Vertex Standard VX-230 Replacement Battery FNB-V104 7.4V 1380mAh

Vertex Standard VX-230 / VX-231L Series — 7.4V Li-ion Replacement Battery (FNB-V104)

This 7.4V, 1380mAh Li-ion pack replaces the FNB-V104, FNB-V104LI, FNB-V103, FNB-V103LI, FNB-V131Li, and FNB-V132Li across the Vertex Standard VX-230, VX-231L, and VX-234 handheld transceivers. Same voltage rail, same connector footprint, same BMS communication protocol as the OEM pack. Slot it in and the radio recognises it immediately.

• VX-230 series platform fit: The VX-230, VX-231L, and VX-234 share an identical battery bay geometry and 7.4V nominal rail. All listed OEM part numbers cross to the same cell configuration, so one pack covers the whole platform without any adapter or modification.
• Bench tested on actual hardware: We ran this pack on a VX-231L under simulated PTT load cycles. The BMS held voltage within spec through sustained transmit bursts and engaged thermal protection cleanly at the high end — no false cutoffs, no mid-key dropout.
• First insertion into the charger dock: If the dock LED flashes fault on first seat, pull the pack, wipe the gold contact strip with a dry cloth, and reseat firmly. The Vertex Standard platform requires a clean contact cycle for the BMS handshake to complete before charge current flows.

VX-230 cuts out mid-transmission on a fresh pack

A new Li-ion cell ships at storage voltage — typically 3.7V per cell, putting the pack around 7.4V total at rest. Under transmit load, that storage-voltage starting point can cause the BMS to interpret the current draw as an overcurrent event and briefly interrupt output. This is not a faulty pack. Run two or three full charge cycles through the dock first, and the BMS recalibrates its overcurrent threshold to the fully charged 8.4V baseline. After that, PTT-induced cutoffs stop.

Bar indicator reads one bar low after a full charge cycle

The VX-230's bar indicator reads voltage thresholds directly — it does not track charge history. A new cell that has not yet completed its first conditioning cycle will rest slightly below the top voltage threshold the radio expects, so the display shows one fewer bar even after the charger goes green. This is a cell voltage issue, not a capacity issue. Run a second full charge, let the pack rest for 30 minutes off the dock, then power the radio on — resting voltage should settle above 8.0V and the indicator will read correctly.