Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: W&W Associates Batteries, Chargers/Analyzers

Category: Batteries & Chargers for Amateur Radio

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : W&W Associates Batteries, Chargers/Analyzers
Reviews: 34MSRP:
Description:
Battery Packs, Battery Chargers/Analyzers
Product is in production
More Info: https://www.ww-manufacturing.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00343.9
K6SDW Rating: 2008-12-04
Average Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought battery for Alinco, but didn't last as long as OEM from Alinco ~ also didn't come with belt clip....extra $$
W3GFY Rating: 2008-07-18
Highly recommend Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have 2 of their lithium-ion batteries and the UC-1 universal charger with charger cups for 3 different radios. All have worked great. I like the convenince of one charger that will work with any chemistry or popular radio - just swap the charger cups.
N2RRA Rating: 2008-03-15
They suck! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Short a brief!

If you drop the battery's once they come loose inside the case. It happened to me too all three batts. The rapid desk top charger for them lasted no more than three months.

I first e-mailed them, but took me a second e-mail before I was feed up, and gave them a call. Reason for the e-mail first? I called first, but was told that I should e-mail the tech. department first for a prompt response. That didn't work!

So I called back, and still could not get the tech's so the receptionist took a message for the tech.s too return my call.

Never got a call!

Save your money, because they suck!
73!
N0MUD Rating: 2008-02-23
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've purchased drop in chargers and numerous batteries for different HT's and everything I bought has operated exactly the way it is supposed to. The batteries work just fine in the drop in charger and the batteries I bought have held their charge just like they were advertised to do. When I have sold the HT's and advertised them I also put in the description of W&W batteries because they hold their charge and when the charge goes down from use only they charge back up with NO problems at all. Yes I would buy more W&W batteries if I needed to but right now the W&W batteries I have are working perfectly. So if you need to replace your batteries don't hesitate to purchase W&W batteries, you'll get a great deal and great product.

73's
Mike, NØmud
W3RPM Rating: 2008-02-23
Good cells inside a poor case. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought a W&W Mfg. Battery at the Richmond, VA 2008 FrostFest. It is model WWL-FNB80. My radio is a Yaesu VX-7R. This is the water resistant, submersible HT. (I use the HT on with ARES tasks and while four wheeling, hiking, or on a boat. Water resistance is important.)

I probably should have inspected it closer at the HamFest and gotten my money back.

The first thing I noticed is that my stock Yaesu FNB-80LI battery has a rubber seal where it mates to the radio. The W&W does not have this seal and compromises the water resistance of the HT.


Fine, I'll just use this battery on dry land and reserve the stock battery for wet areas.

The W&W battery also has the tabs that hold the battery in the radio positioned slightly off. THe battery fits the radio, but it's tight and very hard to remove. One tab has already broken off. The other has stress marks in the plastic where it will break off if I use it any more.

When I did use it, the performance was the same as the stock battery. Both at 7.4 Volt / 1500 mAh.

I will try and contact W&W for a replacement or a refund.

I paid $40 for the W&W.
Stock Yaesu at HRO is $80.
K7ICU Rating: 2007-07-05
"OK" Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I had no idea that a "new" $60 battery pack from W&W would turn out to be a re-built, worn out pack complete with pry marks along the seams and scratched up contacts. I shipped it back and got it back in better condition, but still obviously used (and still not what I would consider a $60 value).

I also bought a W&W Master Charger 1 and found that it wouldn't charge a W&W (!) battery pack for an Icom IC-V21AT. The charge status LED just stayed orange. I shipped it back and got it back (over a month later) repaired and working. Quality control?

W&W never offered to cover return shipping costs and e-mail replies from their customer service aren't the most professional I've seen.

Now this is very much an opinion, and I'm not docking any stars for this, but when was the last time W&W revised their Master Charger 1 design? It's boxy shape looks totally un-sexy amongst 21st century gear. I almost want to hide it under my desk.

So what's all the fuss about?
W0FEN Rating: 2006-10-29
Great charger Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had one of their Master Chargers for several years now. They are great! You can leave a battery pack in the charger and it will NOT burn up the pack like other chargers do. I also own two of their packs for a HT and they are much higher AH rating than the original manufacturer for the same size. Still going strong.
K9XYZ Rating: 2006-06-13
NEED MOLD UPDATES Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Apparently W & W' s molds used to make the batteries are old. They may work on older versions of the TH-F6a but they don't on newer models. I have had two NEW Kenwood TH-F6a's in the last month and the W & W batteries move on both of them, however the stock Kenwood batteries are solid with No movement at all on either HT. I too like the drop in charger but can't stand it if the battery moves around during use of the HT.

----------------------
Earlier 2-star review posted by K9XYZ on 2006-06-13

I have tried 3 different W & W 1800 mah batteries supposedly designed for the Kenwood TH-F6a. They do charge up and power the HT and the drop in charger is nice. However, they do NOT fit the rig properly and allow for movement on the HT which gives the rig a Cheesy cheap feel to it. I don't care for my battery moving at all. The stock Kenwood battery fits very snuggly and has NO movement what-so-ever giving the HT a very soild brick feeling the way this expensive HT should feel. I give them a 2 only because the drop in charger is nice and seems to work well, too bad I never use the batteries because they don't fit properly!!
KK9H Rating: 2006-06-13
They fit fine on mine Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had the W&W Associates batteries and charger comination for my TH-F6A for almost three years. I own three batteries and rotate them as I use them up and then recharge them. All three of my batteries fit tightly and properly on my radio. Their capacity (1800 mA/hr) is also superb. I simply can't imagine why Kenwood didn't utilize this type of recharging system on their TH-F6A in the first place.
KC4CP Rating: 2006-04-26
SUPER! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I first did business with W&W a few years ago. Always pleased. I recently bought the Universal Rapid Charger and 1800 battery for my Kenwood TH-F6. W&W is running a special (see QST Magazine) and I got charger and hi-capacity battery for less than $100 (including shipping). Great deal! Battery recharges in about 1 - 1.5 hours. Battery and charger perform flawlessly. The Universal Charger can be used with about any HT (you just buy the matching "cup" for your particular need). And, the charger can be used as an HT stand - while operating in the shack (with external antenna). You can't beat this special & you can't beat their products. I have never been anything but happy with W&W!