Cheap Battery Test

That's ok, we only read about half the question anyway...

http://www.barrysbatteries.com/products/Battery-Tester.html

The link to the analyzer is on the upper right of the page. I've never tried them.

http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_service_two_way_radio_batteries

Edit- Oops! Payback in one year doesn't make them look very cheap.

I'll see that,,, and raise ya one....

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/321268-REG/ZTS_MBT_1_MBT_1_Multi_Battery_Tester.html

That looks like a good one. One of the reviews even says that it will save the planet!

Well,

It might save the planet if the planet runs on 1.2; 1.5; 3; 3.6; 6; 9; or 12 volts

My radio planet runs on 7.2 V.

This might work...but before I go on, you did a GlobalSpec© search, right?

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/51592769/Mobile_Phone_Battery_Analyzers.html

http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/battery-analyzer.html

It's a 7.5V 1500mAh NiMH battery.

It is not a cell phone battery.

I've already done some searching for a type of cheap single battery analyzer/tester I want and I can't find anything, even using my superior searching skills.

Anyway, thanks.

Not much turning up. Maybe give Batteries Plus a call. They might know where you can find one.

Oh, well why didn't you say so....we got those...

Here's a used one on Ebay for $350...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOTOROLA-WPLN4079AR-BATTERY-MAINTENANCE-SYSTEM-CHARGER-/190458965687#ht_701wt_989

Here's something...

http://www.123radios.com/BuyItNow.asp?PID=4039

Here's something else....

http://halifax.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-electronics-Motorola-Battery-Maintance-System-WPLN4079AR-Windsor-area-W0QQAdIdZ292207975

I found one in Canada for $55.00 (works perfect) but has no top. Really, no top.

Not worth $350.00 plus adapters.

Thanks.

Wow,

They were still powering tanks with diesel engines when the SABER was in vogue.

Our radios (HT750)don't weigh 10 pounds, like those.

I'm not looking for a $500.00 solution to a small problem.

Been there, came back without a shirt.

Thanks.

You could do it the old fashion way and just charge up a battery and go and use it until it dies.

If a new battery lasts for say 48 hours of standby any battery that cant do a full 12 hour shift of normal use gets labeled junk and disposed of.

Yea I know it doesn't involve a fancy or expensive anything but common sense but thats how they did it in the old days.

Our radios chirp when the batteries get low. But, they keep right on working for a while, so the guys just live with the chirp every two or three minutes and keep going.

If they say something, or when their transmissions start breaking up, I give them a fresh battery.

Seems to work, maybe I don't need no stinking tester.

So basically you are saying you are one of those mangers who is to cheap to keep the company equipment in proper working order for the ""convenience" of the work force?

We went through the same thing here with the last guy who was our stand in manger. Burning up hundreds of dollars on pointless bureaucratic nonsense every week was no problem but heaven forbid if he would spent $100 on a pair of batteries ,to replace the ones that were 10 years old, so that we could keep our walkie talkies working long enough to do our job.

No, the company equipment is ALWAYS in proper working order. I never refuse a request from one of the guys for any equipment they need.

They each have an account at the local hardware store, and the power equipment shop down the street. They have their own equipment/golf carts/share 2 pickups and we rent what they need if we don't have it.

They do not work in the rain, cold or heat and have come to work, unsolicited, on their days off if they think they can help out. I've never asked any of them to do anything I would not do myself.

The radios are always fully charged and we always have 3 or 4 spares in the charger.

I'm not cheap. I justify my budget every year and use it to do a good job.

I'll be happy to PM you my work phone number and let you talk to each of them personally, and you can ask them how it is to work for me.

Never mind. I don't need your help.

If your problem is that the batteries don't last long, then this line tells me a bit:-

The radios are always fully charged and we always have 3 or 4 spares in the charger.

You leave the batteries in the charger till you need them.

It would appear that the chargers are overcharging the batteries and damaging them....Do the batteries get hot and remain hot, if yes, that is the case....though fast chargers can make the battery hot as well, but only charge for a short time. Good ones have a fan to keep things cooler.

Use a timer and only charge for the time it takes to almost "fill" a battery (this depends on the charge state and the charger....), then either switch the charger off (OK as long as the charger then does not discharge the battery, some sh*tty ones do!!), or remove the batteries from the charger.

In this day and age I expect a good charger to adjust the charge to cater for different battery sizes and even types, keep it cool and once a battery is full, to remove the charge current and isolate the battery. Maybe check once every 24 hours to see if charge has been lost.....

I hope this helps.

No, not at all. The chargers are solid state and do not overcharge the batteries. Batteries last for years. My recollection is that the battery in my radio is 3-4 years old.

The problem is that I don't keep records on individual radio/battery combinations so I might be fooled into replacing a good battery because of an interference or obstruction issue. (Buildings, you know).

The batteries never get fully discharged because it's too much trouble. I know, I'm a bad manager. So, I figure if I have a charger conditioner I can give the battery another chance before it goes into the recycle bin.

Thanks.

Thanks for the explanation.

There is also somewhere here an easy test for batteries using a resistor and a clock. My problem with that method is that it will completely empty the battery, bad for almost all battery types. Adding a Zener (1.1 x number of cells in battery) voltage. will improve matters.

A better method is to find out what the battery voltage is for a discharged battery (for many its usually around 1.1 volt, so 1.1 x the number of cells in a battery = the discharged state in volts!). So 10 cells will be 11 volts for example.

Then buy one of those cheap units that allows a PC or laptop, often via a USB port, to monitor voltages over time, some have 4 channels, so you could monitor say 4 batteries, each with a series connected discharge resistor and a 11 volt Zener, across them, to see how long each will last from full charge down to 11 volts per battery.

Usually software is supplied with it to allow a graph to be displayed for each battery tested.

Assuming NICADs, divide the voltage measured when fully charged by 1.25 to find out the number of cells. After charging, let the battery sit for a while so that the cell voltage is normal and not too high, before measuring.

By the way, good chargers also have a conditioner built in and it's used automatically when required. The user does not need to know or do anything. Its all automatic.

Note. I do not know what chemistry type and how many cells you have in each battery.

First, what's a zener? That's only partly a joke. Although I worked for 25 years for an electronics company I don't own a soldering iron, nor do I have access to any components. I'm strictly materials and mechanical.

The batteries are 7.5V Ni-metal hydride.

A Zener is a diode that will only allow current to pass through until a specific voltage is reached. Under that they block.

So you can select a resistor that will empty the battery at the speed/current you require, then working out the power, select a zener of the required voltage. That way the battery will not be over drained and damaged...

You may need to select a resistor of a higher value so that the zener is easily available.....high power zeners are expensive, not that I have ever used one!!

This tester is for AA Batteries, but it may be adaptable to your battery.

here

I don't know how long you've had these radios, but I'm wondering if you might want to think about phasing them out and switching to a group plan with these.

http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/126342/computers/push_to_talk_vs_two_way_radios.html

Nope, these are relatively new and at $700.00USD each, we've got a sizable investment here. I've still got a new one in the box, never opened. They are tough, too. They've fallen onto the street from a moving truck and still work fine.

I've used the other system and I'm not impressed with it.

Maybe here?

http://www.motorola.com/Business/US-EN/Product+Lines/IMPRES/Chargers

The impres batteries look to be the same price:

http://www.123radios.com/BuyItNow.asp?PID=4061

I'm not sure about the off brand chargers.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ACT-MODEL-TBC-60A-IMPRES-BATTERY-ANALYZER-CHARGER-NEW-/190458636390

Nope, I'm sticking with genuine M parts. Having worked there for 25 years (not on radios) I believe they make a superior product. I'll pay the extra $ and get known quality.

Thanks for all the help you and the others have given me.

Not sure of the cost, but it looks like this will work with your existing batteries and you can swap out to Impres batteries as your old ones wear out.

http://ap3.motorola.com/anz/mototrbo/impres-multi-unit-charger-with-display.asp

Here's one for $660....................not too much over budget.

http://www.123radios.com/BuyItNow.asp?PID=4033

My radio supplier is close enough that I'll just run over there later.

It looks like they have a single station unit. I might try that first.

Interesting. The "new improved" batteries are NiCad.

That doesn't make sense.

I'm going to visit our radio supplier today and see what they've got.

The bad news is I have 5 new batteries in my desk so, there's not much urgency to change what we're doing.

Guess that would make me a crappy manager in some people's eyes.

Great find!

I'm ordering one today.

It meets all my requirements including, "It'd be worth the cost of a new battery if I could find something on the web."

Thanks.

Nope, I'm sticking with genuine M parts. Having worked there for 25 years (not on radios) I believe they make a superior product. I'll pay the extra $ and get known quality.

What happened?

I caved to in to a pretty face and a low price. Just call me a hoe.

Besides, we have 8-10 battery powered cars, planes, helicopters and boats at home. If it doesn't work here, I'll buy it from my company. If it does work here, I may just buy one for home anyway.

I was wondering when someone would mention model battery testers and chargers.

I just ordered a iMAX B6-AC B6AC Lipo NiMH 3S RC Battery Balance Charger .

We'll see how it does. It must be coming by wagon train. Delivery date is 5-16. At least it's 2012.

Ok, I know I'm a crappy manager and don't keep my word. (I'll always buy name brand). But, you who are perfect can lob the first salvo back at me.

It'll be fun to play with.

I have these at home and just brought one to work this week.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/170779607907?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

Once I programed it to work with our yard frequencies it became the favorite toy at work! Its a third the size and weight of our old Motorola units, you can actually clip it on and not know you are wearing it, and it apears to run longer on one charge too plus has way more functions and channel capacity than the Motorola's do as well.

Best part is at $72 a pop if one gets wrecked its not a big deal to replace it either and replacement batteries cost about $25 as well.

I just ordered some more for the company yesterday so they are going to be our new walkie talkie units and the old Motorola's will probably end up in the storage locker never to be seen again when they get here.

Now if I really wanted to know what kind of manager you are I would want to talk to your most disgruntled workers. They tend to be the most honest about the managements weak points.

Cheap Chinese junk!

I might try one just for grins. They have Li ion batteries which may account for the better performance.

I don't have any disgruntled employees.

"Cheap Chinese Junk! "

And Motorola starting to move its manufacturing into India since 2008 justifies what?

http://mediacenter.motorola.com/content/detail.aspx?ReleaseID=6319&NewsAreaID=2

Given the choice I would rather loose half a dozen cheap Chinese radios to employee mishaps than one $700 one!

"I don't have any disgruntled employees."

You're taking my comments way to seriously. Sorry if I touched a managerial nerve.

BTW if I had to work with radios that beep all day because the batteries are shot and my manger wont put in new ones, Well...... Lets just say I 'd be one of those who would be talking about you in less favorable references.

You don't get.

You want answers to how to find out if you battery is bad other than the obvious that it dont last after being charged anymore but admit you wont listen up front. I think tomtech has you figured out right from his first post. managing skills included.

I not sure if this has been said, I can't be bothered to read them all. Connect a resistor across the battery to drain it, then connect a clock in parrlell with suitable resitors in series to drop the voltage to just suffient to operate the clock, set to 12:00 and note when it stops. Do this with each battery.

Tony

Tonymech is correct in that a method exists to discharge your batteries. They won't be like 100% new, but the revived charge capacity will be much better. Check out several of the Utube videos to see how it is done!

You could try solar Photovoltaic panels to charge re-chargeable batteries, which might be inititally expensive, but would be costlier than replacing normal batteries.

At my last job we just took a voltmeter and tested the fully charged voltage. I'm not a battery expert so I don't know if it works the same for all rechargeables, but the ones we used showed a lower voltage as the Amp-hr capacity decreased. For example, a brand new 6V battery might read 6.4V (fully charged), whereas one near the "end of life" might only read 6.1V

That's easy enough to try.

I've ordered a pretty battery charger/tester that must be coming on a slow boat from China.

It looks sufficiently shiny and has buttons... I'd have gone for that one too!

Dear Lyn,

Pl. take an analog multimeter and select proper current scale and current mode operation; then very quickly short ckt. the battery terminals thro' multimeter. The very quick deflection of multimeter indicator indicates battery near or full charge condition and slow movement indicates battery near discharge condition.

Thanks,

Manindra.

I hate to be a "spoiler" of fun, but after this test you may need a new multimeter, and the fire department may have to make a visit. Don't ever tell anyone to do that...

For the rest of you, SIMPLY DON'T TRY IT! Its bad and dangerous advice.

If you want to put a suitably massive shunt resistor across a battery for a short time and measure the voltage drop across the resistor, that may work......but I personally would not try it like that.

There are battery testers available that (almost) do the job for you, buy one of those.....

One should never forget that many battery types have a very low internal resistance and can supply huge amounts of power into a short circuit.....Lead acid batteries are one of these.

Some people can take 3 old car batteries and a welding torch and manage to weld steel parts together....never done it myself, but read about it several times over the years....even batteries with a bad cell can be used I am told!!! I am sure some of you Guys here have heard about that, maybe even done it.....

I don't own a analog meter, but thanks.