Walkie-talkie Batteries: Arrgh! Drive me nutz!

   / Walkie-talkie Batteries: Arrgh! Drive me nutz!
  • Thread Starter
#11  
So, with my Uniden Marine radio, MHS-235, which also uses Ni-MH batteries, and I haven't used the boat or radio in 2 seasons, should I just pull the battery and leave it out, and only charge it up prior to knowing I'm going to take the boat out?
I can't work a schedule like yours James; I'm often away from home for months at a time, plus I just can't motivate to do something like that even if I was home year round.....
Guess I'm just lazy, or my brain just refuses to be slave to things that want me to do what 'they' want from me. :confused3:
It's difficult getting through each day with all the demands of my 'stuff' and it's maintenance issues; know what I'm talking about?!:anyone:
 
   / Walkie-talkie Batteries: Arrgh! Drive me nutz! #12  
   / Walkie-talkie Batteries: Arrgh! Drive me nutz! #13  
So, with my Uniden Marine radio, MHS-235, which also uses Ni-MH batteries, and I haven't used the boat or radio in 2 seasons, should I just pull the battery and leave it out, and only charge it up prior to knowing I'm going to take the boat out?
I can't work a schedule like yours James; I'm often away from home for months at a time, plus I just can't motivate to do something like that even if I was home year round.....
Guess I'm just lazy, or my brain just refuses to be slave to things that want me to do what 'they' want from me. :confused3:
It's difficult getting through each day with all the demands of my 'stuff' and it's maintenance issues; know what I'm talking about?!:anyone:

If it has been 2 years, they are likely dead beyond help. Nicads grow "whiskers" inside of them, little Chrystal "dendrites" form and short out the battery.

Google "the care and feeding of ni-cad batteries" if you want other peoples ideas. There is lots of info out there, but the best advice I can give you is to purchase items that utilize Li-On technology. I have a couple of walkies that still use nicad packs, and I have been keeping them alive the last few years with my schedule, but they will go someday. Li-On batteries are much more complex with onboard electronics etc, but they sure last a lot longer, and they do not self discharge like nicads do. No where near as fast. At least an order of magnitude better.
 
   / Walkie-talkie Batteries: Arrgh! Drive me nutz! #14  
The Uniden instruction sheet for that model radio says to not leave them in the charger. Leaving them in a non-smart chargers will overcharge and kill your batteries. Ni-cads lose 10-20% of capacity every month while sitting depending on the temp they are stored in, the higher the temp the more the loss. Take them out and store them in a cool place, not a hot barn. Every couple of months charge them up.

When I was on the fire department we had at least 2 batteries for every radio. Every morning when I relieved the firefighter going off I would get his radio and swap out the battery with the one on the smart charger. We also kept spare batteries on the truck in case one went dead on the scene. Even rotating them like that they were only good for a year or two. They can develop a memory if not discharged occasionally.
 
 
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