Batboard

Where I work, we have roughly 50 or so Motorola XPR6550 radios and a number of IMPRES gang chargers. I suspect that many, perhaps most, of the batteries have not been replaced since the MOTO TRBO system was put in new over 6 years ago.

With that in mind, we have started to replace some of the batteries, as needed, one at a time, when the battery doesn't last an entire 8 hour shift.

I am considering making a proposal to replace all of the batteries at once and ensure that all of the IMPRES charger firmware is current. I am just curious when/if most organizations replace batteries? Do most do it piecemeal, like we are doing currently. Or, do some/many organizations repalce the batteries after so many years, even if they seem to be performing properly?

I am just assuming that as long as we are looking at things of this nature, we should at least give some thought to updating the IMPRES firmware to the current version, but maybe that isn't as critical.

We are a small law enforcement organization, so reliable communications is crucial to our business.

Smaller law enforcement agency here also. We manage around 150 portables. Patrol and Field Ops get the newest batteries. I don't like letting theirs get over 3 years old. We then cycle patrol's old batteries into the jail and support staff areas. I keep bank chargers in those work areas so if they have battery trouble there is always a charged one nearby. Once a battery stops making it through a shift, it's time to recycle it. I always sharpie the 'issue' date on the back of the battery and patrol pretty much lets me know when theirs gets near the 3 year mark.

TreyH wrote:...Once a battery stops making it through a shift, it's time to recycle it...

Are they on 8 hour shifts? Are you using the Motorola PMNN4066A IMPRES Li-Ion 1500 mAh MOTOTRBO battery or a different one?

Thank you very much for the reply!

We are on 12hr shifts. I should've said '..consistently stops making it through a shift' . There are busy times when officers utilize their portables more than others and they don't make it. I keep a bank charger in the roll call area where they can switch out if needed.

For our generation1 radios, yes, we use the PMNN4066A. We are starting to get a mix of gen2 radios (XPR3500, 3300, 7550) but I've not needed to buy any batteries for those yet.

Some ideas:

Buy an IMPRES battery reader.

Use the 4077 batteries (2200 MAh)

Replace any battery flashing red/green in the charger.