ICOM 7300 CLOCK BATTERY WORKAROUND

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Three years old and the clock 'battery' is toast. Constantly having to reset the time and date became a pain. So I decided to do something a little bit more effective than the Mickey Mouse battery they put in it in the factory...

[@blueharley2]

way too much battery, and no reverse diode. Use a CR2032 button instead. And for goodness sake, get rid of Windows XP

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

Works fine. Cheers

[@carlosalfonsohernandez7093]

Yo colocaria un portapila de bateria cCR 2032 dentro del radio en vez de ese adefecio que hizo el sr

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

hola Hice lo que hice por varias razones. 1- Quería que la batería fuera externa a la radio para poder controlar el voltaje. 2- Usé las celdas AA porque quería una capacidad masiva, ya que a veces mi radio puede no encenderse durante varias semanas. 3- Recibo mucha mierda en los comentarios de este video sobre lo que hice y cómo no funcionará, etc., pero aún funciona bien, Ni siquiera revisé la batería desde que se hizo este video. ¿Dices error? no si funciona no es un error Hi I did what i did for several reasons. 1- I wanted the battery to be externaf rom the radio so as i could keep a check on the voltage. 2- I used the AA cells as i wanted massive capacity as sometimes my radio may not be powered up for several weeks. 3- I get a lot of shit in the comments of this video about what I did and how it wont work etc etc. But yet its working fine, Ive not even checked the battery pack since this video was made in fact. You say Mistake? not if it works its not a mistake

[@DongFang2019]

Well… if my battery give up its not worth that surgury… I can live without it.. 😅

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

its not that hard.

[@eugenemodzelewski6471]

You made this more complicated than needs to be and you don't have to remove circuit board to replace battery. Remove top and bottom covers and remove front panel of radio along with 2 ribbon cables. Use a heat gun to heat up battery solder and remove it. Purchase a 2032 battery holder ( Amazon comes with holder and wires.) and rechargeable battery LIR 2032 or ML2032. You can use double sided tape to secure battery holder to the left side of battery location. Your way of removing battery could damage the CKT. Bd. tabs and disconnection all the other ribbon cables and removing CKT BD is more dangerous of breaking something. Your an amateur .

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

Still working though. Amateur.... Yes I am.

[@johnnorth8924]

I have replaced batteries in many Icom radios, you don't need to remove the dead board mounted battery cell. Simply solder the red and black wires from the new external battery case right to the board mounted battery connections. Just make sure you have the polarities correct!

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

I'd sooner have it out. It's just as easy to do it right than cut corners I've found in my experience.

[@marcing4287]

can't the battery be just removed and replaced with another the same battery without desoldering it ?

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

@@marcing4287 I'm sure it could. I was more concerend with getting it out because if the OG battery was to leak. And to all those who said it would work, still on the same pair of cells and working perfectly.

[@marcing4287]

@@GeorgeEI7KO is origin battery itself soldered to the mainboard ? if not, if I buy a new battery I could just replace it.

[@darylcheshire1618]

like a visit to the dentist.

[@fredshead3956]

Hi there does anyone know if the vfo knob on the 7300 just pulls off?? F

[@fredshead3956]

By the way the vfo knob is held on with a1.5mm Allen screw under the rubber band.

[@W7LDT]

Is it necessary to remove the board to replace the battery or was that done for ease of filming?

[@mattottie6410]

Who needs a clock, i never use it, but good work anyway...

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

If you're saving files to the SD card you need it.

[@68LP13]

Ah the Ray feller in da flesh.... I couldnt do that stuff, I be looking a cheap Casio watch with the same batter and order a replacement as a few of those batteries are 10 year life span. But this is much better and to see the Jedi in full flow a real bonus, oh and hi George :)

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

Delicate surgery for sure....

[@angelodepalma538]

Sufficient reason to deduct one full star from any review. This is a major repair that is programmed into the design of this radio.

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

Stupid design. Like it was forgotten about until the last moment. My 'bodge' all the expert said wouldn't work or damage the radio is still working fine.

[@DK5ONV]

Love the Drake L7. and of course the IC-7300. Your Buddy did a great Job replacing the Clock Battery. 73 de Uncle Guenter 💯👍🙋‍♂

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

Thanks 👍

[@vu2pza498]

Simply keep attached with your radio a small ups 12 volt battery via the main DC power line, when not using the radio .Clock will not die. No need to play like this with 1000 dollar radio.....

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

Still working 3 years later.

[@AdamSWL]

Thanks George and Ray! The dead clock battery in the IC-7300 has been driving me nuts. Having to set the bloody clock EVERYTIME you power the set back up is ridiculous. I would live with it except when recording audio, the timestamping is all wrong. Why the hell Icom used such a tiny battery is beyond me. Will do the CR-2032 mod in mine eventually. Just have to bring myself to pulling apart the radio, which is not something I want to do to this set.

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

Exactly. A total pain in the bum if you do a lot of recording to the SD card. If working fine since. No issues at all. We widebanded it to while we were in there.

[@fredshead3956]

Hi there the best way to change the battery is take the top and bottom off, and 4 screws that hold the front on, pull the front forward a bit and you can see the battery quite easy, if your good with a soldering iron and have good eyes you can change it..F g4vvq.

[@PaulReedy]

Now that you've done this mod, since the original battery is surface mount, do you think it can be removed without removing the front panel and the board? That way you wouldn't have to pull any ribbon cables.

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

Simple answer, no. You don't have the access and you'd end up risking burning something.

[@PaulReedy]

@@GeorgeEI7KO thanks, I just ordered a used one on eBay, hopefully it’ll arrive this week. Being that it is used, it may need this mod.

[@Tobinindustrial]

Nice to see the Jedi in his element. He is the absolute best tech to come out of Ireland. Great job gentlemen.

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

No doubt!

[@BoB4jjjjs]

Ha ha ha ha "That's the way I went about sorting it out" lol, Ray sorted it out for you. I also hate those ribbon cables, I hate them with vengeance! They are even worse if someone has had them out before and knocked them about a bit!

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

Well, I did want to be able to film it properly. I have no business in there! That's why I did it external, I don't want to be going in there at all.

[@BoB4jjjjs]

@@GeorgeEI7KO No, there is a bit more to them than a CB and they can be a bit static sensitive. There is not a lot to adjust in them anyway, best staying out of them, they will work just fine. Nice you filmed it for us though George.

[@MrPhilus]

May I never be so stingy to molest a good radio like that :( What would a replacement battery cost???

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

Fuck all probably, but I was so appalled at it lasting only 3 years, I decided I was going to go full on belt and braces with it. My last radio was 3 years old when I bought it, I had it for 10 years and never had to change the battery. I wanted it external, I wanted it to be able to take high capacity cells. Shouldn't have to be going in there in the first place after three years of light use. And further more, what molesting was done? two wires ran out the back to an external powerpack with over 12 times the capacity of the bt381 'battery' hardly qualifies. I i was drilling holes and the like id understand your turn of phrase.

[@BoB4jjjjs]

@@GeorgeEI7KO I think I would have done the same, but I might have left them inside the radio, or put a bigger 3v battery in it own holder inside. Good thinking doing it that way though!

[@AndrejaKostic]

Just don't forget about battery self-discharge. That's probably going to eat much more energy on those AAs than the RTC.

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

I have a voltage alarm on it. theyre industrial cells. Huge capacity.

[@kenwooley9414]

Good job. Thanks for showing us your solution!

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

Glad to help!

[@vu3mes]

I just want to ask a doubt, what happens if we attach a battery pack without removing the dead battery, will it corrode. Removing the battery seems to be a micro surgery. Tnx

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

I'd sooner take it out rather than risk it

[@meindertsprang7491]

The dead battery is a rechargeable lithium cell. If you do not remove it, it will be charged by the external battery without any form of current limit. That ca be dangerous. But why replace the battery? If you leave your rig powered for a night, the small battery is charged again and your clock will hold the time.

[@vu3mes]

@@meindertsprang7491 I operate everyday, so there's no chance of getting it discharged or dead. That was a general question on the possibilities. 73

[@K6TJO]

Can someone explain the engineering logic behind hard soldering a battery to the circuit board? Why would Icom do that?

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

Lean manafacturing methods I'd imagine.

[@K6TJO]

This is insane! Makes me serious second guess their products now!

[@jimbrown4135]

Yaesu did the same thing in the FT 991

[@stevefrank353]

It's designed to last much longer. Therefore, by design, it should rarely need replaced. It is a SMALL rechargable 1 mAh cell. It recharges SLOWLY whenever power is supplied to the radio so when people shut off the radio AND the power supply the small cell keeps getting weaker and weaker. Eventually it drops too low and can't recover no matter how long you leave power to the back of the rig. Kenwood has similar issues with some radios. The problem is most people power off their power supplies when they power of their rigs. The recharge circuit is designed for that tiny 1mAh battery which has a standard charge current of 5 microAmps (0.000005 amps). You risk radio damage by substituting two GIANT 'AA' cells in its place.

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

@@stevefrank353 how exactly? The recharge circuit can't tell weather its recharging a pair of aa cells or a sub miniature cell that is no longer incapable of taking a charge. To expect people to leave their power supplies on 24/7 is rediculous. The radio will only draw what it needs from the cells, and will never be able to do any damage to the recharge circuit as its no different to leaving the power supply on as you suggest.

[@carlbill9491]

lot of hasstle to change a battery ray..

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

Still working fine. No issues.

[@donaldsmith3048]

Could we just use a Lifepo4 battery in there?

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

I don't know Donald. What I can tell you is, since this video was made I have not looked at the battery pack since. It works perfectly. Loadzzzz of capacity, which was my idea in the first place.

[@donaldsmith3048]

@@GeorgeEI7KO Well I know just enough to be dangers sometimes. The LiFePo4 battery is about 3-3.5v and the AA size battery should run that clock for many years. The trouble I see is that the 3v regulator could be damaged trying to charge that big of a battery. The AA normal rechargeable battery are 1.2 v each and 2 will give you 2.4v.

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

@@donaldsmith3048 Ray says the reg won't be under any strain. As I said it's been fine since done.

[@fredshead7114]

Is that battery rechargeable or just has to be replaced when it goes flat...

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

They are reghargabke high capacity cells. By my calculations of what the radio draws for the time and date backup (settings are stored on the SD card) it would take 12 years without ever being switched on for the radio to drain them.

[@fredshead7114]

@@GeorgeEI7KO Hi there my 7300 is about 1 or 2 years old i dont use it much but when i do the clock has gon back to zero, if i use it 2 or 3 times a week its ok, i bought the radio new...F

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

The battery they fitted from the factory will only hold it for a hand fuk of weeks with no power going to the radio. I've not looked at the battery pack since and all is well.

[@meindertsprang7491]

So, my battery went flat too. Powering the rig (without switching it on) for 24 hours charged it again. No need to replace it at all. Heck, even the manual mentions this on page 12-11: "If you do not use the transceiver for a long period, we recommend that you connect the transceiver to a power source at least once a month. The charging period is two days whether the transceiver’s power is ON or OFF." I know: men don't read manuals...

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

I left it on the psu (radio not powered up) for a week straight. No dice. The battery was gone. Well documented fault.

[@stephen9863]

PAGE 8-7 IN MY MANUAL

[@submarineradioman5535]

Good morning George - might you know what the projected “memory battery” life is for the ‘7300 ? Mine was 2 years old April last.

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

Three years seems to be the lifespan Howie.

[@wishicouldgame]

good morning gents 😉😎😎

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

Morning!

[@msmolly3082]

Love the accent!

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

Thank you, we're here twice a week. Don't forget to tip your waitress!

[@lesleystevenson3038]

The A team does it again never fails to amaze what a team no job to big no job to small George and Ray does em all qaulity as per usuall 💯👍😉

[@GeorgeEI7KO]

cheers