RS -Pro 106 and Lithium Batteries

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tcarroll4

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I just picked up the Pro-106 and looking into battery choices,will liyhium work in it?And if not what's the best rechargeable's to get?

Thank's

Tim
 

gewecke

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if you mean lithium ion (li-ion) batteries, then yes they will work,BUT.....DO NOT charge them in your pro-106 scanner! Instead charge them externally with the supplied charger.

73,
n9zas
 

w2xq

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And make sure you put rechargeables in the yellow battery holder, akalines in the black holder. All kinds of grief if you flip-flop...
 

tcarroll4

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Batteries

Really,so i wonder what the diff between the two battery holders is?They look identical.

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tcarroll4

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Batteries

Oh ok,but if i use my own charger and keep the black holder in will that work,i will not be using the radio as a charger.

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N3FAH

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Recharging Ni-MH Batteries

In a similar vein... I just had a set of Ni-MH batteries in my Pro-106 go into thermal runaway while on charge. Melted the yellow battery holder, warped the radio case. My charging voltage at the battery terminal inside the radio is 10.3 volts!? - which seems awfully high for a 4.8v battery pack. The Pro-106 has a self-regulating charge, am I right? My software (I use Win-500) is set to Ni-MH - then it should not overcharge? Without exposing myself to potential disaster here, is there a way to determine if the charging circuit is working correctly? I am wanting to think bad batteries but would rather not repeat this experience.
 

tcarroll4

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Batteries

Hum well thats a good one,that's all the more reason i am going to charge mine on a charger.I ordered one this evening.Definitely dont want a melt down on my new scanner,that would be bad.

Tim

KE4HGP
 

gewecke

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In a similar vein... I just had a set of Ni-MH batteries in my Pro-106 go into thermal runaway while on charge. Melted the yellow battery holder, warped the radio case. My charging voltage at the battery terminal inside the radio is 10.3 volts!? - which seems awfully high for a 4.8v battery pack. The Pro-106 has a self-regulating charge, am I right? My software (I use Win-500) is set to Ni-MH - then it should not overcharge? Without exposing myself to potential disaster here, is there a way to determine if the charging circuit is working correctly? I am wanting to think bad batteries but would rather not repeat this experience.

N_E_V_E_R charge your ni-mh or li-ion batteries in the pro-106 !!! They are great scanners but the voltage regulator in the charging section fails and you have a scrap radio or worse!
Always use an external charger, that way if your cells go thermal your radio is safe!

73,
n9zas
 

w2xq

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Oh ok,but if i use my own charger and keep the black holder in will that work,i will not be using the radio as a charger.

No.

If you use rechargeables charged by an external charger (I agree with the others who have said this), the charged batteries go from the external charger into the yellow holder. If you use akalines to power the scanner, put the akalines in the black holder. If you have the black holder in the -106. plugging in the external a.c. 9v power adapter disconnects the -106 charging circuit so as not to smoke the akalines; with the yellow holder, I think rechargeables will be trickle-charged.

When I am travelling cross-country on Amtrak or hopping in and out of the car running errands, I just run the -106 on the rechargeables (yellow holder) and recharge the drained batteries with an external charger. I don't let the -106 charge drained rechargeable batteries.
 
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W6KRU

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No.

If you use rechargeables charged by an external charger (I agree with the others who have said this), the charged batteries go from the external charger into the yellow holder. If you use akalines to power the scanner, put the akalines in the black holder. If you have the black holder in the -106. plugging in the external a.c. 9v power adapter disconnects the -106 charging circuit so as not to smoke the akalines.


No.

Why would you use the yellow holder, if you don't want to use the 106 as a charger? The yellow holder is for charging batteries and the black one is for batteries that you don't want to charge. You can put rechargeable batteries in the black holder if you don't need to charge them.
 
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ampulman

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No.

Why would you use the yellow holder, if you don't want to use the 106 as a charger? The yellow holder is for charging batteries and the black one is for batteries that you don't want to charge. You can put rechargeable batteries in the black holder if you don't need to charge them.

I don't charge batteries in my 106, and I mostly put NIMHs in both holders, but use the black holder (almost) exclusively..
\
When mobile, I carry the (loaded) yellow holder so that I can make a quick change if necessary. I carry 4 extra alkalines as a second backup set.

One day, while fixed mobile, I had to revert to the alkalines, but without thinking, loaded them into my yellow holder. When returning home, I plugged the radio in (neglected to change holders), and of course, the batteries started to leak.

Fortunately, I did not suffer any damage, but I resolved to not let that happen again by permanently disabling charging.

http://forums.radioreference.com/radio-shack-scanners/228263-had-close-call-no-pun-intended.html
 

Chris45

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Safest Way to Charge

The safest and fastest way to recharge (RECHARGABLE) batteries is in an external charger. They can be found almost anywhere rechargable batteries are sold. I would rather fry an inexpensive wall charger than a Pro-106. Have two sets of batteries so that while using one set the other is charging, and swap as necessary.

The Pro-106 is a great radio regarding power consumption when compared to the PSR-800. It may not be as fancy with all the extra bling, but the battery consumption is accceptable and it does the job well.
 

w2xq

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No.

Why would you use the yellow holder, if you don't want to use the 106 as a charger? The yellow holder is for charging batteries and the black one is for batteries that you don't want to charge. You can put rechargeable batteries in the black holder if you don't need to charge them.

Cuz I don't feel like changing battery trays... grab and go.
 

E-Man

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if you mean lithium ion (li-ion) batteries, then yes they will work,BUT.....DO NOT charge them in your pro-106 scanner! Instead charge them externally with the supplied charger.

73,
n9zas

What lithium ion rechargable batteries are you using? the only ones I have seen are all 3.6v-3.8v.
 

gewecke

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Cuz I don't feel like changing battery trays... grab and go.

Then make sure you turn OFF the charge feature in your pro-106 as another poster suggested, so you don't toast your batteries AND radio!

73,
n9zas
 

RickS31

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I'd like to add my 2 cents here since I've done a lot of research both into the 106 charging, had the infamous meltdown and also designed these types of battery chargers in the past.

Just to clarify, most LiIon AA batteries are rechargeable (not all), put out about 1.2 Volts DC, have a better discharge curve (voltage stability from charged to discharged), and require a very intelligent charger. The 106 will actually work down to just above 4 volts DC which means the radio will work pretty well on 4 LiIon cells which have about 4.8 - 5.0 volts.

What I believe you will find is that the LiIons will seem to last a much shorter time before recharge is required. What I'm saying here is that their much higher expense may not be a great deal for use in this application. And as others said here, Never ever try and charge LiIons in this unit. You are guaranteeing failure of the batteries and possibly the radio too.

In hopes to summarize all the great posts above and their recommendations:

1. Do not charge in this radio. If you need further evidence look at this post below I made a few months ago.

2. Know that putting any battery in the yellow holder and plugging in the adapter will put a charge voltage on it especially when the scanner is turned OFF. If you've made the mistake of putting Alkalines or even LiIon batteries in it you will destroy them in this case (and probably the radio too).

3. You can still have a potential destruction issue with the black holder as seen again from my post below.

If you want to have a couple of backup holders loaded with externally charged batteries, drop by RS or go to GRE site and order an additional black battery holder. Cheap insurance.

http://forums.radioreference.com/ra...55-pro-106-batteries-charger.html#post1451270
 
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E-Man

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Could you provide a link to the lithium ion batteries that you are referring to?
 
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