Battery Problems; Lithium Battery Updates/Upgrades - Ranger RCI-2950 Service Manual

BATTERY PROBLEMS

Careful: Latest versions of RCI do not have a lithium battery anymore.
If you run your 2950 as a base on a power supply the internal 3v battery will drain much faster or
if you use it mobile and let the ignition switch turn the radio off and on then the battery will be
dead in a very short time. So the next time you open the radio to replace the battery, solder the
leads of a 2AA or 2AAA battery holder (either one will equal 3 volts) to the battery contacts (!!!
observe correct polarity!!!) Then using a piece of double side tape place the battery holder in an
out of the way place. This way when the batteries do go dead you can replace them fast and easily
with common batteries.

LITHIUM BATTERY UPDATES/UPGRADES

This seems to have been one sore spot with the 2950. A common replacement is the Ray-O-Vac BR2325TZ-1
Radio Shack's version is listed as #23-d168. If one gets tired of replacing the battery after the warrant runs
out, here's a couple of "fixes" for longer battery life and battery elimination!
a. Battery replacement: document all memory channels, then remove ALL power from the radio. Remove
the covers, knobs and front panel from the radio to allow the display and boards to easily lay forward,
allowing easy access to the battery. CAREFULLY remove the lithium battery, noting the correct battery
polarities" Next, solder the leads of a 9 volt snap connector (Radio Shack #270-325 or equiv.) to the proper
points on the board, red to +, black to -.
Install two "AA" alkaline batteries in a mating holder (Radio Shack #270-382) and snap to the installed 9 volt
connector. Carefully swing the display and board assembly back into place and install the four chassis screws.
Power the radio up and check all functions. If normal, insulate the batteries and use nylon wire ties to secure
them to a wire bundle. Reassemble the radio. Now the memories and functions of the radio should last much
longer, and replacements are a "snap"! NOTE; this upgrade has been in use with several radios for over a
year with never a failure or replacement!
b. Battery elimination: while not tested at this time, the circuit described in this upgrade was adapted from
the Realistic HTX-1 00 schematic and should function well with careful assembly.
Other memory caps to try would be from Hosfelt Electronics, part #15-343-2 ( .1 F 5.5 volts), #90-155 (.22F
5.5 volts) or #15-363 (1.OF 5.5 volts). See the " Sources" section for parts house's addresses.
The above circuit can be built on a small piece of pert board and installed near the rear of the display board.
To install:
a. remove the battery
b. tie in the new circuit (5.5 volt output) to where the positive side of where
battery was soldered
c. for 13.8 volt input, tie in other end of new circuit to the hot side, or unswitched side of the on/off switch