this wouldn't have happened.

Anyway, I confirmed that both strips are now touching the battery holder and it is on the charger... it is currently at 7.87 volts... will see what it is after a couple of hours....

EDIT:
It's works! Now at 8.07 after 15 min.
8.14 after 30 min
 
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fredg

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I am relaxed! If anyone wants to fry their radio wether its worth $50 or $500 truly IS their business. I am just tired of reading the same topic over and over being asked every other week it seems. So you cant get a yellow adapter for that radio....HMMMMM.... Maybe its time to upgrade ey????????LOL
Manny

My Pro-75 is more radio than I need where I live! I can receive about 12 frequencies clearly and that is with an outside antenna 25' up! For the "city" I live in I use a 8 channel crystal radio and cover everything! I could actually do it with a 4 channel! It's like living in Mayberry!

Upgrade? Yeah I just bought a Regency 10 Channel Crystal desktop, made in 1979, so I upgraded to 10 channels! Of course as i said I really only need four. (no this is not a joke!!) Sorry if I am way off topic here!!
 

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