terryyvr
Member
I just purchased a new adapter for my uniden BCD396XT scanner. The odd time on the display it's displays "Illegal Voltage". I have 2 Uniden BCD396XT Scanners & it shows up on both scanners. Any idea what would cause this?
Illegal Voltage
- Thread starter terryyvr
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w2xq
Mentor
You don't say what you bought, but is it the universal type that switching the tip changes polarity? i find the RS units' stamps are difficult to see.
terryyvr
Member
I'm coming to the conclusion they have sent me the wrong adapter?
terryyvr
Member
ha ha ha right on 
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In my experience seeing this on my display meant the polarity of the adapter is incorrect and most unfortunately ever time I have seen this the radios had to be sent off to Uniden to have the polarity protection diode replaced.
The radios would work on batteries but not from an AC wall wart even when the polarity was changed so it was now correct.
I am now careful about having a drawer full of wall warts with changeable tips since I have discovered that some tips will fit on the wrong wall wart and cause the polarity problem.
Hopefully, this has not happen to you.
MarkWestin
Member
I have had the "illegal Voltage" event happen twice. The first time was when I plugged my BC246T adapter into my BCD396T (by mistake). No damage occurred. The second time was on my BCD396XT and confirmed on my BCD396T when one of my AC adapters went bad. Again no damage was done. Wherever you bought the AC adapter, they should have sent you the Uniden AD-1001 adapter.
Mark
Mark
JamesO
Member
Most of the newer Uniden handheld scanners need a Voltage dropped/regulated power adapter. You cannot just feed these scanner 12 Volts. Some require 9 Volts, some require 6 Volts as I recall.
Just because the connector fits in the radio does snot mean the power adapter is correct.
Check the open Voltage from the adapter and if it is 12 Volts, then I would question the adapter. Also there are a lot of cheap Asian built adapters that have questionable circuits in them to drop the Voltage.
Good luck.
Just because the connector fits in the radio does snot mean the power adapter is correct.
Check the open Voltage from the adapter and if it is 12 Volts, then I would question the adapter. Also there are a lot of cheap Asian built adapters that have questionable circuits in them to drop the Voltage.
Good luck.
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If the voltage is not correct the scanner may survive but if the polarity is incorrect (even if the voltage is correct) the reverse polarity protection diode is designed to "blow" very quickly to protect the radio's internal circuits from damage. Since all of the radios you mentioned are Uniden they would all have the same polarity requirements.
This may explain why when you saw "illegal voltage" it did not damage the radio. Of course, if the voltage is high enough it will damage the radio.
Thanks for letting us know about this as I had wondered if I had used say a 9v instead of a 6v Uniden adapter by mistake, what might happen.
I have a 396XT and am using the appropriate power supply which came with the unit. One day it just started displaying Illegal Voltage when plugged. So am I to understand this diode dohickey is like a breaker? And I may have to send off the scanner for repair?
mitbr
Active Member
If you are using the proper Uniden wall wort buy a new one before shipping it in for repair the wall wort went bad I have had this happen to me. Make sure you buy a new one from Uniden.
terryyvr.....
this is what has happened to mine on several occasions with the same error...I have a 396xt with the Uniden wall wart....I keep rechargeable batteries in it, because I grab and go with it, thus every time I come home I just plug in the charger and it sits on my desk running....24/7...I bought the first 396xt I could find and have been running this way ever since....in my case it is NOT the wall wart, it has turned out to be the batteries causing the error....I have replaced them and it works fine, until they "get wasted"...then comes the error again...hope this may help you....
John
this is what has happened to mine on several occasions with the same error...I have a 396xt with the Uniden wall wart....I keep rechargeable batteries in it, because I grab and go with it, thus every time I come home I just plug in the charger and it sits on my desk running....24/7...I bought the first 396xt I could find and have been running this way ever since....in my case it is NOT the wall wart, it has turned out to be the batteries causing the error....I have replaced them and it works fine, until they "get wasted"...then comes the error again...hope this may help you....
John
I haven't had the batteries in mine for ages. I had been using just the cord. Then one day it decided, for whatever reason, to be a pain. I have ordered a new cord today. We'll see.
Illegal Voltage = wrong / bad voltage coming into the scanner.. typically those who plug in a RadioShack 9volt or 12 volt into the 6 volt 396.
Oddly the 346 adapter does not normally work on the 396 and will create the Illegal Voltage .. even though its 6 volts as well...
Oddly the 346 adapter does not normally work on the 396 and will create the Illegal Voltage .. even though its 6 volts as well...
Interesting. I have the 396 and used the appropriate power cord and it still gave me that warning. Someone here suggested I purchase a new cord, which I did, and all is well.
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