Portable radio batteries

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All U Get

All U Get

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Oct 2, 2008
3,811
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
Hi gang,
I recently received a used ICOM M15 portable radio with nickle-cadmium batteries. After putting the radio in the charger for 24 hours I tried it out and it didn't work. On another forum I found a post that said throw the battery in the freezer for 12 hours, let it then warm for 24, and charge again for 24. After a failed attempt, it has been on for 20 hours so far and I'm amazed that an old battery could be rejuvenated. It took two freezings to do this and I'm going to let it remain on until it finally dies again. We're 30 miles inland so there isn't any chatter to wear it down and we haven't made any transmissions which would also reduce the battery life. Has anyone done this before?
All U Get
 
C

chp

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Sep 13, 2010
440
Hunter 280 hamilton
Interesting. I have 2 portable radios with the battery packs dead. One aviation and one marine. I'm going to have to try this.
 
All U Get

All U Get

.
Oct 2, 2008
3,811
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
Battery #2 I was going to throw out until I read the zap-n-tap technique. I put a set of clips on a spare 12V battery and gave the 7.2V radio battery five quick taps. Then I realized I should have measured the volts in the battery. It was 7.4V. I put it in the radio charger for twenty minutes and it now reads 7.9V. I'm going to leave it on the counter to measure voltage drop or until Battery #1 finally goes dead, it's been over 29 hours since Battery #1 was placed in the radio and the radio left on scan.

Edit added:
Battery #1 finally stopped after 30 hours+, placed it in the charger. Battery #2 which had 7.4V after getting zapped and waiting an hour since the twenty minute charge was put in the radio and it works. I'm leaving it on to see how long it lasts.
 
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