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Loose Saber Battery Connection
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 11:27 am
by fogster
I've got two Saber I's right now, with one battery. (Obviously, using one radio at a time.) One the newer Saber, the battery fits nice and snug, but on the older one, it wiggles around a lot. It has a solid electrical connection, but even just holding the radio, the battery will move around a bit.
I've spent a while staring at the battery plates, but they look exactly the same to me. It is an aftermarket battery, but it fits one of them fine, so I can't imagine that's the problem. Is there an easy fix, or should I just learn to live with it? (I've taken the battery plate off and put it back on, but this didn't help anything.)
Thanks,
Matt
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 11:37 am
by AEC
Matt:
Are the two spanner nuts tightened down properly?
If not, the battery plate will feel loose as the spanner nuts that retain the radio must be properly tightened as this action also pulls the plate up to the case.
The two small contact screws do not effect plate retention, only the contacts to the battery.
If you don't have a proper tool to tighten the nuts, simply use a needle nose pliers in those slots and tighten them this way, but use good downward force to prevent slippage and gnawing the nuts.
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 12:04 pm
by fogster
Spanner nuts are nice and tight. The battery plate is on solid, too. (I actually tried loosening them before I posted, wondering if I'd overtightened them and it pulled the plate up a little too far. Still a loose fit, though.)
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 12:11 pm
by AEC
Are the batteries aftermarket or genuine Circle-M?
Many aftermarket batteries are not always tight fits, i have an Alexander battery that also is a bit on the 'loose' side as well.
Aside from tightening the plate, there's little that can be done.
The battery plate is not cracked anywhere is it?
This may also cause a loose fit as well.
Just another thing to look for.....
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 12:13 pm
by fogster
It is an aftermarket battery, but it's a perfect fit on my other (newer) Saber. No cracks or anything in the battery plate.
Oh well, guess I'll live with it.
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 12:46 pm
by thebigphish
it sounds like what we had with our portables...the aftermarket batteries were injection molded in a rather sloppy manner, and the grooves that held the battery to the radio were about a gnat's ass off the plastic guides. That's what happened when we went with cost-effective, rather than true to life. They matched up just fine, and held on to the radio plates, but they were just a sloppy fit...lots of play in them.
Saber battery connections...
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 12:53 pm
by Tom in D.C.
Better to have it too loose than too tight. Whenever I have to
slam the battery against the table edge to loosen it I'm afraid
I'll break something. Hasn't happened yet but someday it
could. Good thing the Sabers were built as tough as they were.
Aftermarket batteries are notorious for having a poor fit to the
radio's slides, though some fit as well as a Motorola battery, I've
found.
Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006 1:04 pm
by Will
The battery plate can get warped or bent from too tight of a battery or physical force. There is a lot of tourque on the plate transfered from the battery comming up against the car seat, ect. The plate is just a casting.
Same applies to the Genniss series radios, HT600, ect;.
You may swap plates on the two radios and see if the loose battery problem follows the plate.