SDS100/SDS200: Power

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TexScan780D

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When I have my SDS100 connected to the AC outlet, is the SDS100 running off the internal battery or the AC outlet?
 

trentbob

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I'm going to go out on a limb here and say external power... just kidding around with you, you're running off AC power.

You can go to battery options and enable charge while on and it'll charge while you're listening but it will take a lot longer to complete a full charge.
 

hiegtx

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When I have my SDS100 connected to the AC outlet, is the SDS100 running off the internal battery or the AC outlet?
If whatever you are connecting to has sufficient power to run the scanner, it would be running on that, not the battery. Look at the voltage on the display (if you have that showing) and see if the voltage increases when you plug in the power source. if so, the external supply is what is running the scanner.

Of course, if you want to both run the scanner, while also being charged, you need to make sure that is enabled in the settings. If you plug in an external source without enough oomph to charge and scan at the same time, that feature will reset to not charge while scanning.
 

trentbob

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We were answering at the same time lol. I think it has to be 2A correct? That's what the supplied wall wart is... 2.1...

So o p you don't want to use a substitute cheap adapter from 5 or below or the dollar store.
 

hiegtx

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We were answering at the same time lol. I think it has to be 2A correct? That's what the supplied wall wart is... 2.1...

So o p you don't want to use a substitute cheap adapter from 5 or below or the dollar store.
Yep, synchronized replies.

And I believe you are correct. The power source, to both charge and scan, should be around 2 amps, That cheapie hanging on a hook at the beer store is also not gonna work.
 

trentbob

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Yep, LOL... So o p if you are new to the radio and you have any questions go ahead and Google them and it'll take you right to the radio reference threads that address the questions that you have and at this point well after a year from release just about every topic has been covered here on the Forum.

The manual is kind of rudimentary but radio reference is your Advanced manual.
 

TexScan780D

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Yep, LOL... So o p if you are new to the radio and you have any questions go ahead and Google them and it'll take you right to the radio reference threads that address the questions that you have and at this point well after a year from release just about every topic has been covered here on the Forum.

The manual is kind of rudimentary but radio reference is your Advanced manual.

Yes the manual is not so good which I think could had been written better, so thank God for Radio Reference and its members.
 

TexScan780D

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If whatever you are connecting to has sufficient power to run the scanner, it would be running on that, not the battery. Look at the voltage on the display (if you have that showing) and see if the voltage increases when you plug in the power source. if so, the external supply is what is running the scanner.

Of course, if you want to both run the scanner, while also being charged, you need to make sure that is enabled in the settings. If you plug in an external source without enough oomph to charge and scan at the same time, that feature will reset to not charge while scanning.
I use the supplied Uniden power AC power adapter.
 

TexScan780D

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I wish Uniden would make a longer power/data cable. Has anyone used a different power/data cable other than the supplied Uniden cable?
 

trentbob

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Sure... There has been complaints that I think have been discussed in several threads so if you go ahead and Google that or maybe just do a search on RR forum you'll find all kinds of information that will give you people's findings and places to get a new cable Etc. I think Uniden has supplied new cables to people that have had problems.

Personally I use whatever cables around when I'm programming and sometimes probably even use a GRE / Whistler cable that's longer. It's got to be a good quality cable so again avoid the dollar store stuff. See what's on the threads. The wall wart that comes with the radio is fine, I also have a Duracell 2.1 amp charger that would work.

Just a note, if you are listening with the display on constantly while on AC power and you are also charging at the same time you may find the charging light will go off due to excessive Heat. The radio does get hot but as a safety feature it stops charging for a while and the charging light goes off. Always give a lot of space around the radio and be careful of carrying it in a coat pocket or something that would cut off air. Look for the little vent on the back of the radio below the belt clip disc.

Again if you were to have any questions about the battery, excessive Heat or charging questions there are tons of threads about that.
 

PapaG

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Monoprice 6 Ft. USB 2.0 A Male to Mini-B 5pin Male 28/24AWG Cable with Ferrite core on Amazon. I can confirm that this cable does work with the SDS 100. It will both run and charge the scanner.
 

TexScan780D

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Sure... There has been complaints that I think have been discussed in several threads so if you go ahead and Google that or maybe just do a search on RR forum you'll find all kinds of information that will give you people's findings and places to get a new cable Etc. I think Uniden has supplied new cables to people that have had problems.

Personally I use whatever cables around when I'm programming and sometimes probably even use a GRE / Whistler cable that's longer. It's got to be a good quality cable so again avoid the dollar store stuff. See what's on the threads. The wall wart that comes with the radio is fine, I also have a Duracell 2.1 amp charger that would work.

Just a note, if you are listening with the display on constantly while on AC power and you are also charging at the same time you may find the charging light will go off due to excessive Heat. The radio does get hot but as a safety feature it stops charging for a while and the charging light goes off. Always give a lot of space around the radio and be careful of carrying it in a coat pocket or something that would cut off air. Look for the little vent on the back of the radio below the belt clip disc.

Again if you were to have any questions about the battery, excessive Heat or charging questions there are tons of threads about that.

The scanner sure does get hot.
 

TexScan780D

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Monoprice 6 Ft. USB 2.0 A Male to Mini-B 5pin Male 28/24AWG Cable with Ferrite core on Amazon. I can confirm that this cable does work with the SDS 100. It will both run and charge the scanner.

Order one since the supply was low. Word must be getting around.
 

RF23

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One thing I do not like about the SDS100 power needs is, with a fully charged Big battery (but no USB attached) it will not let you go into “Mass Storage Mode”. You have to have an external power source too and of sufficient power otherwise you will get the “Low USB Voltage” on the screen and again it will not let you put the radio in “Mass Storage” mode so, no programing it with a computer.

I suppose people in the past must have been programming or maybe even updating the firmware and suffered a power failure. This should reduce that problem.
 

PapaG

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I have been using the above 6 Ft. cable for three weeks now and have not had any problems with my SDS 100.
 

Ubbe

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You can go to battery options and enable charge while on and it'll charge while you're listening but it will take a lot longer to complete a full charge.
Upman mentioned that it will always charge the battery with 700mA regardless if the scanner are on or off. Maybe that have changed in later firmware releases?

/Ubbe
 

RF23

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Upman mentioned that it will always charge the battery with 700mA regardless if the scanner are on or off. Maybe that have changed in later firmware releases?

/Ubbe

True, IF you choose in the Menu to charge while on. Otherwise it defaults to no charging while on only when off.
 
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