battery display issue with XTS2500

[mikey107sec]

I have a XTS2500 model 3 "AN" model. I put an impres battery on it but it doesn't show the battery in the top right corner of the screen. When I press the "BATT" button it only tells me how many charges it has had. No read out of the battery or anything else. Is there something I missed when programming or does this radio not display the battery meter info? The battery itself works fine on other XTS2500 radios I use although they are "BN" models. Don't know if that is making a difference.

[Mfire39]

Are you regularly charging this battery in an IMPRES charger? Also, what is the firmware version of the "AN" radio in question?


-Marc

[MSS-Dave]

Had this problem (on the BN radio anyway...) If you don't initialize a Impress battery in the Impress charger, it won't give the meter on the screen at all....

Dave

[Sikdmax]

Had this problem (on the BN radio anyway...) If you don't initialize a Impress battery in the Impress charger, it won't give the meter on the screen at all....

Dave

Meaning the first charge, or is Initializing something you can do with an Impres charger at anytime?

[Tom in D.C.]

The word "initializing" means the very first time a battery is charged. If you don't do it right the first time with an Impres battery on an Impres charger you may have problems with that battery from that point on. Instructions on initializing are sent with each battery and are so simple they're unbelievable. You put the battery in the charger and the red light comes on. You then almost immediately lift the battery from the contacts and drop it back in and the yellow light should come on. From there on the Impres cycle takes place which means the battery gets discharged and recharged which constitutes a reconditioning cycle. If you just put the battery in the charger with the red light on the battery just gets a rapid charge. I've found that the reliable way to "read" an Impres battery is by using the LCD panel that is part of the multi-unit charger (or the same single LCD readout added to a single charger) whereas relying on the readout on the radio often gives crazy/invalid readings.

[Sikdmax]

The word "initializing" means the very first time a battery is charged. If you don't do it right the first time with an Impres battery on an Impres charger you may have problems with that battery from that point on. Instructions on initializing are sent with each battery and are so simple they're unbelievable. You put the battery in the charger and the red light comes on. You then almost immediately lift the battery from the contacts and drop it back in and the yellow light should come on. From there on the Impres cycle takes place which means the battery gets discharged and recharged which constitutes a reconditioning cycle. If you just put the battery in the charger with the red light on the battery just gets a rapid charge. I've found that the reliable way to "read" an Impres battery is by using the LCD panel that is part of the multi-unit charger (or the same single LCD readout added to a single charger) whereas relying on the readout on the radio often gives crazy/invalid readings.

I appreciate the explanation Tom.... I havent dealt with Impres batteries before.

[mikey107sec]

The battery was first charged with a impres charger and usually is. Recently it is being charged in a standard HT1000 gang charger tri chem model. The battery meter works fine on the "BN" model with this battery. Someone asked the firmware of unit in question. This is the best I could do with that...Host R06.02.03 DSP R06.00.01 TUNING R01.00.03. Don't know if this helps.

[MSS-Dave]

Tom is right on. The chargers with a display module will tell you on a new battery that it is initalizing. The single unit chargers do exactly the same thing but of course, no display. A new battery out of the box will go into the discharge state ( yellow light) until exausted, then do a full charge (red light). Once it does a complete cycle, it's done.

If you are using an Impress battery with a charger that is NOT Impress, don't even think that the radio will display battery life correctly. I've had some goofy things happening (display wise...) on XTS 2500i radios with NNTN 7335A Li-Ion batteries when charged on a ACT vehicular charger. I've told my guys to cycle their spare batteries through either their 4114A charger or the Multi Unit charger in the office once a week if they can or at minimum once a month.

Dave

[mikey107sec]

Ok I charged the impress battery overnight in a regular impress charger. Now the display is working on the radio. The impress charger I used prior to this did something different however. I would charge the battery in the regular single impress charger. The red light would come on indicating it is charging. A little while later the light changed to green and it was charged. No display on the radio. Now I take the same battery but charge it in a six unit impress charger with displays. The orange light comes on and screen says conditioning. A little while later light changed to green and battery is charged with the display working fine. Is it possible my single unit charger was not working right?

[mikey107sec]

Correction on the last post. The display says "calibrating" not "conditioning".

[2wayguy]

What is the firmware version of the single impres charger? It could be older than the multiunit charger and cause issues.

[mikey107sec]

I think it was a 1.3 or 1.0. I have recently sold it anyway. The new charger seems to be working great and we just picked up some new batteries from escomm which are working great as well.