more electronics than electrics - battery and charging question

Hi PW, in your pic pin 1 doesn't look like it's connected to anything? 


If if you don't need an elegant solution to get it battery powered how about something along these lines:

https://cpc.farnell.com/pro-power/sbh-9vas-dc/battery-box-pp3-200mm-lead-dc/dp/BT06082

I just Googled this radio and the first thing I read was a twelve year old review that says the problem with having one of these radios is getting a battery, twelve years later it’s not surprising you are having to get someone to make you a virtually unique battery.


Andy

DAB radios do consume a lot of battery energy. So a mains' power supply or rechargeable batteries are best compared to single use batteries.


Z.

7.2V is awkward, it  could be 2 Lithium cells, or 6 NiMh. It seems it was made around 2007, so very much it could be either. The two battery types have vary different charging requirements to be observed  if not to create a bonfire,

Of the two Ni Mh are more forgiving. 8.9v open circuit is rather high for lion, but it depends how it fast that droops with taking some current (can you put a k ohm accross and re-measure?)

There are really 3 wires, I suspect the 0V and 8.9V with the thicker tracks are the battery proper, and there is some sort of either thermometer sensor for a Nimh pack or charge balancer for the mid point of 2 lions.


I might put power in on 1 and 4, from a bundle of cheap NiMh and consider to take the batteries out to recharge them outside the box. Various holders are available for AA cells.

I have looked at pictures of the radio online but can not see a power supply socket on the outside. Presumably you wish the radio to be portable. Is it possible to trace back from any external power supply socket to the circuit board to get clues as to the battery connections and supply requirements? 


Ah. I have just found this. Does it help at all?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Premium-Genus-London-Touch-Screen-Control-TypeR-Digital-Radio-with-DAB-FM-Walnut-/153416037048


The power input seems to be 9 Volt D.C. positive centre if my focusing is correct for the power input via the external socket.


Z.

The A.C. adaptor does the rectification and smoothing as it provides a D.C. supply to the radio via its power socket. So with the radio disconnected from any supply the polarity to the pins can be confirmed using an Ohms range on a multimeter. One probe on the power socket and the other on a pin to test for continuity. Positive centre is shown on the radio power socket. Don't connect up the power backwards.


Z.

@zoom @mapj - thank you, i will have a go at the suggestions. i may be a while coming back though so please bear with me.


@zoom - yes +ve centre pin  (and I have already written to that seller to see if they had anything...same boat as me)


@sparkingchip - what are you trying to say with your contributions ;-)    "dont bother"



As I pointed out, I;ve tried many many places and I know its all a long shot.  I picked up the radio as a freebie and thought I'd venture to see what could be done.  A company has said they would package up something to fit the battery bay, but would need to know the pin config and how the battery is to be wired etc...as I said.  @mapj - I think you are on the same lines as another electronics person mentioned to me...it could be tricky due to the possible configs.


Regards


PS: i use linux and this editor thing to use for posting is quite frutrating...for some reason the cursor flicks about and makes edits in odd places.   dont have this problem with other 'rich text' editors i have come across.  Some of them have the ability to turn off 'rich text' functions and just use a 'normal' text editor...hint..IET  :-)

Hi.


I guessed you already knew what I was saying, looking to see what the radio was it soon became evident that even when the radio was new to market the reviewers were saying the battery specification would be a future problem if you needed to replace it. Although not contributing to resolving the issue, in my mind I was clarifying what the problem was, and that was it was a unique battery in the first place, so the chances of finding a compatible battery that was used in a different piece of equipment is zilch.


And yes, you knew that in the first place and didn’t need telling, though I don’t know if everyone else knew that.


Best Regards Andy.

@sparking - :-)    you were only saying what a few have already...you are not alone :-)


my reason to raise it was to see if any one could decipher the circuit board, pins, voltages etc to  rustle up a guess on how a battery for that radio would be wired.    as i say, if that could be sorted a number of battery 'makers' out there have said no problem to putting one together !


easier said than done...well for me at least.    i will plod on until the shoe leather is worn out and i have no more desire....but  it is interesting in some way.  I will try the @mapj and @zoom date collecting and see where it leads.