Spare Batteries for Handheld Amateur Radios

[Centropolis]

I have done a search already on the site and found some threads that talked about HAM radios but couldn't find any info on my topic.

I recently bought a Yaesu VX-6R (funded partially by selling my Ra Clicky and Twisty). I am looking to buy a spare battery for it. The Yaesu FNB-80LI is expensive and there are a lot of 3rd-party manufacturers that make a replacement batteries for radios.

BatteriesAmerica.com and other sellers on eBay for example.

As always, the concern is the quality and safety of these non-Yaesu batteries. As flashaholics, I was able to convince myself that those $5 4-pack Trustfires on DX are good enough. But for my Yaesu VX-6R, the replacement for FNB-80LI ranges anywhere from $25 shipped from eBay to about $60 from reputable online retailers. The original Yaesu FNB-80LI sells for about $90 here in Canada.

I think I can live with the fact that a 1600mAh rating is a bit overstated compared to the original FNB-80LI at 1400 mAh. If the $30 battery lasts an hour less than the Yaesu, I can live with that. But I am concerned about the quality and reliability.

I understand sometimes it's a hit-and-miss with these eBay batteries but does anyone have good or bad eperiences with these ultra-cheap HAM batteries shipped from Hong Kong?

 

[kaptain_zero]

I
I understand sometimes it's a hit-and-miss with these eBay batteries but does anyone have good or bad eperiences with these ultra-cheap HAM batteries shipped from Hong Kong?

Well, I think you answered your own question, in your question. Yes, it's a hit or miss deal with eBay batteries. Choose a supplier that appears to have good feedback, check on eham and similar places on the net to see if any one supplier stands out.

Bottom line, if it's mission critical, go with the name you know.... if it's for hobby use..... go with a cheapy and hope you win the lottery. If you do a good job selecting the supplier, most likely you'll be fine. Even if you happen on a dud, hopefully the seller is a stand up sort of gent who will make it right, and even if they don't, you're not out $100.... just $30 perhaps. That means you have two more chances to get it right.... but as I said, if it just plain has to work, and you can't risk the chance of failure..... get an original pack from an official source. They WILL back up the product in the event it is faulty.

Or to put it this way: One is a $100 factory battery, the other is a $30 clone of the factory battery...... the clone IS NOT a $100 factory battery being sold for $30..... This is neither good, nor bad.... but it IS different in as much as it was not made by the original maker.

Good luck and 73 de Chris VE4SET/VE4GAT

Me... if I needed something reliable for service work etc., I'd just build a belt based battery pack from solder tab cells and run a cable to the radio's external power source input if it has such a beast. I'd also go NiCd or NiMH instead of lithium for reliability and resistance to abuse.... but that's me.

Ehh.... don't they sell an AA pack for that radio... most of the ones I've seen used to have one available. If I could get that, I would run AA NiMH in it and or possibly AA Lithium primaries, though the cost of those in Canada is quite prohibitive... I just saw a 2 pack of Energizer E2 AAA's on sale for $14!!!!

 

[Larbo]

I have not tried the e*bay batteries but have had good luck dealing with http://www.wwassociates.com/ for the packs on my radios, its worth a look as batteries and accessories tend to be priced rather high.

 

[Centropolis]

Ehh.... don't they sell an AA pack for that radio... most of the ones I've seen used to have one available. If I could get that, I would run AA NiMH in it and or possibly AA Lithium primaries, though the cost of those in Canada is quite prohibitive... I just saw a 2 pack of Energizer E2 AAA's on sale for $14!!!!

Yes Yaesu does make a AA pack for the VX-6R but it's only 2 AAs and the output will be 0.3 Watts max. This mean it is really for emergencies only.

My use is really for recreational (camping/hiking/walking around town). Thanks for your advice. I agree that worst case is that I buy a battery that will lose its charge-holding abilities about 50 charge cycles rather than a Yaesu one that may be double that. But again like you said, it's $30.

Even if I get the AA pack, I would just use MHs.

 

[Centropolis]

I have not tried the e*bay batteries but have had good luck dealing with http://www.wwassociates.com/ for the packs on my radios, its worth a look as batteries and accessories tend to be priced rather high.

Actually, they are a but cheaper than batteriesamerica.com. I wonder if some of these packs that they sell, whether from ebay or american online retailers, they are made in the same place anyway. Well, we have no way of finding out.....

Thanks for the link though.

 

[kaptain_zero]

Urghl.... My brain hurts.... I started to think again......:fail:

But seriously, when you said that the AA case only holds 2 AA cells, it started me thinking, so I checked the stock Lithium battery which was 7.2v...... hmmmm.... that sounds very much like 2 3.6v 14500 batteries in series, doesn't it? It may be that 14500 won't have quite the capacity of the stock battery, but I'd be looking long and hard at going that route with the AA case, unless there is some overwhelming reason not to, that I am not aware of. I'm not sure if protected cells would be required in this case as the radio is designed to use lithium ion from the get go.... something to think about at least.

Regards

Kaptain "Just thinking out loud" Zero

 

[Centropolis]

Urghl.... My brain hurts.... I started to think again......:fail:

But seriously, when you said that the AA case only holds 2 AA cells, it started me thinking, so I checked the stock Lithium battery which was 7.2v...... hmmmm.... that sounds very much like 2 3.6v 14500 batteries in series, doesn't it? It may be that 14500 won't have quite the capacity of the stock battery, but I'd be looking long and hard at going that route with the AA case, unless there is some overwhelming reason not to, that I am not aware of. I'm not sure if protected cells would be required in this case as the radio is designed to use lithium ion from the get go.... something to think about at least.

Regards

Kaptain "Just thinking out loud" Zero

14500s? Hmm...I never thought about that. It make sense to me. I know it's basic electronics but I can tell you that I am scared to try.

 

[kaptain_zero]

It's easy for me to say this as it is not MY radio :devil: but if the contacts on the AA battery case are in the same position as the ones on the included Lithium Ion battery pack, then there should be no problem. You might want to float this idea past other owners of said radio... Remember, I don't have this radio (or any radio for that matter...... don't ask... it's a loooong story and involves my XYL).

Regards

Kaptain" I connect + to - and run everything else to ground, right?" Zero

 

[Closet_Flashaholic]

BE CAREFUL.

Those AA cases for the VX6/7 radios are not just battery holders. Believe it or not, inside the case (right next to the contacts on the top) there is a DC-DC converter PCB and circuitry. If you just drop in 2 14500's -> bye bye.... Don't ask me how I know this....

Now that I have a "spare" AA holder, I was thinking about doing the same thing. In theory it will work, however the Yaesu packs are 7.4v @ 1400mAH, Using a couple of AW 14500s is only going to get you 7.4V @ 750mAH - so expect about 1/2 the capacity, which may be ok, depending on what you need. 2 14500's will certainly be less expensive.

I have a couple of packs from batteriesamerica. They're ok. If you buy anything else, be really careful, most of the knock-off batteries do not have the rubber seal around them and your radio will NOT be waterproof when you use them. I've actually talked to several dealers about this and they couldn't care less. Needless to say, they don't get my business.

Urghl.... My brain hurts.... I started to think again......:fail:

But seriously, when you said that the AA case only holds 2 AA cells, it started me thinking, so I checked the stock Lithium battery which was 7.2v...... hmmmm.... that sounds very much like 2 3.6v 14500 batteries in series, doesn't it? It may be that 14500 won't have quite the capacity of the stock battery, but I'd be looking long and hard at going that route with the AA case, unless there is some overwhelming reason not to, that I am not aware of. I'm not sure if protected cells would be required in this case as the radio is designed to use lithium ion from the get go.... something to think about at least.

Regards

Kaptain "Just thinking out loud" Zero

 

[Radiophile]

Rather than purchasing additional batteries, why not think about your radio as a cellular telephone and investigate how to charge it remotely? The wall wart charger (NC-72) probably isn't smart although it probably is a regulated supply. Investigate it's properties and find a portable and cheap AA cellular phone charger that will do the job. Being that the radio uses a LiIon battery as most cellphones do, I would guess that there is something cheap and easy out there that will work. You may have to replace the power plug so it fits your radio, but that should be a simple process. If it's more complicated then you get to wire something up yourself! Wire+solder+batteries=fun!

73,
Radiophile

 

[Mylt1]

i know this is an older thread but, i have a friend who uses a 8 AA battery holder from radio shack with rechargeable batteries with a plug for the charging port for his radio. if you get creative you could figure out different voltages for what type of holder you want. it uses the factory plug which will accept 11-16vDC so that gives you a start.