New Life for Yaesu VX-1R

I can't claim credit for this hot tip.  I found this searching the internet for replacement batteries for the Yaesu VX-1R.

I bought the VX-1R years ago right after I got my license.  It is a sub-miniature dual band transceiver with wide band receive.  It is perfect for stuffing in your shirt pocket at a hamfest to keep in touch with your buddies.  The problem is that the battery doesn't last very long with a 700mAh rating, and new batteries are rather expensive.

The Trustfire 14650 battery (that's 14mm in diameter and 650mm long if you didn't know) are a perfect fit.  They are nearly the exact length of the original FNB-52LI, and maybe just a little shorter.  Shorter is better than longer.  To compensate for this I put a small donut magnet on the positive terminal of the battery.  It allows the door to close with enough positive pressure that it doesn't fall open as it would without enough pressure on it.

For some reason the 14650 battery isn't as easy to obtain as other cells.  I found them at FastTech for $6.57 for a pack of 2 which have a PCB (protected) as well.  That's with 1600mAh capacity which is over double the original capacity, and if the first one runs out on a rag chew, I can just pop the other one in.

So the question is, "Can I charge these cells inside the VX-1R?"  Remember the VX-1R only charges the internal battery when the transceiver is turned off.  There is a circuit board inside the original Yaesu battery.  Checking the spring terminal inside the battery compartment shows that when the charger is plugged into the radio there is 6 volts on the terminals of the battery.  It will not work to charge the battery without the battery management circuit.

The original battery capacity is so low, it doesn't make sense to preserve the original battery.  The convenience of having a modern battery with greater capacity is obvious.  The solution was clear.  The original battery must be removed from the case and the new one inserted in its place.  Since I have no spot welder for this task, it must be soldered.  Solder sticks best to battery terminals that have a rough surface.  This is accomplished with an engraving tool gently across the terminals.  With a blazing hot soldering, solder and flux is applied QUICKLY to provide a good contact patch to sweat the terminals on without overheating the battery itself.

There you have it.  New and longer life for the sub-miniature VX-1R.  Catch you on AllStarLink.

73

de N3FIX