SDS100 Heat

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lou-jr

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I have had my SDS100 since 12/2019. The radio gets hot at the top and around the antenna connection. I know this is a problem with this model. I returned the first one that I purchased because of the heat and my second radio does the same thing. Bearcat Warehouse says this is not a problem. Will lead to problems later?
lou-jr
 

KK4JUG

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There's a lot going on inside that thing. The heat is normal.
 

Saint

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Last winter I had the sds100 in the inside top pocket of my winter parka and it got so hot I had to take it out, it's normal for this scanner, it does concern me with the heat and the electronics but that's the nature of the beast nothing you can do. It always runs hot when you are running it on the large battery.
Steve
 

Ubbe

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Heat are electronic components worst enemy. When they age test products they expose them to excessive heat to simulate years of use. If a device gets hot it will age prematurely.

A problem with SDS100 are it's tight mechanical tolerances needed for the internal connectors and with heat and then the colling down it will make things expand and contract that stresses all non-flexible connectors in the scanner, that includes the J401 that have some unusual high failure rates due to the solderings coming loose. It is lead free solder so it is more prone to crack than the older more flexible solder. Capacitors have temperature ranges stamped on them and manufactures state their lifetime at different enviromental temperatures. Higher temperatures means shorter life span. At the top of the SDS100 scanner, where it gets hot, you have the antenna connector and the rotary controller that are exposed to excessive heat.

To keep things from failing you use fans and AC conditioners to keep temperates stable and not fluctuate that would stress the devices and eventually have them fail. It's a reason to why computer server rooms have such important and expensive ways of controlling the temperature.

/Ubbe
 

n1chu

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It always bothered me that they would install a software defined radio (SDR) inside such a tight waterproof case! The nature of an SDR comes complete with microprocessors which will get hot, very hot. And a waterproof/moisture resistant enclosure by design comes with no ventilation. So, how do they dissipate heat? They incorporate heat sink technology which gives the heat a path to follow away from the components it can harm. That heat is dissipated off of the components to the outside of the case. A two-way radio (handheld transceiver) Is dependent on the expectation it is being held in your hand, your hand acting as a heat sink, drawing the heat away from the radio. I’ve had a small Kenwood amateur radio get so hot I have had to put it down! In the case is the SDS100, Scanner Master offers an aftermarket heavy leather carry case. But before they marketed it they made sure it had vent holes on each side of the case on the lower end and breathing room up the backside. You should not remove the radio’s swivel belt attachment post, a post that protrudes from the backside of the radio case Because it maintains that ability to circulate air and dissipate heat.
 

KK4JUG

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I had an SDS100 from the release date to April 2020 and never had a heat issue.
Jim
Ditto. While it get warm, it never gets hot. Physically and electronically, they're all pretty much the same inside. I can see no reason why any one of them should.
 

KE5MC

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Everyone's perception of temperature by feel is subjective. Without a thermometer measure it's just a feeling... :)
I'm not sure large or small battery makes a difference as their output is regulated to a fixed value driving the electronics.
 

mwjones

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I just put a contactless thermometer on my 2-week-old SDS100, and the hottest it showed was 107F (41.6C) after running nonstop for 15 hours. Most electronics don't start having problems until it reaches 140-150F, and most modern CPU's don't have issues until they go above 160F, so I don't think you should be concerned. If it's too hot to keep your hand on it, that's when you worry.
 

maus92

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Yea, my infrared thermometer showed temps in the upper 90s on the top half of the case. The antenna connector got warm as well - probably helps to conduct heat to the outside of the case. The room temp was probably in the 70s.
 

n1chu

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They make great foot warmers on those cold winter nights! Or hand warmers when taking those brisk walks at night! (Just two of the marketing points UNIDEN could employ!)
 

RADIO-007

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Check firmware (update it)
Earler firmware had issues !!

also provoice take alot out of radio!!!

The longer you monitor the hotter it is..
 

kc5igh

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It's not a functional issue at lower temperatures, it's a life span issue.

/Ubbe

Well said, Ubbe!

My SDS100 is in the Uniden repair shop recuperating from what appears to be a series of minor heat strokes. We'll see what the doctor says . . .
 

KK4JUG

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I'm not a physicist or an electronics engineer so I'm asking.... Theoretically, they're all the same inside so why does one get "too hot" while others only get warm?
 

Saint

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I have the most recent firmware update, have the DMR AND NXDN update but not the Provoice update and when running off the large battery if I run it for awhile it will get hot enough that it's uncomfortable while holding it.
 

radio3353

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It's not a functional issue at lower temperatures, it's a life span issue.

/Ubbe

Yes, sort of. The problem is thermal excursions. That is what stresses solder joints. A solder joint at a steady +/-100 degrees F is not a problem. A solder joint exposed to constant excursions from hot to cold or vice versa is the joint that may fail. That is why companies subject (or at least should) product to thermal cycling to develop reliability data and weed out infant mortality (uncovering defects prior to shipment.)
 

radio3353

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I'm not a physicist or an electronics engineer so I'm asking.... Theoretically, they're all the same inside so why does one get "too hot" while others only get warm?

"too hot' and 'warm' are subjective terms so there is no objective answer to your query. Sorry.
 
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