Battery and Charging Options for Baofeng UV-5R Platform Radios
Baofeng Batteries Click for Larger Pic
Keeping your Baofeng UV-5R platform radios (including BF-B8HP, UV-5RX3, etc.) charged up is simple when you have access to a 120v outlet, but that's a boring way to use a handheld ham radio. Since a handheld transceiver's (HT, or handy-talkie) purpose is to provide comms on the move, I wanted to ensure I had the ability to keep my radio operational in many different circumstances. In this article, I discuss three batteries and a few charging options that help me get the most out of my radios, including the home charger, vehicle charging options, backpacking options like solar panels, and the ability to use regular AA batteries with an aftermarket battery pack.
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I organize this article around batteries that must be charged with the charging cradle that ships with the radios (the 1800mAh and 2100mAh batteries), the extended battery (3800mAh) that does not require the cradle, and two options that don't use dedicated Baofeng batteries at all. Each one offers slightly different battery life, advantages, and disadvantages.
Let's start with what they have in common. This pictures in this section illustrate a size comparison. At the top left, moving from left-to-right, are the AA Battery Pack, the Extended Battery, the 2100mAh battery, and the 1800mAh battery. Note the size differences. The AA pack is roughly the same size as the Extended Battery; both are the same width and thickness of the radio but extend well below the radio's bottom, extending the effective length and potentially requiring different carry options if you want to use a pouch. The 1800mAh battery conforms to the radio's dimensions, while the 2100mAh battery is slightly thicker and increases the radio's effective depth when installed (not not likely enough to require different pouches).
None of these battery options interfere with radio's belt clip, and they all use the same latching mechanism to secure the battery to the radio. Installation and removal are the same for all options--just push down on the spring-loaded latch to remove the battery, and push the battery back onto the radio until it locks into place to install it.
The UV-5R comes with a charging cradle that plugs into a household outlet, which is the fastest way to charge the batteries in this article. All three batteries are compatible with the charger, but two of them--the 1800mAh and 2100mAh that ship with various models of the UV-5R platform--can be charged only with the cradle. This limits the options for mobile use.
However, it's still possible to use the charging cradle on the move. The cradle requires a 10VDC input (10 volts direct current, like a battery). Although the radios do not ship with the cable, Baofeng sells a Baofeng Transformer Cable that adjusts the voltage on USB outlets so it's compatible with the charging cradle. This cable allows you power the cradle using anything with a USB port: a cigarette lighter adapter, a computer, emergency car starter, or a backpacking solar panel charging kit. This way, you can multi-task items to ensure your kit works together as a system. For example, having the emergency car starter can charge your radio, headlamp, cell phone, etc.
The first picture below show both batteries with the charging cradle and wall charger, and the aftermarket transformer cable, to give an idea of the bulk if you choose this option. The second picture just shows the electrical parameters of the charger in case you want to build your own charger. (DIY/MYOG/Be careful!)
Cradle-Charged Batteries Click for Larger Pic
Baofeng Charging Cradle Click for Larger Pic
These pictures just show the difference in thickness between the 1800mAh and 2100mAh batteries when they're installed on the radios. Look closely at the top corner of the battery, right where the belt clip attaches, and you'll see a slight difference. There isn't much difference at all, so if you're going to by extra batteries to carry along and you don't want the Extended Battery, the 2100mAh will give you a little longer battery life without much size penalty. You can see how it affects the clip a little bit, but that won't matter unless you're trying to hang the radio on something really thick.
Battery Thickness Comparison Click for Larger Pic
Battery Thickness Comparison Click for Larger Pic
One advantage of using the transformer cable with the charging cradle is simply price: it's a cheap way to add portable charging capability.
Another advantage is that using the smaller batteries maintains the radio's small size when compared to the Extended Battery or AA Battery Pack. This is important for some carry options. For example, I often use the EMDOM MM GPS Pouch when I want to mount the radio on a belt or backpack, but the 3800mAh battery won't fit inside. The 1800mAh and 2100mAh batteries both fit in there with the radio. (This requires a shoulder/lapel mic; I use the Code Red Signal 21-K.)
But it has two primary disadvantages. First is overall kit size. If you want mobile charging options, you'll have to pack the cradle with you, and it's bulkier than the extended battery with its own USB cable discussed below. (The USB cables are not compatible.) But if you're carrying the cradle anyway, like if you're going to a fixed location with grid power and just want a backup option, this is a good one.
The second disadvantage is charging speed; this option is much slower than plugging it into the wall, and appears to be slower than the extended battery option that eliminates the cradle.
When I built my Entry-Level EMCOMM Kit, I bought some Extended Batteries but I didn't want to waste the OEM batteries. And since they can only be charged with the cradle, I included them in some of the kits. One technique I use to keep it organized it to put the cradle with wall charger and transformer cable into a zipper lock storage bag, and then keep the extended battery's USB charger in its marked zipper lock bag. That way if an untrained family member needs to use and charge the radios in an emergency, I've already eliminated the confusion of figuring out which parts do what.
I think the Extended Battery (3800mAh) and USB Charging Cable is the best compromise option. With a much larger capacity, it packs longer battery life into a condensed package--much smaller than bring the cradle along. It is compatible with the charging cradle when you have grid power for faster charging, but it can use any USB outlet without the cradle's bulk as well. That means smaller overall kit size, with the same capability as above for using car chargers, emergency starters, small USB battery packs, and manpackable solar options.
The only real disadvantage to the Extended Battery is size. It makes the radio taller, which might limit carry options. As I said above, the EMDOM Medium GPS Pouch is very convenient but the radio won't fit with the 3800mAh battery installed.
Battery Size Comparison Click for Larger Pic
The first pic below shows the Extended Battery with its charging options. It can use the dedicated USB cable, or the cradle with wall charger or transformer cable. You can see the difference in overall kit size if you're able to leave the charging cradle at home and rely only on the USB cable.
The second pic shows an interesting side effect of the USB cable. The LED lights up when you plug it into the battery but not into a power source, so you can get a rough estimate of the battery's charge. This battery is almost fully charged and the LED is very bright. Note that the battery can be charged without being attached to the radio, so with two batteries you can charge one while the other is in use. And if you use a portable battery charger, you can do this in your pack while on the move. (Be sure to manage the heat generated while charging, though. I'd recommend putting it in a ventilated external pocket if possible.)
The third picture just shows that the battery can be charged on the cradle without being attached to the radio, too. All three batteries are capable of this.
Note that the Extended Battery's USB cable is not compatible with the charging cradle's transformer cable, and vice versa.
AA Battery Pack
The AA Battery Pack is a great emergency option that I have in all of my vehicle kits. It allows the user to power the radio with five AA batteries (and an included dummy battery). This means with a completely dead Baofeng battery, you might be able to run your radio with what you find at the gas station or grocery store. Or, since I view my whole kit as a system that should work together instead of the comms kit as a separate entity, I already have other eletronic items that run on AAs and a standalone GoalZero portable AA recharger. Now I can use regular AA batteries to charge my cell phone, headlamp, radio, etc. with the GoalZero charger. But I normally bring rechargeable AA batteries with it, and I can use the GoalZero charger to recharge the AAs and then use the AAs to charge whichever device I prioritize at the time.
Note the caution in the Amazon reviews about a piece potentially being able to come loose and present a fire hazard. The reviewers say this isn't present on all the packs, and is easily fixed when it is present.
The BL-5 Battery Eliminator is sort of a misnomer because it doesn't eliminate the need for a battery, it just enables the radio to use the vehicle's battery (via the cigarrette lighter outlet) instead of the radio's battery. This could be ideal in many situations, such as allowing you to save your battery while you're in the vehicle, and then just put the battery back on when you're on foot. But it ties you to the vehicle while you're using it, and using the vehicle's power might introduce electrical interference into the radio. Still, it seems like a good option for certain scenarios.
I put one of these in each of my kits, and I use it when I'll be in a vehicle without a mobile radio for an extended period. It's convenient because I never have to worry about recharging the HT's battery, and also because I don't have to remember to turn it off when I get out of the vehicle. It just turns on when the 12v receives power (i.e., when I start the vehicle) and it turns off when the vehicle does.
