UPMan - Proper procedure to charge internal battery on BCD436HP

[randybcd396t]

UPMan,

I've seen multiple descriptions of how to charge the internal battery on BCD436HP. Can you provide the correct procedure?

The manual says:
"When you first get your scanner, leave the 536 plugged in and connect the 436 to the USB cable (when off) to charge the internal battery (The 436 will ask you to charge the AA Batteries, select ‘No’ until you want to charge those). It takes about 50 hours to trickle the battery up to a full charge, which will last for over a week".

This suggests all you need to do is plug connect the BCD436HP to your PC with the USB cable and it will charge the internal battery.

You do not need to be charging the scanner, you do not need to have the scanner turned on, and you do not need to select the serial port all of which I've read in other posts.

Is this correct?

Randy

 

[kellykeeton]

I suggest you use an external charger. It solves about all of any problems or issues you might have.

 

[n5ims]

Remember that the internal battery powers the scanner's internal clock and not the scanner itself. The AA batteries are for powering the scanner itself. The clock battery is charged through the USB port and the AA batteries are charged through the external power source (although I highly recommend an external charger for the AA battery charging). I believe that you will need to connect your scanner to a USB port regularly to prevent the clock from needing to be reset.

 

[UPMan]

Any time the scanner is on, the internal (RTC) battery is charging.

 

[RRR]

Speaking of charging, why isn't a drop-in charger ever considered for portable scanners, like 2 way portables have?

And why can't there be GPS built in, like virtually every cel phone has?

I would sure go buy one if I didn't have to connect it to an external GPS

 

[jschandua87]

Speaking of charging, why isn't a drop-in charger ever considered for portable scanners, like 2 way portables have?

And why can't there be GPS built in, like virtually every cel phone has?

I would sure go buy one if I didn't have to connect it to an external GPS

Well I am sure they are working on how to make this happen just like anything it may take time.

I would buy one as well.

 

[Jay911]

Speaking of charging, why isn't a drop-in charger ever considered for portable scanners, like 2 way portables have?

And why can't there be GPS built in, like virtually every cel phone has?

I would sure go buy one if I didn't have to connect it to an external GPS

The internal GPS issue has been raised time and again and the closest answer I think most of us have come to is cost. Realistically it shouldn't add too much to the price, but there are people out there who believe that adding GPS would add "several hundred" dollars to the price.

As for drop-in charging - a bunch of years ago, Uniden worked with power packs instead of individual cells for their radios (generally considered necessary before the idea of drop-in charging is taken seriously, IMO). The majority of people disliked the power packs and begged Uniden to go back to individual battery cells, so you have what you see today.

 

[Essexscan]

If I had a say in battery packs, I would like a slide on battery pack like the BC200XLT had with a AA supply your own cells kit also like the Bendix-King battery pack.

Another setup would be like the Motorola XTS5000s with a clip on battery pack, either setup would solve a few problems like charging in the battery and quick battery changes

 

[al95]

UPMan,

I've seen multiple descriptions of how to charge the internal battery on BCD436HP. Can you provide the correct procedure?

The manual says:
"When you first get your scanner, leave the 536 plugged in and connect the 436 to the USB cable (when off) to charge the internal battery (The 436 will ask you to charge the AA Batteries, select ‘No’ until you want to charge those). It takes about 50 hours to trickle the battery up to a full charge, which will last for over a week".

This suggests all you need to do is plug connect the BCD436HP to your PC with the USB cable and it will charge the internal battery.

You do not need to be charging the scanner, you do not need to have the scanner turned on, and you do not need to select the serial port all of which I've read in other posts.

Is this correct?

Randy

Thanks for asking this question. I was confused also to turn on or off radio to charge the RTC battery.
Also Thank-You Upman for the quick response.

 

[randybcd396t]

Any time the scanner is on, the internal (RTC) battery is charging.

Thanks Paul for the quick and clear response.

But the manual specifically says "connect the 436 to the USB cable (when off) to charge the internal battery". This should probably be updated in a future update to the manual.

Randy

 

[BigEvil]

So, just to clarify. To charge the internal battery so we stop getting the clock reset, you plug the scanner into usb, turn it on, let it go for 50 hrs? OR. you plug it into usb, turn it OFF and let it charge for 50 hrs?

 

[Jay911]

Plug it in and turn it on.

 

[TxScanner]

Great info, and helped me aswell, my be old info, but its still good info. Got mine plugged in, and turned on, when it asked it i wanted to charge the bateries, i said "NO". It should be running on A/C power now anyways, correct? with it plugged into the wall via a usb brick from my iphone.

 

[drdispatch]

TxScanner that is correct. If you plug it in & select "NO" when asked to charge the batteries, you are running on AC power. (This can be confirmed by pressing down on the selector knob as if you were going to adjust the volume, & looking at the voltage display in the upper right corner. You will notice that the voltage is a little higher on AC than it is even on fresh AA alkalines.)

 

[TxScanner]

Ok, thanks for the update, appreciate it. Been letting it be plugged up since yesterday, letting the RTC charge, i dont even need the clock, but i guess, if you dont charge it, and it goes down, it'll keep bugging you about it, every time you turn the scanner on. Id rather just have the option of just turning the clock off. I dont look at it anyways.