RadioBanter - Pro-95 current draw?

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Pro-95 current draw?

The manual says 90ma when squelched. What does it draw when it is
scanning and there is audio?

I find that I drain four 1650ma NiMH batteries in around three hours.
This corresponds to around 550ma, which seems excessive. Is anyone
doing better?

Ken
(to reply via email
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I think usually get a little over 16 hours on 4 1700mAh NiMH energizers on
my Pro93. I know it's a little different model, but I can't imagine the 95
would use up THAT much extra power. A set of chepo generic eveready AA's
will get me about 8 hours.
-NW

"Ken" wrote in message
...
The manual says 90ma when squelched. What does it draw when it is
scanning and there is audio?

I find that I drain four 1650ma NiMH batteries in around three hours.
This corresponds to around 550ma, which seems excessive. Is anyone
doing better?

Ken
(to reply via email
remove "zz" from address)

Another way to check the cells, is charge them all up, test each cell before
use, then after when the scanner starts to show signs of slowing down.. The
bad cell should show up. It may show up right off the charger, but if not,
it sure will once put to use.
One way I've found bad cells, though not a guaranteed scientific method
perhaps.... is when checking the cells out of a charger.. IF one seems to
start dropping in voltage right away even if only a few tenths of a volt, it
is usually the suspect cell. I've found many this way.

The scan current draw should be near the same or perhaps a bit higher than
manual mode, no audio. But certainly not as much as when a signal is being
received. Also, the current drain will also be greater as the volume is
increased from minimum to maximum. IF you listen to the scanner at top
volume, it will hasten the discharge. IF using it portable with no access to
a charger to use as external power, use an earphone to enable you to hear it
at a lower volume. OR you could make up a high current pack from a Camcorder
or RC pack or something. The latter can be quite obnoxious in some cases but
sometimes you have to have inconvenience to enjoy the conveniences (of
having a scanner for hours). I can't speak for all manuals, but some do list
the current rates for various modes. OR you could plug in a test plug set up
to go through an ammeter off of a battery pack or power supply and test the
current draws yourself.
--
Lou

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E-mail my shop at

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"BDK" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...
In article ,
says...
The manual says 90ma when squelched. What does it draw when it is
scanning and there is audio?

I find that I drain four 1650ma NiMH batteries in around three hours.
This corresponds to around 550ma, which seems excessive. Is anyone
doing better?

Ken
(to reply via email
remove "zz" from address)

I'm thinking that you might have at least 1 bad battery out of the 4

You have a bad cell. Run the radio for a while, one will probably be
warmer than the others. I get 10-12 hours out of 1800ma rechargables,
with the volume about 1/3 up.

BDK

On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 00:41:15 GMT, Ken wrote:
I find that I drain four 1650ma NiMH batteries in around three hours.
This corresponds to around 550ma, which seems excessive. Is anyone
doing better?

Thanks to all who replied -- which (as usual) did not include Radio
Shack who I emailed.

I recharged the batteries in the radio -- a slow charge. The radio is
up to 10 hours and still going.

The three-hour life was what I was seeing after a fast charge of the
batteries outside the radio on a Maha C777 charger. Apparently, the
charger thought it was done when the cells were only 1/3 charged. But
that is another problem.

Ken
(to reply via email
remove "zz" from address)

Ken wrote:
The manual says 90ma when squelched. What does it draw when it is
scanning and there is audio?

Well, the back panel says to use a 300mA external supply, so
*theoretically* it shouldn't draw more than 300mA when charging dead
batteries with the light on and audio present.

--
Joe Bramblett, KD5NRH

Don't know what the current draw is on the Pro-95, but I have had up to 18
hours under normal usage, (backlighting off) on the Radio Shack batteries.

--
Ryan KC8PMX

"Some people are like Slinkies . . . not really good for anything, but you
still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs."

wrote in message
...
Ken wrote:
The manual says 90ma when squelched. What does it draw when it is
scanning and there is audio?

Well, the back panel says to use a 300mA external supply, so
*theoretically* it shouldn't draw more than 300mA when charging dead
batteries with the light on and audio present.

--
Joe Bramblett, KD5NRH

I use 1800mAH NiMh and charge them about once a week. I usually turn it on
about 6 hours a day.

The same type of batteries in my Yupiteru MVT-7100 have to be charged every
other day under the same conditions.

"Ryan, KC8PMX" wrote in message
...
Don't know what the current draw is on the Pro-95, but I have had up to 18
hours under normal usage, (backlighting off) on the Radio Shack batteries.

--
Ryan KC8PMX

"Some people are like Slinkies . . . not really good for anything, but you
still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs."

wrote in message
...
Ken wrote:
The manual says 90ma when squelched. What does it draw when it is
scanning and there is audio?

Well, the back panel says to use a 300mA external supply, so
*theoretically* it shouldn't draw more than 300mA when charging dead
batteries with the light on and audio present.

--
Joe Bramblett, KD5NRH

Ryan, KC8PMX ...

^ Don't know what the current draw is on the Pro-95, but I
^ have had up to 18 hours under normal usage ...

Assuming that it's the same as the PRO-93: 90mA squelched. The manual doesn't
say how much it draws to reproduce audio.

Frank