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(800-872-1872) or visit our website at
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BATTERY MAINTENANCE & CONDITIONING
Due to the extended run time of the SST Series radios, some users
may never fully discharge the NiCad battery pack during normal use.
Achieve maximum battery life by fully discharging the battery
periodically to condition it.
After exposing the battery pack to many cycles of not fully
discharging it before recharging, the radio may exhibit reduced
battery capacity. This reduced capacity is evident when, after
several hours of use, battery voltage drops while the radio is
transmitting, causing the radio to emit a dead battery warning tone
and shut itself off.
Condition battery packs by the following procedure as either a
preventive measure, or if you suspect reduced capacity:
TO CONDITION THE BATTERY PACK:
1.
Use your radio throughout a normal work day without charging.
2.
Press and hold the On/ Volume Up and Volume Down/ Off
buttons simultaneously for 8 seconds to place the radio in
"open squelch" mode.
Release both buttons when you hear the radio beep rapidly; it
will then emit a loud "rushing" noise. Press On/ Volume Up to
maximize this noise.
3.
Put the radio away in a secure place (possibly a desk drawer),
where nothing can press against the buttons to accidentally
turn it off or cause it to transmit. Allow the radio to run until it
shuts off when the battery is completely discharged. A typical
battery pack may require about 8 hours to completely
discharge.
4.
When the radio has shut off, charge it overnight for 12-14
hours. The battery will be ready for use with renewed
capacity.
NOTE: A new battery
must be charged and discharged several
times before it can reach its maximum charge capacity.
CAUTION:
Use only RITRON-supplied chargers; using other chargers may cause fire
or explosion, or otherwise damage the radio.
CHARGING
Because the battery pack loses its charge during storage and shipment, fully charge it before
first use. To ensure peak radio performance for the next day, charge the battery overnight after
each day of use. It completely charges in about ten hours.
TO CHARGE THE BATTERY WITH A RITRON CUBE CHARGER
Plug the charger cord into the charge jack (marked "CHG") on top of the radio. Then plug the
cube into an 110 VAC outlet. The green lamp lights while the battery is charging, and should
go out only when the cube or cord is unplugged.
TO CHARGE THE BATTERY WITH A RITRON DROP-IN CHARGER
Two charger contacts, visible through the radio case bottom, permit charging the battery with
an optional Ritron drop-in charger. The battery pack may be either removed from the radio case
for charging, or charged inside the radio case.
Each drop-in charger comes with a spacer to permit charging a "spare" battery while the radio
is being used.
To use the drop-in charger, plug it into a 110 VAC outlet. Set either the radio with the battery
installed, or only the battery with the battery spacer, into the charger. Refer to the illustration
in Optional Accessories, opposite. Each battery contact must rest on a charger contact pin.
NOTE:
Battery pack life averages one year. Follow these guidelines to maximize service life:
CONDITION battery packs once a month as directed in Battery Maintenance & Conditioning, at
right.
CONDITION batteries that are run down.
CHARGE batteries for 16 hours before storage, and for 16 hours once a month thereafter.
DO NOT overcharge batteries. Unplug the cube charger after 16 hours to avoid overcharging.
DO NOT charge batteries in temperatures colder than about 45°F. Charging batteries in
temperatures above 95°C. does not harm them, but can reduce charge capacity.
BATTERIES
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