Radio replacement batteries

[jdoran]

My brother in law gave me an old Delcom Transceiver (handheld) that needed a new battery, and my trusty ICOM A-21 also needed a battery. Those babies are about $50 to replace. I took my battery base apart to see if I could use the battery case, and just replace the batteries themselves.

I found two great websites that sells all the stuff you would ever need to keep handheld radios working. Check them out, and save some money!!!!

http://www.ww-manufacturing.com/

http://www.batteriesamerica.com/

On the batteriesamerica website-go to the bottom of the aviation radio section. They sell battery "inserts" that you solder into the original plastic battery case for about half the price!!

John

[hangarb7]

Re: Radio replacement batteries

John,

Excellent links, thanks. Have you purchased anything from them? I bought some NiCads at Oshkosh once that were lousy. They must have been sitting for a very long time.

I tried NiCads, rechargeable Alkalines, and also NMh rechargeables in my Sportys A-300 but since they have a voltage of 1.2 volts, they worked but always left a "BATT LOW" sign when I transmitted. And I assumed that my transmit power was low at that point also.

The guy I bought my Taylorcraft from also had a Sportys and he had an adapter that allowed two extra rechargeables to be added but I didn't like how bulky it looked, particularly since the new radios are so small. So, three years ago I decided to make a connection on the bottom of the radio without the battery clip and pull a wire under the seat to the baggage compartment.

I made up a 6 cell alkaline unit with D-battery holders from Radio Shack that sits behind the seat.

The batteries haven't been changed since, even though I purchased new batteries last fall when I expected that the D's would poop out sometime. But they seem like they will last almost to shelf life. Checked the voltage and it is still at 9 volts.

Worth a try but to disconnect the unit to go back to being a handheld is a little of a pain.

My two cents!

Jack Dernorsek
N44057

[cpirrmann]

Re: Radio replacement batteries

I have an Icom handheld. I bought the adaptor from Sporty's that lets me use AA cells. When they get too low for the radio, I use them for my portable cd player and my GPS. I buy the 30 pack at Home Depot for 13.00 and it'll take me about 5-6 years to spend what I would to replace the original pack and I don't have to worry how well it's recharging.

[mulwyk]

Re: Radio replacement batteries

There's a place to plug in 12V on the top of my ICOM. Can that 12V come from a motorcycle battery or 2 of those 6V lantern batteries hooked together?

I'd like to have a battery in the glove box (rechargable or not) that I can plug into the ICOM external power connection and then save the AA battery pack for emergency use. Has anyone tried that?

Bob

[jdoran]

Re: Radio replacement batteries

Bob,

12vdc is 12vdc no matter what kind of battery you use. There is nothing at all that would prevent you from hooking up a motorcyle (lead acid) sealed 12v battery.

In my Sundowner, I went to West Marine and bought a solar recharger panel, and just kept it on my dash to keep the battery up. You could do the same with your motorcycle battery to know it is always charged. The solar panel was less than $100.

Cpirrmann,

the WW MFG site also sells the cases that attach to the bottom of the handheld for regular batteries to be installed.

Jack,

I did buy a rebuilt base for my Icon, I got it in two days, and also ordered two batteries for some walkie talkies at work. I was really pleased with both companies.

John

[gilligansae]

Re: Radio replacement batteries

I agree with the other AA battery guys...

I have an ICOM A21 and the batteries I had all went south. What I did was similar to the other folks.... A 8x AA battery holder from Radio Crack and a homemade power cord with a 9V battery end on it to connect to the battery holder that goes into the 12v power port on the radio. It ony runs at 10 volts but hey, it runs about 10 hours straight on a set of batteries. I broke the tab off of the ICOM batteries that connects it to the radio and bonded it to the battery holder and it snaps in just like the old batteries did on the radio.

Jeff LaChausse
N43294

[mgold]

Re: Radio replacement batteries

guys and gals i use a 12v cordless drill battery. buy a cheap drill at harbor

tool. and cut the handle off. and let your brain go nuts.

[VictorBravo]

Re: Radio replacement batteries

I mentioned this recently in another similar thread. Go to the nearest model airplane hobby shop and buy a 10 cell (12V) Nickel Metal Hydride battery pack, about 1500 mAh capacity. You will need to buy a special charger for it because the NiCad chargers will not provide the same safety protection. 1500 mAh is about 2 to 3 times the original capacity of the pack supplied with most handhelds. You will need to hook it up through the radio's cigarette lighter socket attachment, or hard-wire a smaller plug like a Molex or Deans or whatever. This will give you much better performance from your radio, make the radio itself smaller or lighter (because the battery is remote mounted) and the only downside is that you have to remove the battery , take it home, and charge it while it can be "supervised". Stay away from the temptation of the new Lithium and Li-Po batteries, unfortunately, because they are indeed an unacceptable safety hazard anywhere near an airplane.