R30 IC-BP293

[CQ]

Anyone get the AA battery case yet? I haven't seen it in stock anywhere and the lowest listed price was from HRO. It's actually overpriced for a battery case, but such is icom and their accessories.

I've seen references to alkaline only for the case. Has anyone run it with rechargeable NiMH batteries?

I just want it empty so I can run via USB power, but without having the stock battery always inserted.

 

[xjf79]

north america /japan supplier problem.
Ive even contacted icom canada about it.
"AA battery pack SHOULD be out sometime in December and shipped to icom dealers when availible" so Ive been told

 

[Hit_Factor]

I just want it empty so I can run via USB power, but without having the stock battery always inserted.

Why?

 

[highwayman1224]

Why?

Why not? I've had my uniden 436 for years and have never put batteries in it. I use it in my semi truck and power it by USB only.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[Hit_Factor]

I've had my uniden 436 for years and have never put batteries in it.

There are so many differences between the 436 and R30, apples and oranges.

The R30 has a lithium battery, it's only charged when it needs it (intelligent). The 436 has a lousy time based (dumb) NiMH charger known to melt radios and batteries when used carelessly.

He must have another reason.

 

[highwayman1224]

There are so many differences between the 436 and R30, apples and oranges.

The R30 has a lithium battery, it's only charged when it needs it (intelligent). The 436 has a lousy time based (dumb) NiMH charger known to melt radios and batteries when used carelessly.

He must have another reason.

To each their own....

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[palmerjrusa]

The Icom BP-293 battery case lets you operate the Icom IC-R30 from 3 alkaline AA cells (not included).
CAUTION: Install only alkaline batteries into the BP-293.

Can anyone tell me the reason for the above?
What would happen if you installed NiH AAs instead of alkaline AA cells?

 

[kruser]

The Icom BP-293 battery case lets you operate the Icom IC-R30 from 3 alkaline AA cells (not included).
CAUTION: Install only alkaline batteries into the BP-293.

Can anyone tell me the reason for the above?
What would happen if you installed NiH AAs instead of alkaline AA cells?

I'm not sure why it would be considered a Caution. If anything, using rechargeable's would just provide lower voltage to the R30. 3.6 VDC vs 4.5 VDC with alkaline cells but I don't know if that would hurt the R30. It may make it shutoff from low voltage maybe. The R30 does know if you are using the battery case so it should not try to charge any type of cell one may put in the battery case. Being as it does know you are using the battery case, it may adjust the operating voltage it sees so it does not shutdown or give warnings due to low voltage.
That's the only thing I can see so still not sure whey they would give it a Caution rating unless Icom know's something we don't.
I did get one of the battery cases but may never use it. I guess it's good insurance just in case the Lithium pack fails from an early death. Being able to run the R30 from 3 AA cells could be nice I suppose but again, I'll probably never use it other than the testing I did the day it arrived.

 

[palmerjrusa]

I'm not sure why it would be considered a Caution. If anything, using rechargeable's would just provide lower voltage to the R30. 3.6 VDC vs 4.5 VDC with alkaline cells but I don't know if that would hurt the R30. It may make it shutoff from low voltage maybe. The R30 does know if you are using the battery case so it should not try to charge any type of cell one may put in the battery case. Being as it does know you are using the battery case, it may adjust the operating voltage it sees so it does not shutdown or give warnings due to low voltage.
That's the only thing I can see so still not sure whey they would give it a Caution rating unless Icom know's something we don't.
I did get one of the battery cases but may never use it. I guess it's good insurance just in case the Lithium pack fails from an early death. Being able to run the R30 from 3 AA cells could be nice I suppose but again, I'll probably never use it other than the testing I did the day it arrived.

I've seen this warning in other radio manuals and never understood its rationale, since, as you said, the nominal voltage from new NiH cells is lower than fresh alkaline cells. Always wondered if there was some other reason for this warning.

 

[escortz28]

Now in stock at HRO ICOM IC-BP293 Battery Akaline Cases, ICBP293

Received my shipment notice this evening from the Denver store.

 

[bearcatrp]

I was able to buy this when I got my R30 over a month ago.

 

[Hit_Factor]

Maybe the use of NiMH is too low of a voltage, it would be a 20%ish brownout as far as the radio is concerned.

R30 would have to draw more amps to make up the voltage drop.

I don't understand why anybody would want to use alkaline batts with the r30.

73, K8HIT
Icom: IC-7300 IC-PW1 ID-5100A ID-51A Plus 2 IC-R30 Hytera PD782G Kenwood TH-D74 Uniden SDS100 DVMega SDRplay RSPduo

 

[CQ]

Maybe the use of NiMH is too low of a voltage, it would be a 20%ish brownout as far as the radio is concerned.

R30 would have to draw more amps to make up the voltage drop.

I don't understand why anybody would want to use alkaline batts with the r30.

73, K8HIT
Icom: IC-7300 IC-PW1 ID-5100A ID-51A Plus 2 IC-R30 Hytera PD782G Kenwood TH-D74 Uniden SDS100 DVMega SDRplay RSPduo

Perhaps you're outdoors for an extended period with no power source to recharge the li-ion battery and didn't want to blow $130 for a second one?
AAs are cheaper in that short term - You could replace AA batteries about 91 times for the cost of the OEM battery
https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ZDEG8ADM46P42J9GXBZB

AAs are easier to find than the proprietary battery.

Once the OEM cell is dead, AAs can still be used.

 

[Hit_Factor]

Perhaps you're outdoors for an extended period with no power source to recharge the li-ion battery and didn't want to blow $130 for a second one?
AAs are cheaper in that short term - You could replace AA batteries about 91 times for the cost of the OEM battery
https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ZDEG8ADM46P42J9GXBZB

AAs are easier to find than the proprietary battery.

Once the OEM cell is dead, AAs can still be used.

Ok, but there are so many higher power density options out there. A candy bar sized lithium battrry will recharge the r30. It's about $20 and can be used with so many other devices. A $60 power cell would probably run a r30 for a week. I wouldn't want to carry a weeks worth of AAs and they probably cost more than $60.


73, K8HIT
Icom: IC-7300 IC-PW1 ID-5100A ID-51A Plus 2 IC-R30 Hytera PD782G Kenwood TH-D74 Uniden SDS100 DVMega SDRplay RSPduo

 

[nanZor]

The reason Icom and others who make AA external packs say that they are for alkaline only is for a safety issue.

Basically, there is no short-circuit protection inside these cases intended for AA alkalines. Alkalines have a much higher internal resistance than NIMH rechargeables, and if alkalines are shorted they generally don't generate a lot of current for any length of time and the voltage drops rapidly.

Short out a pack of NIMH cells, which have a low internal resistance (ie being able to charge up a photographers flash due to that) in a case that has no protection for nimh, not even a fuse, and you may be holding a dangerous brick.

That being said I know of many amateurs who use NIMH rechargebles in those cases - but know that they are taking a risk. Some will go and modify them for internal fusing, but most just take extra care and precaution when using the cases with nimh.

 

[N4DJC]

I thought lithium (not lithium ion) batteries might be suitable. They are 1.5 volts, but I think their internal resistance is probably too low.

 

[jbm32]

Measure an AA lithium battery and you will find that it reads over 2 volts.
I don't know how they get away with labeling them 1.5 volts.
C Crane warns not to use AA lithium batteries in their radios. I wish we
could use AA lithium's because alkalines have really gotten bad about corroding.

-Jim

 

[N4DJC]

Measure an AA lithium battery and you will find that it reads over 2 volts.
I don't know how they get away with labeling them 1.5 volts.
C Crane warns not to use AA lithium batteries in their radios. I wish we
could use AA lithium's because alkalines have really gotten bad about corroding.

-Jim

The lithium ion pack is the solution, an expensive one.

 

[jaspence]

The IC-91 has a 2 AA case, but there is a voltage booster built into the case. That is why rechargeables aren't recommended because they do not last as long. The specs for the case on DX Engineering say 6 AA batteries. You could try a dummy AA cell and 5 AA lithium batteries. Six fresh AA alkal9ines give about 9.6 volts, and hopefully a radio of that cost has a built in voltage regulator of some type.