If you have misplaced your charger and are wondering how to charge a walkie-talkie without a charger, you’re in the right place. Understandably, you really wouldn’t want to deal with dead handsets when out on an adventure! That’s why it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with ways to charge your units.
A low power charge can cause poor signal strength and can hamper communication. But, following some basic tricks, you will be able to restore their functionality even without a charger.
Walkie Talkie Battery Charger
Let’s first learn about the different battery types to learn how to pull this method off!
Ni-Cad
Nickel-Cadmium or Ni-Cad is a rechargeable battery that lasts much longer than any other battery. It’s among the original batteries used for radio sets and also the heaviest. The only downside is that Ni-Cad batteries are prone to memory effects, which causes them to lose their max energy. The batteries hold less charge after being repeatedly recharged after being partially discharged. Nonetheless, it easily lasts up to three years if you take the proper care of it.
NiMH
Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries are similar to the Ni-Cad batteries in their chemistry and property. But, unlike the latter, NiMH is less susceptible to memory effects. The battery’s charging efficiency is 70-100% charge.
Although this type of walkie talkie battery tolerates memory burn, it loses its efficiency because of overcharging. Prevent overcharging by looking for signs, such as warming temperatures. You can also prevent the memory effect by fast charging NiMH.
Li-Ion
Lithium-Ion batteries are among the most expensive rechargeable batteries. One positive of the Li-Ions is that they do not get a memory burn. However, they’re limited to a certain number of charging cycles, which means they’re unable to charge after a certain point. You may also notice the batteries running out of charge faster over time. It’s best to charge your Li-Ion batteries partially to avoid reducing battery life. A full charge may increase the charging cycle and therefore reduce battery life.
Alkaline
Since alkaline batteries are non-rechargeable, you cannot recharge them when they run out of charge. Therefore, you can’t charge walkie-talkies that use alkaline batteries. But, you can use these batteries to charge Ni-Cad, NiMH, or Li-Ion batteries when you’ve misplaced your walkie-talkie charger.
How to charge a walkie without a charger?
Here are some different charging methods you can perform to replenish rechargeable batteries, regardless of the type of batteries you have. Keep in mind; you’ll need ample technical knowledge and skills before performing these steps. It’s best to research and practice on your own before trying this on an adventure.
USB port charging
Motorola Talkabout T460 and Midland X-TALKER T71VP3 are some examples of walkie-talkies that support micro-USB charging. You can easily recharge such devices by plugging them into any equipment.
- Even if you’ve forgotten to carry your walkie talkie’s USB cable with you, you can still recharge it using a smartphone USB cable. But this will only work if the two have a similar USB port.
- Next, plug the USB cable and connect it to any equipment, such as laptop, PC, power bank, or car charger and power on.
- This method will ensure smooth recharging. Keep the battery within the walkie talkie while charging it as a safety precaution.
Alkaline battery
As mentioned earlier, you cannot recharge alkaline batteries, but you can use them to power other rechargeable batteries.
- Begin by removing the walkie talkie battery.
- Next, you will need your AA or AAA alkaline batteries.
- Supply power to your dead battery by matching its voltage to the alkaline battery. This is an essential step since the batteries will not charge if the alkaline ones have a lower voltage.
For a Li-Ion battery of 3.7V, you will need three AA or AAA alkaline batteries in a series.
- Set up your alkaline batteries to create a series.
- Next, use metal wire pieces to connect the alkaline batteries to Li-Ions. Since this can cause the wires to heat up, it’s best to take safety measures while performing this step.
Here’s an essential piece of advice: do not follow this procedure with a NiMH battery. Although it will work, it will take plenty of time, and slow charging makes the battery prone to memory burn.
Clip battery
Another technique is to use a clip charger. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Take out the battery from the walkie talkie.
- Insert it in the clip charger’s platform and power it on.
Although this is one of the most convenient methods, it’s only suitable for Li-Ion batteries. It’s a good idea to carry a clip charger when you don’t have your charger or USB cable on you.
Conclusion
As unconventional as it may sound, you can easily recharge your walkie talkie batteries without a charger, given they’re rechargeable. It’s a brilliant idea to carry a portable charger and USB cable for charging walkie talkies that support micro-USB charging. You can also power your handsets by using AA, AAA, or 9-volt alkaline batteries to recharge your radio battery. You can also use the clip charger, which is quite helpful, especially for Li-ions. Make sure to conduct thorough research before trying these methods to avoid endangering yourself.