Icom: IC208H current drain when powered off

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wa9wtk

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I've had an IC208H in my Prius for the last 6 years without an issue. However, last month, after leaving the car for a full day, the 12V system battery was drained to the point where the car wouldn't start. The 12V battery is an Optima deep discharge battery that recovered fine with a charger.

I've been able to determine that the only drain is the IC208H which is drawing 0.5 A even when powered off.

I don't think it was taking that much current when off as recently as August when we left the car for a week without issue.

It seems like something changed in the radio causing it to draw too much current when off.

Has anyone else seen this and perhaps found a solution?

Gordon
wa9wtk
 

KF5EYR

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There is something wrong, somewhere. There should be no current drain when powered completely off. The one I have does not.

......At 13.8 volts, current drain is 0.8 amperes in stand-by mode, 12 amperes in VHF transmit mode and 11.5 amperes in UHF transmit mode. The current drain at maximum audio output is 1.0 amperes......

If yours is drawing 0.5 amps when off, that is what is running your battery down. I just went out to the car and checked mine with an amp clamp. Current draw is 0.0 amps. The only thing I can think of that you could check would be to see if there is a small nick or abrasion in your power cable. It might be extremely difficult to see, too. Short of that, it is probably something inside the radio, itself. Sorry I can't be of more help.
 

fineshot1

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There is something wrong, somewhere. There should be no current drain when powered completely off. The one I have does not.



If yours is drawing 0.5 amps when off, that is what is running your battery down. I just went out to the car and checked mine with an amp clamp. Current draw is 0.0 amps. The only thing I can think of that you could check would be to see if there is a small nick or abrasion in your power cable. It might be extremely difficult to see, too. Short of that, it is probably something inside the radio, itself. Sorry I can't be of more help.

Well, you are partially correct.

The 208H (CPU only) is powered up all the time even when in the powered off state.

The CPU is simply waiting for the power button to be pushed so it can sequence up
the rest of the CPU and main radio deck.

In that state it draws a very tiny amount of current - probably in the microamp range.
This info is not covered in the specs of the radio.

Your amp clamp is probably not able to read that low of a range.

It is most likely the radio needs to be sent back to icom for repair.
 

W2NJS

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With a radio that uses an EEPROM there is no reason to leave it connected to power when shut off at the radio. I use the switched power takeoff in the back of my Subaru to power a 208 deck located in the underfloor space above the tire. Ignition on = radio on, and vice-versa.

First thing I'd do would be to find out if the oscillator stages are running when the switch is off, and the second thing I'd do would be to send the radio back to Icom for service.

Whatever the outcome, please post for all 208 users, like me, to see and learn from.
 

N8RUS

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If your battery is at least 6 yrs old, you may need a new battery. If a battry sits for a length of time, such as 1 week or more with no activity, the plates calcify over. Take your car to a service center and have a tech put a load on the batt and look for a bad cell(s). The batt may indicate a full charge but will not hold. I have had this happen to me. A defective batt will drive you crazy at times.
 

wa9wtk

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Well, you are partially correct.

The 208H (CPU only) is powered up all the time even when in the powered off state.

The CPU is simply waiting for the power button to be pushed so it can sequence up
the rest of the CPU and main radio deck.

In that state it draws a very tiny amount of current - probably in the microamp range.
This info is not covered in the specs of the radio.

Your amp clamp is probably not able to read that low of a range.

It is most likely the radio needs to be sent back to icom for repair.

Thanks for confirming that the radio really shouldn't be drawing much of anything when turned off.

I took the car to a mechanic who ran a load test on the battery, and it's fine. The battery in the Prius is in the back of the car. I have the control head remote mounted in the front of the car, with the rest of the rig in the back with a short cable direct to the battery (power poles and a fuse). Adding a switch would be quite a nuisance. Right now I'm pulling the power pole connection apart when I'm leaving the car for a while. That's also a nuisance.

The battery is an Optima yellow top deep discharge battery. The 12 volt batter is only used to boot up the computers and get the high voltage system running. It's not used to start the gas engine. This battery is only 2 years old.

I've downloaded the service manual for the IC208 and I'm looking at it to see if I can figure out what component might have failed. It's clear that an output from the CPU controls the regulator that powers most of the radio.

I'm stubborn enough to try to fix this myself. I just wish they'd quit shrinking the components. It's not just my eyes getting worse!
 

fineshot1

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Thanks for confirming that the radio really shouldn't be drawing much of anything when turned off.

I took the car to a mechanic who ran a load test on the battery, and it's fine. The battery in the Prius is in the back of the car. I have the control head remote mounted in the front of the car, with the rest of the rig in the back with a short cable direct to the battery (power poles and a fuse). Adding a switch would be quite a nuisance. Right now I'm pulling the power pole connection apart when I'm leaving the car for a while. That's also a nuisance.

The battery is an Optima yellow top deep discharge battery. The 12 volt batter is only used to boot up the computers and get the high voltage system running. It's not used to start the gas engine. This battery is only 2 years old.

I've downloaded the service manual for the IC208 and I'm looking at it to see if I can figure out what component might have failed. It's clear that an output from the CPU controls the regulator that powers most of the radio.

I'm stubborn enough to try to fix this myself. I just wish they'd quit shrinking the components. It's not just my eyes getting worse!

You are welcome and plz update this post if you are successful(or not) as I would be interested
in the results.
 

w9os

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IC 208 Current draw when off

My IC-208H trashed my battery a couple times before I put a current meter on it.
It draws 1 amp off.
I suspect the VHF Mitsubishi power module.
They are not switched off by the power switch.
I'll take it to work and put it on the bench and see what I find.

Jim W9OS
 

w9os

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IC-208 Off current drain

The rig was only putting out 8 watts on VHF. It was drawing 1 amp off.
The problem was a bad module..
I put a new Mitsubishi 60 watt module in and it fixed the problem
55 out on VHF
Very low current drain off..Have left connected . Does not trash batttery
The module that failed was a Toshibs SAV 32


Amy questions send to w9os@comcast.net

Good Luck 73

Jim W9OS
 

mmckenna

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Just wondering if anyone found a solution for this problem? I have a 208H that has the same issue.

Steve
W4HKL

Shutdown Timers | Power Supplies | Lind Electronics

Wire your radio power through the timer. Use ignition switched power for the trigger. You can use the timer to leave it on for a few minutes after you shut off the ignition.
Or, just use a relay.
Probably a whole lot cheaper than sending the radio back to Icom for repair.
 

N4KVE

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PALM BEACH, FLORIDA
Shutdown Timers | Power Supplies | Lind Electronics
Or, just use a relay.
Probably a whole lot cheaper than sending the radio back to Icom for repair.
I never had a problem when using the car daily, but I was worried about having a dead battery after coming home from a week's vacation. I used to pull the fuse in the red wire going to the radio, but a few months ago I wired a 5 pin relay that's used on every car in the past 15 years. When the key is now off, no power goes to the radio. Like the other guy said, a lot cheaper than sending the radio in for repair. Check out the link. Do not connect anything to the center pin, 87A. Otherwise the instructions are correct.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw9QkkT2ptU
 
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w9os

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west dundee,il
Icon 208H Repair Bad Module

Replacing a module is not hard to do
The service manual walks your through opening up the unit
and what screws to remove.
You have to unsolder three points on the output connector
to pull the board.
You only need a very thin coat of thermal grease when
putting the module back in

73

Jim W9OS
 
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