Saber 3 Intrinsically Safe - is it a dummy radio??

[g8tzl2004]

I have a European Intrinsicaly Safe UHF Saber 3 - known as an MX3000 in Europe.

I cannot remove the battery!!! Is it glued on??? Is it a dummy radio?? The battery charges but the radio is dead.

The radio details are as follows:

Model : MDH34SAK9509AN
Serial : 657IVS0000
Type: 34SAK

IS details:
PTB Nr. Ex-89.C.2096
EEx ib IIB T4

One thing that looks odd about the above info is the serial number - "0000" - all zeros!!!

European IS radios follow different standards vs North American IS radios. I did some searching and IS batteries have 4 contacts. Some of the batteries also seem to have a wedged shape tab next to the battery contacts. Maybe this is what is stopping me removing the battery??

The main body of the radio also appears to be raised very slightly above the battery...there looks to be 2 small tabs glued on either side of the battery latch. When you lift the battery latch, there is a small gap between the body and the battery. Its very very narrow..BUT maybe you need to push a very thin plastic stip between the body and the battery in order to release some sort of spring loaded wedge.....so maybe this is what is stopping me removing the battery.

It looks like the previous owner has also tried to remove the battery as there is "screwdriver" damage where the battery slides onto the main body. I have several other Saber's so I am familar with removing the battery. Believe me it does not want to move!!!!!

Given the "0000" serial number, maybe it a dummy radio used for sales promotion...and the battery is glued on and the radio will never work as there is no internal PCB.

Or maybe a standard battery has been forced onto the radio when you really require a special IS battery.

Or maybe you need to release a "wedge" on the battery in order to remove it?

Any ideas?

[DJP126]

As for the serial # being "0000", that was the first radio manufactured that month. 0001 would be the second one.

[g8tzl2004]

Thanks...although you would think that using 0001 for the 1st radio would have made more sense!!!

[RadioSouth]

How about the 657 product code part of the S# Similar Sabers start with 657 ? If not, might be a clue that this is something different.
Also the model # starting MDH ? Haven't had a Saber for a while bit that doesn't sound familiar unless it's due to being a non-US radio ?

[g8tzl2004]

My VHF "standard" Saber 3 has a similar model and serial number:

MHD33SAK9509AN
656ISY03..
33SAK

It looks like the Intrinsically Safe UHF Saber has the battery GLUED ON!!!! Using a magnifying glass I noticed a small blob of glue near the battery latch...using a narrow and thin cutting knife I removed the glue BUT the battery will still not move...I guess there is more glue maybe where the battery slides on...or at the opposite side of the battery to the latch..its very difficult to see.

It all seems a bit primitive to glue on a battery. Maybe replacing the battery involves sawing off the battery!!!! I think that's my only alternative..unless someone knows better???

[Will]

It all seems a bit primitive to glue on a battery. Maybe replacing the battery involves sawing off the battery!!!! I think that's my only alternative..unless someone knows better???

A saw is kinda over doing it. Recommend a Dremmel tool.

[g8tzl2004]

I was planning on using a small hack saw and carefully cutting around the top of the battery...I might then be able to glue it back together!!

I was thinking that I could carefully drill holes in the top of the battery (from the inside) in order to gain access to the release nuts so I can remove the radio from its outer shell. Once the radio innards are removed, I can then use some force to remove the top of the battery without causing too much damage???

[Will]

I think you have a general idea what the bottom plate\ battery mount looks like. So your idea sounds good. If not one of us can email a photo of the bottom of a Saber.

[g8tzl2004]

Thanks will - I have a few other Sabers so I know where the battery slide on "plate" is located.

[KD7FLY]

I'd be curious to see some photos as you dive into this...

[g8tzl2004]

I finally got the battery off the radio!!!

It had been completely glued on with the glue smeared across the top of the battery.

There was NO positive battery pin on the base of the radio which seems strange..just the empty space where the positive pin sits and the thread for the screw.

The battery is an intrinsically safe battery with 4 contacts and a red wedged "stop" BUT there was no hole for the wedge on the underside of the radio.

I opened the radio by aggressively levering the battery from side to side..I could hear the glue cracking off!!!! I then wedged open the battery latch with a screwdriver and used a small hammer to "slide" the battery off...it was impossible to do it by hand!! There appears to be no physical damage to the radio.

I guess it could be a dummy radio for demo purposes..or maybe it was serviced and somebody forget to replace the positive terminal before it was reglued!!! I guess the battery contacts will be replaced each time a fresh battery is glued on!!! Seems a bit primitive to glue on the battery!!!

Anyway, I have yet to establish whether the radio actually works!!!

I will try to upload a photo.. I just need to work out how to take close ups!!!

[g8tzl2004]

Well the Saber works OK.

I added a positive battery terminal from another radio.

Initially the radio did not work as I think there was glue on the tip of the negative battery contact.

Its all very strange. The radio was programmed to typical UHF frequencies so I don't think it was a demo radio. The radio is in good condition but not near mint "demo" condition. As I previously said, maybe someone forgot to add back the positive terminal after the radio was serviced and the IS battery was replaced and reglued!!!

[N4KVE]

Demo Jedi's I have seen had no electrical guts. Just a metal bar inside the case for weight to make the radio feel real. However a demo type 3 Jedi did have a real display board, but no RF, or controller board. GARY

[g8tzl2004]

The red wedged "stop" on the IS battery is actually a spring loaded battery on/off switch. When you slide the battery onto the radio, the red wedge is pushed down and the battery is switched on. With the battery removed and the red wedge sticking up the battery is switched off ie. no power to the battery contacts.

As the battery was glued on, I guess the red wedge had no real purpose. I was initially thinking that the red wedge should fit into a hole in the Saber battery plate but this is not the case.

OK Gary on the fake Jedi. I guess that confirms that my Saber was missing the positive battery terminal due to a servicing error...and once that battery was super glued on it was probably easier to forget about the radio!!!! I knew that small hammer I bought would come in handy one day!!

[g8tzl2004]

I had to zap the IS battery a few times to get it to charge. Its now been charging for over 30 minutes so I'm hopeful that it will be OK...at least for RXing.

Sadly only 3 keys work on the DTMF keypad - SELECT , 5 and 8. I've posted a separate message to see if anybody has any thoughts. I guess using a hammer to remove the battery probably did not help!!!

Otherwise, the radio seems to work OK