Batteries; General; Charging; Precautions And Notes - Ritron PATRIOT PLUS Owner's Manual

GENERAL

The SST-454D radio is powered by a
rechargeable battery pack.

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 twelve 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 in use.
To use the drop-in charger, plug it into a 110
VAC outlet. Set either the radio with the
battery installed, or battery with the battery
spacer, into the charger. Refer to Optional
Charging Accessories, page 6. Each battery
contact must rest on a charger contact pin.

PRECAUTIONS AND NOTES

NOTE: Use only RITRON-supplied chargers;
other chargers may cause fire, explosion or
other damage. Battery pack life averages one
year. Follow these guidelines to maximize
service life:
• FULLY DISCHARGE the battery before
recharging it.
• Condition battery packs once a month as
directed in Battery Maintenance & Condi-
tioning, 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 "fast" charge a brand new battery
pack, because this may damage the
battery. Once the battery has been charged
using the "trickle" rate, the fast rate may
be used thereafter.
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BATTERIES

• Do not "fast" charge a fully charged battery.
This can shorten battery life.
• Do not charge batteries in temperatures
colder than about 45°F. Charging batteries in
temperatures above 95°F. does not harm
them, but can reduce charge capacity.
• Do not charge or replace a battery in an
explosive atmosphere. Contact sparking can
ignite an explosion.
• Do not dispose of a battery in a fire. An
explosion might result.
BATTERY MAINTENANCE & CONDITIONING
Due to the extended run time of the SST-454D
radio, some users may never fully discharge the
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 for a normal work day without
charging it.
2. If your radio is used only in the Trunked
Mode, you need only leave the radio turned
On.
If your radio is used in Conventional
Mode, with the radio turned ON, press and
hold the On/ Volume Up and Volume Down/
Off buttons simultaneously for 3 seconds to
place the radio (on a Conventional Channel)
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:
charged, then recharged several times before it
can reach its maximum charge capacity.
A new battery must be fully dis-