Batboard

Hi I am looking for information on leaving the radio in the charger...

Is it OK to leave the radio in the charger base while it's un-plugged after a full charge. Also does it drain the battery while sitting in the charger un-plugged, thanks

Not a problem...

It won't drain the battery, the charger output on most of them is through diodes to prevent current flow back into the charger from the battery.

Also, many Motorola battery packs have diodes inside them so that the battery pack charging contacts are not at battery potential to prevent shorts when the radio is in use.

The shiney metal guy is correct on this one.

Most all Motorola portable radio batteries have a diode in the battery itself to prevent you from shorting the charging contacts.

I verified this earlier. Jedi, XTS, Astro Saber and HT600 batteries don't produce any "Reverse-charge" voltage on the pins - they appear dead when being used on the radio.

I had always worried about putting my radio down on something metal and shorting the contacts out. I guess now that's not a problem! Unlike my FT50 who's battery contacts ARE live at battery potiential...

Useful tidbit of information... this is why battery conditioners require the battery to be removed from the radio and they use the contacts normally for the radio.

nmfire10 wrote:Useful tidbit of information... this is why battery conditioners require the battery to be removed from the radio and they use the contacts normally for the radio.

Yep, because they have to be able to draw current from the battery!

Yeah, but look out for the occaisional open diode--Moto had a batch of them that we sold, the customer came back telling us the batteries wouldn't charge. We checked them on an analyzer and gave them back thinking all was well, when the problem was that the diodes were no good so they wouldn't charge using the charging contacts. After the first little mix-up, we figured it out, and got things straight with the customer. I would have said that they were at fault somehow, except that it was about 1/2 of the 50 or so batteries with the same date code. Overall, though, the diodes are a good thing.

I saw that once before in a couple batteries from another manufacturer. They tested and charged fine through the top, but wouldn't charge through the side contacts. I ended replacing them under warranty and then was told they have been having some production "issues" with the diodes inside.

So it's not uncommon.

If you get a pack that won't charge in the charger, and if you have a battery analyzer or know someone who does, try charging it through the top contacts for the heck of it. I have had a few batteries over the years that the diodes inside must have failed.

FYI most intrinsically safe batteries have an internal fuse. If you short it accidently, the fuse goes and you have a brick, so there's many ways to destroy a perfectly good battery.