The short answer is no, you shouldn’t use off brand batteries in two-way radios. Motorola and Kenwood batteries are specially designed to work with two-way radios, offering the best results.

Two-way radios are widely used across many different industries of work. Since you need to replace two-way batteries from time to time, many people are curious whether or not off-brand batteries are suitable for the job.

Below, we will cover this topic in full detail and also help you understand when your two-way radio batteries need to be replaced.

Should You Use Off Brand Batteries?

No. As a general rule of thumb, using off-brand batteries in two-way radios is not recommended. The manufacturers of two-way radios have a particular battery in mind when they design each two-way radio. If you stray away from manufacturer standard settings, you are much more likely to encounter hiccups and errors with the device. This is the main reason we highly recommend using the proper brand of batteries as opposed to an off brand.

When you rent two-way radios from Highland Wireless, you don’t have to worry about batteries or accessories. We provide everything you need.

3 Signs that You Need a New Battery for Your Two-Way Radio

Although two-way radio batteries are rechargeable, it’s important to realize that they will still need to be replaced from time to time. Below, we will break down three of the most common signs that your two-way radio’s rechargeable battery needs to be replaced.

Power Lasting Shorter Periods of Time

A brand-new battery will last the entire set time determined by the two-way radio manufacturer. Often, this is somewhere between 12 to 24 hours long. A two-way radio will often spend most of its time idle, making it last a longer period of time. If the power starts lasting shorter periods of time, this is a sign that battery health is decaying and it’s time to consider getting a replacement.

Very Fast Charging Time

One of the most surefire ways to instantly receive feedback as to whether or not your battery needs to be replaced is to monitor the charging time. Think back to when you first got the two-way radio and try to recall how long it took to charge the device from low to high.

Typically, a defective battery will be able to charge in a very short period of time – that’s because it’s not really fully charging. As rechargeable batteries start to age, their overall charging capacity decreases. Therefore, if the battery charges to full capacity much faster than normal it might be time to think of getting a replacement.

The Radio Overheats During Use

When you use a two-way radio with a low battery, one of the common things you might experience is overheating. This is especially concerning if the radio has never overheated in the past. As a general rule of thumb, overheating is never a good sign.

In addition to potentially having a defective battery, you might also be experiencing mechanical issues with the device itself. Therefore, if you encounter overheating with your two-way radio it is generally a good rule of thumb to start by replacing the battery. If the overheating continues, then consider the possibility of further issues.

How Often Do Two-Way Radio Batteries Need to be Replaced?

In order to receive a definitive answer as to how often two-way radio batteries need to be replaced, first consider what type of two-way radio that you have. If you have a rechargeable battery system on your device, it will typically last anywhere between 12 to 24 months. If you make it past this point, you are probably already starting to experience signs like what we described above.