Midland PL2215 Replacement Battery BP5615 7.4V 1800mAh

Midland PL2215 — 7.4V Li-ion Replacement Battery (BP5615)

This 7.4V, 1800mAh lithium-ion battery replaces the BP5615 and BP5615MH packs in the Midland PL2215 two-way radio. It fits directly into the PL2215 radio body without modification. Voltage and connector match the original specification.

• PL2215 pack compatibility: The PL2215 runs a 7.4V two-cell Li-ion stack. Both BP5615 and BP5615MH are OEM references for the same physical pack — same cell configuration, same contact layout, same BMS handshake protocol the radio expects on power-up.
• Bench tested on actual hardware: We cycled this pack through transmit loads on the PL2215 platform. The BMS held stable across PTT bursts, and the voltage rail stayed within the radio's operating window without triggering an undervoltage cutoff.
• First insertion on the dock: If the charger shows a fault LED immediately after inserting this pack, remove it, wipe the gold contact strip with a dry cloth, and reseat firmly. The PL2215 dock requires a clean contact cycle before it will initiate the BMS handshake and begin charging.

Why the PL2215 cuts out mid-transmission on a freshly inserted pack

A new Li-ion cell ships at storage voltage — typically 3.6–3.7V per cell, putting a two-cell pack around 7.2V. The PL2215 draws a surge of current the moment PTT is pressed to power the RF output stage. At storage voltage, that surge can pull the pack below the BMS cutoff threshold, tripping a protective shutdown before the radio completes the transmission. This is not a fault with the battery. Charge the pack fully before use and the voltage headroom eliminates the trip.

Bar indicator showing one fewer bar than expected after swap

The PL2215 reads battery level by measuring pack voltage against fixed thresholds — it does not track charge history. A new pack at storage voltage sits below the top threshold, so the radio displays one or two bars even though the cell capacity is intact. This is a voltage reading, not a capacity fault. Put the pack on the dock for a full charge cycle, and the indicator will reflect the correct level once the cells reach 8.4V.