Pro 106 internal battery charging

[nzo012]

As I read some of the comments on the Pro 106 several mention that you should not charge the batteries by using the yellow holder then plugging the radio in and letting the radio charge the batteries with it's charging circuit while they are in the radio. I read that there is no overcharge protection and there is a risk of melting the radio down. It sounds like most people charge batteries outside of the radio with a auxiliary charger and then just swap them back and forth.

When I read the manual for the Pro-106 it says there is a charge timer that you can set to charge the batteries for a specific time limit then shut off.

So, now I'm confused??? Does the radio charge and shut down when it hits the time limit?? Or does it overcharge with no protection and fry??

 

[trap5858]

It is safer to charge the batteries outside of the radio. The radio costs $500.00, the batteries a few bucks. Even with the charging circuit- why risk it?

 

[pro106import]

I had the BLACK battery holder in my radio and the charging timer shut OFF and the radio still smoked my batteries when it was running on the AC adapter. The battery cover is now deformed and I no longer keep batteries in the radio when running it on the AC adapter. Be careful.
Bob

 

[RadioDaze]

I had the BLACK battery holder in my radio and the charging timer shut OFF and the radio still smoked my batteries when it was running on the AC adapter. The battery cover is now deformed and I no longer keep batteries in the radio when running it on the AC adapter. Be careful.
Bob

That's just an out-and-out defective radio. Too bad it was out of warranty. (I assume it was, since you didn't mention sending it in.)

 

[nzo012]

So, what is causing this excessive heat? Every scanner I have ever owned has been able to charge the batteries when you plug it in. What's up with this one that everyone is scared to plug it in? Does the charge timer malfunction or something? I'll keep on the safe side with it, but why, or how is it doing this? Is it a defect to the model? Just wondering?? Maybe that's why they don't give you the power adapter with it.

 

[WA1ATA]

A more sophisticated charger will detect that the batteries are fully charged and stop charging quickly if you try to charge already fully charged batteries. A dumb timer type of charger (as apparently the PRO106 uses) will just go ahead and charge the battery, even if it is already fully charged.

If have fully charged batteries in the radio and then connect it up to the AC, then it will charge the batteries again, for the length of the charge timer.

Disconnect the AC for a moment and it will charge the batteries yet again. Usually, but not always, the batteries will survive multiple overcharges if the charge rate is slow enough. But it is better to use a more sophisticated charger.

 

[TES]

The "timer" only works while the radio is turned on. If the yellow holder is used, the energized wall wart is connected to the radio and the radio is OFF, the batteries will charge continually.

 

[pro106import]

That's just an out-and-out defective radio. Too bad it was out of warranty. (I assume it was, since you didn't mention sending it in.)

Actually the radio works fine. It only happened on that one occasion. I never charged the batteries in the radio since the day I purchased it. It was just a fluke, but luckily I caught it before too much damage occurred. Once again, at the time of the incident, I was using the radio with the wall wart and always had the battery charging timer shut off, and had the black battery holder in there. I still have its melted body for proof! The 4 AA's still fit in their, albeit very tightly.
So like I said, I do not leave any batteries in the unit unless I am going to use it portable. Learned my lesson and got lucky this time.
Bob

 

[WA1ATA]

The "timer" only works while the radio is turned on. If the yellow holder is used, the energized wall wart is connected to the radio and the radio is OFF, the batteries will charge continually.

If true, that is downright crazy and poor engineering!

 

[TES]

If true, that is downright crazy and poor engineering!

The quote below, regarding the PSR-500 family of scanners, suggests that it's true and that it's a constraint of the hardware. No one knows more about the firmware in these scanners than Don Starr—period!

. . . The charging circuit is a constant 150 mA, can only be turned on/off by the CPU firmware, and is "on" if the CPU isn't running (scanner turned off). Also, the CPU has no way of determining the current charge level when an external power supply is plugged in - it can only measure the voltage at the battery pack, which is the same as the voltage at the tip of the power supply jack (less a diode drop).

I'm 99% certain that all of the recent GRE-made RadioShack scanners (PRO-164, 97, 96, 95, 93) operate in the same way as the PSR-500, with the exception that the PSR-500's CPU can turn the charger off. All of them will charge while the scanner's power switch is turned off.

 

[WA1ATA]

GRE should take a lesson from Uniden.

If plugged into adaptor power, even when "off" my Uniden 95XLT will show the charging symbol on the LCD display until the charger timeout. In other words, the 95XLT CPU/charge timer stays alive when on external power, even if the radio is turned "off".

The only problem I have the with crude Uniden charge method is that the charge timer is reset to zero if the AC adaptor power is removed.

Considering the high price of scanners like the PRO 106 I'm surprised at the penny pinching in the charger circuit. It's not like the circuitry or the firmware is difficult --- all GRE has to do is to go look at some 20 year old laptop computers with NiCd and NiMH chargers. Or at least redesign the circuit so that charging takes place only when actively commanded by the CPU, so that radio off means no charging.

=========================

Thanks for the explanation of what is going on with the GRE radios. I've seen lots of postings saying "Don't charge the batteries in the radio". Your post above explains the problem behind all of those posts ----- that there is a continuous 150mA trickle charger FOREVER as long as external DC power is applied and the radio is turned off.

 

[RickS31]

I had the BLACK battery holder in my radio and the charging timer shut OFF and the radio still smoked my batteries when it was running on the AC adapter. The battery cover is now deformed and I no longer keep batteries in the radio when running it on the AC adapter. Be careful.
Bob

Woah. That's definitely either a defective radio or a bad black battery carrier. Theoretically once the AC adapter is plugged in there's a built in switch that removes the battery pack from powering the radio and, with the black carrier, getting any juice into the battery from the adapter. The yellow pack has an additional oversized connector that does allow about 150 ma to flow to the batteries from the adapter for GRE's version of charging.

Whatever the case, it just shows that these radios are not a good place to charge batteries. I ran a lot of tests on this and can tell you the risks are way too high to either destroy the batteries or the scanner or both. And as mentioned, even the further intelligence in the Unidens can easily be fooled into overcharging.

As to why the manufacturers haven't included the intelligent charging circuits in them, there's two reasons, cost and real estate. A battery manufacturer recommended charging regime does require some fairly sophisticated circuits. I've designed them and to do it right isn't anything close to just throwing juice into the battery for some period of time.

 

[pro106import]

Speaking of charging-
Great charger on sale here today only- and you get a free carry case pouch and 8-cell plastic holder to boot.

Newegg.com - Shell Shocker Deal. Exclusive Jaw Dropping Savings on PC Components and Electronics.

Bob

Update...
Just checked the item again-
looks like it is sold out- sorry for the late post. I picked it up early this morning.
But I am sure it will be available on sale again.

 

[Wahoos4Life]

I got one of them energizer double/triple A chargers, and some energizer double a recargeable batteries, works really well, I use my scanner daily and the batteries lasted about a year before they wouldnt hold much of a charge, I get 8 of them so that when 4 are charging I have a fresh 4 to use, I know I should probably just buy a Ac adapter for the thing, but Im just lazy.

 

[77cordobaguy]

Radio Shack Pro=106 internal battery charging melt down

As I read some of the comments on the Pro 106 several mention that you should not charge the batteries by using the yellow holder then plugging the radio in and letting the radio charge the batteries with it's charging circuit while they are in the radio. I read that there is no overcharge protection and there is a risk of melting the radio down. It sounds like most people charge batteries outside of the radio with a auxiliary charger and then just swap them back and forth.

When I read the manual for the Pro-106 it says there is a charge timer that you can set to charge the batteries for a specific time limit then shut off.

So, now I'm confused??? Does the radio charge and shut down when it hits the time limit?? Or does it overcharge with no protection and fry??

I recently charged my scanner using the internal charging circuit,as I have done many times before. This time,IT MELTED DOWN,Fortunately,I was able to repair the damages. I thought it was faulty NIMH batteries? WRONG! I replaced the yellow battery holder,batteries,rear case back & battery door. I plugged it into the adapter,and it over heated again. Fortunately,I barely caught it before it melted down for the second time. This time I only lost the yellow battery holder. My radio still works fine. I then went into the menus and switched the battery type from NIMH to ALKALINE. Does anyone know if changing the battery settings, deactivates the charging circuit,so I can leave my black alkaline battery holder inside the radio,and still leave the AC power adapter connected,without harming,or over heating my radio? Kindest Regards,Ed

`

 

[Delta33]

As I read some of the comments on the Pro 106 several mention that you should not charge the batteries by using the yellow holder then plugging the radio in and letting the radio charge the batteries with it's charging circuit while they are in the radio. I read that there is no overcharge protection and there is a risk of melting the radio down. It sounds like most people charge batteries outside of the radio with a auxiliary charger and then just swap them back and forth.

When I read the manual for the Pro-106 it says there is a charge timer that you can set to charge the batteries for a specific time limit then shut off.

So, now I'm confused??? Does the radio charge and shut down when it hits the time limit?? Or does it overcharge with no protection and fry??

. Easy answer is DON'T do it. Ever, unless you Like Sparks or FIRE .

 

[Redneck0410]

I recently charged my scanner using the internal charging circuit,as I have done many times before. This time,IT MELTED DOWN,Fortunately,I was able to repair the damages. I thought it was faulty NIMH batteries? WRONG! I replaced the yellow battery holder,batteries,rear case back & battery door. I plugged it into the adapter,and it over heated again. Fortunately,I barely caught it before it melted down for the second time. This time I only lost the yellow battery holder. My radio still works fine. I then went into the menus and switched the battery type from NIMH to ALKALINE. Does anyone know if changing the battery settings, deactivates the charging circuit,so I can leave my black alkaline battery holder inside the radio,and still leave the AC power adapter connected,without harming,or over heating my radio? Kindest Regards,Ed

`

Ed-

Changing the settings to Alkaline will indeed keep the charging circuit off. The radio may get a little warm, but I don't believe to the point where it would start smoking and melt down.

-Shawn

 

[TES]

Changing the settings to Alkaline will indeed keep the charging circuit off. The radio may get a little warm, but I don't believe to the point where it would start smoking and melt down.

A read of post #7 and, in particular, post #10 earlier in this thread will likely give you a good idea of the limits of the charging logic in this family of scanners.

 

[CycleSycho]

I recently charged my scanner using the internal charging circuit,as I have done many times before. This time,IT MELTED DOWN,Fortunately,I was able to repair the damages. I thought it was faulty NIMH batteries? WRONG! I replaced the yellow battery holder,batteries,rear case back & battery door. I plugged it into the adapter,and it over heated again. Fortunately,I barely caught it before it melted down for the second time. This time I only lost the yellow battery holder. My radio still works fine. I then went into the menus and switched the battery type from NIMH to ALKALINE. Does anyone know if changing the battery settings, deactivates the charging circuit,so I can leave my black alkaline battery holder inside the radio,and still leave the AC power adapter connected,without harming,or over heating my radio? Kindest Regards,Ed

`

Ed-

Changing the settings to Alkaline will indeed keep the charging circuit off. The radio may get a little warm, but I don't believe to the point where it would start smoking and melt down.

-Shawn

I have no knowledge of your particular model. That being said, find the manual for the scanner, if it has a SOFTWARE setting to disable the internal charger, select it (my 668 has digits for how long the charger is active, I select '0', and the charger is disabled). I have been and will continue to keep my 668 radio set to 'NIMH' with NIMH batteries used. IF your scanner is still charging the batteries and the settings(?) is set to '0', I would guess you need to reload the radio software? My radio does not get hot (or warm) when it is on external power. If your radio is then something may be wrong with the radio, its settings, or the battery/holder combination. Refer exclusively to your model manual, in this case you should be 100% since that manual specifies exactly what you need to do, and when. Good luck, I hope it is not a hardware problem.

 

[WX9RLT]

Well I just learned the HARD way on this, this morning!

DO NOT CHARGE BATTERIES IN THE SCANNER!

Mine got so hot and melted and burnt me this morning.

I have the Pro-106, used the yellow charging holder, had eneeloop AA batteries (hr-3utgb 1.2v 1,900mAh) in it.
I had it plugged in the wall to charge the batteries. Using a enercell 9v 800mA wall adapter

My settings are set for 4 hours in the settings.

I was charging it and it got hot and melted!

Never had this issue in the past when charging

Hard lesson learned and a nice handheld scanner down the drain