Purchasing new Radio Batteries: what, how, where?

firefighter2000 · Post by **firefighter2000** » Thu May 26, 2005 12:10 pm

Where does everyone purchase two way radio batteries? Im needing a higher capacity HT1000 battery & have found several places online who sell them. Is it better to go with genuine /\/\otorola, or will a generic one work just as well. Also, what are advantages, disadvantages to NmH, NiCd, etc? Which is better? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Craig

RadioSouth · Post by **RadioSouth** » Thu May 26, 2005 12:27 pm

OEM or Multiplier are the most consistent performers.

bellersley · Post by **bellersley** » Thu May 26, 2005 12:59 pm

I use Multiplier batteries. I'm yet to have any issues with them at all. There's a local radio shop in Toronto that sells their own brand that seem to work really well. I think it's pretty much trial and error for aftermarket batteries.

Post by **wavetar** » Thu May 26, 2005 2:28 pm

As the others have said, Multiplier seems to be the brand of choice if you're not going OEM, both for cell & build quality.

As a rule, the NiMH will last longer in a shift (higher capacity) but will need to be replaced more often (fewer charge cycles). Newer NiCD batts come very close in matching capacity these days. I personally prefer the NiCD.

Todd

Tom in D.C. · Post by **Tom in D.C.** » Thu May 26, 2005 2:45 pm

It's been my experience over time that one of the biggest problems with an aftermarket battery is how well it fits the radio. A Motorola battery always seems to fit okay, but other manufacturer's batteries are often so tight you can't get them on the radio, and then when you do you have to slam them to get them off. Less often, for some reason, the fit is looser than ideal, which can result in poor contact between the battery and the radio.

I've worked with P100, GP300, P110, and Saber radios on a large scale and the battery problems seem to be universal.

Ideally, if you're able to test fit a battery before you buy it you'll avoid the fit-up problems. Unfortunately I've found some really odd battery brands in the stores such as Batteries Plus. One was a Chinese NiMH brand for an GP300 that would only charge up to about an 800 mAh level where it should have gone to a minimum of 1600 mAh.

One last thing. Be aware that the way many sellers on eBay write their auctions might lead you think they're selling Motorola-branded batteries, but they're actually selling aftermarket units.

wazzzzzzzzup · Post by **wazzzzzzzzup** » Thu May 26, 2005 7:13 pm

my aftermarket favorite is W&W manufacturing in new york

i have purchased so many of thier batteries and they are my company of choice heres what i have

STX batt 7.5v 1800MAH had for 1 year
SABER 7.5v 1800MAH (had it for 2 years just analyzed it at full 1800cap)
SABER 7.5v 1650MAH mid size NIMH (bought a week ago at dayton)
M-PA/M-PD 7.5v 1800MAH
P100 10v had for 2 years
MT1000 7.5v NIMH 2700MAH had for 2 years

all working fine and as more of my portable batts die, i will be replacing for those radio models as well.

W&W also have good customer service too, call em on an 800 number and they answer and help you. several times i have bought the wrong battery at a hamfest from them, they will replace it with the correct batt for free by mail as long as the price is the same. no hassle at all.

i would have bought an MT500 batt from them at dayton, but i found a brand new moto batt for 5$ so i will wait. i was going to buy an HT600 batt from them too,. but picked up some current moto batts for 5$ ea so ill wait.

they're hamfest prices are quite reasonable too. they are at all the big fests. they also sell universal chargers too.

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Thu May 26, 2005 7:33 pm

The W&W batteries for the Jedi radios are horrible. Rather than using the "button" style contacts like Mother uses, they use little folded over tabs that fail sooner or later.

OEM for me.

Crimestopper · Post by **Crimestopper** » Thu May 26, 2005 7:40 pm

Did anyone see the video from Motorola in regards to OEM VS Aftermarket batteries....I have it saved it is about 8 megs if someone wants to see just say so. Motorola gives its pitch and show performance and ALT (accelerated life test), shock, vibration, dust and rain....I only sell OEM to my customers and have secured good pricing to remain competitive against cheap aftermarket batteries...

Steve
Crimestopper

wazzzzzzzzup · Post by **wazzzzzzzzup** » Thu May 26, 2005 8:15 pm

tvsjr wrote:The W&W batteries for the Jedi radios are horrible. Rather than using the "button" style contacts like Mother uses, they use little folded over tabs that fail sooner or later.

OEM for me.

you are correct, they do use folded tabs, but mine look to be just as solid as the day i bought it 2 yes ago, and the battery has been on and off the radio many times.

Hightower · Post by **Hightower** » Thu May 26, 2005 8:52 pm

I have had horrible results with W&W batteries. The 1850mAh battery for the HT1250 is less than 60% after exactly 1 year. The Ht1250 battery didn't even fit the radio when I got it at Dayton last year. I had to use a xacto knif and shave off two plastic notches. If I didn't shave off these pieces, the radio would fall over if set on a table.
A Saber battery lasted less than 6 months - fit on the radio was loose.
A VX-5R battery didn't last too long, and the fit was terrible.

I for one will never purchase W & W batteries ever again. The guy at Dayton (W & W guy) says they use Panasonic batteries. I have taken apart some of these packs and no batteries are stamped "Panasonic" or have any brand on it. I've used real panasonic paks in other equipment, and never had the problems that the W&W packs give me. I'm guessing that they just use some cheap china cells and tell everyone they use Panasonic cells - again, strictly my guess/opinion.

I've not had much expericence woth Alexander batteries, but I had a Alexander pak for a HT1000 that was sitting around for at least 5 years not used. I had it analized at 85% - not bad for sitting 5 years, and who know what the history was before I got it.

K8TEK · Post by **K8TEK** » Fri May 27, 2005 3:53 am

Check out Aloha Batteries.

http://www.alohabatteries.com/catalog/m ... oducts.htm

Be sure to talk to Jeanne.

Splat · Post by **Splat** » Fri May 27, 2005 7:36 am

We've had good batteries from Battery Zone http://www.batteryzone.com/ . Fit very well, good prices and selection. I've bought from Multiplier but the last couple of times I got bad NiMH packs. Same with friends of mine. We had to send them back, which is a PITA. They were all replaced but two packs of mine were both under the rated mAh for them. All that left me with a bad taste. I've heard nothing but horror stories about W&W. I'd stay clear away from them. Since we started using them last year Battery Zone has given us no problems.

wiscomm · Post by **wiscomm** » Fri May 27, 2005 3:22 pm

Since everyone is throwing there two cents in......

First of all, OEM are on average twice the price of most aftermarket (so common economics say buy two batteries for the price of one OEM).

As a rule, for most "Mission Critical" customers (i.e. Fire/Police) we still recommend OEM (hey they have tax money to burn), however for the majority of our other clients aftermarket will serve the well.

We have rep'd Honeywell for over a year with no returns or complaints, we just started working with Exocel Batteries out of Georgia, in the conversations I have had with them I like what I hear. I do have some Jedi Batteries come in today for me to test, I will report my findings in the coming days.

FWIW, I have had issues with Multiplier in the past.

Again, my .02..

Have a fine weekend everyone.......

Craig

N4KVE · Post by **N4KVE** » Sat May 28, 2005 6:40 am

2 years ago I purchased 2 STX nicad batteries from W&W. Fit was perfect but right away I noticed how light they were compared to M STX batteries.The radio would RX for many hours, but every time I needed to TX the crickets would chirp. I called W&W,they gave me a RA# & I sent them back. A month later I called them asking where my replacements were. They said "we forgot, we'll send them out today". When the new batteries arrived, the same crap. CHIRP CHIRP only on TX. RX still good for 20 hours. And yes my chargers are all good as M batteries worked fine with those same chargers. I felt they were just going to send me the same junk again so I never called back to exchange these. When they came back to the Miami Hamfest next year I went to their booth & screamed how lousy their products were.I disrupted their sales for at least 1/2 hour. They begged me to leave, said they'd make it right etc. I said you tried to but just sent me new junk. I ended up selling the radio to a friend who uses it as a scanner. This year at the Miami Hamfest I couldn't find the beltclip for my XTS 3K so I bought one from guess who. W&W. When I left the show 4 hours later & removed the radio from my belt, the clip crumbled in my hand. I laughed & said I won't waste my time to go back inside & ask for an exchange. Now when I need new batteries I give them to my buddy in the county FD. He turns them in to the radio shop & gets new ones. Real M. The only reason I bought from them was because the county retired the STX so they had no batteries to exchange. Get the real deal. At the hamfest this year hundreds of BRAND NEW MOTOROLA Jedi batteries for $25. Sorry for the rant. GARY N4KVE

n5tbu · Post by **n5tbu** » Sat May 28, 2005 9:19 am

We got some from Kendoo for some rental ht600 and mt 1000 and Tk350,
All three fit perfectly and are holding up well.....cheep too!
mod

giguchan · Post by **giguchan** » Sat May 28, 2005 10:24 am

Hello all,
I USED to buy from W/W (better known as Wobbley&Wobbley because thats what they do) I have used their batts for my old ham gearYaesu etc and even tried them on my sabers.. with the same results... they just don't fit right...
So in short do what i do now.... go to the local moto shop get what you pay for.

RadioSouth · Post by **RadioSouth** » Sat May 28, 2005 1:15 pm

Take a look in the FS/FT colum. Ben has OEM's cheaper than what it would run for a knockoff.

SlimBob · Post by **SlimBob** » Sat May 28, 2005 1:47 pm

I use batteries from Lark (ebay); I have a Power Products NiMH 1500 mAh for the GTX and a Prostar 2700 mAh battery for my Saber. And I've only charged the Saber battery about five times since I've owned it, which has been a few months (listen only for three weeks, then I decide to talk and it dies

.

firefighter2000 · Post by **firefighter2000** » Sun May 29, 2005 5:35 pm

Anyone have a newer higher capacity OEM battery for an HT1000 they want to get rid of cheap? Like, a minimum 2000 mAH. Looks like OEM is the way to go.
Thanks
Craig

Purchasing new Radio Batteries: what, how, where?

Purchasing new Radio Batteries: what, how, where?

Batteries?

W&W=JUNK

Anyone have??